Our favorite game has kept me alive and kicking. Don't ask me the medical reason; just take my word that the endless adrenaline push makes me want to to write about guys like Zack Parise and Brock Nelson and this here goalie who should win the Vezina; Ilya Sorokin, by name.
I'm 91 today; so what's the big deal?
You want a 91 big deal; check out New York Islanders great, Butch Goring; the best hockey player not in the Hall of Fame -- give or take #18, my buddy Ed Westfall.
You want a real, good, legit 91; that's Butch who's got the vim vigor and vitality of a teenager.
Me, I'm an imposter; I never graduated beyond 19 and emotionally, 12.
The only reason I'm around to make a joke about being a senior -- I hate that word -- is because of hockey. Our favorite game has kept me alive and kicking.
Don't ask me the medical reason; just take my word that the endless adrenaline push makes me want to to write about guys like Zack Parise and Brock Nelson and this here goalie who should win the Vezina; Ilya Sorokin, by name.
There aren't enough adjectives around for me to laud co-owners Scott Malkin and Jon Ledecky, who've been pals and supporters from the get go; same goes for NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and Deputy Bill Daly. My sons, Ben and Simon, inspire as well as their kids, Ezra, Niko, Odel, Avigail and Ariel.
Hockey, music and pals; that's what made getting to 91 as easy as Mister McDavid potting an open-netter. My interns -- dating back to 1969 -- provided constant shoulders on which I could ride while my lovely, departed wife, Shirley, provided the petroleum that enabled my writing machine to go.
Hey, if I keep going; this missive will end in 2034. But I can't omit all my tv pals from producers, Roland Dratch to Bob de Poto and Matty Fineman and the rest of the MSG bunch at 11 Penn.
Perhaps most of all, my life catalyst has been The Hockey News. I started writing for THN in 1955 and I still can't wait for longtime pal David Kolb (The Hockey News - New York Islanders, Editor in Chief) to tell me that I have an hour to meet the latest deadline. And to publisher Graeme Roustan who never stops trying to make THN the best source of hockey info this side of the puck.
What's the big deal about being 91? There's energy all around me including my THN writing teammate, Stefen (Rapid) Rosner, who already is making me feel 19 again.
But, don't get me wrong; I appreciate; really, really appreciate being here to enjoy ninety-and-one. Or, as one of my favorite songs goes; "Just Look At Me Now."