Before I head out for the ceremony in a few minutes, here are some other quotes from Luc Robitaille from today, during his Q&A scrum with the media after his ring ceremony. I’ll be checking back in after the ceremony with more, and I’ll post a transcript of his speech for those who aren’t able to watch it.
(on being a NHL longshot early in this career…)
ROBITAILLE: “Apparently there was someone that wrote that somewhere on the report. `This kid will never make it. He’s slower than the Zamboni.’ It was a really fast one. It was a turbo Zamboni. It was the only one made that way. … I do remember asking my dad, when I was younger, before I was dressing, `Dad, do I look really slow out there?’ My dad was always positive and pushing me and he said, `Son, all I know is that when there’s a loose puck, you seem to be first on it every time.’ I said, `OK.’ He said, `Don’t worry about it. Just work hard.”’
(on whether he constantly worked on skating…)
ROBITAILLE: “Definitely, my skating was something I worked hard on every day. As far back as 1982 or ’83, getting a pair of RollerBlades and practicing all summer. It was always my first three steps that I was trying to improve on. I remember being 38 years old and trying to do some pickup drills out there, just to figure out my three steps. I tried, every day, to get better.”
(on whether the criticism ever got to him…)
ROBITAILLE: “I was trying to get better every day. My philosophy for my whole career was, if someone said something good about me in the paper, I always said, `Well, I have to prove them right.’ And if they said something wrong about me, or something I didn’t like, I said, `I’ve got to prove them wrong.’ I always tried to look at things with the glass half full. That’s the way I lived my life as a player, so for me, nothing got me down. I always found a way to motivate myself, whatever was said.”
(on whether he has any regrets about his playing days…)
ROBITAILLE: “I really gave it my best every day. That’s why, when people ask me if I miss the game, I say no. Because there was nothing left to squeeze out of that lemon. When I retired, I knew I gave it my best shot. I remember, when I was 18 and I got drafted. I used to idolize guys who played junior and watch them. I remember some guys had big bellies, and they were only 23 years old. Those were guys I idolized when they were in junior. I remember seeing those guys and thinking, `Man, what happened to these guys? How come they’re not in the NHL? They were so good. ‘ Listening to them, after they would skate, they would say, `Aw man, I wish I would have worked harder. I wish I would have worked out in the summer. Did you see this guy made it and I didn’t?’ I remember sitting there thinking, `Man, I’ll never say that. I’ll never say I wish I would have done something different.’ I wasn’t good every day, but I did give it my best every day. I don’t have any regret in that way.”
I love this =) =) =)
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And thats why Luc is in the HOF
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Amazing guy! I believe him when he says he has no regrets, but I bet he would have liked to win a cup in LA!
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Congrats Luc! I will be recording it.
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I hope everybody watched that ceremony… inspiring to be a kings fan. And now Stevie Y!! another great
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Damn, dive. oh well 4 on 4
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They NEVER call diving, but they called it on Brownie. Figures. How many times have we watched Avs, Wings players, etc., dive w/o getting called for it? At least they called it the way they should (put both players in the box.)
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@VanKingsFan. I had to DVR it because they put it on the same time as THE ONLY game, which just HAPPENS to be the Kings, and the only place I can find the game, it…uh…isn’t on DirecTV, which is what my DVR is connected to….
I’m looking forward to seeing it, though. Damn! Can’t skip these Aussie commercials….
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It would be great for Luc to be around the players and have some of his positive, appreciative attitude and work ethic rub off on the young core and prospects. Here’s hoping that Luc’s karma flows through the organization from top to bottom.
To quote Mr. Cheezle “Good things are coming. Good things.”
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Good 1st period. Now we need to kick it up a notch and do a little more North South with speed. I liked the last rush by Stoll, Parse, Brown. Thought they were gonna score. We keep this up and we’ll win this one. Chicago is playing OK, but they don’t look as sound as the Kings do.
Especially like the trap of Kane at the point to force the puck out of the zone. Textbook. GO KINGS!
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end of 1 no score. Kings playing a good road game. Fro had best chance of the first of anyone on the ice. The dive well, Brown went down fairly easy so can’t complain too much about it. Was already going to be a call so he shouldn’t have tried to sell it. Over all it looks like we dominating a bit. Some good saves by Quick. I do get game here so I try to update again after 2nd.
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To be honest, Dustin dives a lot. I think he’s developed a bit of a rep around the league too. I don’t really think it goes with his style of play, nor does it go with wearing the C..
Now Frolov, that guy could draw a penalty every time he gets the puck. I don’t know why he DOESN’T dive more often.
PS. Rich, good luck on the transcribing – Luc’s (Canadian) French flew buy really fast!
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OMG! Lame.
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Hawks goal. Semi soft. Let’s hope that’s only one.
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Good ol’ Luc. Showed Jimmy Carson a thing or two about having a career.
I remember Luc’s linemate one year in jrs. with the Hull Olympiques, Guy Rouleau. Scored something like 90 goals alongside Luc but never played a single game in the NHL.
Hard work and having a few extra inches of height can go a long way.
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There we go! Kopi!
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Kings goal!!!! Kopi! Nice!
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KOPI!!!!
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GOAL!!!
Justin Williams started that with the body check. Nice work boys!!!Kopi keeps puttin up the points!
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LOL the Chicago feed just said Robitaille was a 9th rd pick in 1994. 1994!
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Can someone remind me again what the red things are on the announcers’ chests?
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Interference??? What a bunch of crap!
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Boy, weak call at the end of the 2nd. Sharp was smart to make that dump ahead with the puck, but how is that interference when Sharp was the last to touch the puck? He’s trying to split the D, he’s fair game. Now if he’s hooked, tripped, cross-checked, fine. Interference? no.
We need a kill boys…
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2nd seemed fairly even to me. Hawks tightened up a bit. Wish we had capitalized on the 5 Hawks turnovers in first. It still looks like for the most part Kings are acting Hawks re-acting. The goal against, well Quick was on his knees and shot came from bad angle and went 5 hole. The Kings goal, I was celabrating too much to accuratly comment. Sorry.
GM meating update. Some want to get rid of the “no zone” at sides of net right away. Let’s hope they do.
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Kenneth, I unfortunatly cant see this game because im at work and have directv. But I would have to guess its a poppy flower that Canadians wear to honor their milatary veterans. Rememberance Day (Canada) and Veterans day is this wednesday, if that helps at all.
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The red things are poppys for the fallen troops. They will where them until veterans day as they do every year. Hope that answers you Kenneth.
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Stupid Darren Dreger. He’s asked if this is the best HOF class ever and then goes on to mention everyone except LUC!
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Sorry. Darren Dreger SUCKS for not mentioning Luc Robitaille as being part of the one of the best classes to go into the HHOF. How do you mention Brett Hull over the highest scoring left wing in NHL HISTORY?!?!?
A total joke. Pitiful reporting. Bad snub, even if it wasn’t intentional.
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Yup that was it, (poppies, poppies!) thanks guys.
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LOL, the Versus chat for the break is….The Tour de France…their other sporting event.
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Dangit! Quick was screened.
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Hawks goal. Was a good deflection. Quick had no chance. Damn it! We can get it back tho!
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We need a PP!
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Crap! They finally avoid spotting a team a lead going into the 2nd intermission, and now they’re trailing in the third again!
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Weakest hooking call ever! EVER!
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Pen. against us. Common boys lets kill it!
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It seems like they’re just randomly blowing the whistle once a period to prove that they haven’t swallowed it!
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Damn. two down.
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I’m so pissed off right now I have to walk away from this game!
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Our PK doesn’t look good tonight. Let’s hope Ivenans doesn’t get called for running the goalie.
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Blame this game on the zebra’s. They don’t call anything for the longest time and then 2 weak ass calls like that. Bush league
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Good. No call. We all know our record when he in the box.
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PTL club!
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Make up call? Stupid zebras.
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Down by 3 now after a few good stops by Quick.
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It’d be funny if that last Doughty shot was a goal…no such luck.
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Johnson just could NOT clear that. Aaaargh.
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Good to see Quicker hasn’t given up.
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Successful Kill by the Kings but time running out. 3 and half min left. Down by 3. need some quick ones.
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Well we dominated the first. Second was even but Quick let in a soft one. Third Hawks came to play. Quick let in one more soft one. DD made some good plays and so did Fro and loved the Kopi goal. We do need a little improving. Maby pick up Fernandez (still a free agent) so Quick can have a few games off every now and again (I don’t trust EE as our backup just my opinion and I hope he proves me wrong). Any way have a good night all and let’s not look threw the Canes Wed. Teams on that big of a losing streak are dangerous. Night.
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