B21 Posted January 16, 2015 Share Posted January 16, 2015 http://espn.go.com/espn/story/_/page/instantawesome-blackhawks-150116/chicago-blackhawks-deliver-blind-fan-wish?ex_cid=espnfb Extra classy move by the Hawks. I'll fess up - I lost it when she hugged sharp. Very touching. In a world where it seems everything is going to hell in a handbag it's nice when stories like this make headlines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idahophilly Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 Geez man! Talk about choking up and bringing perspective. There is beauty in this world if we just look, and help... And we prattle on about a bad day and some nimrod on a hockey board. Thank god Christina had her day and I hope she has many more wonderful days to come. Thanks B21 for posting it and thanks Hawks Nation. And I thought I had a "down day"...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanP27 Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 Arg these videos get me every time. Worth the watch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpikeDDS Posted January 19, 2015 Share Posted January 19, 2015 @B21 Thanks for that. My aunt used to be a nurse at one of the local Detroit children's hospitals where the professional athletes would all come to visit the kids. She would comment that when the Tigers, Lions, and Pistons players would come, there was SOME genuine compassion for the kids, but primarily, it was looked at by most of the players as more of a PR or photo-op. But when the Red Wings would come, there wasn't a single one, including the coach, who wasn't as genuine and down-to-earth as they could be. They LOVED when the Red Wings would come to visit, because it was REAL. From the young players just coming into the league to the head coach, it was genuine. One thing I love about hockey is that as compared with players and coaches of other sports, far more hockey players retain a foundational humility, especially off the ice. Oh sure, there are exceptions, but they are exactly that--exceptions, not the rule. They don't get to full of themselves or think they are above the game. Babcock, one of the, if not the best coach in the game, doesn't hesitate to say what good men opposing coaches and players are. He never forgets that family is more important. As determined to win as he is, he consistently keeps the priorities in the right order, an excellent role model for the players he coaches. And he still doesn't think too much of himself. When asked recently what his secret has been for never being fired at the NHL level, his answer, "Having good players. Period." He's right. This commercial series means more because when Patrick Sharp displays compassion for that girl, it's real and not contrived. Otherwise, it's just another fluff piece. But it's NOT just another fluff piece, and that's one big reason why hockey is beautiful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottM Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 @B21 One thing I love about hockey is that as compared with players and coaches of other sports, far more hockey players retain a foundational humility, especially off the ice. Oh sure, there are exceptions, but they are exactly that--exceptions, not the rule. They don't get to full of themselves or think they are above the game. Amen to that. One recent example of the lack of that in other sports that comes to my mind is from Ohio State QB Cardell Jones. He visited a children's hospital and bragged on Twitter about how he beat a sick kid 91-35 at NCAA football. Why not just go to the hospital, play games with the kids, and go about your day without that kind of crap? If you're so worried about attention that you're going to brag about that, don't bother. I'm not a Blackhawks fan by any stretch of the imagination, but that move by the organization and Patrick Sharp was nothing but pure class. I thought it was great when they brought her into the booth as well. That would be one of the greatest nights of my life as well! I also think about the story that was told about Rob Blake at his jersey retirement ceremony of how he bought season tickets for a family that had kids with muscular dystrophy year after year. And I have a feeling that there's a lot of that sort of thing that goes on that we never even hear about. In what other sport will you see teams, to a man, shake hands after the nastiest of playoff series? In what other sport will you see the players hang around to salute the fans after a particularly heartbreaking series loss? I can't think of another one. Our favorite sport is the greatest in the world, and the players and coaches are a huge reason why. This is a great reminder of that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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