One Degree of Separation - Steve Mason
A couple of years ago, my first-born was taking the drivers' education course at Fanshawe College. Her driving partner was Steve Mason, a nice polite - and very tall - young man who also happened to be a new goalie for the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League. For any of you out-of-staters who might be reading this, the OHL is just one step from the N.H.L.
Anyway, one afternoon, First Born and Steve are in one of those practical 'hands on' classes where you are actually behind the wheel instead of a text-book. On this particular winter day, Steve was behind the wheel with his hands on in the 'twenty to four' position - when he suddenly hit a patch of black ice and the car started wildly sliding out of control at 50 km.s per hour!
The Fanshawe driving instructor, of course was useless. But my daughter, leaned forward and calmly told Steve what she had heard me panicky scream at my wife everytime the same thing happened to Mavis, "Steer into the slide. Don't fight it, just firmly steer INTO the slide."
Well, Big Stevie did just that and as a result, they narrowly missed crashing into a tree.
Now, of course it might seem a bit unseemly for me to now take any of the credit for Canada's victory yesterday over the United States in the World Junior Hockey semi-finals being held over in Europe somewhere. And it would probably seem just as unwarranted to take any credit for their Gold medal today when they kick Sweden's ass in the final game.
But what the heck.
Think of it, Steve Mason was the goalie for Team Canada in both of those games. And not to take anything away from Mace's performance (ya did good, kid!) but if I hadn't drilled those safe winter-driving tips into my daughter's head, then there is a good chance that Steve's hockey career would have ended on that winter afternoon two years ago when he very likely could have wrapped a drivers-ed car around a tree trunk.
And that's how I helped Canada win gold.
Anyway, one afternoon, First Born and Steve are in one of those practical 'hands on' classes where you are actually behind the wheel instead of a text-book. On this particular winter day, Steve was behind the wheel with his hands on in the 'twenty to four' position - when he suddenly hit a patch of black ice and the car started wildly sliding out of control at 50 km.s per hour!
The Fanshawe driving instructor, of course was useless. But my daughter, leaned forward and calmly told Steve what she had heard me panicky scream at my wife everytime the same thing happened to Mavis, "Steer into the slide. Don't fight it, just firmly steer INTO the slide."
Well, Big Stevie did just that and as a result, they narrowly missed crashing into a tree.
Now, of course it might seem a bit unseemly for me to now take any of the credit for Canada's victory yesterday over the United States in the World Junior Hockey semi-finals being held over in Europe somewhere. And it would probably seem just as unwarranted to take any credit for their Gold medal today when they kick Sweden's ass in the final game.
But what the heck.
Think of it, Steve Mason was the goalie for Team Canada in both of those games. And not to take anything away from Mace's performance (ya did good, kid!) but if I hadn't drilled those safe winter-driving tips into my daughter's head, then there is a good chance that Steve's hockey career would have ended on that winter afternoon two years ago when he very likely could have wrapped a drivers-ed car around a tree trunk.
And that's how I helped Canada win gold.
posted by Sonny Drysdale at 12:31 AM
10 Comments:
Twenty to four? I always thought it was Timex time -- Ten to two.
Alt-London BREAKING NEWS: Canada wins Gold Medal World Junior Hockey Game in Czeckleslovackia between Canada and Sweden, 3-2, in Sudden-Death Overtime! Canadian Goalie Steve Mason named tournament MVP
http://www.altlondon.org
I think you should work a sponsorship deal for your daughter out of that. When the goalie hits the NHL, she can divert him from all the opportunistic puck bunnies that will assault him.
"Just walk away from the trollop. Aim for someone with higher moral fibre."
Butch - I don't know how many times I've seen you parked in your driveway with your hands in the Quarter to Three position - and making race car sounds, 'Bruuum, brummm bruum brum ...'
Kid, that sounds like a good idea, but Mace is only 19. When he gets to the NHL (or failing that, the WHL,) he'll be wanting to sow a few wild oats.
I'm pretty sure your daughter owns Mason's ass - in a purely Rod Serling existentialist kind of way. Maybe she can ask for tickets or something? Kitchener isn't that far away.
I am only here to debate the validity of the term "puck bunnies". I think "rink rat" is more in keeping with the junior hockey mentality.
Nope, I refuse to go to Kitchener for what I should be able to get for free in London.
I was hoping all of this would have translated into some free tickets to see London Knight Steve Mason - but nooooooo!
Thanks for nothing, Mark & Dale Hunter. They don't care about the fans. They've never cared about us hard-core Knights fans.
I learn all I know about hockey from Sean Twist and it shows, but heck, if doesn't that make your young un' hockey royalty or something?
David - you probably won't find a better authority on hockey than Sean Twist.
I've seen him on 'Hockey Night in Canada' on his 'Coach's Corner' segment and he really knows his stuff. At least the stuff about guys in bright uniforms getting into a bit of the ol' rock'em sock'em.
I get a bit put off by his views on banning all players from Belgium, but it's a free country. It's not like the CBC is going to fire him. Ha-ha.
No, that's true. Twist has the CBC by the short and curlies.
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