Now We Know One Of Larry's Sources

If there is one thing we love about our old friend Larry Brooks, it is his absolute shamelessness. We've caught Ol' Lar contradicting himself from one week into the next and even in the same column. But thankfully, Ol' Lar keeps on at it. This blog would be lost without him.

Now I warn you, his love letter to Ol' Puddin' Head Erica Lindros yesterday is almost unfit for mixed Christian company. This of course only means this thing is easier to pick apart than a Thanksgiving Turkey.

Like most fiskings of a Larry Brooks Sunday Column, it is tough to figure out where to begin. I guess I'll start with his harsh words for former Flyer's Captain and GM Bobby Clarke and Flyers Owner Ed Snider. Now, I too have no love for either one of those neanderthals but I wonder why Ol' Lar is so angry at them? Next to Don Cherry, these two guys are the biggest proponents of "Old Time Hockey" that Ultimate Fighting on Ice (UFOI) Fans can't get enough of. Clarke himself if probably the second biggest Icon for UFOI Fans behind Don Cherry (at least among those who actually saw a game before 1982). As a matter of fact, I think it is pretty safe to say that it is because of Snider and Clarke that fighting and general thuggish play remains an accepted and celebrated part of the NHL. (Notice I did NOT say hockey). Ol' Lar has on more than one occasion joined the UFOI Chorus denouncing the "softening" of the NHL and is an open advocate and fan of "Old Time Hockey." For him to spew such venom at two kindred souls like Clarke and Snider is confusing to say the least.

But then again, that's just par for the course when it comes to reading Larry Brooks.

But the worst part is the fawning over Ol' Puddin' Head Erica Lindros finally accepting reality and deciding to retire. (On a side note here, I wonder what the coverage will be when Jason Allison finally accepts reality too, I know Rumor Boy will be very disappointed because that name can no longer be floated in every other e-mail over the summer) Make no mistake though, Clarke and Snider's disdain for Erica is anything but unfounded (odd isn't too that Clarke supports Erica being in the Hall, but that's beside the poimt). Erica always was and always will be a whiny little crybaby who never cut the umbilical cord from his parents. Erica cried his way out of Quebec, cried his way out of Philly, and just cried because he never won a Cup.

Despite being listed at 6-4 240 pounds, Erica was also well known for avoiding contact with players close to his own size or who could throw a good hit on him in return. I remember Easter Eve, March 29th, 1997 when Erica and the Flyers were at the old Cap Centre. Erica lined up all 5-9, 190 pounds of Martin Gendron and ran him over as Gendron circled out from behind the Flyers net. The troglodytes from Philly in the crowd reacted if Lindros had just won the first Stanley Cup for Philadelphia since 1975 with that hit. But when 6-4, 215 pound Mark Tindori was nearby (or even 6-3, 220 pound Joe Reekie was around), Erica was hiding and didn't want to be hit.

Now in fairness to Erica, I do remember an occasion when he tried to throw a check on his arch-nemesis, Scott Stevens, once. Stevens had his back turned to Erica initially but turned around at the last second to knock Ol' Puddin' head on his rear. I have to admit, that was fun to watch.

Now considering that Erica was nothing but a bully on the ice and pouted his entire career, Ol' Lar declaring that he's "one of the most popular and well-respected players in the NHL among his peers" seems a little odd to me because it certainly wasn't because of the way he played the game...

But Ol' Lar praises Erica for being a player in charge of his destiny. Not letting those rat-you-know-what (this is a family blog folks) owners run his life. Erica is to be praised for refusing to play for the Nordiques who drafted him and engineering a trade to the Flyers before he ever set foot in the NHL. Ol' Lar however piles on further misguided hatred for the Flyers when he says:

If Lindros had played on a team with Patrick Roy in nets while Peter Forsberg spent his prime playing with Ron Hextall and Garth Snow, Lindros would have the Stanley Cup championships and Forsberg would be dragging his aching feet around seeking his first.

Now exactly who's fault is that Larry? It wasn't Bobby Clarke and Ed Snider who refused to play for the Nordiques who later became the Colorado Avalanche. Do you honestly think that the Canadiens were going to trade Roy to a team in their own conference? It is a well accepted fact that the only reason why the Colorado got Roy from Montreal was because they had moved out Quebec and into Denver and out of the Eastern Conference and into the Western Conference.

But folks, this is a Larry Brooks column. You should be used to this by now.

Oh and for the record, Peter Forsberg did have to play a couple of games with Garth Snow in the nets. You can look it up. It should also be duly noted that Ron Hextall was sent to Quebec along with Forsberg as part of the deal for Erica. Though old baldy only lasted one season in Quebec.

Though at least we now know another one of the Union Thugs passing information for Larry to print. That's the only rational explanation for this column.