2008 Woodie Awards
Men's Hockey Receives Belated X-Mas Gift - Flyers Goalie Robert Esche Joins Staff
Steve Fair
Issue date: 1/21/05 Section: Sports
- Page 1 of 3 next >
|
Most sports fans hold their athletic heroes in the highest regard. It is easy to explain then why ticket prices have become astronomical in recent years and why lines are seemingly endless for an athlete's autograph session. There is, however, little sympathy for athletes from fans. While a fan might empty out his or her pockets just to be in the same building as a professional athlete, it is unlikely that the complaints or cries of any athlete will fall upon sympathetic ears.
When Minnesota Timberwolves superstar Latrell Spreewell stated that a contract offer worth over $4 million for one year wasn't enough to feed his family, his fans, who on average earn less than one percent of that figure, couldn't care less. In the same state, Minnesota Vikings star Randy Moss stated that a $10,000 fine "wasn't s**t to him." And he was right. What's $10,000 to somebody who just signed a nine-figure deal over 10 years. Still, Moss did not do much to ingratiate himself to many of his fans with his comments.
With escalating athlete salaries and increasing detachment between players and fans at the forefront of the North American professional sports scene, the National Hockey League (NHL) owners declared a lockout on September 15 that will likely cancel the 2004-2005 season, although some players and owners are holding out hope that perhaps an abbreviated season can be played. Not surprisingly, players have found little sympathy from fans. The 2003-2004 season saw decreased attendance and decreased television ratings as well as a Stanley Cup finals match-up between Calgary and Tampa Bay that hardly registered a blip on the sports radar. When and if the NHL returns to action, it will have to deal with a diminished and disoriented fan base that sees the lockout as a squabble between two groups of millionaires.
There are, however, some players who just want to play hockey. Take Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Robert Esche for instance. Like every other NHL player, he misses the fast-paced action. But you won't find the 26-year-old netminder on television complaining about his salary or flaunting his wealth. Instead, you can find Esche at Starr Rink. For every Spreewell or Moss, there is an Esche who reminds the fans that not all athletes are just about the money.
After participating in this summer's World Cup for the American team, Esche, who now lives in Westmoreland, couldn't stay away from the ice. Esche's close friend and fellow NHL superstar Joe Nieuwendyk had been volunteering for the Cornell men's hockey team as an assistant coach. Nieuwendyk, who has won three Stanley Cups, is a Cornell graduate; Esche, on the other hand, has no direct Colgate ties, although he grew up outside of Utica. His father, however, is a close friend of head coach Don Vaughan and a connection was made.