The 8 Most Influential Sports Figures in my Life

For every guy who is into sports we all have people or influential figures that impacts the way we look at sport. This blog attempts to break down the people in each sport that most impacted my life.

1. Hockey – Doug Gilmour – Toronto Maple Leafs

In my early years, I didn’t find myself interested in hockey. I didn’t play organized hockey because I was a terribly bad skater. That was coupled with the fact that Leafs in the late 80’s were totally underwhelming. All that changed when Doug Gilmour joined the Maple Leafs on January 2 1992 in a blockbuster trade with the Calgary Flames. He played with a workman-like team with a hot young goaltender named Potvin. Together they went on to go to the brink of the Stanley Cup finals for two years in a row. I think many Leafs fans were scarred by the missed high-stick call in overtime by Wayne Gretzky who ultimately put the Leafs out of the playoffs with an overtime goal. Doug Gilmour was the ultimate catalyst for the Leafs; he would play any role required to try and put the team over the top. I modeled myself after him while playing road hockey. My ratty Doug Gilmour jersey bears a pre-bandwagon A for Assistant Captain, and still sits in my closet, blood stains and rips and all. He taught me to do anything and everything to help your team win.

2. Basketball – Michael Jordan – Chicago Bulls

This is an easy one pick. During the 90s, I sat like the rest of the world mesmerized by Michael Jordan’s skills.  Aside from his talent, his will to win was unparalleled. He always demanded the best of the team and was almost a second coach on the floor running the offense and taking his team to the next level. I only wonder how many titles he could/would have won had he not tried to play baseball for a year and half. I do always admire that he followed his heart and tried something new. Today, people compare him to Kobe or to a lesser extent Lebron. I can honestly say there will never be another Michael Jordan no matter how many titles Kobe wins.  He taught me that the will to win is the prerequisite to being a successful person.

3. Wrestling – Bret “Hitman” Hart

Now, you can argue to death whether a professional wrestler deserves to be on my list, but I can honestly say he has had a big impact on me. I used to watch WWF with my dad and my grandpa (who used to actually be a professional wrestler). Bret caught my eye as part of a vicious tag-team called the Hart Foundation. While he didn’t have the flash or size of other wrestlers that were getting pushed to the top, he had tenacity and the ability to consistently put on good matches even with bad wrestlers. His best matches were with people who could both wrestle and talk. His feud with Stone Cold Steve Austin is truly epic culminating in his Wrestlemania 13 match, which is regarded by many as the best Wrestlemania match of all time. I was fortunate to see him capture his last World Championship in Canada in 2001. The end of his career was marred by the “Montreal Screwjob”, but luckily his recent renaissance has helped give this story a happy ending. Bret was also voted one of the greatest Canadians of all time, he is truly an ambassador for the sport and the country worldwide. He taught me that if you work hard you can rise above expectations to make an impact beyond your sport.

4. Football – Scott Norwood – Buffalo Bills

Wide right, wide right! These are words that will haunt me for the rest of my life. This refers to the infamous play that the Buffalo Bills had a chance to win the Superbowl on the final play and a mis-struck field-goal forever changed the destiny of Buffalo. Scott Norword was the kicker and has earned a special place in sports history. While Buffalo ruled the AFC for 4 years, they achieved a feat never seen before: 4 straight Superbowl performances. The last two Superbowls specifically against the Dallas Cowboys was particularly hard as many others in highschool cheered against the Bills. I don’t think I caught more crap than the day that I wore my Buffalo Bills tshirt the day after Buffalo had dropped its 4th straight Superbowl. The entire experience taught me despite disappointment, never abandon your team.

5. Soccer – Roberto Baggio – Team Italy

Following is another person who missed a critical kick to win the game. Roberto Baggio missed what was probably the biggest kick in Italian soccer history as he sent his kick well over the crossbar, causing the team to lose the World Cup to Brazil. Now it is true that without Baggio’s skilled feet Italy would likely not have made it to the final, and he was responsible for either setting up or scoring countless goals. Baggio taught me no matter how good you are you need to finish strong otherwise people will remember you by your last missed kick instead of all of the others that went in.

6. Male Synchro Swimming – Gerald and Lawrence

My apologies to all actual male synchronized swimmers but this mockumentary is probably one of the funniest Saturday Night Live Skits ever. Gerald (Harry Shearer) and Lawrence (Martin Short) two brothers driven by a dream to win a gold medal in an event that doesn’t even exist. Comedic value aside this is a lovely story of two brothers driven to pursue their dream. I love this quote “I remember it was a Friday. I was coming home. My wife, Abby, asked me, “Honey, is there something wrong?” And I said, “No, there’s nothing wrong. I’ve made a decision. I’m leaving the accounting firm, and Lawrence and I are gonig to pursue a dream that we have, and that basically synchronized swimming is going to be our lives for the rest of this century.” These athletes taught me follow your dream, change the game when need be and have a sense of humor.

Watch the video of their training

7. MMA – Georges “Rush” St. Pierre (GSP) UFC

Some might point to Georges and say he is one of the greatest pound for pound fighters in the world, or one of the most dominant champions ever, but Georges has single handedly made MMA far more accepted in my house. Why do you ask? My wife and I often entertain and like in many groups what we do can be dictated by what the women want to watch. GSP has made it far easier for me to justify throwing on an MMA PPV at my house during a party. Frankly I would choose GSP due to his natural ability and willingness to train constantly, but his ability to act as an ambassador with the opposite sex to make MMA far accepted in my house is why I choose him. GSP has taught me that a good ambassador can help bridge any gap no matter what the divide, whether it be through great abs or a great attitude to life.

8. Baseball – Tony Fernandez – Toronto Blue Jays

While the more popular choice for picking an influential Baseball player for a young fan would have been Joe Carter and his epic World Series winning home run, my choice is Tony Fernandez. Why Tony you ask? The first game that I ever saw was at the age of 6. My aunt, then working for the Governor General of Ontario, was able to get tickets to a game at the old Exhibition stadium in Toronto.  It was a windy day and rather than watching the field I was looking to the giant spotlights that were moving in the wind. As a 6 year old I was far more concerned that I was going to be crushed by those giant spotlights. When I actually looked at the field I saw a fantastic shortstop who caught every ball in sight. Watching him throughout the years he was always a defensive stalwart and consistent Golden Glove winner and All-Star. Tony taught me that sports makes you feel like a little kid watching a game for the first time and to never lose that feeling in other parts of your life.

Summary:

I have learned many lessons through the world of sports. Sports is a perfect parallel to life as there is a constant flow of  high and low moments, winners and losers and people that just make you want to want to emulate. All of these people on this list have not just entertained me but taught me life lessons through their trials and tribulations.

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