One more quick look back with Respect & Admiration to The King!

I'm leaving last night's Bruins preseason er' regular season opener for Kynch or Frank N to comment on. Because for me I'd rather take this chance on the KBBK to send my truly heartfelt thanks, congratulations and much respect to one of all time favorite athletes, the One & Only True King! #19, Burnaby Joe Sakic!

What a journey... From B.C., out to Swift Current and then on to Quebec City as the #15 pick in the 87' Draft, initially wearing #88 before becoming the "Captain" and donning his familiar Ol' #19. Finally sniff at the Playoffs in 93' with the Diques but before too long it was on to Denver to win the first of his two Stanley Cups in 96' while winning the Conn Smyth that season...World Championships, World Cups and Olympic Gold as a member of Team Canada in 02', oh yeah he was named that tourney's MVP too... 13 NHL All Star games & an MVP Award in 04'... A Hart, a Byng, a Pearson Award... 625 regular season goals... 1016 regular season assists... 84 Playoff goals... 8 of which were O.T. game winners, which is the most by one player in NHL Playoff history... I could and very much wanted this to go on and on and on but...

In the end the two things I'll remember most about "Quote less Joe" was that when the money was on the line and his team needed a lift "The King" always seemed to come through. For me though the single most thing that I think truly showed us who "Super Joe" as a person and man, was his totally unselfish and class act at the end of 91' Playoffs when upon his captaining the Av's to Cup win #2, he graciously accepted the trophy from commissioner Bettmen but rather than be the first player to lift the award over his head as is his right as the team captain, he rather chose to simply turn and hand Lord Stanley over to Raymond Jean to raise above his head first as a sign of respect for a true hockey legend and warrior who had waited way too long for the honor that night in Denver. Truly a classy move and a frozen moment in time that will never fade...

So with all that "thanks again" Joe for making the Diques' (some what) watchable in those long and challenging years. "Thanks" for those two great Cup wins you led the Av's to and for even all those tension filled, almost playoff chases....

Most of all though "thank you" Joe for rewarding my faith in you as "My Guy" out there all those seasons and for all the exhilaration and fun that I truly got in watching you play and which I'll never forget! Good luck and good health to you and your family in the future. Thank you & congratulations again...

"Love Live The King!" - KingJoe19