Neighbour John is a wonderful man who loves just about everyone and everything.
However, when it comes to Wayne Gretzky he gets rather passionate.
John doesn't like Gretzky. He thinks the "Wiener" was over rated and the beneficiary of a great hockey team and a league that went out of its way to protect him. And like most Leaf fans, he still can't get over the infamous 1993 high stick.
"Nothing sticks to the Wiener" is what John often says. He thinks Gretzky was more involved in Bruce McNall's legal problems, he thinks Gretzky and his wife were more involved with the Tochett gambling ring and he finds it amusing that everyone in Pheonix is getting fired except the coach.
John thinks Gretzky spent too much time behind the net, and scored mostly garbage goals while playing on a team with 13 all-stars.
And none of this has escaped John's oldest son John Jr. who has learned well from his dad, and who loves to debate me about all things hockey.
Tuesday night while watching the Ottawa-Anaheim John Jr. made the declaration he'd never seen Gretzky score a goal with imagination.
"I'm not saying he hasn't Mr. Fred" said John Jr. "But to this day, I haven't seen one."
I assured him that Gretzky has indeed scored many imaginative goals over the years, but my point was drowned out by the father who was sitting the background insisting that Gretzky was a "bum."
The debate went on far too long and went into areas that did nothing to support either argument including who would you rather have on the ice, five Gretzkys or five Orrs - an argument I find pointless because to tell you the truth, I'd rather have five Dougie Gilmours or five Wendel Clarks on the ice at the same time given that scenario.
Neither Gilmour or Clark came to close to Orr or Gretzky as individual players, but five against five, I'll take the hardnosed guys who could also score.
As you can see the argument went on way too long and went into areas that failed to support either side.
In the end, I promised John Jr. that I would look for a Gretzky highlight reel that proved he did in fact score the odd imaginative goal and this is what I came up with.
Hey does anyone remember this headline "Wayne Gretzky got smoked by a Leaf who after that hit was never to be seen in the NHL (surprise surprise)" I think Crosby already has a better highlight real, cheers.
I think Sr. and Jr. should remove their heads from under the tiki bar. The NHL never protected Gretzky, the fine players on the ice did that. He was protected by his team mates (how it should be done) and through the simple respect of players that won't skate up behind you and punch you in the back of the head ala Bertuzzi.
I watched the video quickly, but it looked to me in that nearly 5 minute montage, only one goal was scored from behind the net. Slap shots, wrist shots, deekes, under pressure, no pressure, he scored them all. Does Jr. really think that scoring a goal from behind the net is not creative?
Top all that off with incredible leadership on and off the ice, in the dressing room, etc... Did you ever see him sit out because he wanted to negotiate a better contract than the one he already signed?
Gretzky is a class act and one of the best to ever play the game. Period.
Maybe he wasn't the best to ever play the game but he is definitely one of the top 5 of all time
Say what you want about Gretzky but you don't score all of those goals and amass all of those assist with out having a little bit of talent. Yes he had a great team and the league did protect him and the other stars of the 80-early 90
But that's what they should still be doing Players new that if they hit Gretzky .Semenko or Mcsorley was going to pay you a visit but all of that stopped with the instigator rule and that was the beginning of the end of the huge goal scoring stars. I think Crosby has the potential to be the best player in world but unfortunately because of the NHL today he will end up being hurt by a stupid hit from a marginal player that 15 years ago wouldn't have found a job sharping skates in the AHL let alone making a million dollar's playing in what is apparently the worlds best hockey league.
I watched the Video again, not much there, the forehand to backhand goals over and over and over, were a little boring, still didn't see him flying through the air being tripped shooting and scoring, or passing the puck from elbow to stick whilst being slammed to the ice with no protection. Oh yeah and someone please tell me why Team Canada wouldn't even let him take part in a Shoot Out??? And another thing he is such a Great Canadian - Will his kids play for Team USA??
I would put Gretzky and Orr in the same stratosphere. They were head and shoulders above everyone else when they played. Considering how they both dominated the competition statistically they are without a doubt 1 and 1a. As for Gilmour and Clark, please……… Both were tough players who could score but come on Freddie, Wendy will have to buy a ticket to see the Hall of Fame.
As for the off ice stuff, Gretzky does seem to have some losers for friends (McNall, McSorley, Tocchet, his wife?).
If you want to talk about people dealing with shady
people how about Jager who at one point owed bookies 150 K in lost bets how about the previous owners of the Sabers they stole all that money from there cable company And lets not forgot the biggest crook of them all Harold Ballard did he not spend time in jail and leave the people of Hamilton on the hook for bad debts on the TICATS
My point to all this is people with money or wealth some times do shady things
Not on purpose but because of arrogance
It's easy for us to question the character of other people in the spot light
But I would like to know what one of us would have absolutely nothing to hide if the spot light was us the same way it is on these stars
Neighbour John is on crack. That's the explanation as why he doesn't get how great of a player Gretzky was. And I'm telling ya... if he were 21-22 playing in the league today he still would be breaking records and scoring highlight reel goals.
As for playing with a team of All-Stars... yes, that is true... but Gretzky helped make them All-Stars. Those players would have been very good with out Gretzky as a teammate but as a team mate Gretzky made them GREAT players.
Gretzky played the game like no one else and saw the game like no one else. The reason he never got hit was because he played the game like a game of chess. He saw the game 4 or 5 plays ahead of time. He could anticipate a hit second before it happened. He had eyes in the back of his head (and no those eyes didn't belong to Semenko or McSorley).
And no imagination... are you kidding me? I highly recommend you ALL check out the fabulous DVD "Ultimate Gretzky" You'll find all of the imagination you will need.
As for "spent too much time behind the net." Gretzky invented "The Office." Now that's imagination.
"Wiener's" don't score 215 points in one season and break all time scoring records halfway thru their career. Gretzky was a "Winner", a great player and is a great person off the ice as well.
Neighbour John, I feel your pain. I've seen Gretzky at every level, and at each one, I never thought he would succeed at the next one. I used to watch him play the Bramalea Blues when he was with the Nats, and I was sure that was the end. You wouldn't even notice him out there, but he'd end up with 4 or 5 points. I was positive he wouldn't be able to hide out there when he got to the NHL. His whining ways were my pet peeve, but give the guy his dues. It wasn't raw talent like Orr, or countless others who can claim to be more talented, where Gretzky shines for me is his work ethic with fundementals, and his ability to sense the play. Those aren't flashy or admiral traits, but they got him to the top, and he belongs there.
Gretzky was the best athlete of any sport in our time. Gretzky has the stats to prove that he without any debate he was the greatest goal scorer of all time. Johnny boy: the amazing thing is, goal scoring was not even his best attribute. He was a playmaker, he also has the stats to prove that he was the best set up man of all time. Now If you were to argue that Jari Kurri was a bum and scored garbage goals you might have a better arguement.
I am always amazed to hear people bash the play of great athletes like a Gretzky, Tiger Woods, or Crosby. I believe that some people just hate greatness, as it makes them feel inferior and insecure.
I think Neighbor John is suffering from Drunk keyboarding much like the Ex girl friend that you call after you have a few too many drinks you tell her you love and hate her but in the morning you don't remember it
I think John will wake up tomorrow and realize that he has problem with the bottle
Because that is the only reason that he could have for the hatred of Gretzky
Hey John you probably think Tiger is the best golfer that ever played the game
Murphy I might have to argue that point with you I think Michael Jordon was the best athlete of our time
He dominate every game he played in the mid 80-to the early 90s he never got the recognition here in Canada but it was Basketball
But Gretzky is the best set up man that ever played the game yes he played with Kurri but he also made stiffs like Bernie Nichols and guy like Chris Kontos 50 Goal scores they were bums before he came and returned back to that status after he left
As Freddie and I used to discuss during the Oilers dynasty during our news/sports run on the old 'NY, nobody dominated a sport at the time more than Gretzky.
However, his retirement years are where I understand where Neighbour John is coming from. The most appalling example was when Wayne announced to the world that he had osteoporosis...CBC's The National even led with the story as if it had a huge impact on the daily lives of Canadians. Turns out Wayne had a deal with Tylenol to promote the product for pain management. That completely sucked. Wayne as player: Lafleur, Woods and Jordan rolled into one. Wayne as private citizen: Brantford hoser.
Come on people. IF you watched the Video, thats one thing but this guy put up 200 point seasons no one has come close to that. Unbelievable. Hes not a bum. Miroslav Satan is a bum because he doesnt use his talent half the time. Gretzky used every ounce of his talent and made the players on his team that much better.
Gretzky was the best of all time hands down.
No-one can be a bum and achieve what Gretzky has achieved. If it were only one season, I might agree. He did it year after year. Maybe not the best of all time....but in the top 3 for sure.
Neighbour John is a wonderful man who loves just about everyone and everything.
And none of this has escaped John's oldest son John Jr. who has learned well from his dad, and who loves to debate me about all things hockey. 
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