Let’s face it, i never stood a chance at going pro because I started when I was 14 and I come from a decent hockey town but not the elite.  Very few Cleveland players end up in NHL.  However, I will tell you this, there is no doubt in my mind, if I started at 4 or 5, I would still be playing.

What ended up being a pretty good run for a kid from Cleveland who first stepped on the ice at his first hockey practice in 1982 at the brand new Mentor Civic Arena, quickly blossomed into a passion unlike any other in sports.  I loved it.  I played 50-80 hours a week.  Whether it was ICE, Street, Video Games, Pond, it didn’t matter, if it was hockey I was doing it.  I also knew more about the game than arguable anyone on earth at that time.  This is a true story.  Thanks to age, alcohol and drugs, I forgot most of it.  Plus ESPN not renewing the contract.  I met players like Messier, Kurri, Dr. Randy Gregg, Rick Chartraw and many others.  Not bad for a hack from Cleveland.

In less than one year, I was playing in Detroit’s “Little Caesars League” with Cleveland’s elite players.  I sucked. But I got soooooo much better that year playing with these guys.  Anyhow, life moved on and so did I.  I resigned myself to the Men’s leagues.  Like the beer leagues of softball.  However, I took it seriously.  I loved the kill shots.   I was always a good hitter.  No matter the size.  It was also good exercise and there’s nothing like the bond of a team, especially a hockey team.

One day it all changed.   It wasn’t 2 minutes into a street hockey tournament when I had a breakaway and some 15 year old punk took out both of my skates as I was skating as fast as I could.  Unlike Ice, you don’t slide on cement.  I went right down and shattered my collar bone.

Ouch-Cleveland NHL team COMING SOON

I knew immediately.  I would never be the same.  I broke it 2 more times in the next 16 months.  It was over.  I sucked.  I had kids, Got married, everything changed.  For the better I suppose.  The end.