Classic rivalry stirs T.O.
Is there anything better in Canadian culture than Canada versus Russia in the great game of hockey? Put it this way, Lionel Howell at Centre Sports in the Air Canada Centre said those yellow Winnipeg Falcon sweaters Team Canada wore in the first World Cup game are flying off the shelves.
Yes, the town is in a fever pitch of anticipation for tonight's big game. You can feel the butterflies. Paul Henderson remembers that very feeling. "It was terrible," he told me last night of the pressure he felt the night before Game 8 of that famous 1972 Canada-Russia Summit Series in Moscow.
He recalls having a cup of tea "and there were white caps in the cup, I was shaking so much," he said. "The thought of losing was so abhorrent."
It turned out okay and not a day goes by in which the legendary Henderson doesn't get asked about the shot heard around the world when he scored against Tretiak to win the series. He never minds. "Canadians are so nice."
And tonight he will be at home with his wife, Eleanor, watching on TV -- the result of going for glory himself once again. "Yeah, I am trying to win my golf club's championship," he laughed. "If I do well (today), I'll have to be up early Sunday."
Other members of the prestigious Mississauga Golf Club must know this guy is great under pressure.
Meanwhile, Yorkville was a buzz of activity last night. Autograph seekers like Gloria Lau and Zoriana Zwarycz went wild for Stanley Cup MVP Brad Richards -- looking like a rock star and signing every autograph. All the players -- Adam Foote, Martin St. Louis, Joe Sakic -- did.
My favourite shot of the night was Team Canada's Shane Doan walking along with a Dolce shopping bag. "It's for my wife," he says, adding it's supposed to be a surprise. Secret's safe with me -- and my 1.2 million readers.
Also great with the fans were Russian players Sergei Gonchar and Viktor Kozlov, both of whom were clearly shaken by the tragic terrorist events transpiring in their homeland. "Thanks," Gonchar said to me when I passed along my condolences.
Class guys -- which brings me back to Henderson, who is the epitome of that. He chuckles about how different things are today with this rivalry. This time the players stay in the same hotel and trade smiles. Not back in 1972.
"It was war," he said.
Times may have changed but one thing that hasn't is hockey fans from both countries will still be sitting in front of their tube tonight. It's part of our culture.
