The Puck

Been on a recent Flyers road trip? Attend the latest PFFC club gathering? Have a hockey experience you’d like to share with other fans? We would love to hear from you!

The Puck is the official newsletter of the Philadelphia Flyers Fan Club, published nine times a year. You can submit your articles (and photos) to: Lois Witulski, c/o PFFC, 3601 South Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19148 or email to: lwitulski@verizon.net .

Below are just a few articles from recent issues of the Puck. Enjoy and Go Flyers!!

Please note: All materials sent for publication are subject to approval. We reserve the right to edit any portion of any article to better suit the needs of this publication. Articles printed strictly represent the opinion of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of the Philadelphia Flyers, its Fan Club or the editor of this newsletter.

The Flyers Fan Club lost a long time friend recently when William J. Hannigan, Jr. passed away. Bill had been in ill health for several years and could not participate in fan club meetings or activities but his love of the Flyers never wavered. He watched every game on TV since he could no longer get to the games except on rare occasions. He was very excited about the Flyers making the playoffs this year and would have thrilled to see the 7^th game overtime victory against the Caps.

Bill was one of the most giving people I have ever had the pleasure to call “friend.” He served as Member at Large, Treasurer, and President of the club for many years. He was also a lifetime member of the Board of Directors. Many people remember Bill as the “ticket man”. If you needed tickets and couldn’t get any through the ticket office, Bill was the go to guy.

I remember Bill as the gentleman who owned Morgan’s Pharmacy and was always giving to the community, the Fan Club, and his friends. There was no gentler or kinder person than Bill. When the Fan Club was in trouble or needed anything, Bill was there.

I remember many dinners and drinks at the Spectrum in the Blue Line Club later named Ovations. Did I ever pay for a thing? Of course not! Bill wouldn’t hear of it. Surely, if I were his guest once or twice I could understand this but I was there almost all the time. He was generous to a fault.

I remember so many dinner dances and other functions where Bill was the person that would make sure everything went smoothly and he still managed to have a great time. I remember so many great times.

Now, I can only say “Bill, I could never have repaid you for all the things you did for me and the Club. I loved you and will miss you.”

A Book Review by Maureen Fisher
Jonesy - Put Your Head Down and Skate
By Keith Jones with John Buccigross

Ever wonder what it was like for kid growing up wanting to be an NHL hockey player? Keith Jones’ book gives us fans an inside look into his life as he worked his way from ‘AA’ to the NHL. He tells the story of how a tragedy in his family changed not only his outlook on life but his attitude on playing hockey. Many of you have heard some of the stories in the book from Keith Jones on WIP radio. If you thought they were funny on the radio they are even funnier in writing.

Throughout the book, you will cry, laugh and smile and cry again as you accompany Keith through the years. Years that included his stay at Western Michigan University, meeting his wife, being drafted by the Washington Capitals, traded to Colorado and then traded to Philadelphia. He tells us about the knee injury that eventually ended his career prematurely and how he ended up in broadcasting.

Even when Keith made it to the NHL, he never forgot where he came from. After being called up from the AHL to the Washington Capitals, he continued to attend some Baltimore Skipjacks games. At one of those games Keith meets and eventually befriends a guy by the name of John Poor who had cystic fibrosis. John’s parents told Keith that hockey was extending their son’s life. Keith states in the book, that he never wanted to take a game off because he didn’t want to let down someone like John who may be in the stands watching the game.

The subtitle of the book is “The Improbable NHL Career of Keith Jones”. After reading the book, I don’t feel that his career was improbable. Keith shows that when you put your mind to something you really want, you can achieve it. Keith has embodied the old saying, “if life gives you lemons then go make lemonade”. He is donating his proceeds from the book to the charity Alex’s Lemonade Stand. How appropriate! So go out and buy his book, sit down, buckle your seat belt, and enjoy the roller coaster ride of Keith Jones’ career and help a wonderful charity at the same time.

“The most intimidating fans in hockey”….The dictionary defines intimidating as frightening, subduing, daunting. Where does it say it’s OK to be a jackass and destroy people’s property? Where does it say it’s OK to be profane in front of someone else’s kid, when you’d be ready to start a fight if some adult was calling your kid an a-hole?

I was quite upset to find out that Nancy Rogers, President of the Capitals Fan Club & Philadelphia NHLBC Conventioneer was assaulted when she was at the Center. Assaulted…While being interviewed…On video tape. A sign she was carrying was ripped out of her hands & torn to pieces. WOW! That guy really struck a blow for the orange and black! I’m sure that sign was the reason we lost game six! I found out later the sign read “We Believe”…Real derogatory to the Flyers, eh?. She has a right to root for her team, so why destroy her sign? And I can say, with 100% certainty that Nancy was not being one of those loud, drunken fans that you’d like to beat the crap out of for talking smack. She’s good people. I know that first hand.

Last August we, “The most intimidating fans in hockey” hosted one of the best NHLBC conventions in recent memory. Nancy was there, as well as Rangers, Devils and Penguins fans. There were twenty-six clubs here, all with one thing in common: our love of hockey. We had a blast, drinking, laughing, talking, drinking, singing, dancing, and drinking. TOGETHER, wearing our team colors. Almost 240 of us, fans loyal to our teams, and not one fight. Not one beer shower. Imagine that. Those of us who attend convention think of these people as extended family at the most, and good friends at the very least. It sickens me to think that Nancy was mistreated like that. I sincerely hope no PFFC members were involved in that incident, because if you were, you’re in violation of our constitution and your membership should be revoked. (For those who care, see Article II, section C and Article XIII of the PFFC’s constitution).

Don’t get me wrong, I’ve booed my share of “enemy” jerseys and slung a few good natured barbs at the Center. But I’ve never been profane and certainly haven’t ripped anything out of another’s hands. That’s over the line folks. The PFFC often goes on the road to support the team, and we’d be hopping mad if we were attacked just for rooting for our team. And as the Coatsey/Jeff Carter interview after game 7 shows, we haven’t cornered the market on buttheads. I’m not saying the Center should be like convention, but the next time you run into a visiting fan that’s minding his own business on the concourse, try intimidating him with a smile, it’ll make him wonder what you’re up to.

On Jan 13th, we made our way down to DC to watch our Flyers take on the Capitals for an afternoon affair. I was confident that our boys would bounce back from the overtime loss to the Bruins the day before. When we arrived at the Verizon Center, the Washington Capitals Fan Club was waiting for us at the Green Turtle because they were providing lunch for us. I want to say on behalf of all of us who attended this lunch - Thank you very much to the Capitals Fan Club, your hospitality was much appreciated.

Things weren't looking so good when the Capitals scored just 1 minute and 22 seconds into the game, but soon after that the Flyers came back strong. Mike Knuble scored 2 goals and after that the Flyers never trailed in the game again. The Flyers fans (and there were many in attendance) were having a blast and cheering after every goal or hit delivered on the ice. In between periods I was walking around the concourse and ran into Steve Coates, Lasse Kukkonen and Rory Fitzpatrick.

The final score of the game was 6-4 Flyers. Before we made our way back to the bus, the group gathered to take a picture. The Capitals Fan Club happily took pictures with our cameras for us and then we took one big group photo combining the two Fan Clubs. In all, the day was fun and unforgettable.

I would like to say a big Thank You to Lou for putting together two amazing trips that I was able to go to. I can't wait for my next trip.

Well, what can I say about my first trip into Canada? I was excited as the days drew closer to the time that I and 18 others would depart for a fun filled bus trip to Toronto. We boarded the bus at about 1AM at the Skatezone and then the adventure began. Nothing exciting happened on the bus ride up because most of us were sleeping. But a memorable moment came when we reached the border. A patrol officer boarded the bus to check out our ID’s and ask the standard questions about weapons, firearms, tobacco, alcohol, etc... and the best answer given was “I don’t think there’s any alcohol left.” That made us all chuckle, even the border officer.

When we finally arrived in Toronto, we stopped at the Hockey Hall of Fame to pick up our tickets and then we went to our hotel. When we got to the hotel, there were familiar jerseys wandering around the lobby. Also staying at the hotel with us were many faithful Rutgers football fans who’d come to watch their Scarlet Knights compete in the International Bowl vs. Ball State that weekend. Surely, if both teams were to win on Saturday, our hotel would be rockin’!

After settling into our rooms, we went out exploring a bit. Most of us wound up at the mall to get a bite to eat or to do a little shopping. For dinner that night, we went to Gretzky's Place. Let me just say, the trip there was somewhat of an adventure, but in the end, the walk was worth it. The bartender at the restaurant was kind enough to put on the Flyers vs. Devils game for us to watch. Although our boys lost a tough game that night, we knew they would be ready to play the next night in Toronto. After dinner, it was off to bed because we had a long day ahead of us.

Saturday, Jan 5th was a busy day for everyone who was staying at the hotel. We got up early along with all of the Rutgers fans to get in a good breakfast. The football game was set for the early afternoon, while the hockey game was to be played at 7PM that night. Everyone in the lobby was wearing either an orange and black Flyers jersey or a red Rutgers jersey. We made friends with the Rutgers fans as we wished their team good luck. They in turn did the same for us, even though most of them admitted to being Rangers or Devils fans.

The time had come to go to the Hockey Hall of Fame. Other than attending the Flyers game, this was the highlight of the trip for me. I could feel the goosebumps as I entered into the room that held Lord Stanley's Cup. I waited in line to get my picture taken with the Cup and all I could think of was how many great players have their names engraved on it. I was particularly interested in finding all of the Flyers names and that of my favorite, Peter Forsberg. I took a lot of great pictures of hockey memorabilia from not just the Flyers, but from all across the league and the world. Could my trip get any better? In a word, yes it could.

This leads us to game time. After a short subway ride to the Air Canada Centre, I was in game mode. All I wanted to do was find my seat and make my way down to watch the guys in the pre-game skate. On the way down, a group of us were stopped by a camera man asking us to do a spot for Hockey Night in Canada. Of course we obliged the request. Thanks to Alan for having a loud voice so all of Canada could watch hockey "Philly Style". The players happily tossed pucks to the Flyers fans in attendance during the pre-game warm ups. All that was left was for the anthems to be sung and for the puck to drop. It was scary to watch Lupul lying on the ice after a hard hit from teammate Hatcher and Kapanen leaving the ice after being hit in the face with a puck. In the end, the Flyers won the game 3-2 and all of us Flyers fans left the game happy and proud of our boys.

Well, our hotel was rocking that night because not only did the Flyers win, but the Rutgers football team was victorious over Ball State in the International Bowl. Happy fans were all over the hotel and a good time was had by all! We all boarded the bus on Sunday morning to head back home. And like the show we watched on the way home, "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia".

Going on Fan Club Trips is so much fun and I really love cheering for our visiting team. The best part about these trips is going to the games with great people from our fan club, but certainly a bonus is seeing the sights of the cities we are lucky to visit. This is where we get to forge friendships and many of us now attend these trips together. Here are some of my favorite memories of trips I have taken over the last 12 years with our club.

Ottawa – The beautiful capital of Canada. It was my first road trip, one of my very favorite hockey cities and houses my absolute favorite arena. The fans are great and very welcoming to visitors. And, what more can I say about Marshy’s (a restaurant/bar right inside the arena) that I haven’t said in previous articles here in the Puck? Brad has welcomed us several times that we have been there and the food is really good. One of the most fun things to do there is skate on the frozen canal or just walk on it (very carefully) which we did the last time I was there. On previous trips, we’ve seen several of our Flyers players doing the same. And, during Winter Carnival time, there are figures, statues and even whole houses carved out of ice and snow – it is a wondrous site. There are lots of things to do in town, including visiting their Government buildings and shopping in the mall.

Atlanta – This was my 3^rd road trip. The arena is great with so much to do around it. We went on a tour of CNN studios where we saw them broadcasting live and also did a tour of the Coke factory, where we were able to sample all of their products. There is an underground mall which was fantastic. And, we got to attend a Braves baseball game in their beautiful stadium.

Minnesota – As everyone should know by now, it is Lou Milano’s favorite place in the world, and I can certainly see why. It has my 2^nd favorite NHL arena with lots of open space and great food. I’ve been there twice; once for the All Star Game and once on a Fan Club “Road Trip” where we took a tour of Minneapolis (yes, we went by where Mary Tyler Moore *lived* on her TV show and where she “threw her hat” where there is a statue commemorating that event). We also went to a Gopher’s (College) Hockey Game where we had a lot of fun trying to get tickets without freezing to death. But, my favorite memory of all was going Ice Fishing on a frozen lake where we fished out of holes cut in the ice inside a small shack. We actually caught several fish too! I would do it again in a second!!! And, who can forget about the largest shopping mall in the US which also houses an indoor amusement park?

St. Louis – One absolute fact about all of our Road Trips – the hotels Lou has booked for us are great, and the one in St. Louis is fantastic!! It is located right across the street from the spectacular ARCH where you can spend a great deal of time riding to the top, viewing movies about the Arch’s construction and exploration into America’s West, and walking through it’s impressive museum. I was lucky enough to be there one time during Mardi Gras and got to see what is advertised to be the 2^nd best parade after New Orleans and I believe it. Thousands of people lined the parade route and *fought* to catch beads thrown into the crowd. The Arena is a brisk mile long walk from the hotel and a few blocks further down is a great mall constructed right inside a Train Station. Our good friends in the Blues Fan Club have hosted us each time we have been there and always show us a great time. And, another super tour is the Anheuser Bush Brewery Tour which offers free samples – which isn’t hard to take.

Rangers – Although our seats are usually at the very top of MSG, I’ve always had a great time there. Even though I have worn clothes that identify me as a Flyers Fan, I have never been treated badly by any of their fans. There is some *banter* but it has always been very friendly. One year there when we arrived early for an afternoon game, several of us decided we would walk from MSG to Radio City Music Hall since someone (I won’t mention his name here) told us it was only about a mile away. Twenty Three blocks later, we arrived at our destination. It was great to see all the sights along the way, but we wisely decided to take the train back to MSG after we purchased tickets to the Christmas Show which we attended after the game. Another time, some of us attended a Broadway Show. There is always plenty to do in NY!

Dallas – Talk about hotels!!! The last time I went there on a Road Trip the hotel was so huge, you almost had to take a bus to get around it. I have great memories of this city – from walking (under the highway) to the arena, taking tours of the city, watching the Eagles play from a local bar where we were brave enough to cheer long and loud and having dinner at Medieval Times where 18 of us really enjoyed ourselves.

Phoenix – One of my most favorite places to go. I’ve been lucky enough to attend games at both arenas. The best part about the *old* arena was that you could walk from our hotel (another spectacular one), but the *new* arena is beautiful and located in a shopping center with great places to eat and hang out after the game. So many things to do here – eat at Alice Cooper’s restaurant, walk to the “mall”, have a drink at the many bars around the hotel. My favorite memories here are taking side trips to Sedona, home of spectacular views of red mountains, taking jeep rides through the mountains and the desert and going to the Grand Canyon which was more spectacular than I had ever imagined.

Denver – The best thing about going west on these Road Trips is that you have enough time to explore the area. There are so many tours to take, one of them takes you up into the Rockies to see where Buffalo Bill was buried and to view buffalo where they once roamed free. While I was there, I attended a Denver Rockets basketball game and also took a tour of all of their stadiums/arenas. It’s a beautiful city and I will be going back in December.

Vancouver – What a great city!! I was lucky enough to be there on a New Year’s Eve and had a spectacular time. We could walk to the Arena from the hotel and after the game, Lou sang God Bless America in the hotel bar at midnight.

Edmonton – Site of one of the most exciting hockey games I have ever seen (outside of a Flyers game). On some trips, we are lucky enough to attend another hockey game and here we saw the Oilers play the Devils the night after our game. It was a sit-on-the-edge-of-your-seat game where we were all rooting for the Oilers; unfortunately, our *rivals* won the game late in the 3^rd, but it was so much fun rooting for the underdog (especially when it wasn’t our guys). In Edmonton, we encountered some of the most friendly people I have ever met. Some of us had decided to explore the city on foot and when we needed directions, several people went out of their way to help us – practically walking with us all the way. We left Edmonton on a bus to Calgary where we stopped on the way in Banff – an absolutely beautiful place in the Canadian Rockies and someplace I hope to visit again in the future.

Calgary – I remember being very, very cold!!! The time I went, the city was in the middle of a Transit Strike and getting to/from the game was an adventure all its own. Because of the strike, I didn’t get to see much of the city, but I did have a great time there. And, during the Flyers practice the afternoon of the game, I got to meet and talk to Brad McCrimmon, former Flyers defenseman and then an assistant coach of the Flames. He spoke very fondly of his time with our team.

Toronto – Home of the Hockey Hall of Fame and what a place it is! Absolutely worth the trip to see this fantastic museum. I was told they change the exhibit every couple of years so it does pay to go back when you get the chance. Our hotel was within walking distance to the arena and there are lots of places to go in town – including a great mall. While I was there, one of my friends and I got to attend a Raptor’s Basketball game and sat directly across the court from Michael Douglas.

San Jose – Close enough to San Francisco, so that is where we stayed when I went there. I love the arena although this is one place were we were told that we were “rooting for our guys too loudly” by the fans around us – oh well!! As you can imagine, there are lots to do in San Fran including walking around the wharf, sampling the soups and other food, riding the Trolley Car up and down the hills, riding across the Golden Gate Bridge and visiting Alcatraz which is definitely worth the cost of the trip.

Detroit – Another city where we were hosted by the home club – a great group of people. We only had a little extra time when I was there, but my friends and I had a great time walking around, riding the “tram” and winning at the slot machines at the Greek Town Casino. Some of our group went into Canada to play at another Casino as well. Unfortunately, when we went to the Motown Museum, it was closed for the day..:o(

Boston – Another favorite destination of mine. Regrettably, I never got the chance to see a game at the Garden, but the new arena is very close to there. Several of us spent a great full day touring the city, visiting places such as Faneuil Hall where there is a fantastic mall, Old North Church and the Paul Revere House, Cheers for dinner and then going to a movie. This city is one you don’t want to miss if you get the chance.

Carolina – Another city where the home town club treats us very well. Last year, we spent New Year’s Eve there and had a fantastic time. The Arena was within a mile of our hotel and the weather was great. We were invited to a New Year’s Eve party after the game at the Arena, but it was so crowded that some of us elected to celebrate at a restaurant near the hotel and then in the hotel lobby. Some of the Carolina Fan Club joined us at the hotel and we toasted one another and the New Year. While we were there, we (about 30 of us) all had dinner together at a local restaurant where the food was spectacular. The next day, we went to a nearby park where they had a Flea Market and we had a great time.

Chicago – I had always wanted to go to Chicago and I finally got the chance last season. The day we arrived was warm and sunny and a couple of us decided to take the train to Wrigley Field. We walked all around the stadium and had lunch at a nearby bar/restaurant. Later that day, we walked nearly the entire “Miracle Mile” which is as spectacular as I’ve heard. The day after the game, some of us decided to take a bus tour of the city, but that day Chicago earned its nickname – it was very, very windy, bitter cold and there were snow showers. We still got to see a lot of sights and I am looking forward to going back again sometime in the future.

Nashville – I can still hear the home town crowd yelling “Fang Fingers” each time they are on the Power Play. The first couple of times its fun, but it tends to get on your nerves the 3^rd, 4^th and 5^th time you hear it. But, other than that, the fans are great and the ones we sat near loved talking to us. This is a great shopping town with lots of stores and restaurants.

December 8, 1987 marks the 20^th anniversary of another one of the most memorable moments in Flyers history. On this day, Ron Hextall became the first NHL goalie to shoot and score a goal. It was not only one of my first games as a Flyers season ticketholder but one of the most emotional games that I’ve ever attended.

Earlier in the game Flyers defenseman Brad Marsh was checked, fell backwards and hit his helmetless head on the glass support upright at the corner of the bench. A scary moment – doctors, players and fans feared the worse as he was taken to a local hospital by ambulance. Somehow the game continued and the Bruins lead by one goal going into the third period. But three unanswered goals in the third put the Flyers ahead by a score of 4-2, paving the way for Hextall’s history making feat. Hextall got control of the puck, took aim and lifted it into the air. It landed near the blue line and slid towards the goal. The Spectrum crowd went wild as Hextall jumped in the air with his arms raised to the heavens. A moment in Flyers history I will never forget.

Two years and over 100 games later, Hextall went on to score another goal (shorthanded) in the playoffs on April 11, 1989, causing the phrase “Lightning only strikes once, Hextall strikes twice" to be frequently heard in the Philadelphia area. Only one other goalie in NHL history (a certain nemesis from the NJ Devils), has accomplished this same feat.

Ron Hextall provided us with lots of great memories over the years – a perfect example of a true Philadelphia Flyer.

The First Friday Night Fan Club Outing of the Season - Submitted by Teri Rozell

On a dark and cool Friday night Sept. 28th, a great group of fan club friends and family gathered for dinner at Spaghetti Warehouse and then dared to board the "Ghost Bus" to venture behind the walls of Eastern State Penitentiary for a Pre-Halloween Terror Behind the Walls tour. I can't speak for everyone but it seemed that a great time was had by all who attended. For anyone who hasn't "hung with the club" other than for hockey games/trips etc., you really don't know how great this unique "family" is. We all seem to enjoy each other's company and fun times. Come join the club and share the love of our beloved Philadelphia Flyers and love of the game with some great people for some great times.

We’ve all seen the Flyers billboards and ads - “Back with a Vengeance”. Judging by the fan turnout on September 16^th for the taping of Comcast Sportsnet’s “Meet the Flyers” program, Flyers fans are “back with a vengeance” too. Hundreds of excited Flyers fans showed up at the Voorhees Skatezone on this bright and sunny Sunday afternoon.

The hour-long program was hosted by Michael Barkann and Keith Jones. It started with a taped interview of Chairman Ed Snider and featured live interviews with President and C.O.O. of Comcast-Spectacor Peter Luuko and Flyers General Manager Paul Holmgren, Head Coach John Stevens, forwards Mike Knuble, Daniel Briere and Simon Gagne, newcomers Joffrey Lupul, Kimmo Timonen, Scott Hartnell and Jason Smith and goaltenders Antero Niittymaki and Martin Biron.

Flyers TV broadcasters Jim Jackson and Steve Coates provided some questions and answers with the fans and spoke briefly to Mike Richards, Jeff Carter, Scottie Upshall and Sami Kapanen. Mike Knuble modeled his new jersey for the crowd. Everyone got a laugh when Coatesy poured a bottle of water down the front of Mike to demonstrate the moisture resistance of the material. It was a fun afternoon and a great chance to “meet” our new and much improved team.

The long awaited season has finally begun. The team is excited. Fans are excited.
Let’s Go Flyers!! Let’s bring back that Philadelphia Flyers pride…with a vengeance!!

Yes, it’s that time of year again - the time for the Flyers to get ready for the season. When you first walk into the rink and smell the cold air, you just get this giddy feeling that Flyers hockey is back. The hopes and dreams of a new season immediately start going through your head.

I missed the 1st two days of camp but went to the third day and the “Meet the Flyers” taping. There was an abundance of people out to support the team. I will say this much, the lobby area was a three ring circus of things to do, but this year’s camp and taping was super well-organized. When I entered the building, the line moved so quickly that it was fully dispersed a little after 8AM. People could take the time to watch camp and then go to the taping.

The first group came out about 8:10AM. The first thing I noticed was that Niittymaki has new pads. Lots of the players look very trimmed down. They apparently have been working out very hard or maybe it’s just the new jerseys.

There were quite a few names on the roster that I didn’t recognize, but they seemed to be doing very well. The first scrimmage started with a 30 minute period of 5 on 5 and then a 15 minute period of 4 on 4. The real referees again this time were from the AHL. The white team was the winning team in this contest, 3 to 1. Not sure who had the black team goal, but the white team goals were scored by Hatcher, Kapanen and Giroux against Houle in goal. Biron also had new pads.

The 2nd practice started and I can say I was eager for it to start. I wanted to see more of my old favorites and what these new guys could do too. The main topic of the conversations around me was that size apparently does matter. Many people commented that they could not believe how small Timonen was – the same for Briere when he came out. I felt both performed well, so their size shouldn’t matter at all.

Since they came out late, time ran over until 11:15AM. I got my first look at Boucher, back in orange and black. The 2nd scrimmage also started late, around 11:30AM, so I didn’t get to watch all of it. I saw the first white team goal which was scored by Denis Gauthier.

Then I went in to the “Meet the Flyers” taping. I sat right behind people I know from the fan club. There was a ton of seats this year, a lot more than they had last year. The watchers from camp had the stands and standing room completely full- I heard that there were 600 people at the taping.

First, they showed some of the history of the Flyers video while we were waiting. Michael Barkann and Jonesy hosted the show. Jim Jackson and Coatsey were the side reporters. A video of one of the CSN reporters interviewing Ed Snider was shown on screen to start the show. Then Peter Luuko and Paul Holmgren came out and talked.

The crowd was completely rowdy. They did several choruses of “Let’s go Flyers” throughout the show. One fan yelled out to John Stevens, “Who is going to be captain?” John’s answer was that we would know closer to the start of the season, based on who stepped up to take the reins. Knuble came out and Coatsey poured the water on him. I don’t think he told Mike that he was going to do that, but he was nothing but a good sport about it. Then Knuble, Briere and Gagne were interviewed. The interesting comment from Gagne was that Briere is much healthier than Forsberg (then he laughed and tried to retract his words). There were also appearances by Richards and Carter during this part of the show.

Then Scott Hartnell and Kimmo Timonen talked about coming to Philly. There were appearances by Upshall and Kapanen in this segment. Several females in the audience loudly expressed their love for Mr. Upshall. Next Lupul and Smith spoke about bringing the toughness back to Philly. Last but not least, Niittymaki and Biron came out. I will say that for whatever reason, this pairing looked the most awkward together, though Nitty talked a lot. It was a good program and the players had lots to say. I hope everyone got a chance to see the show when it aired just before the season started.

Even with all the hustle & bustle of convention planning, the PFFC managed to have another successful bowling season. Ten teams battled for 13 weeks for the right to declare themselves PFFC Champion....Or claim immunity from the “Milano Mug”.

When the dust settled, the “Pasta & Patatas” team of Barb & Ashley Concilio (obviously the pasta) and Jerry Callahan and Tom McNeil (Irish?-no kidding?) took home the first prize money. Jerry’s daughter Dina Fisher, filled in the last few weeks while Jerry was recovering from rotator cuff surgery. Because of Dina’s lower average, “P&P” didn’t have to give up so many pins which probably helped in the margin of victory. But from what I heard, Dina’s not getting a cut. NOT VERY LOVE BUG-ISH JERRY! (actually Jerry will be using the money for more surgery- this time to trees around the family home).

“The Class Act” team of Barb Regan, Joe “Car Bomb Baron” Fisher and Kevin James came in second. A quick look at the standings at the beginning of the night showed the act up by three games in the standings….There’s only four games at stake each week…do the math…that’s all I’m saying...But they did win money….

“Chase’s Aces” won the third place money…Guess Lou Milano & Joe Bustard let Phillies fan Theresa Carney name the team, eh? Congrats to all the money winners….

At the other end of the scope, the “battle” for the Milano Mug (or actually the “AVOID THIS AT ALL COSTS!” race) was between Oh, Spare Us (Bunny Moore, Lisa Bustard and myself), BAMM (Becky Greiner, MaryAnn Corner and Greg “no-my-pants-are-NOT-falling-down” Regan) and J.B.J. (Jen Ebling, Jim Marcel and Ron Begley). Since Alan Ellis was “updating” the mug (shudder!), it was presented at the September PFFC meeting….If I were Ron, Jim or Jen, I’d be worried….

We are always grateful to Jen Ebling, who once again did a great job in being League Secretary and Lou Milano for setting the league up and running the 50/50. And Thanks to all of this year’s bowlers for a fine, fine season. SEE YA NEXT YEAR!!!!