A 'Standing 'O' (chaleurese ovation) for Tim Bozon part of a class act for Kootenay Ice player

As Tim Bozon walked along a carpet to centre ice for a ceremonial puck drop, within a day of having been released from hospital, the Kootenay Ice hockey player was welcomed back with a long sustained standing ovation from the more than 4000 people in Western Financial Place in Cranbrook.

 

Jaedon Descheneau, his friend and teammate posted on Twitter: "Unforgettable night watching Timmy walk onto the ice. Brought a tear to my eye knowing how far he came since that night. Love ya."

 

And Landon Cross, another team-mate also commented on Twitter: "Great moment ... in Kootenay with TimB94 standing at centre ice to a standing 'O. He certainly deserved it."

 

Tim sure did deserve the "standing 'O". On March 1 following a Western Hockey League game against the Saskatoon Blades in Saskatoon, Tim was admitted to Royal University Hospital and diagnosed with Neisseria meningitis, and shortly thereafter was placed in a medically induced coma.

 

His condition was listed as critical. However, nearing the end of March, doctors had slowly taken him out of the coma, and amazingly, some may say miraculously, Tim was on the road to recovery and on March 28 there he was back in Cranbrook for the ceremonial faceoff.

 

It took place at the sixth game of the WHL quarter-final playoff series between the Ice and the Calgary Hitmen with his team leading the series 3-2.

 

To see Tim at centre ice truly brought "a tear" to the eye of many more than his friend Jaedon. It was one of those occasions when time seems to stop for a moment, and for much more than a moment, when the full house crowd cheered and applauded this young man, just turned 20, whose first stop after being released from hospital was to return to his team.

 

Tim Bozon, in himself is a class act, but so were the hockey fans who showed their respect for him.

 

For a person like me who has spent more than half the winters of my life in hockey rinks as a player (very poor one), referee, coach, manager, sports writer, and play by play announcer and colour commentator, this scene was among the most emotional of them all. 

 

But the class act continued. All the players of the Calgary Hitmen came onto the ice before the game got underway and shook Tim's hand and gave him a hug in another emotional moment.

 

At a press conference in Saskatoon before heading to Cranbrook, CTV News reported that Tim said,“I’m so grateful for knowing such great people,” Bozon said of all the support he received while in hospital. “It’s going to be exciting to leave the hospital and get back to Cranbrook and see my teammates. I think they miss me and I miss them.”

 

It was obvious his teammates missed him, and for good measure they won the series that night defeating the Hitmen 5-3.

 

At the end of the game, the Ice players gathered and held their sticks in the air as a salute to their teammate who had  watched the game from a luxury suite.

 

Tim, a Montreal Canadiens draft pick, will continue his recuperation in France where his father Phillipe Bozon, a former National Hockey League player, and his mother live.

 

Now though, a major item remains to be resolved. News reports in media across Canada have raised the issue of Tim's medical and related expenses that may not be covered by insurance. The total is apparently more than $100,000.

 

For those who wish to contribute to the Tim Bozon Trust Fund, you may do so at any branch of the Bank of Montreal in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, according to a WHL news release. If that does not work for you, contact the Western Hockey League or Kootenay Ice Hockey Club in Cranbrook.

 

Some Cranbrook businesses are holding fund raisers to help. 

 

After the game, Tim posted on Twitter: "Unforgettable night at the Ice game tonite. Thank you so much everyone for great support. Was good to see everyone. Great win."

 

For me, the best story I saw about Tim's ordeal was by TVA in French, and I leave you with one sentence  from it: "À peine sorti de l’hôpital, Bozon a été présenté à la foule et a reçu une chaleureuse ovation pour la mise en jeu protocolaire."

 

Let's continue the "chaleurese ovation"  for this young man whose first priority was to return to his team and say "au revoir" before heading off for rehabilitation, by making sure all bills are paid so there is no additional stress on Tim and his family.  My email is mj.morris@live.ca

 

A slightly different version appears on the Cranbrook Guardian http://livablecranbrook.blogspot.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A not with a bang but a whimper week!

I had high expectations that last week would result in news from the political and sports worlds worthy of much commentary, but by its end, with all apologies to T.S. Elliot for the misquote: "This is the way the week ends not a bang but a whimper."
TYPICALLY CANADIAN
On Parliament Hill, the possibility loomed of a summer election as Opposition Leader Michael Ignatieff made noises that he would bring down the minority Harper Conservative government in a vote of confidence on Friday by having the Liberals join the New Democats and Bloc Quebecois in voting against the government.

Such was not to be as Harper and Ignatieff held a couple of face to face meetings and in typical Canadian fashion decided to appoint a committee to look into Employment Insurance changes and report back in the Fall. Both, of course took credit for the compromise, but what about those who may have benefited from EI changes now.
BALSILLIE BID QUASHED
Meanwhile, a judge in Phoenix, Arizona, squashed Jim Balsillie's plans to buy the National Hockey League Phoenix Coyotes saying there wasn't enough time to get the deal done for the 2009-2010 season, and move the team to Hamilton, Ontario. So for the moment NHL Gary Bettman can relax but Balsillie says he will be back.

As an observer, I predict that the Phoenix Coyotes mess is the tip of the iceberg for the NHL. Other teams are in deep trouble, and Bettman won't be able to keep his leaky hockey ship afloat forever. Stay tuned.
WHIMPERING WINGS
Still with hockey, rather than let Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins enjoy their Stanley Cup victory, the media kept alive a totally nonsensical story about Crosby not shaking hands with Detroit Red Wings player(s). Gordie Howe finally stepped in and said to lay off and give Crosby a break already. Whimpering Wings!
PAMPERED PLAYERS
And in Ottawa Dany Heatley goes public about wanting a trade ostensibly because he wasn't getting along with Cory Clouston, the new coach of the Senators. Apparently Clouston put Heatley on the second power play unit. I know Cory from the years he spent in Cranbrook as assistant and head coach of the Kootenay Ice of the Western Hockey League.

He is a great coach who is absolutely committed to the game and his players, and yes, he is demanding but no more on others than he is on himself. I hope pampered players like Heatley get their just reward -- a trip to the minors for a year or so.

For sure the dog days of summer are with us!

Are the ties that bound us to hockey fraying?

In his post on here yesterday, (see below) Lorne Riley, suggests that the ties binding us to hockey in Canada are fraying. Although Lorne is not suggesting that hockey is in danger of imminent demise he does suggest some areas of concern.

In Ontario, Lorne wrote that enrolment in minor hockey is declining, and in northern Ontario a shrinking economy and population base are contributing factors. He also mentions "new age diversions."

The "staggering cost" to parents to have a child in minor hockey and changing demographics in Canada generally are also playing a role, Lorne writes.

Here in British Columbia where I live now I don't know the minor hockey statistics offhand but I do know that in Cranbrook in recent years soccer and lacrosse have sure increased in popularity. When I first came here just over 20 years ago, the town had senior and junior teams, much like one found in Ontario. The senior team was the first to go.

About 10 years ago the community landed a Western Hockey League team, the Kootenay Ice -- quite an accomplishment for a community of about 18000 people. Today, despite winning a Memorial Cup. league titles and making the playoffs every year, attendance at games has been declining from the early years. Cranbrook even built a new recreation complex as a home for the Ice. It looks like the team will stay here as it has entered into a new deal with the city but it may be a struggle as the times, they are a changing.

I hope you will take a moment and give your comments on this very national issue. Post in comments or email me at mj.morris@live.ca Or to my Facebook friends just post to me there and I will move them. Are the ties that bound us to hockey fraying and likely soon to break?