Tampa, Florida					Monday, September 06, 2010

Surprise? What’s a Surprise About These Bolts?
Friday, March 26, 2004
TAMPA—On Oct. 8, 1992, a piece I wrote for the Tampa Tribune’s Morning After the next day wondering in print what was really surprising about the new Tampa Bay Lightning’s first National Hockey League game ever being a 7-3 win over NHL pioneer Chicago Blackhawks at a makeshift new Tampa home for the rookie Bolts. I noted it the mighty upset before a soldout Expo Hall at the Florida State Fairgrounds could be no more surprising than having bigtime hockey in Tampa at all, least of all before fullhouse, and winning big—on the four—yes, four—goals by a Tampa freeagent named Kris Kontos. So what? I noted. Upsets have been the history of this Lightning franchise Hall of Famer Phil Esposito had the guts to bring to this unlikely place, especially since there was no place to play, no fan base, no money. Esposito’s richest assets were courage and a good name in the NHL which took the risk because of Esposito, because of the movement was to the South, and because the football Buccaneers had been successful in Tampa. And signing Terry Crisp as the first coach, finding Wall Street lawyer and money source David LeFevre, getting a good deal from the cooperative Florida State Fair Authority and every indication there was a strong move for a new home that would become the Ice Palace in a wonderful location in Downtown Tampa, were all upsets too. So, beating Chicago before sellout in a barn, some called the Expo Hall (never me), was no upset at all. It was a natural, I wrote this 11 and a half years ago. Now, I write again, here that thought again. Why the raised eyebrows over the wondrous season of this Lightning team? Oh, maybe the magnitude and margins of achievement are a tad unlikely. But, this is one fine team, developed by one fine coach (John Tortorella) under the sponsorship of a wise Detroit wealthy man (William Davidson), his immaculate trail boss, Tom Wilson, his talent man Jay Feaster, his Mr. Everywhere, nice guy president, Ron Campbell, and a splendid mixture of wise experienced talent on the ice and younger whizbangs, not to mention the best goalie tandem in the NHL. It was clearly a good team from the start, and a fine starting streak from the gate, ability and staying power affirmed these recent games by a late season closing streak. It has no weaknesses, this team. And, get this, it has had no crippling injuries, no punishing, sustaining injuries. Don’t know why that is so, but my, oh, my but is that important, the lack of key, long losses to injuries. This Lightning team also has speed and strength, size enough, offense, defense, goal-tending, and come superstars—like Martin St. Louis, the 5-9 whiplash player with oversized stumps for legs, a heart that is bigger, and hummingbird darting ability. Somebody would like to hurt him, but they won’t. They can’t. His gravity center is so low, his artful dodging is discouraging, his balance is comparable to that of the great football back, Barry Sanders of Detroit, or Walter Payton of the Chicago Bears, both of whom could change	directions at an instant. And, he has so many around him on this team of comparable ability and success, oh, like the selfless Brad Richards, the ballet artist on skates, Vince Lecavalier, multi-talented Fedrik Modin, defense man Pavil Kubina, emotionless tender Nikolai Khaibulin, Ben Clymer, Dan Boyle, Nolan Pratt, Brad Lukowich, Tim Taylor, Cory Sarwich, Jason Cullimore, tough guy Chris Dingman, Dr. David Andreychuk, who seems always to be there. He is the rock, the quiet man, the godfather of this team in pads. What’s really new, since this year began with the rush, is that this is the best of the three Tortorella Bolt teams. Better still, of the best yet of these Lightning teams. The streaks have been swell. The home thank-you wins have been deserved, all 22 of them, and appreciated. Seven straight sellout crowds of nearly 20,000. Not bad for a sunshine belt hockey team. The classic shut down of any thoughts of a big time, troubling slump. This neat club from of this neat franchise that is so appreciated by his fans, these past days gave their faithful and hopefuls two mighty and rewarding wins, the slam of Toronto at home, and then Thursday at the St. Pete Times Forum, nee the Ice Palace, was perfect. Perfect. It was over a tough-guy team, New Jersey Devils, the defending champion Stanley Cup champs, and it was won in the final minutes on a bounce in favor of the home standing Bolts. It was a Richards feed from behind the net off the skate of a Devil. It was sweet. Tortorella said it was sweeter than sweet in the 2-1 win that was a 1-0, Bolts, then 1-1-, then the final margin. He said it was so sweet because he was miffed over a call against his team he thought was wrong, and so, the goal off the skate of a Devil was justified. The Bolts, he said, “deserved a bounce.’’ Richards said the same. You shoot, and they shoot and you get a break, he said. Good, he said. This is one fine young man from Prince Edwards Island who is ever grateful for what hockey has provided him, and for the Lightning and Tampa as well. Nice man. So are they all. There isn’t a jerk on this Lightning team. Neat, eh? No jerks. Just winners who are happy to be winning and playing together. “No one on this team has a selfish bone,’’ said President Campbell, himself selfless. And, folks, this is playoffs bound club, a Stanley Cup contender, plenty say. A legitimate challenger to become the best in hockey. Fluke? Improbable? Asked Jon Gruden, head coach of the Buccaneers of Tampa Bay and the National Football League, headquartered 20 minutes west of the Lightning in a place officially named Number One Buccaneer place, but unofficially tagged as Number One Trailer Place. But, the Bucs won the championship while developing in Number One Trailer Place. Why not the Lightning, whose first home was officially called Barn, but officially Number One Place. What’s in a name? John Tortorella wrote that, didn’t he? ##
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