Gary Carter: Up, Up and Away!!!

In tribute on the 1-year anniversary of the death of my boyhood idol, Gary Carter, I repost my original post from February 2012. Lots of love "kid."
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Occasionally I use this space to write about stuff that matters to me, not just hockey or the Canadiens. Today is one of those days. It's a sad day for me and millions of other baseball fans -- but I'm finding happiness in it too.

And although this blog is called HabsFan in LeafLand, my avatar picture from which you can see has never been the typical shot of me in a Habs jersey, and is instead a caricature of myself as a smiling child, swinging for the fences in a Montreal Expos uniform. That should tell you something about who I am and where I come from.

I may have been wearing Ellis Valentine's #17, but the smile is all Gary Carter. 
 
That drawing was done in the summer of 1980 when I was 8 years old and it means a lot to me for many reasons. It marks a part of my life where I lost some of my innocence... my father had passed away that previous winter and my mother and brothers were on the ropes emotionally. But my mother's strength and guidance allowed us to continue and she followed through on my father's promise to take us on vacation to the Nevele Country Club in the Catskill Mountains, where they had their honeymoon years before. This caricature was drawn there.

I remember struggling to decide over which number to include on my jersey. It was between Ellis Valentine's 17 and Gary Carter's 8.

I chose Valentine's number. And I regretted it ever since. But the smile -- it's all Gary Carter.

Gary Carter passed away at the age of 57 on Thursday and I did shed some tears for him. As I did when the Expos left Montreal.

The Expos feted Gary Carter's election into Baseball's Hall of Fame by putting him on their Official Schedule for the 2003 season -- their second to last in Montreal.

A part of my life, one of my two childhood idols -- the other being Guy Lafleur -- gone before his time. It's funny, I was visiting an investment advisor late Thursday afternoon who also happened to be from Montreal originally and as I was leaving asked if he still followed the Canadiens. Sure he did. The Expos too, he said. I then mentioned Carter, that he wasn't well, probably wasn't going to make it.

I came home and heard the news. RDS' "5 a 7" dedicated their entire show to him. Then a friend called and asked me if I had heard the news. That when he found out, he thought of me. Because he knew how I would feel. That made me feel a bit better, actually.

Carter showing the ball to the umpire in a classic pose. The Expos finally beat those pesky Phillies in '81 to go on to the National League Championship. That was the best!

I have no hesitation or hang ups to say this very clearly: I love Gary Carter.

He never knew me, but I knew and loved him as did so many others in Montreal and New York. He was loved -- not just cheered -- and that's what made him so special and unique. Because in the modern era of sports which is chock-full of overpaid, egotistical and selfish athletes -- Gary Carter stood apart.

His enthusiasm, his generosity, his hustle, his work ethic, his charms, his genuineness -- let alone his clutch hitting and howitzer of an arm -- it's all what made him special and endeared us to him that much more.

I will always have a special place in my heart for Gary "The Kid" Carter. I know it's true for my brothers as well, even though they may not express it as much.

As kids watching the Expos, he was bar none our favourite player. The chant of "Garrrry" a familiar refrain in our den. To this day we still exclaim it to eachother. Even this past December, when I was organizing a trip for us to Sawgrass to play the Stadium course there, my older brother replied "Garrrryyy" in an email response because the guy organizing our arrangements at the resort was named Gary.

Gary Carter's signed "game worn" batting jersey, circa 1982-84. From Gary to Ari, I will hold this jersey dear. We all wanted a piece of "The Kid" and I have one.
Gary Carter was the heart and soul of the Expos teams of the mid-to-late seventies and early eighties and I will always cherish the memory of him leaping into Steve Rogers' arms after the Expos clinched the National League Eastern Division in 1981.

He gave me thrills and chills as a child rooting for my hometown team. I loved it when he was named All-Star M.V.P. twice and the fact that he was finally getting league-wide recognition that Johnny Bench and Carlton Fisk obtained solely for playing in Cincinnati and Chicago. I loved watching him gun down base runners or catch pop ups behind home plate. The guy never missed. He was money. I loved watching him being introduced and watching his joy and enthusiasm. I loved seeing him raise his glove high, showing the home plate ump the ball after tagging out a runner at home. And I loved trying to copy his swing, hitting balls behind a high school with my brothers: right side of the plate, weight on the back right leg, open stance, hands upright with bat pointing straight up.

Sure I have many memories of the Expos from my childhood and liked a lot of players like Valentine, Dawson, Cromartie and Steve Rogers. But Gary, he was it. He was special. He was there, living in Pointe Claire making an effort to speak French, selling 7UP and other stuff on t.v., whatever.

Gary wearing the jersey in spring training. It's in good hands, Kid.
He was a class act all the way, and even if some of his teammates and others around the league thought he was a show-off and camera-hungry, it's only because they were jealous of his raw talent and charisma. At least that's what my mother would say.

Baseball was my father's favourite sport and he even had aspirations to play pro until he was injured as a teen prospect. He passed his love of the game on to me. I played hardball every year as a kid up to age 14... and when I was twelve I strapped on the pads and played catcher -- just like Gary. I mowed 'em down the best I could when they tried to steal second, just like Gary. And just like Gary, I was an all-star that year.

The day he was traded, I found out early in the morning. Back then, I was delivering the Montreal Gazette newspaper before going to school. The trade to the Mets was on the front page. It was also a sad day. But the team was moving on, and so did he. It's funny how in '86, the Habs won the Stanley Cup and later that year, Gary finally realized his dream of winning the World Series. Just not with the Expos unfortunately.

I remember watching the comeback game, the game where the Red Sox had it in the bag, until Gary came up with 2 outs in the 10th inning. I remember thinking "Hah! Carter's going to be the last out!" I was rooting for the Red Sox. Another big mistake.

Gary Carter's book "A Dream Season." In it, he candidly discusses why he was traded from the Expos. Namely because owner Charles Bronfman thought he was making too much money. He also mentions how he would have liked to have played his entire career with the Expos and be a "franchise player -- like Ernie Banks."

Carter was always clutch. And true to form, he lined a single to left. Without Gary, Bill Buckner would just be a normal, former ball player instead of being known for letting a grounder dribble through his legs allowing the Mets to win. It took me awhile, but eventually I was very happy and proud of Gary. He just never quit. He'd never be the last out.

And in that spirit, it should also be remembered that Gary Carter wasn't the last out in the '81 Championship Series against the Dodgers on that fateful "Blue Monday." Carter got on base. But unfortunately for the Expos, someone else on that squad made the last out. Just wasn't Gary. Carter was at his best that post-season, batting .429, clubbing 2 homers, 4 doubles and 6 RBIs.

My 1982 All-Star Game ball, with the entire signatures of the National League team -- including Duke Snyder, who was the team's honorary captain. We all wanted Carter to be the game's M.V.P. but that eventually went to Dave Concepcion of the Reds. Gary's signature can be seen right below Snyder's signature in the picture on the right. Played in Montreal, I remember watching the game on ABC and listening to Howard Cosell say how bad the Olympic Stadium's artificial turf was. He was right!

The guy had the flair for the dramatic. So when Carter at age 38 played his final year with Montreal, everything seemed to be right again. His last at-bat in his career was classic Gary -- slamming the ball to the opposite field and over the extended arm of -- how fittingly -- Andre Dawson -- who was playing for the Cubs. Maybe Dawson didn't want to catch that ball!? Whatever. Carter's double scored Larry Walker. The crowd went nuts. And there was a pretty good crowd too. Expos win 1-0. Gary Carter got the game winning RBI. What a way to end it all.

When the Expos left Montreal in 2004, I was hurt. It wasn't surprising, just like the passing of Carter isn't surprising to me either because I knew he was really sick. It's still sad though. And since the Expos left town I began to collect a few pieces of Expos memorabilia -- something to hold on to other than just my mostly happy memories. And so I have a piece of Gary Carter with me, and today that means so much more.

Gary's spirit will live on in those who knew him; it will live on in the hearts of Expos and Mets fans alike; it will live on in Baseball's Hall of Fame and it lives on with me.

It took 6 years before he was finally elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame, the first to go in as an Expo. But he was already a Hall of Famer in our hearts.

It's not just that he was "The Kid." Gary Carter was the kid in all of us.

HABS TAKE CHARGE IN 4-1 WIN AGAINST CAPS

GAME NUMERO 3: HABS TAKE ADVANTAGE OF LISTLESS CAPITALS FOR 1ST ROAD WIN OF 2013

It's nice to be wrong every once in awhile. Once in awhile, okay?

My Habs vs. Capitals pregame thoughts were this: playing in Washington, Caps are 0-2, Ovechkin has yet to score and with all of that, figured we would should could be in for a long night.

Markov is back en force. Habs beat Caps 4-1 in Washington. AP

Then when the Habs took the early momentum on a power play just over a minute into the game and didn't capitalize, I thought "oh boy, I've seen this before." The Canadiens continued to create solid chances but couldn't finish. Brian Gionta open net, missed! Bourque in tight, no go! Alex Galchenyuk barging to the net and flicking a high backhand... nice save by Caps 'tender Neuvirth.

The Habs were skating, clicking, making solid first passes, turning the puck up the ice quickly and the Caps were completely flat. But yet the score was still 0-0.

That always scares me.

What I expected to come then was the Caps would get the first goal and then take the game by the scruff of the neck.

Instead, the Caps took two quick penalties to start the second period, went down 5-on-3, Tomas Plekanec scored his second in two games and the Habs never looked back in a solid 4-1 win in Washington.

The Habs' power play, its bread and butter for so many seasons of late -- except last year -- suddenly seems to have roared back to life with the return of Andrei Markov, who scored the second goal of the game and whose pairing with Raphael Diaz appears to be a stoke of genius on Therrien's part.

Should could would you have ever thought, even dreamt of uttering the following after the last few years of futility and hard times for the Russian:

Andrei Markov leads the Montreal Canadiens in goals!?

Well it's true. The veteran blueliner now has three. Not only that, with his goal and assist tonight he's now the fifth highest scoring defenseman in Habs history. Not bad. He's got to be feeling great for himself and what an impact a healthy, confident and surgically-repaired Andrei Markov has on this team.

When even Josh Gorges gets into the scoring action, you know things are going the Canadiens' way.

With all the good that is going on with the Habs -- for these past two games at least -- let's not forget how bad the Capitals were. Goalie Neuvirth could not be blamed for this one. The Caps came out completely listless. No energy, no tempo, no synergy. And the Canadiens took full advantage.

And all this without the first line really going on all cylinders as of yet. Pacioretty picked up a couple of assists and Erik Cole hit a post but that line has yet to fully assert itself.

Brian Gionta continued the trend of the bounce back with his second goal of the year on a nice set up by Rene Bourque. And you know what? Suddenly, Bourque brings a size element to the Plekanec line. Another nice move by Therrien. The man is pushing the right buttons so far.

And where was Ovechkin in all of this? Did he play!? Personally, I think he's not into it. He doesn't want to be in Washington. If he's going to play in the NHL, the guy wants to win. And it looks like already, the Capitals' time has passed.

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Last night I had a bit of a negative twitter exchange with a hockey writer (who shall remain nameless) who was absolutely adamant that trading P.K. Subban would be an absolute disaster, and that I was completely WRONG for suggesting that he could be traded for the better of the team. Personally I found his tone completely unprofessional and insulting. But I guess that's the twitter-verse.

While I like P.K. and think he's a great player with so much upside, I also think that he isn't bigger than the team, and if Carey Price and Max Pacioretty can take the so-called "bridge" contracts of two years before they cash in longer term (which they did) then so can Subban. What makes him so special?? He didn't win the Norris. He didn't drive into the ground lead the power play last year. He still needs to grow up.

If Patrick Roy can get traded, anyone / anything is in play. Geez Wayne Gretzky was traded!! This talk that trading Subban would be a disaster is utter nonsense and is a purely emotional response. I'm not saying I want him to be traded. I'm saying if the deal is right, it's an option.

And the Canadiens all of a sudden seem to have depth on the blue line. Raphael Diaz is taking full advantage of the P.K. situation playing with Markov. Frankie Bouillon is eating up solid minutes. Josh Gorges is doing his thing as usual. And Kaberle is trying his best to stay out of their way. And with Tinordi and St. Denis just a call away and Nathan Beaulieu working on his development... well, I'm not saying I want Subban to be traded, but what I was trying to communicate to this "writer" was that Bergevin should do the best move for the team... whatever that should be.

With tonight's victory and Markov, Diaz and the rest of the defense pairings performing as they did, the score is now:

Bergevin 2 - Subban 1

It's certainly bringing up a lot of emotional responses from Habs fans. But hey, if we could get a Sean Couturier from the suddenly nosediving Flyers, well, why not?

It dawned on me today that the ebullient Subban is the Canadiens' version of Gary Carter. Carter was a bit despised by his teammates when he played in Montreal because he was always smiling, always camera-ready and always available to talk to reporters. He was misunderstood. We know he wasn't grandstanding. As we probably know that P.K. isn't grandstanding.

But the difference is, Carter took more than a few years to assert himself as a leader on the Expos' teams of the late seventies and early eighties and he did it with style, integrity and grit. Not to knock P.K. but it's true, the guy has rubbed some of the veterans on this team the wrong way; and if you know hockey, you know how tight the room has to be for a team to win.

I personally feel P.K. needs to sign his "bridge" deal, find his place on the team's pecking order, and keep his flash for the ice.

Next game: The Devils are in Montreal for a somewhat rare Sunday night tilt at the Molson Centre.

And by the way: Alex Kovalev is no longer leading the league in points. :)

Follow moi on le twitter: @HabsFanLeafLand

Markov, Draft and Laffs

So the Habs as a team have decided they do have pride, they do care, they do want to win. And it actually looks like they're having fun again. Better late than never I guess.

How else do you describe 7 points out of a possible 8 when the season is gone gone gone... I mean lost!?

I'm so happy to see Pacioretty get to the 30 goal mark and Erik Cole now with 27 and closing in fast.

It seems lately they're the only ones that score, along with Desharnais and Subban.

I'm a bit concerned though. Now the Canadiens have 67 points and are tied with Carolina and Long Island, but only remain last in the Eastern Conference because those two teams have a game in hand which they use tonight. It looks like our best chance to pick up Grigorenko over the summer is to finish 3rd last but this might be tough now, with the team playing for pride and now even the lowly Maple Leafs, on a death spiral unmatched by any other team in the league this year, are only 1 point up on the Habs.

Oh yeah? Speaking of Cole's goal in last night's 3-2 SO win over the Senators, he officially takes the cake for one of the funnier moments for the Canadiens this year by high-fiving the referee after scoring:



Sigh. What can't this guy do??? He scores, makes us laugh. His 27 goals this year tops his 26 scored last year for the Hurricanes. Great job Erik!

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It was like a dream this past Saturday night. I'm on my couch, game glow from tv washing my face in the dark. I turn to my dog to see him licking himself when I first hear it: "Markov over to Subban..."

Wait a sec! This can't be real. I must be dreaming. I turn back to the tv: "Markov makes a terrific outlet pass to Eller, he's in all alone!!!"

I swear, I felt like crying. I've done enough of that lately with the death of Gary and all, but this was a great moment. It was like looking into the past. It didn't seem real. But it was. And boy did it ever feel good to see that no-look, one-time touch pass from Markov right into Subban's wheelhouse for a goal on the powerplay. Markov jumped into P.K.'s arms. Good for him.

Andrei Markov makes his return to action in his first game since November 2010 against the Vancouver Canucks this Saturday. The Habs won 4-1. Pic: Rich Lam/Getty Images.

I wish you all the best Andrei. Stay well. Your skill and poise makes me wonder what the year might have looked like had you come back in November as originally advertised. I'm sure Jacques Martin is thinking the same thing right now.

Markov's return brings to mind another key figure absent from the ice: Brian Gionta. Oh yeah, remember him?

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The Laffs. Death spiral. What was I singing last year!? "Freefalling" by Tom Petty? Yeah, that's right. The Maple Leafs, no playoffs for you. But you know what really makes me laugh!? It's the way the team has been covered all season by the local press. "The Leafs" have turned the corner." "The Leafs are on their way to the playoffs." "The Leafs need to rest Reimer for the playoffs" blah blah blah.

What a joke!

How can it be that I was the only one to see how that Maple Leafs team led by Phil Kessel and Joffrey Lupul were seriously overachieving for the first half of the season!? That the team's good start was only going to make their fall that much greater by season's end. I mean, the team was scoring as if it were going out of style. Did you really think Kessel was going to score 70 goals? It's one thing to win games by 6-5 or 5-4 scores like they were earlier in the season, but the thing that was completely overlooked by Leafs Nation was that they had to shore up the defense otherwise, they were doomed. And now, they're doomed.

And that's exactly it. The Leafs were doomed because secondary scoring has been streaky, Kessel and Lupul came back down to earth, and the goaltending didn't change. That is, whoever is in nets is letting in 3 goals plus per game. Not gonna cut it.

And I blame now former coach Ron Wilson 100% for mismanaging the goaltenders. All along they were like "If it wasn't for Gustavsson, we'd be out of it." But then he goes and starts Reimer, the eager yet technically-flawed "real deal" goaltender who -- let's face it -- is having a terrible season. What message does that send to Gustavsson?

True Reimer had that concussion which certainly could account for his play upon returning to action. But look at Ryan Miller. After fighting his own concussion issues he's now playing lights-out hockey. But Reimer has been over-valued. He's not that good. His technique is flawed. He's often out of position. He swims around his crease. He plays too far back. He crouches too low.

He needs help. And now they've fried Gustavsson who for sure has let in more than his share of stinkers this year. But I know goaltending is a tough mental position and when your coach praises you then starts the other guy, tough to play your best. At least Randy Carlysle recognized this and played Gustavsson for the last five games or so. Even if he did lose all but one, that one being against the Habs.

Got to wonder about Burke's decisions as GM for this team. Signs Colby Armstrong -- hurt more than he's played. Signed Matthew Lombardi -- disappointment. Signed Connolly -- disappointment. Signed Reimer to a big contract in the offseason after putting up decent numbers last year when no pressure was on him -- major disappointment. And of course -- and there are others -- trades away the team's 1st round draft pick in 2010 to the Bruins for Phil Kessel. That pick became Tyler Seguin, who is making a name for himself around the league, has tremendous speed, great hands, good head on his shoulders, and best of all, is a Leafs-killer. Phil Kessel? Sure, 30 plus goals. But 20 of those were scored before the end of December... and now Damien Cox is writing that now's a good time to trade him. Yah!? If only they can find a dance partner. Good luck with that.

So check out this great video parody, if Hitler were a Leafs fan!! I gotta start doing some things like this. Next year folks, get ready for HabsFan in Leafland taking it to the next level this summer.

Meet (I Hope) Your 2012 First Round Pick: Mikhail Grigorenko

Lose lose lose, lose lose lose
All the Habs do is lose lose lose.

Even at home against the hapless Leafs who had to resort to a coaching change to try to salvage their playoff hopes, the Habs couldn't come up with a win.

No matter, I was rooting for the Leafs on that night.

If you read this blog, I don't have to tell you why.

The Habs are solidly the 3rd worst team in the NHL right now, ahead (behind) of Edmonton and Columbus. Now the Habs would probably have to lose the rest of their games to finish lower than the Blue Jackets, but they might have a chance at finishing 2nd worst if the Oilers can put a string of wins together.

The consensus around the hockey world is that Nail Yakupov, the Sarnia Sting winger of the Ontario Hockey League, is the "head and shoulders above the rest" Number 1 choice to go first overall in this year's NHL draft.

Yakupov is a talented, highly skilled Ovechkin-type player who stands at only 5"11 but has a knack for putting the puck in the net.

Mikhail Grigorenko. At 6"3 he's exactly what the Habs need up the middle. He's already playing in Quebec City for Patrick Roy's Remparts. If the team picks him at this year's draft, could that pave the way for Roy as head coach? Compelling stuff for sure...

By many other accounts, Mikhail Grigorenko -- another Russian -- will go second. So why am I so confident the Canadiens will nab him? Because the commonly-known word on the street is that the Oilers, who after picking talented forwards in Taylor Hall and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins in previous drafts, now need to go after a top defense prospect. And according to TSN's Bob McKenzie, there's plenty of options in that regard.

Grigorenko is being compared to Evgeni Malkin: an extremely talented centre with great hands. And at 6"3, just what the Habs have been lacking up front for years. The fact that he's playing for Patrick Roy's Quebec Remparts makes him that much more appealing. Ovechkin is faltering, Malkin is leading the league in points and is a strong candidate for the Art Ross trophy this year. And all this without Sidney Crosby. Who would you choose?

You know the P.A. announcer Michel Lecroix would have a field day calling out his name after a Canadiens goal.

But McKenzie puts some interesting twists into the mix. What if Columbus decides to go with Grigorenko instead, because they end up keeping Rick Nash and could finally give the star winger a centreman who can get him the puck? What if Edmonton goes against logic and picks him after Yakupov? What if Montreal Canadiens head of scouting Trevor Timmins doesn't get his head out of his arse? All important considerations...

Even with Timmins, the Habs would be hard pressed NOT to get a top player this summer who can hopefully make an immediate impact with the team in the coming season. Whoever it ends up being.

But those I've talked to like the idea of a Malkin-esque type player on the Canadiens and I too have to agree. Maybe the Habs don't risk it, and trade up a spot to assure their choice!? Could be a possibility... of the course the lottery might change things.

For now, let the Canadiens continue to lose lose lose and it'll work itself out in the end.

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Olympic Stadium. Concrete. Yes you know, slabs of concrete, falling...AGAIN!!

This is how we can get the money to build a new stadium to get our beloved Expos back: hold a lottery at $20 a ticket, and the winner gets the unique opportunity to push the detonation plunger to implode the Big O. What a sight that would be eh?

Hey if you build a statue of Gary Carter at at the Big O, please make sure there's no concrete within falling distance.  Thanks.

More Gary...

Carey Price during the pregame warmup wearing Carter's #8.

The Canadiens honoured Gary Carter before the game against the New Jersey Devils on Sunday night and as per form, it was first class all the way. The players wore Carter's iconic number 8 on their jerseys for pre-game warmup, which will be auctioned off with the proceeds going to The Gary Carter Foundation. They also sported #8 on their helmets, and Youppi! wore his old Expos cap and jersey, with Carter's name and number.

He then returned later sporting a Habs jersey, also with a #8. It was nice to see ol' Youppi! in his former threads, even under such circumstances.

Great tribute to the music of the Eagle's "New Kid in Town."

I cried, as I'm sure many others did. I still can't believe it.
Anyhow here's the tribute if you haven't seen it:



Now if only the team could have picked up the win for "The Kid."

I kind of spent the entire weekend thinking about Gary Carter.

Yeah! Gary Carter in his trademark pose, showing the ump the ball after he tagged out a runner at home. Way to go Gary!!! Pic courtesy of Sports Illustrated.

In retrospect, I think the passing of Gary Carter was a bit emotional for me for a variety of reasons: it made me think of my late father, who also passed away before his time at age 51 from cancer in 1980 -- as Carter was entering his prime; it also made me think about all the great memories I had of the Expos and specifically of Gary; and especially made me sad about how much I really, really miss the Expos. No matter how bad their record may have been, no matter how bad a place the Olympic Stadium is to see a game -- it's better to have a team to not have one at all.

Here's a great recap of Carter's career more focused on his prime with the Expos:


It also made me realize that Gary Carter represented something more to us. He represented a sense of optimism, a sense of passion, of winning and hopefulness that used to exist in Montreal that is no longer there. That is very sad too. With the clusterf@#$ season we're having with the Canadiens this year and the, some may say, mismanaging of the team, it makes me wonder how this has gone terribly wrong? Where are our standards of sports excellence that once permeated through everything that was done in the Montreal sports scene? At one time, the Expos were getting to be contenders, the Canadiens were Stanley Cup champs, and the Alouettes were Grey Cup champs.

How times have changed...

I'm also sad because Carter truly was one of the good ones. We're so lucky to have had him in our lives one way or the other.

"The Kid" with ever-present smile, congratulates Steve Rogers after a win during the '81 run. Pic courtesy of Sports Illustrated.

THANK YOU GARY!!!!!!!!!!! Mow 'em down trying to steal second in the Field of Dreams.

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On a hockey note, the Habs plays the Dallas Stars tonight. Unbelievably, the Habs are still only 6 points out of the playoffs, but just to bring you back to reality, no team has made up such an amount of points to make the playoffs at this time of the year (post lockout). Good luck.

And the thrill that was Hal Gill is no more, off to Nashville for a draft pick and two prospects including Blake Geoffrion, the grandson of former Habs great Bernard "Boom Boom" Geoffrion. No pressure Blake...

Gee, we're sure cornering the market on players with French names that donm't speak a lick of French, eh? Rene Bourque, prospect Nathan Beaulieu, coach Randy Ladouceur, now Blake Geoffrion.