It's Hockey Season!!

“No doubt!!!I like the way you think Tango!!!!

8)”

“The NHL really should go the European route...enlarge the rink. The players are getting bigger and faster....not like the guys that played the game in the 50's to 60's. Loved the Bruins and Canadiens rivalry.”

“stanlee,

I can see what you mean, but it's pretty cool the way it is. What rivalry? LOL Remember last years playoffs, McClaren's hit. There's still head hunting going on.”

“Oh yeah, the playoffs....it just goes nutz out there on the ice...how many players got knocked out? 5 or 6? Crazy stuff.”

“The Flutters-Leeks game last night threatened to turn into a war. If they meet in the playoffs it should be interesting.”

“Never keep your head down when next to Scott Stevens. LOL”

“Don't like Nj!!!!!

8|”

“Bow before the MASTER MMMMMOOOOOOHHHHAAAAAA!!!!”

“The wings suck!!!!!!!!!

8P”

“CMB, man did the Blackhawks get slapped around last night.

January 5th; Detroit @ Chicago, ESPN”

“Ha ha ha!!!!!

8|”

“WooHoo, the Canadian Female team does it again...kicked some U.S girl's team today. Score; 3 to 2 for the Canucks...which gave them the gold medal. It was close during the last 2 minutes...especially when the U.S pulled their goalie. Sorry U.S fans...better luck next year.”

“are all their teeth knocked out like the men's?

i don't think its such a great idea giving women big sticks.......”

“They've got all their teeth....a whole bunch of them are real cuties.”

“Girls wear full face shields.

Strat- You know what they say...Walk softly and carry a big stick!!!”

“I will agree that there are lots of cute girls that play hockey.

8)”

“And they're not allowed to body check each other.”

“FORT WAYNE, Ind. - They stood outside the locker room and chanted.

They chanted for the equipment manager, of all people. And they chanted for more than an hour.

Joe Franke lived the dream of all sports fans. He may be older, balding and a bit out of shape, but he played with the big boys and he won. And the fans wanted to thank him.

"Everybody has that dream or that thought, 'Boy, what if I was able to be put in that position?'" Fort Wayne Komets president Michael Franke said. "Joe had his 15 minutes of fame that all of us, as sports fans, can dream about. We wish we could have that opportunity to feel that."

It was a Saturday night, and the Komets were without a goaltender.

Their No. 1 "netminder," Tom Lawson, had been called up to the Milwaukee Admirals of the American Hockey League the previous day. Backup Pokey Reddick couldn't go on any longer because of muscle cramps and would need an IV.

That left Joe Franke, the 42-year-old longtime equipment manager, to skate into a 1-1 game with 11:03 remaining on the scoreboard. He had never played in a professional game, hadn't played organized hockey since high school but had dressed as an emergency backup about 28 times throughout his years with the Komets.

He had eaten two hot dogs and drank four Mountain Dews during the first two periods. He had been at the rink since 8 a.m. tending to uniforms, equipment and players, without a chance to dine.

"I didn't want to do it. I sure didn't want to go in," Joe Franke said. "Thank God it turned out the way it did."

He stopped 4-of-6 shots in regulation and an unbelievable 3-of-4 attempts in an overtime shootout, plus he earned an assist, and the Komets beat the Elmira Jackals 4-3.

The result was pandemonium. The crowd of 6,497 went berserk as the victory was completed. The players stormed off the bench to tackle the middle-aged man. The on-ice officials patted Joe Franke on the back. The supposedly impartial off-ice officials and statisticians gave him a standing ovation in the press box.

"I haven't heard that building so loud in years," Michael Franke said. "There were only about 6,500 people in the building, but it was so loud."

And more than a hundred of those in attendance decided to hold vigil outside the locker room to pay tribute to Joe Franke, a franchise fixture not related to the Franke family that owns the team. Maybe it was because the fans have had little to cheer about this season or maybe there's something more.

Think of your favorite NFL or NHL team. Can you even name the equipment manager?

Well, here's what you need to know about Joe Franke: He makes sure the players have got clean underwear.

Joe Franke is the guy behind the scenes at Komets games that sees to the players' needs. No matter how minute the detail, from equipment to wardrobe, Franke takes care of it.

Need sticks? He'll order them. Jersey ripped? He'll sew it. Going out of town in a hurry? He'll pack.

Need 3-of-4 shots stopped in a shootout? He can take care of that, too.

"I've played hockey for quite a number of years now and he's the best equipment manager I've ever had," 32-year-old defensive player Troy Neumeier said. "He's just as important as anyone else on the team. When you need something done, he's on the case before you even know it."

Lawson was told late on a Friday that he had been called up to the AHL, and he was told less than five minutes later by Joe Franke that his bags had already been packed, underwear and pads included.

"Every player who has ever come through Fort Wayne has always tremendously respected Joe's ability and his rapport with the players," Michael Franke said. "He's always known how to deal with the players. That's such a touchy role. He does their skates and everyone always wants something different."

Joe Franke joined the team in 1977 as an assistant equipment manager in the now-defunct International Hockey League.

He served as the Komets' trainer and equipment manager from 1979 until 1983, then had stints with the IHL's Indianapolis Checkers and Muskegon Lumberjacks. In 1991, the NHL's Pittsburgh Penguins called him up from Muskegon to be a trainer for the playoffs.

The Penguins won the Stanley Cup that season and Joe Franke has a championship ring from that time.

He was rehired by the Komets in the summer of 1991 as a trainer and equipment manager, and he's been with the team since. He had to drop his training duties in 2000 because the UHL mandated trainers have a particular certification he lacked. To supplement the lost income, Franke started a landscaping business.

He's missed only one game in 25 years of hockey, and that's because his son was injured.

If the Komets need a power play, Franke will see whether he can detect one of the opposing players using an illegal stick. When center Colin Chaulk struggled early in the season, Franke made him change his number to change his luck.

When the Komets are short a goalie in practice, Franke is asked to suit up.

"I'll tell you what, Joe skated in the pre-game morning skate with us," Komets coach Greg Puhalski said. "He was on fire. That was the best I've seen him look."

No one thought he'd actually get into the game that night, but the fans were certainly thankful he did. As they chanted for him repeatedly, however, Franke was too busy to make an appearance.

"The players were complaining because as soon as I was done talking to (the reporters), I started wiping off the stalls and cleaning up," Joe Franke said.

The dream didn't last long. But it sure was sweet.”

“Amazing story!”

“Now that is one hell of a hockey story!

8)”

“Oh woe is me! The Pens play the Rangers...Oh who do I root for? Jeez this is tough!!!

Get in the fast lane Granny the bingo game is about to begin!”

“It's midnight now...so who won? Didn't have a chance to check out the news.”

“Pens 6-1 the Rangers took a beating!”

“How about the Red Wings overtime win over the Blackhawks last Sunday?

We're you as excited as I was? ;-)”

“Cujo's no Hasek. They're gonna need all those creaky old men back come playoff time if they are going to repeat.”

“Ha ha ha very funny!

GRRRRRRR!!!!!!

8|”

“Now Mikey you have to admit it was a great come back after being two goals down to tie it up and then win in OT.”

“Red wings suck!

8|”

“For you AHL cities....”

“Last night at the Nassau Colliseum, they were holding fights and then a hockey game broke out. Two fights in the first two minutes with four players going off for five apiece. The Flutters lost the fights, but they won the game. Can you say blowout?

Next up, the Redwings at home on Saturday. I wonder if Gordie Howe will suit up ...? I'd bet old Gord could still dish out a few elbows.”

“Ummmm, guys, hockey sux.
Just FYI....”

“Geo-I really don't like that! I understand when someone goes after the franchise player or a cheap shot, that I understand but fights in the first few minutes of the game YUCK! Glad you're back!!!

Dunadan--Hockey is the GREATEST Sport EVER Invented!!!”

“Tango you are so very cool!!!!


A women that loves hockey and backpacking what more could a man ask for?

8)”

“Thanks Mikey!”

“The finals were played on the day Matt's hard drive crashed...so here's a late update;

Russia - Gold (again)
Canada - Silver (lost to the Russians again)
Finland - Bronze
U.S.A - just a bridesmaid this time”

“Flyers 3, Red Wings 2. They shoulda brought Gordie Howe along.

Tango, I am not a fight fan either. The Islanders came out fighting though. In the first two minutes you could have picked up the gloves and made a fortune on the glove market. Hockey players seem to love to get it on. Must be a Canadian thing. On the other hand, it could come from being boarded all the time. I think most fights break out after a boarding incident. Can't say I'd be too happy after getting my head jammed up against the glass either.

Hockey does seem to produce more, and more violent fights than any other sport. Hockey players go at it with a vengeance. In baseball there is the occasional charging the mound episode, but those guys never seem very serious. Two punches and they roll on the ground.

Sports feature things like collisions between players and round objects hurtling at your head. My attitude is get used to it and conduct yourself accordingly. The correct procedure is to get up, dust yourself off, and score. And that is how the hockey game against the Islanders turned out. Four to zip says it all.”

“Go Flyers!

Red Wings suck!!!!

8)”

“Hockey fights are vicious, all the players carry a stick and have two blades on them.”

“Most hockey fights evolve into throwing a few punches, knocking off the other player's helmet, and then pulling the other guy's jersey over his head to disable him. The linesmen usually come in before too much damage is done. Bloody noses, which to a hockey player is nothing, seem to be the worst damage.

The drop the stick and gloves when they fight. I've never seen a player cut by a blade in a fight. Most cuts are inflicted by stick blades as they check one another (high sticking, which merits a two-minute penalty). Most high sticking calls involve unintentional infractions: the player is trying to get to the puck and the stick carries up into the other player's face.

Hockey is a hard-hitting sport involving several dangerous aspects: sticks, skates, the ice, and the puck (a frozen hard rubber disk can remove parts of a person's dentition).”

“You know its a good game when the other teams leaves the ice and refusniks to return to play. The Flyers chased the Russians off the Spectrum's ice when they came to Philly after the Russians destroyed all the other N. American (Canadian & U.S.) teams.
THE FLYERS, baby. America's team. Dig-it (or "I'll give you one of deeze!)

God Bless America!”

“There was an incident a looong time ago, where a player tried to kick another player in a fight...I'm pretty sure the guy got suspended for 2 or more games.

And I think there was one time where a player started to beat another player with a helmet. It was during the 70's....could've been the Phillies....what's their nickname? The Wall Street Bullies...I think.”

“That would be the Broad Street Bullies Mac, and don't forget it unless ya want Dave Schultz in yer face (actually, off the ice he's a quiet, nice guy).

I was just talking to a friend about those days last week. When somebody would take a Flyer into the boards, Schultzie would skate onto the ice and the other guy would apologize for being so clumsy.

I won a handful of money from Bostonians when the Flyers beat the Bruins in the Stanley Cups. What a sweet day when I went to collect! Didn't say a word; just held my hand out and smiled. God, did they hate me!”

“Didn't Pete Rose end some catchers career sliding into home plate IN THE ALL-STAR GAME! Now THAT is hustle!”

“That would be the former Cleveland Indians catcher, Ray Fosse. Pete knocked him right out of baseball. Catchers take that risk. Been there and done that!”

“You think you hate the Red Wings now, just wait until after they thump the Blackhawks tonight. Unfortunately the game isn't televised here. Will it be on there?”

“Screw the Wings!

They suck!

I bet the Hawks win how about a bet Geezer?

8)”

“Watch out Crazy Mike, if they reactivate Gordie Howe you will regret it.”

“Gordie's got one mean elbow.”

“you know hockey is a great sport when fights are part of the stradegy and players are recruited and played for their fighting.”