[UPDATE] The photos are up on CityTeam’s Flickr album.
Hanging out with the guys: Marcel Gok (11), Christian Ehrhoff (44), Nolan Schaefer (31), and Grant Stevenson (55…or 37). Niko Dimitrakos (23), Milan Michalek (9), and Josh Lanfeld (24) arrived later.
I got to meet some 49ers last month because of their generosity in partnering with CityTeam, and today I got to meet seven (eight if you count Sharky) of my San Jose Sharks, when they came to help distribute boxes upon boxes of food donations to various local charities–CityTeam included.
The event was on CityTeam’s turf, I had a “backstage pass” during the whole thing. But the players were great and were very accessible to everyone that was there. To me, they have a good kind of celebrity status: not too insanely famous where you get recognized everywhere you go, but only famous to the fans of a sport which, let’s face it, doesn’t have much popularity.
It was awesome to get to meet these guys, players of a hockey team that my brothers, cousins and I grew up watching and trying to imitate on the rink. If I were smart I would’ve brought a Sharks jersey for them to sign. First I would have to get a Sharks jersey. I guess I could have at least brought my Sabotage jersey. Oh well, that probably wouldn’t have been good while on the job anyway.
More photos via the CityTeam website and Flickr to come…
Using Mozilla Firefox 1.5 on Windows XP
Thats cool!
I think you are right about the fame aspect. Hockey players don’t tend to get recognised as much as say baseball or basketball stars do, as they are pretty much always wearing their helmets etc. Thats one of the reasons Theo Fleury signed for the Belfast Giants, to get away from it all.
He now drives around in a car with the Belfast Giants badge on the side, and his name written on the front wing!
But absolutely no-one but fans know who he is.
He was parked in front of Brittany’s work the other day when i drove past to pick her up, no-one noticed or went up to him…….
Can’t wait to see the pictures.
Using Internet Explorer 6.0 on Windows XP
That’s great that you got to meet your heroes. Dang, those guys look young. You’re right. If I bumped in to them at the store or something, I’d think they’re just some regular kids out of high school.
Using Mozilla Firefox 1.0.7 on Windows XP
Awesome, man I want to meet some sports stars.
Using Internet Explorer 6.0 on Windows XP
they’re just hockey players…they’re a bunch of losers anyway, that’s why nobody will recognize them. as brad pitt would say it…that’s why they wont remember you’re name…from troy.
Using Mozilla Firefox 1.0.7 on Windows XP
Daniel is jealous and won’t admit it.
Using Mozilla Firefox 1.0.7 on Windows XP
You’re right about them being young. Most of those guys are around their mid or early twenties.