Packer487 @ The Blog That Yost Built wrote about a story he has of Steve Yzerman and which he was reminded of during the jersey retirement ceremony.
As for Yzerman’s speech: What can you say? He talked for awhile—I’d say at least 15 minutes, and had nothing written out. No notecards, no cheat sheet, no nothing. It was straight from the heart. I love listening to that man speak. I don’t know where you would have to go to find a better athlete that is more humble than Steve Yzerman. He seems almost embarrassed by his success.
To emphasize what a great guy he is—and in honor of the occasion—it’s time for another story time. …
They all worked their way out to the bus. A few minutes later, Yzerman, Osgood and Cheveldae walked by. As an 11 year old, I was really excited, sprung up from my chair and exclaimed “Mr. Yzerman!!” failing to notice that they were obviously in a hurry. Yzerman didn’t brush me off though. He told the other two to go ahead and came back to sign an autograph for me. As it turns out, he missed the bus. I don’t THINK I caused it, since Osgood and Cheveldae didn’t make it either, but the fact that he was willing to stop and sign an autograph for a young Wings fan, even though he was late for the team bus to the rink has always stuck with me.
Detroit News’ opinion article
January 5, 2007
by Lynne Meredith Schreiber
My first memory of Steve Yzerman is when I was 14 and he was a 19-year-old recruit. I’d been attending Red Wings games since I was 4. We were Red Wings groupies before, during and after the “Dead Wings” years and as a teen, all I could think about was Stevie Y.
Tuesday night, I sat beside my dad at Joe Louis once again, as one after another person sang the praises of my hockey idol. They raised his jersey No. 19, never to be worn again by another Red Wings player.
They lauded Yzerman for his integrity, his sportsmanship, his teamwork — all the things I always loved about him. The way he married his high school love and stayed married. His humility. The way he took little, if any, credit for his great, great talent on the ice, instead sharing his night of honor, his career highlights and his Stanley Cup wins with all those around him, from the front office and locker room alike.
These used to be standard American characteristics quality, integrity, character. That’s changed, big-time. Now, the words most often used to describe our nation are divorced, obese and lawsuit-happy.
SI.com column
January 5, 2007
by Darren Elliot
This week the calendar flipped from 2006 to 2007 and in Hockeytown they turned the page on an era neither the city nor the NHL is likely to witness again.
The Detroit Red Wings raised Steve Yzerman’s number 19 to the rafters of Joe Louis Arena in honor of his league-record 20 years as the team’s captain. Precious few players spend their entire careers in one city, performing for a singular fan base, answering to the same owner — never mind wearing the ‘C’ for two decades. Yet, almost inconceivably, that is precisely what Yzerman did during his days on the ice in Detroit.
The details of the career molded the man who is now the VP of the club. Yzerman the player and Yzerman the person grew up simultaneously under the scrutiny of a demanding fan base. Standing and addressing the adoring faithful last Tuesday night, Yzerman acknowledged as much, however doing so with his personas fully formed and long ago melded. No longer was there need for distinction between the man and the player. He had grown up before their eyes and, as he said, everything they were bestowing upon him personally was a reflection of what they had achieved together — he, the fans, and the organization — from Mr. and Mrs. Ilitch to all the players he’d played with.
No, there was no separation at all. Steve Yzerman was one of them… now and forever.
