Ok, so we get home from our upsetting clinic visit on Tuesday. Literally I had to put down the box of tissue to answer the phone, it was Anissa with BIG NEWS! The Children’s Cancer Center called her with enough luxury box seat tickets for our families to see the Tampa Bay Lightning Hockey Team which included a buffet and a meet and greet after party with the players, all compliments of the Children’s Cancer Center and the Brad Richards’ Foundation! So 3 hours later there we were having dinner and watching the Lightning play the LA Kings! The seats were in Brad Richards’ (#19) box, commonly known as Richy’s Rascals! Brad Richards is such an awesome guy. He does so much to show support to children with life threatening illnesses. Thanks and way to go Brad!
According to Doug, when I gave this review I apparently down played the evening’s events quite a bit. To get the full scoop and the “real” story visit Doug’s new post entitled, “Richies Rascals”. You may be interested in knowing that Doug even took the time to send Brad an email. I asked Doug if he thought Brad was really going to read it. Doug’s reply was, “I don’t know but if he does he’s going to think I’m a really big dork, you should read what all I wrote!” Don’t tell Doug, but if I can get my hands on it I’ll post it, maybe we can all take a poll or something!!!!
Doug’s take……
Alright, I guess I need to step up and do the Richy’s Rascals posting, espcially sindce I had the best time. Angela does a great job at the other posts and at the end of the game she proclaimed that the game was very exciting, but I think this one needs to be charged up (with a Lightning Bolt perhaps?!?).
Not only did we get to sit in Brad Richards Luxury Box and have dinner provided in the suite, but we had a couple of representatives from the Lightning making certain everything was first class. I guess they probably do some coddling for everyone in all the suites, but even this jeans and t-shirt guy recognizes the above and beyond. We had 2 nice ladies that spent the entire game making certain everyone had everything they wanted. The kids all got Lightning T-Shirts with Richy’s Rascals and the # 19 on the back. There were 4 other families represented in the box, including our good friends the Mayhew’s. There was even a guy dressed in a tuxedo get-up, minus the jacket, that waited on us.
Ok, maybe these weren’t the official hostess’, but we didn’t get their pictures.
The Suite is beautiful. There is a separate entrance to the Forum for suite owners and their guests across the street from the VIP parking lot, which was also provided to us. When Brad Richards signed his most recent 5 year contract this off season, he also signed on to funding this suite for the next 5 years. I know what Suites cost for other sporting events and I know this can be a great tax write off to offset his much deserved big money contract. I also know that the tax write off is secondary to Brad, and I will get to that later. Brad had a group customize the suite and they did a fantastic job. There is a red light on the ceiling that the kids get to light up when the lightning score (yes we did light it especially long when Brad scored in the shootout). There is a big flat screen on the wall that is hooked up to a Play Station 2 with bean bag chairs for the kids to sit in and play. Instead of regular cabinet pulls, the cherry cabinets have Lightning Game Pucks for the pulls. The bathroom has been painted to look like the locker room with Brad, #26 Martin St. Louis , and #4 Vinny Lecavalier jerseys painted on the wall, as well as a few others. During the game we didn’t have to (or want to) leave the suite for anything. When dealing with a child with a compromised immune system due to chemotherapy, especially during flu and cold season, that is extremely important.
OK maybe we took this picture when we were in Brad’s suite for the Wiggle’s and that was around Halloween. I think the Puck Pulls are cool!
Brad scoring in the shootout! Look closely, you can see the puck in the back of the net!
After the game our hostess took us down to meet Brad! We went to this “stinky” elevator (they take all the trash through this area and she said it may smell so the kids called it the “stinky” elevator.) She said “My goodness, there are a lot of people down here tonight.” There were about 20 people waiting, that is not much to me, but whatever. We were moved up to the front with the other family from Brad’s suite that made it through the game, the overtime and the shootout. In fact we were directly across from the locker room! The players from the Kings all walked passed us to leave and we were the first to see any player come out of the Lightning locker room. First our hostess stopped #7 Luke Richardson to sign the kids shirts and get a picture. Then we had #74 Nick Tarnasky and #49 Blair Jones do the same. This was a special night for Blair, he scored his first goal in the NHL! He signed a game puck for us! One of my other hero’s #36 Andre Roy (pronounced Waugh) was greeted by his wife and baby girl. Roy made the game extra special for me by getting in a fight. Roy’s face was kind of puffy and I thought he might knock me out, so I didn’t bother him. Vinny Lecavalier came out and he had a big group for his charity Vinnys ICE PACK waiting on him, so I didn’t bother him either. (Vinny scored in the game and in the shooout. He leads the NHL in goals scored this season.
Nick Tarnasky with Bowen, Mason and Adelaine. Look at Adelaine, she looks like she is about to kiss him!
We were the first people to greet Blair Jones out of the locker room after his first NHL goal! (The door behind him is the door to the locker room.)
Then came Brad. He was dressed in a blue Under Armor t-shirt and shorts. He came right to the kids and said hi. He greeted the other family a man and his daughter who looked to be about 12. They lost a daughter/sister in July to a brain tumor and are regulars in the suite. The girl has autographs from Brad on all kinds of things all over her room. That night she had Brad sign her iPod. He knew her by first name and talked to her for a while. Then he came and signed all the kids shirts and a couple of hockey pucks. He asked Adelaine how she was doing and she stated her usual “fine”. He was focused on her and made her the center of attention. Doesn’t he know that he is one of the best players in the NHL? Isn’t he, as a highly compensated super star professional athlete, supposed to either ignore the kids or just sign as he looks away. No, after getting knocked around in an NHL game, he squatted down for several minutes talking to the kids on their eye level! He looked them in there eyes and listened to everything they said. He then took several pictures with them and made certain the hostess had a camera for his Richy’s Rascals collection of pictures. We then had a family picture with Brad. Right now he has short normal hair and is clean shaven. When they make it to the playoffs all that will change. It is tradition to not shave during the playoffs, in fact it is bad luck to shave while you are still in the playoffs. According to one of the hostess’, no one in the entire organization is supposed to shave during the playoffs. He is a really good lookin guy clean shaven. I’m sorry Brad, but Angela says you look much better clean shaven, but its worth it for another Cup win. I shook Brad’s hand and thank him expressing that he has no idea what this means to us. All the while he sincerely looked me in the eye and just smiled. He probably said something, but I was oblivious. Just look at the family picture, the last time I had a picture taken with that goofy smile was at our wedding!
Brad Richards and the Powell Family. I didn’t know my dimples were that big!
Brad then walked over to a group of Jr. hockey players and started joking with them and signing autographs. Our hostess asked if there was anyone else we wanted to meet and I just stood there in awe. She walked away with the other family and I snapped back to reality. “Yeah, could we meet Marty?” She tapped Brad on the shoulder and he went into another side room. She came over and told us Brad was getting him. Sure enough, there was Martin St. Louis (fourth in goals scored in the NHL at this point in the season)walking up squatting down and signing the kids shirts and talking to them. He took a few pictures with the kids and then suggested a family photo. Well if you insist! I guess we can take a picture with the plyer that scored the 3rd goal in the shootout to lock up the win that night. He put his arm around me and I thought where do I put my arm? On his shoulder around his waist do I hug him and kiss him on the check? Then the hostess started taking pictures. I was so confused about where to put my arm, that I didn’t have a chance to make my teeth pop out of my head. I shook his hand and thanked him. He looked me right in the eye and said something and I just nodded. Yes, I was awe struck by the whole experience and all I heard was Charlie Brown’s teacher talking to me. Waugh, waugh waugh waugh. For all I know, he wanted to donate a large portion of his earnings to the newest Ultimate Lightning Fan!
This is Marty St Louis signing Adelaines shirt. She thought that they were all writing HER name on the shirt.
Martin St. Louis and the Powell Family.
These guys were all real. No bad attitudes, genuine sincerity. Along with Richys Rascals , Brad volunteers time for local kids and hosts a Golf Tourney in his hometown to benefit the children in the Prince Edward Island local area. Brad won the MVP trophy for the Stanley Cup in 2004 when the Lightning won the Stanley Cup Championship. That year Brad also won the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy . To some this is the ironic trophy to win in the NHL. The trophy is awarded to the most sportsmanlike player in the league. Most people look at hockey and first think of the fighting and penalty box. In 2004 Brad played in 82 games and was assessed only 12 penalty minutes. The shortest amount of time spent in the penalty box is 2 minutes. At most, Brad had 6 penalties called against him in 2004! After, meeting Brad and researching him, I would say this is the manliest award. He plays an extremely rough game, is voted as the MVP and the most sportsmanlike in the same year and spends a huge chunk of his earnings on kids and their families that he has never met before. Thanks again Brad! If you ever need a personal “Goon” and Andre Roy or Nick Tarnasky are not around, send me an email.
Alright, I guess I need to step up and do the Richy’s Rascals posting, espcially sindce I had the best time. Angela does a great job at the other posts and at the end of the game she proclaimed that the game was very exciting, but I think this one needs to be charged up (with a Lightning Bolt perhaps?!?).
Not only did we get to sit in Brad Richards Luxury Box and have dinner provided in the suite, but we had a couple of representatives from the Lightning making certain everything was first class. I guess they probably do some coddling for everyone in all the suites, but even this jeans and t-shirt guy recognizes the above and beyond. We had 2 nice ladies that spent the entire game making certain everyone had everything they wanted. The kids all got Lightning T-Shirts with Richy’s Rascals and the # 19 on the back. There were 4 other families represented in the box, including our good friends the Mayhew’s. There was even a guy dressed in a tuxedo get-up, minus the jacket, that waited on us.
Ok, maybe these weren’t the official hostess’, but we didn’t get their pictures.
