The Spectrum Has Its Final Day in the Sun

It's still going to be hard to believe that the Spectrum will be torn up in about nine months, but there was a pretty nice ceremony today down there. Not the fantastic blowout I think could have and should have been done, but heartfelt nonetheless.

Of the 16 men to captain the club, 12 made the trip to be honored - including current choice Mike Richards. Those who could not attend were all players from the last 10 years: Lindros (funeral), Tocchet (assistant coach with Tampa), Forsberg (previous engagement?), and Jason Smith (playing for Ottawa).

I wondered aloud to several people if the Flyers really wanted Tocchet there anyway, smeared as he was by the betting scandal which set up shop in South Jersey. I bet the organization sent out the invite a) knowing he'd be engaged with the Lightning or b) hoping he'd take the hint and maybe defer out of respect for his still tenderized reputation.

I was really shocked at how old the guys who played in the late 70's and early 80's looked. Lou Angotti held up well, and Ed Van Impe is finally showing his age. Clarkie and Barber, well, we've seen them so much, but you can tell how the years have etched themselves into their countenance. Mel Bridgman wins the "most hair on head and face award" and he's gotta be at least 50 now.

I was surprised at how good Dave Poulin looked and how much like an old craggly farmhand Ron Sutter turned out to be. The rest could have been out on the ice with the two teams.

Although I figured that the broadcast would require Coatesy to be Mr. Personality trying to interview all the former players who were watching the game, but it seemed to me that most of the guys kinda wanted him to go away.

Poulin, an educated and affable man, successful coach and now successful businessman, I thought carried off the best and most engaging interview. Kevin Dineen either desperately didn't want anyone to bother him, or he was so wrapped up in the oncoming season with the Portland Pirates, that his intense stare was nearly zombie-like. I wasn't too thrilled with Bridgman, the supposed Wharton grad and business whiz, either.

The weirdest thing came at the end of Lou Nolan's emcee responsibilities, when he asked the crowd to bow their heads and have a moment of silence for all the "fallen Flyers." In all seriousness, I was expecting the prerequisite somber music with snapshots of the departed, but all we got was about 30 seconds of silence.

They could have and should have done better by the departed. We've had some bad losses. Barry Ashbee and Pelle Lindbergh first and foremost, but also Yanick Dupre, Dmitry Tertyshny, Wayne Hillman, "Cowboy" Bill Flett, Jenny Barber and the immortal voice - Gene Hart.

I can only guess something else is in the works, otherwise I'd have to publicly state that the ceremony came up woefully short on that.

As for Monsieur Lindros and his Taped Message...A friend of mine posed the question: Nice gesture or lie?

Personally, I could never really figure out Eric's true emotions, except for the 1995 award ceremony when he pulled a Messier. There's the passionate, articulate and empathetic Lindros, and then there's the clone - which is almost like he always forced the emotion to come because that's what he thought he was supposed to do as team leader.

But now that he's been out of the league for a year, retired for 10 months, and has been out of Philly for 7 1/2 years, I say who really cares? I guess, be thankful he chose to say anything at all and move on...

The game itself was kinda strange.

It was disorientingly odd to see the Spectrum ice and boards not swallowed whole with every advertisement under the sun. It actually looked like the players were superhuman sardines busting out of the can - perhaps the biggest indicator to me just how more built the players have become and how much more padding is required to protect them since 1996.

Still, to see the upper levels un-curtained for the first time in God knows how long (and full) warmed my heart. Section 71, Row 5, Seats 3-4 1995-96. Banging on the vent doing the "Let's Go Fly-Ers! chant as a senior in high school. Legion of Doom era. Good times.

The three-goal first period and seeing Simon Gagne throw the body was great. Richards' pair of short-handed scores had a bit of poetry to them, but I wouldn't go as far as Jim Jackson's gushing of "That's what a captain does!!" after his first tally. Still, the Flyers sagged during the middle 30 minutes of the contest, letting a 3-0 lead slip to 3-2 near the end until Richards bailed them out.

Also heartening was that there was a bit more flow and a bit less reckless speed to the game, but I figure that's because it's an exhibition and nobody wants to go cuckoo. Still, can't argue with two fights early. Shows that you can have compelling hockey without having to push the pedal to the medal at all times and let the skating lanes remain open.

My one pet peeve in the whole thing was, as a uniform revisionist, it would have been a great chance to show off the new third jerseys. They brought out all the captains in what I presume to be a replica of the new design (which is a blatant nod to the Bullies past), so why not the whole club? I also would have gone for the Hurricanes (who never technically played in the Spectrum) switch back to retro road Whalers duds.

Big bonus for actually trying to put on a show and win the game for the sellout crowd. Wonder how the big club will handle playing the next generation for the final Spectrum game on October 7.

Last time the Flyers welcomed the Phantoms, I believe it was a hastily arranged event to benefit the victims of Hurrican Floyd, back in 1999. Flyers won 6-1 I think?