Getting the Great One - almost...

I keep getting closer to one of my life goals. Most days, it is so far away, its as if it'll never happen. Today, I came as close as I ever have without finishing the deal.

Today, I almost interviewed Wayne Gretzky.

A little bit of a recap. Of all the people that I have wanted meet in life, Wayne Gretzky is second only to my future ex-wife, whoever she is. The Miracle on Ice boys fueled the fire within me for the sport of hockey. The 80-84 New York Islanders helped ignite the flame, during a streak with five straight finals appearances and four straight Stanley Cup championships. The New Jersey Devils relocation from Denver in 1982 helped spawn a healthy fanaticism for the sport, which has lasted through to this day.

But the one guy that I've always been enamored with, that when he was playing on television I had to literally stop what I was doing so I could watch it, was when number 99 took to the ice. One of the saddest days in my life was the day he retired, nearly 10 years ago, because I knew I would never see another athlete that would mean more to his sport than the Great One was.

In 1996, I was hosting a college radio show in New Jersey in the morning while working a regular job. I was trying to jump start a career in broadcasting that hasn't found it's way to the launch pad (most of the time through no one's fault but my own), and from time-to-time I would get credentialed for Devils games. I had the chance to interview a few players and coaches, and ask questions as part of a reporter's gaggle to athletes such as Martin Brodeur, Scott Stevens, Mario Lemieux, Jaromir Jagr, Brett Hull, Scott Niedermayer, and Eric Lindros, among many. But the one I never had the chance to ask a question from was Gretzky.

I know all the numbers by heart, as any good hockey fan should: 894 goals scored, 1963 assists, 2857 points. He has more assists than anyone else has points in NHL history. Nine seasons with 50+ goals, including 50 in 39 games in the 81-82 season. That year, he scored 92 goals and added 120 assists for 212 points. He holds so many records in league history that he needs a separate publication by the league to showcase them all. He's the first player ever to have his uniform number retired by an entire league (the other was Jackie Robinson).

Then it happened: January 23, 1996 - the Devils credentialed me for a game against the Los Angeles Kings. It was all set, finally my path would cross with Gretzky. I prepared like I had never prepared for anything before in my life. But he didn't make the trip east due to injury, and I was denied my opportunity.

So as I started my new role 13 years later with Examiner.com, I looked at all the scheduling possibilities for the games that remained to attend at Staples. I even went to Anaheim this week and was credentialed for Wednesday night's game. But it was during my initial schedule review that I noticed the game on the schedule for today, February 21:

Phoenix @ Los Angeles

At last, I would finally get my opportunity. Not only did I get credentialed by the Kings, but I was informed there was a good chance that I could have a couple of minutes with him before the game started. I arrived at Staples at 10:45am for a 1PM start for this purpose, with Carly Simon's Anticipation playing in my head. But once again, I was denied. He had other obligations that ran long, and my only chance was in the post-game after his press conference, which was more like a press gaggle in front of a few reporters outside the Coyotes locker room following a 6-3 Phoenix victory.

Hey, he's Wayne Gretzky, and its Los Angeles, where he played for 8 years and helped transform the direction of the league, and still makes his off-season home. So it was no surprise that he had a ton of requests for his time. After all, when he came to LA in 1988, there were 21 teams, and 8 of them were in Canada, with the Kings and St. Louis the only two teams in the southern half of the United States. Today, there are 30 teams, and 24 of them are in the U.S., with many of them in the south, including the team Gretzky now coaches in Phoenix. I mean, the day of the trade, all of Canada came to standstill that almost resembled as if a member of their royal family had died.

But I was given one little scintilla of a chance - I waited for the presser to finish, wanting to ask a question as I was just 10 feet away from him, and kept glancing over at the Coyotes' PR guys, assured they would feed him to me, even for one question. But alas, my moment in the sun will have to wait, because another experienced writer jumped my play and grabbed him for several questions before he ducked away into the friendly confines of the visitor's coaching office.

Still, ever hopeful, I went to the Kings post-game presser with Terry Murray, got a question asked that he answered while looking right at me, and I then scurried back out into the hallway, hoping I might get one 'friendly ambush' attempt. Out he came, and I was ready to pounce, but there was one problem: I was intercepted by two of his sons, Ty and Tristan, who both hugged their dad and started a conversation with him as they began to walk towards the area where the team buses were.

Hey, I may be a jackass sometimes, but even I know that it would have been totally uncool to push his own kids out of the way and try to ask him some questions, or worse ask him to pose for a picture with me with my brother's digital camera that I brought to capture this moment forever. I walked just off his left shoulder, and finally, as I began to veer off towards the press room, I looked over and he noticed me.

I said, "Nice game Wayne, good luck the rest of the way."
He looked back and said, "Hey thanks, I appreciate that." And then, he walked away.

That conversation certainly won't make the journalists hall of fame (if there is one), and today didn't go the way I wanted it to, or how I've longed dreamed it would. But hey, I'm not ready to go on suicide watch just yet because of two things:

First, at least I interacted with him, which will make it a little less uncomfortable the next time around. And that's because, second, the Coyotes will be back for another visit in April, this time a night game, which means more time before the game for him to handle pre-game interview requests. The Coyotes people intimated to me that the next time around, they will make every effort to allow me the chance I've waited a lifetime for - and I plan to take full advantage of it.

Hey look, in the grand scheme of things, today wasn't a total loss, (except that the Kings lost a golden opportunity to pick up two points) and if this is the worst thing that happens to me all year long, I'll feel truly happy about things. Still, I'm left with a slightly empty feeling, and I guess the song of the day goes from Ms. Simon to Mr. Tom Petty, because it's days like this that I hate his appropriate song for this occasion, but very truly understand it's meaning:

The Waiting IS the Hardest Part...

------------------------------
I did take a few photographs from press box level and I will post them soon... Kings go on a five game roadie starting Tuesday, but first is a big fan-interaction gig tomorrow at Staples called Tip-A-King, where fans can get autographs and pictures with players, coaches, and broadcasters for cash donations to charity... I didn't get to see Kyle Quincey after the game, but I'm sure I'll run into him tomorrow and satisfy my own vanity if he read my article or not. I do know this, a lot of the Kings people (Bob Miller and Jim Fox the announcers, and several PR people) all acknowledged me today - which I think has to do with the article. At least I hope it does...