Anyone is welcome to submit a Guest Blog Entry to torontomike.com. I received the following entry earlier today.
Sorry to see one of the best of all time retire but it was surprising he came out of retirement a short while ago. One of the best playmakers ever.
ALL THE BEST SUPER MARIO - you made the hockey fraternity VERY proud.
A penguin (from T.O.)
You've stolen my thunder. I was just about to write an entry about the Magnificent Mario Lemieux.
I never had the pleasure of watching the Rocket, Gordie Howe or Bobby Orr play, but I got to enjoy two talents that far surpass all others I've witnessed. I consider them 1a and 1b on the list of all time greats. One wore #99 and the other wore #66.
Pound for pound, there was no one better. I remember Lemieux's trips to Maple Leaf Gardens when he'd skate in on goal with a couple of Leafs literally on his back. He'd always score. I'll never forget 1987 when Wayne Gretzky set him up for the winning goal with 1:26 left in the final game of the Canada Cup series against the Soviet Union. That was my generation's Paul Henderson goal. I'll never forget how he came back from Hodgkins' disease, played only 60 games and still won his fourth scoring title with 160 points. I'll never forget the two times I watched him play live, knowing I was witnessing a slice of NHL history.
He truly was magnificent.
