Friday, August 11, 2006

Thanks, Rico

While amassing his impressive career statistics, I can recall Eric Desjardins playing through all kinds of injuries that probably would have left me and most other people unable to climb out of bed (typical for most athletes I suppose, but still remarkable). I can also recall him being matched with many defensemen while he played with the Flyers, and he managed to improve their game by playing alongside him (which is the mark of a truly great player...Desjardins single-handedly extended the NHL career of Chris Therien in this way long after it should have ended).

He stood up for the Flyers during the Eric Lindros/Bob Clarke fiasco (a big deal in these parts for a time) and truly played and conducted himself with as much class and professionalism as you could ever expect from an elite athlete, serving as the complete and total opposite of the self-centered prima donnas who populate sports these days (for an example, see Owens, Terrell).

And the fact that the Flyers never won a Stanley Cup during Desjardins' 11 years here is not his fault in any way whatsoever.

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