1. Bladon was booed at times, perhaps unnecessarily. He did excel in certain aspects of the game. Runnerup to Bobby Orr for the Calder was Ed Van Impe. Orr was the best man at Joe Watson's wedding.
2. It really is. Perhaps the ideal flick. For a movie that is known for action scenes, it was exceptional in an intuitive nature, too.
1. Very Rarely was he booed. But he was a key to our backline as far as production. Not on the list and better than Jimmy was the Moose.
2. True
1. Very Rarely was he booed. But he was a key to our backline as far as production. Not on the list and better than Jimmy was the Moose.
2. True
I beg to disagree... He may have been the only Broad Street Bully Era player to be booed on a regular basis. With that said; it was never really mean hearted like with Carkner... and he had many fans. I'd say that ever even those who were his fans booed him at time, as crazy as that sounds.
As I said, I was a fan of Bladon and used to be upset that he would be isolated, and would get picked on.
I suppose we will have to agree to disagree if we have opposing memories of him and the fans... which is the name of the game on these forums, and to me not a problem.
2. It really is. Perhaps the ideal flick. For a movie that is known for action scenes, it was exceptional in an intuitive nature, too.
I always make fun of the extremely long 2 way shootout scene, with the camera going from face to face...until I watched it with some people who had never seen the movie before, and realized just how tense that scene could be if you've never watched that movie before.
How was Ashbee as a defenseman? I've always wondered, and always forget to ask my relatives. The man obviously gave his all, what with the neck brace and all. Sure, I could check his stats, but defense is deeper than that.
I always make fun of the extremely long 2 way shootout scene, with the camera going from face to face...until I watched it with some people who had never seen the movie before, and realized just how tense that scene could be if you've never watched that movie before.
How was Ashbee as a defenseman? I've always wondered, and always forget to ask my relatives. The man obviously gave his all, what with the neck brace and all. Sure, I could check his stats, but defense is deeper than that.
There was a player by the name of Rick Foley who had a reputation for being out of shape, lack of desire on ice and off as it related to conditioning. Ashbee became so irate that he threatened to quit the team if Foley, among others, didn't shape up. That probably is the ideal story as it related to Ashbee's character. He didn't necessarily possess the attractive skills of others and the term stay-at-home defenseman was used many times to describe him. He wore his emotions on his sleeves but it resulted in a highly respected form.
He came up through the Bruins' organization and suffered a near career-ending back injury during one of his early games after playing some time in the AHL. He missed more than an entire season and the Bruins gave up on him essentially painted as a vet in their minor league system. Eventually, he became a Flyer at an advanced age because the team needed help on the blueline.
His style was old-school. Shotblocker, clearing out the crease, taking the man out in front, body checks. He did all that. And he developed a reputation because of it. But he was also injury-plagued and that caught up with him. The shot that ended his career, the ugly eye injury, is on YouTube.
Was he one of the four best players in team history based on retired numbers? Not even close but his life story is filled with human interest stories and that elevated him in the eyes of management.
1. Very Rarely was he booed. But he was a key to our backline as far as production. Not on the list and better than Jimmy was the Moose.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sawdalite
I beg to disagree... He may have been the only Broad Street Bully Era player to be booed on a regular basis. With that said; it was never really mean hearted like with Carkner... and he had many fans. I'd say that ever even those who were his fans booed him at time, as crazy as that sounds.
I forget where I read it but supposedly Bladon had multiple medical conditions (perhaps allergies and/or something else) which required certain meds that if mixed affected his play for the negative, though it wasn't immediately detected or known by outsiders.
In the game he had eight points, he was also a +10.
Nicknamed “Sparky” (because of his quiet demeanor), Bladon was an under-appreciated part of the Flyers’ success in the 1970s. Routinely cracking double-digit goals and between 35 to 53 points per season, Bladon set a single-game point record for a defenseman when he scored four goals and added four assists in a December 11, 1977 game against the Cleveland Barons.
Bladon sometimes heard boos because he was not a physical defenseman and had occasional problems with turnovers. Nevertheless, he was a +186 for his six-year Flyers career and had back-to-back seasons in which he topped +40 for the season.
Often paired with Bladon on the Flyers, third round selection (39th overall) Jimmy Watson became the backbone of the Philadelphia defense in the 1970s and early 1980s. Despite being a modest point-getter, he was chosen for five NHL All-Star games and the 1976 Canada Cup team.
I might be wrong, but Edmonton might actually be able to field that line from natives in 2015-2016 season. I heard some reporters don't swallow.
And yes. Shelley is just adding to that mix, as he probably is the one without reproductive organs. One has to stand out and bring the veteran presence.
I forget where I read it but supposedly Bladon had multiple medical conditions (perhaps allergies and/or something else) which required certain meds that if mixed affected his play for the negative, though it wasn't immediately detected or known by outsiders.
In the game he had eight points, he was also a +10.
I beg to disagree... He may have been the only Broad Street Bully Era player to be booed on a regular basis. With that said; it was never really mean hearted like with Carkner... and he had many fans. I'd say that ever even those who were his fans booed him at time, as crazy as that sounds.
As I said, I was a fan of Bladon and used to be upset that he would be isolated, and would get picked on.
I suppose we will have to agree to disagree if we have opposing memories of him and the fans... which is the name of the game on these forums, and to me not a problem.
No problem here. Believe me I went to most of those games back then. There was never a whole lot of booing. But Tom did get his share.
I always make fun of the extremely long 2 way shootout scene, with the camera going from face to face...until I watched it with some people who had never seen the movie before, and realized just how tense that scene could be if you've never watched that movie before.
How was Ashbee as a defenseman? I've always wondered, and always forget to ask my relatives. The man obviously gave his all, what with the neck brace and all. Sure, I could check his stats, but defense is deeper than that.
He was a pros pro. A very steady calm under fire defenceman who stuck up for his teammates. It says something about the fabric of the man having his number retired after only playing four years for us. The guy paid his dues in the ahl for many years in Hersey. I will never forget him down on the ice after being struck in the eye. It was just horrible.
RIP Ashcan
There was a player by the name of Rick Foley who had a reputation for being out of shape, lack of desire on ice and off as it related to conditioning. Ashbee became so irate that he threatened to quit the team if Foley, among others, didn't shape up. That probably is the ideal story as it related to Ashbee's character. He didn't necessarily possess the attractive skills of others and the term stay-at-home defenseman was used many times to describe him. He wore his emotions on his sleeves but it resulted in a highly respected form.
He came up through the Bruins' organization and suffered a near career-ending back injury during one of his early games after playing some time in the AHL. He missed more than an entire season and the Bruins gave up on him essentially painted as a vet in their minor league system. Eventually, he became a Flyer at an advanced age because the team needed help on the blueline.
His style was old-school. Shotblocker, clearing out the crease, taking the man out in front, body checks. He did all that. And he developed a reputation because of it. But he was also injury-plagued and that caught up with him. The shot that ended his career, the ugly eye injury, is on YouTube.
Was he one of the four best players in team history based on retired numbers? Not even close but his life story is filled with human interest stories and that elevated him in the eyes of management.
Foley was a monster but just was a head case. Freddie had enough of him after one year. But man it is a shame when someone who has all that potential screws it up
No problem here. Believe me I went to most of those games back then. There was never a whole lot of booing. But Tom did get his share.
As often is the case with many things involving the memory of two old farts, the truth mostly likely lies somewhere between what we said.
As I said, Sparky was one of my favorites among all the favorites of that era... I love a good offensive D-man, and to me Bladon was one of the tops around at that time; on my lists of all-time favorite Flyers he has a set spot... but for me, I have to place a few above him based on the two-way or solid D criteria.
What I remember most about the boos for him -- remember that it is all relative and on that team a couple of boos here and there stuck out like a sore thumb... and he was never booed or rode like Carkner and a few other D-men over the years -- is that it was mostly for a boneheaded giveaway and an at times appearance to being too casual, even if it came to him easier than to many others... He was never a goat. I know I was upset at the time even for a few boos directed at a layer of such a great team as our Cup teams were.
He was a pros pro. A very steady calm under fire defenceman who stuck up for his teammates. It says something about the fabric of the man having his number retired after only playing four years for us. The guy paid his dues in the ahl for many years in Hersey. I will never forget him down on the ice after being struck in the eye. It was just horrible.
RIP Ashcan
Yes it was... And I will never forget him getting so worked up over the officiating of a game that he punch an NHL linesman -- or ref? -- and got a nice suspension for it.
Foley was a monster but just was a head case. Freddie had enough of him after one year. But man it is a shame when someone who has all that potential screws it up
What I remember most about him was his weight was around 235 lbs... and how it was such a high number back then, and such a big deal. Now not so much... the players today are just naturally bigger
There was a player by the name of Rick Foley who had a reputation for being out of shape, lack of desire on ice and off as it related to conditioning. Ashbee became so irate that he threatened to quit the team if Foley, among others, didn't shape up. That probably is the ideal story as it related to Ashbee's character. He didn't necessarily possess the attractive skills of others and the term stay-at-home defenseman was used many times to describe him. He wore his emotions on his sleeves but it resulted in a highly respected form.
He came up through the Bruins' organization and suffered a near career-ending back injury during one of his early games after playing some time in the AHL. He missed more than an entire season and the Bruins gave up on him essentially painted as a vet in their minor league system. Eventually, he became a Flyer at an advanced age because the team needed help on the blueline.
His style was old-school. Shotblocker, clearing out the crease, taking the man out in front, body checks. He did all that. And he developed a reputation because of it. But he was also injury-plagued and that caught up with him. The shot that ended his career, the ugly eye injury, is on YouTube.
Was he one of the four best players in team history based on retired numbers? Not even close but his life story is filled with human interest stories and that elevated him in the eyes of management.
