The first article is from the
Minneapolis Star Tribune and is Dan Brooks' speech at his father's induction ceremony. The second is from the
St. Paul Pioneer Press, talking about reactions to the induction. You deserve it Herb!
Herb Brooks was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame on Monday night in Toronto along with Patrick Roy, Dick Duff and Harley Hotchkiss. This is the text of the speech Herb's son Dan was scheduled to deliver at the ceremony.
Last update: November 13, 2006 – 7:59 PM
"I was asked the other day by my father's good friend, Neil Sheehy, about what my dad's reaction would have been if he were alive and received the call from the Hall rather than my mother and I. I said he probably would have brought it up to me days -- maybe weeks -- after the announcement was made and most likely would have said, 'Yeah, the Hall of Fame in Toronto called. I guess they want me to be inducted or something. I think I will run up there.' I then would have asked about what he thought about being inducted with the other inductees. His response -- I can here him now -- 'Harley Hotchkiss? Holy smokes -- I don't belong in the same room as him. Dicky Duff, Patrick Roy -- Jesus Jenny I couldn't carry their jockstrap. What are they thinking in Toronto?'
"I think my father always underestimated his place in the history of the game of hockey.
"Looking back at my father's life in hockey always brings me great joy. However, I hate to say this -- but I used to get frustrated and at times actually be a bit embarrassed with all the things he did and didn't do. Selfishly, I constantly wanted him badly to be in the game -- specifically an NHL head coach. It was always so much fun being a coach's kid -- with all the perks, money and fame. However, the older I get, the more I appreciate what he did. In this world of hockey we all live in today, everyone seems to be only concerned with the almighty dollar and looking out only for themselves. I am now proud to say that I had a father who stood up for causes he felt to be more important than money. His life was not about materialism, celebrity, trophies and medals. It was about personal integrity, honesty and making the game we all love better. I think of all the opportunities he walked away from solely because of principle.
"I don't know too many people in this world who would refuse to accept cash under the table while coaching in Europe or accept a D2 college job paying $20K and not applying for numerous NHL openings solely to carry out the recently passed John Mariucci's wish for more D1 programs in the state of [Minnesota]. Who would walk away from an NHL coaching post because of management's refusal to remove a 'cancerous' player, or because one of his hall of fame scouts was referred to as the wrong name. How many people coach a foreign country's Olympic Team simply for the love of the Olympic Spirit or decline the opportunity to light the Olympic torch in Salt Lake City with his 1980 players to honor a previous commitment to speak at a local VFW? How about turn down a dream job to be united with Glen Sather and the [New York Rangers] to spend time with five preschool grandkids? Who would do these things? My father did, and I couldn't be more proud. Most people will remember him as an American hero who coached the 1980 Olympic team, but to me he was a hero well beyond that two-week stint in Lake Placid.
"In summation, I would like to say that when I think of all the celebrations that took place over my dad's career, the one I will always remember was the one that took place during the gold medal ceremony [in] 1980 when Mike Eruzione was up on the podium and called his 19 teammates to join him. Now, thanks to the final scene in the movie 'Miracle,' I will never forget that image of that team collectively pointing their fingers towards the sky. As you will recall, my father was not present. No one seems to know exactly where he was at that time -- including me. What I do know [is] that he was in the building somewhere at peace with himself enjoying the moment.
"Well, here we are 26 years later, celebrating another memorable event -- an event that no doubt is [the] crowning jewel in his career. Having passed away three years ago, my dad is obviously not with us physically. However, like in 1980, I know he is in the building, this time in spirit -- again at peace with himself and enjoying the moment. So as he is watching, I now would like to take a page out of Mike Eruzione's book and metaphorically summon the following people spiritually up on the podium to share in the moment. These are the ones responsible [for] Herb's wonderful induction:
Herb Brooks Sr.
Arnie Bauer
The Boys of Hastings Pond
Rube Gustafson and The 1955 Johnson Governors
John Mayasich
Murray Williamson
John Mariucci
Paul Giel
Glen Sonmor
Bill Butters, Mike Polich, Pat Phippen, Bill Baker, and the rest of the [Minnesota] Gophers
Art Kaminsky
Lou Nanne
Warren Strelow
Craig Patrick
Mike Eruzione
Jim Craig
The Pittsburgh Penguins
Neal Broten
Jack Blatherwick
Barry Beck and the New York Rangers
Larry Hendrickson
Chuck Grillo
Lou Nanne
Chris Chelios and 2002 Olympic Team
Together we raise our fingers towards the sky and salute you -- Herb Brooks -- as teammate, friend, inspiration, coach, mentor, father and grandfather. Thank you.''
Minnesota's hockey coach enters the Hockey Hall of Fame, where he takes his place alongside such greats as mentor and fellow Gophers coach John Mariucci.
BY DAVID SHOALTS
Special to the Pioneer Press
Posted on Mon, Nov. 13, 2006
TORONTO — If Herb Brooks could reflect on what his induction to the Hockey Hall of Fame meant to him, his son Dan said Monday, he would not think about the Miracle on Ice gold medal, the three national championships with the University of Minnesota or any of his victories as a coach in the NHL.
Instead, he would think about his predecessor as coach of the Gophers, John Mariucci, another native son of Minnesota.
"I think he would be very humbled because he's going to be in the hall with his mentor, John Mariucci," Dan Brooks said. "In talking with a lot of his players, both on the University of Minnesota team and the Olympic team, they used to say, 'Your dad really took a lot of those things that he did from John Mariucci.'
"I know the first thing my dad would have brought up is he's here with the legendary John Mariucci."
Herb Brooks, who died in a car accident at the age of 66 in 2003, had an equal claim on the adjective "legendary." His greatest accomplishment, the one that secured his place in the Hall of Fame, was coaching an underdog U.S. team of college students to the 1980 Olympic gold medal, defeating the Big Red Machine of the former Soviet Union along the way.
Brooks on Monday night was inducted as a builder in the Hall of Fame. Going in with him as a builder was Harley Hotchkiss, the part-owner of the Calgary Flames and the chairman of the NHL's Board of Governors. Two former players were inducted: goaltender Patrick Roy, who won four Stanley Cups with the Montreal Canadiens and Colorado Avalanche, and winger Dick Duff, who starred for the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Canadiens in the 1950s and 1960s.
Walter Bush, the longtime chairman of USA Hockey, said Herb Brooks gave the game a huge boost at the grassroots level with the Olympic victory.
"Probably his greatest contribution was taking a bunch of college kids, who were pretty fair hockey players but were pretty young, and molding them into this great victory," Bush said at the induction ceremony. "It spurred a lot of kids into playing.
"Herb was a tremendous visionary. While he was in Europe on seven or eight national teams and two Olympic teams (as a player), he saw how the other part of the world played hockey. He took a lot of that and brought it back to our country."
The funny thing, Dan Brooks said, was that even though the Miracle on Ice was regarded as a great moment in hockey and other sports circles, it was fading in the eyes of the public until the movie "Miracle," starring Kurt Russell, came out in 2004.
"I remember they had the 10-year anniversary of the 1980 team in 1990," he said. "We had a barbeque in my backyard. My dad cooked hot dogs, and we had a keg of beer. Over 10 years after that, they made the movie 'Miracle,' and these guys were ushered around in limousines.
"I scratched my head, saying this was incredible."
Herb Brooks was never able to duplicate his amateur success in the NHL. He coached four teams, most notably the New York Rangers from 1981 to 1985, but finished his NHL career with a regular-season record of 219-221-66.
"It was tough in the early days with the Rangers," Dan Brooks said. "They would beat either Washington or Philly in the first round, and then lose these great battles with the Islanders in the second round.
"Yeah, I think it bothered him. He wanted to win the Cup."
The problem for Brooks was that NHL players were not as malleable as college kids.
"I think he excelled the best when he had total control," his son said. "In 1980 he had total control over everything, from who played to where they stayed to how they traveled. I think he had a tough time with the pro mentality. That was a challenge for him.
"Wherever he coached it seemed there was always one guy he had battles with. He liked the mentality of the amateur player."
Brooks was known as a severe taskmaster to his players; they tended not to like him until they no longer played for him. But he had his softer moments. After all, he had to put up with years of teasing about the first movie about the 1980 Olympic team.
Dan Brooks, 39, a financial adviser in Minneapolis, was appointed the family spokesman by his mother, Patti, when his father was announced as an inductee. Dan Brooks attended all of the functions in his father's place over the weekend and made the induction speech Monday night.
During his speech, Dan Brooks said his father marched to his own drummer. He quit as coach of an NHL team when management refused to fire a player he believed was a cancer on the team. Late in his life, Brooks declined an offer from New York Rangers general manager Glen Sather to rejoin his old team as coach.
Brooks was haunted by the time he took away from his family through most of his career and wanted to give his grandchildren what he had denied his children, Dan and Kelly: his time.
"How about turning down a dream job to be reunited with the New York Rangers in order to spend time with five preschoolers, his grandchildren?" Dan Brooks said .
Dan accepted the Hall of Fame ring Monday morning at a news conference. He said it would go on public display "in the state of Minnesota."
Golden Gopher Puck