Recalling Canadiens' mighty Big Bird
posted by Dave Stubbs at 0h27 EST on Nov 19
Comments
Submitted by joe-hab-nuno on Mon, 11/19/2007 - 08:57.
I just watched a youtube video of the Shultz Robinson fight, at the 5 in mark of the video you see Robinson having a drink with the fan along the boards, OMG, too funny
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZmRWz_Dyk0&feature=related
Submitted by Habs-Fan on Mon, 11/19/2007 - 08:25.
Larry is one of my all time favorite Habs player.
He gave everyone around him the confidence of knowing he would be their if an opponent took any liberties on any of his team mates.
One regret I presently have is that Montreal hasn't been able to bring Larry into the organization somehow. Not sure if he wants to but just imagine him behind the bench with Muller.
I'm hoping that O'Byrne or McDonough can bring a little of what Larry did.
Komisarek certainly does.
I have to work tonight but I will be recording the pre-game as well as the game.
Submitted by earl on Mon, 11/19/2007 - 07:41.
Larry's end-to-end rushes and hard hits are legendary.
Hitting him was like taking on a redwood tree.
And to top it off, he could fight. If you were dumb enough to get Larry angry , you were probably dumb enough to get pummelled. He had some great tilts, but the ones I recall most involved Mike Milbury.
Submitted by G-Man on Mon, 11/19/2007 - 06:57.
There are 2 Habs D-men who are right up there alongside Bobby Orr. Doug Harvey was one, and Larry Robinson the other. With Larry, he controlled the game not only by his physical presence, but also the way he could go end to end and score when the team needed it. Not to forget those long bullet passes from behind his net to a speeding Cournoyer or Lafleur cutting up the middle of the neutral zone. Ray Bourque of Boston is comparable, but he never had the team in Boston like Larry did in Montreal.
Today is all 19 all the time. It's about time, Larry, you deserve it.
Gilbert
Submitted by grrrreg on Mon, 11/19/2007 - 06:41.
We're gonna need a Robinson-like performace of the defense tonight versus the sens. So let's hope the team will get inspired by the ceremony.
Submitted by sholi2000.com on Mon, 11/19/2007 - 05:49.
One of my favourite memories of Larry was during the 86 playoffs. Someone ran Patrick Roy, and Larry skated into the corner with the checker and beat the player to a into the next season.
Larry was an amazing defenseman. Loved watching him play.
Watching his documentaries on Legends of Hockey really gives you a feel of how the man really is. Calm and cool yet he had a mean streak to him on the ice.
Some of his hits on forwards trying to get passed him down the side of the boards were earth shaking!
Congrats Larry, yet another banner for my wall of fame.
sholi2000.com
God Bless Our Infantry
Submitted by A. Berke on Mon, 11/19/2007 - 04:01.
To Larry Robinson:
Sir, you were one of my favourite players of this game and it was a pleasure to watch you play.
My sincere congratulations upon retirement of your number which, in my opinion, was long overdue.
But now, with your number retired, future Habs (players and fans alike) generations will get to know more about you and your accomplishments.
PS: I hope the team brings back their last game to the ice to honour Robinson.
Cheers,
Ali B.
Submitted by Robert L on Mon, 11/19/2007 - 02:14.
Hockey 11 - Larry tried out for my hometown Cornwall Royals in 1970. He made the team but refused to get a haircut - imagine that! He wound up with the Kitchener Rangers, where the Habs spotted him and drafted him.
I thought it would be interest to post this - as a tie in to why it took so long to have Robinson's number reach the rafters. Upon contract negotiation in 1989 with Serge Savard, relations between the two soured inexplicably, it seemed. Robinson explains what went down in his autobiography "Robinson For The Defense". I've transcribed parts of the final chapter that detail this. Very, very interesting stuff - in Robinson's words.
http://wwwrealitycheckeyesontheprize.blogspot.com/2007/11/robinsons-fina...
Submitted by J.T. on Mon, 11/19/2007 - 08:11.
I have that book, and I always enjoyed it...up until that part. The way he left, as he tells it, made me really sad. I hated to see the team treat an honourable veteran like that. Of course, we've never heard Savard's view, but I didn't want Robinson to leave at all, especially not with hard feelings. Maybe the years have softened those feelings and watching his sweater go up tonight won't be tinged with bitterness left over from having his desire for the honour used as a public embarrassment in the past.
I hope when he sees his former teammates and hears the love for him tonight, he'll be a Montreal Canadien again...even if it's just for a little while.
Submitted by Naila Jinnah on Mon, 11/19/2007 - 01:05.
Late night posting!!!
And the embedded video is messing up my layout.
PS: Windows Vista, Firefox 2.0
Submitted by Da Hema on Mon, 11/19/2007 - 00:45.
Larry Robinson remains one of my two all-time favorite Habs (the other, Bob Gainey). Robinson made playing defense look easy, which is what great players do. He was, as Ken Dryden noted, a "presence." A stunning combination of skill, speed, and menace when needed. It just never looked right seeing Bird in anything other than a Habs uniform. My appreciation to the current ownership and management for doing what should have been done years ago.
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