tää on tätä
Kirjoitin vihdoin parille eri sivustolle minun oman versioni siitä, mitä tapahtui ja miksi minä en enää ole mukana Hockey Gladiatorsissa. Artikkeli on lontooksi joten kielitaidot kaakkoon!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I was almost a Hockey Gladiator
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I was almost a Hockey Gladiator.
In december 2003, I first found out about the Hockey Gladiators. And the whole idea attracted me. Some of my fellow fight-fans don’t appreciate the approach the tournament has, but I found the idea just ****ing great.
I applied to enter the tournament. I had had my good share of fights in my own ”ultra-tough” Finnish league (I am a Finnish citizen). Actually, all I wanted to do during the games was to get involved in a fight, like my pal Doug Smith. I am not ashamed to admit that. I couldn’t handle the puck worth a ****, nor did I have an accurate wrist shot. And boy, I was no Pavel Bure on skates…
I was formally accepted to enter the tournament and my name was listed on the website. I was negotiating with sponsors to pay the expenses etc. etc.. Actually, I even offered to contact my so-called ”goon friends” within the AHL and ECHL about the tournament and ask them if they’d like to participate.
My Finnish friend, Sami Helenius, agreed to train with me for the tournament. On another note, I am currently writing a book of Sami's career. His story is very unique to the Finnish hockey fans, as he is the first so-called tough-guy from our country to make a career in the NHL as an enforcer.
There was even some press about me at the time. Unfortunately, the press coverage was a bit away from the truth. My age was all wrong, as I am now 22 years old. In the press release / article, I was noted being a 31yr old. I had also stated that the level of the league I was playing was probably somewhere below around the United Hockey League (UHL). Well, in the press article I was noted as being ECHL-caliber player (not an accurate quote, I am sorry. I do not have the press clippings anymore). I asked about it, and got a reply ”we had to give the media something”. I still have that e-mail. I was a bit puzzled about it, but I thought it might’ve been just a mistake (and it might be, who knows, I’ve made worse mistakes myself).
All was going well, but then one day I saw my name removed from the list. I inquired about it, of course. I was suggested that the tournament staff had heard from a ’reliable source’ I had never been involved in a hockey fight. I sent an e-mail where I wanted to state and prove what I had said previously was true. But there was no reply. I was very much pissed off, because I could have been able to back up fight-card (hell, I will back up my words with my fists if necessary) and suspensions by showing the box-scores from the Finnish Ice Hockey Federation. But obviously, because I am writing this, I was not heard out and the ’reliable source’, whoever it was, ruined my dream of going at it with some of the toughest guys in hockey. I know I would not have one-punched Link Gaetz or anything like that, but I sure as hell would’ve done my best to keep going at it with anyone, even though with my limited size 5’9-5’10, 180lbs.
A few days ago, I was sent an e-mail by a nice lady from Chicago area. She had inquired the staff why I did not make the tournament. The reply was ”Because he has never been in a hockey fight”.
I wrote this maybe in a bit of a bitter mood. Because,
a) I was formally accepted to join
b) They had me in a world wide press
c) I was dropped out and I was unable to do anything about it.
I still think the tournament will be a HUGE success and I hope it will be an annual event. It is awesome to see old legends like Gaetz, Lakovic, Coupal, Bialowas enter the tournament. God, I would’ve love to have had my ass kicked by ANY of those gentlemen, ha ha.
I, personally, feel like **** for the incident which happened on my part. I would still very much love to know what the **** happened. I wanted to make this statement now, because my good friend from the AHL suggested me to do so. He said I could’ve been branded as a 100% bull-****ter later in the future.
If anyone has any questions, you can shoot me an e-mail at
jukka.suutari@jatkoaika.com