Darren Rumble - My first Fave Senators Player

Lately, for some unknown reason, I've been thinking a lot about the Ottawa Senators.

I think the fact that they've been in the news a great deal with player signings and Community Announcements (100 Million, wow!!) has contributed to this.

I was more specifically thinking back to the early days and my first ever favourite Ottawa Senators player.

It was October 1992 and the current incarnation of the Ottawa Senators were on the verge of beginning their first ever season in the National Hockey League.

I was 19 years old and there was no doubt that I had found a new team to root for.  The Montreal Canadians remained my very close second favourite team for a year or two after this, but it didn't take too long for them to fall off significantly.

The Senators were holding their first ever Skills Competition and Fan Meet and Greet on October 6th...my 19th birthday.  I worked for Canadian Tire at the time and they were event sponsors, so I was able to get free tickets.  I brought my dad or he brought me since he drove.

I was excited to be there and was looking forward to lots of fun.  To be absolutely honest, I don't remember too much...but I DO remember how I came to choose my first favourite Ottawa Senators player.

Individual team members were being introduced one by one.  Depending on the day I either hear them in Dean Brown's voice or Gord Wilson's voice.  I couldn't even tell you if they were the ones there, but that's how I hear it..

At one point #34 came out and he tripped and fell.   Dean or Gord said "Rumble Takes a Tumble".  There you have it, I'd found my fave player.  #34, Darren Rumble.

I didn't know what he looked like or if he was even a good player, but I didn't care.  He won me over when he fell.  We later went down in the bowels of the Ottawa Civic Centre for the Meet and Greet event and I got Darren's autograph.  Now, if you know me, you know exactly what I told him...nothing.

He was a defenseman with the Senators for two seasons and I was probably his biggest fan during that time.

I had the opportunity to meet him on Labour Day in September 1993.  I was volunteering at the Muscular Dystrophy telethon and as I was minding my own business, who walks in?  Yep, Darren Rumble.  He went and sat at the front of the phone banks to take some calls.  The person who was supervising was told by my friend that Darren was my fave player.  Well, this awesome supervisor went and got me a Senators pennant and took me over to Darren to meet him and get the pennant signed.

I went, I got the signature, I was introduced to him, I'm not sure if I really said anything as I don't remember that part.

About an hour later, as he was leaving, he stopped at my phone and told me "I hope to see you at a game this season Julie" and then he left.

Yep - the rest of the day, I was on cloud nine.  OMG...he hoped to see me at a game.  Wow!!!

At some point, I wrote him a letter (back when we still wrote letters), to thank him for being so great to a fan.  I wish I had a copy of that letter because all I remember is that it was a LONG one.   A Novel really.  I have absolutely no clue what I wrote in it...but there were lots of words there.

I never got an answer but...

Maybe 2-3 months later, my friend and I went to a Sens game.  As we almost always did with the 67's at the time, we stayed after the game for autographs.  I think I was probably waiting for some of the other team's players because they were NHL players, therefore very important ;)  For me, it was never about the autograph or the picture, I just wanted to see them up close.

Darren came up the stairs.  I debated whether or not to get him to sign my program and decided to bite the bullet and do it.

I approached him very quietly and shy.  He looked up, smiled and said "Hi Julie, nice to see you again".  What?!?!?  Did he actually remember my name months later??  Yep, he did.  Not only that, he proceeded to tell me that he really appreciated the letter that I sent.  Wow...how impressed do you think I was that day?

I later went out to wait for my ride and someone drives by and honks the horn.  I looked over...and there's Darren with his wife and he waves at me as he leaves.

Honestly, I just couldn't believe the entire episode.  Unreal.

I was a fan of his from day one until he left the Senators.  I followed his career as best I could after that.  He played mostly in the AHL with a few stints with the Flyers, Blues and Lightning. 

I never did get a Rumble jersey, but I do have a Sens hat with his name on it and a game-used hockey stick that was given to me for my birthday.

I sometimes see a fan at Sens games wearing a #34 Rumble jersey.  I always smile when I see him as I reminisce about those two years.

These are definitely memories I'm not likely to ever forget. 

Til next time

Julie / @Flip_4

My Bucket List

While surfing the net, I noticed that a lot of people have been talking about their bucket lists lately.  I don't know why this is happening all of a sudden, but it got me wondering about it.

I never did have an official "bucket list" before so I thought I would maybe make one now.  As I was listing these things on paper, I noticed that the list was quite long.  In order to not bore you to death, I will give you a list of 25 of the things I would like to do, in no particular order.


1. I want to learn how to ice skate and skate on the ice at ScotiaBank Place...preferably with the members of the Ottawa Senators  ;).  I know, it's pathetic how such a huge hockey fan can't skate.  Well, I can't so deal with it. :)

2. I would love to learn how to swim.   Yes, I can get by in a pool and such, but I never did learn how to REALLY swim and I think that would be a good thing.


3. Run a 5K.  That might sound easy to some, but I don't run unless it means running from the hockey rink to my car after a Sens game.  Heck, I don't exercise at all...which brings me to the next one.

4.  Get in shape / Lose weight.  I really SHOULD stop talking about it and actually DO something, but I have yet to get around to that.  Anyone want to be my free personal trainer??  Hehehe.

5.  Follow the Ottawa Senators during a full NHL season.  No, I am not a stalker.  I would just love to spend a season going to all the games they play, including playoffs.  (obviously not this year)

6.   Go to Australia for 6 months.  Come on now, it's Australia.  There shouldn't be an explanation necessary.  

7.  Go on a ride along with a NASCAR Driver at a racetrack.  I'm thinking this one would scare me to death, but it's something I would absolutely LOVE doing.  If the NASCAR driver happens to be Jeff Gordon, now that would be an added bonus ;)

8.  See a show on Broadway.   Not picky here - any good show will do :)

9.  Travel across Canada by train.  This would probably be a year long trip.  I'd fly out to Vancouver and visit for a while, then take the train from place to place.  I'd make my way across the entire country and really "experience" Canada.

10.  Travel to Europe.  I would LOVE to visit all of Europe and one long trip seems to be the best way to do that. 

11.  Learn to sing.  For the people that don't know me - I CAN'T sing, not even a little bit.  I'd love to learn how to sing, just for myself.  

12.  Learn to play an instrument well.    I've taken guitar lessons and was in the school bands in school playing the flute, but I don't believe that I have ever really mastered an instrument.  

13. Publish a short story.  Just a dream :)

14. Go to the Daytona 500.  I have been to 5 NASCAR races already and they are amazing.  But I would love to go to the Daytona 500 and see all of the events associated with those 10 days.

15.  Super Bowl.  Who wouldn't love to see the Super Bowl Live?...and I'm not even much of an NFL fan :)

16. Go to a Formula One Race  I'm a fan of racing and seeing those cars live would surely be spectacular.  

17.  Go to the Indianapolis 500  See above :)

18.  Watch the Stanley Cup being won live.  Of course I would love for the Ottawa Senators to be the ones winning the Stanley Cup, but just witnessing a team winning the ultimate championship in their sport must be exciting.  I watched the Ottawa 67's win the Memorial Cup in 1999 and was on a high for DAYS.  

19.  Build my dream house.  I am in the process of buying my first house now, but I would love to someday design and build my dream home.

20. Go watch a week of taping at Young and the Restless.  I have been watching that show since I was 8 (almost 30 years now).  It would be fantastic to go watch how they tape the show.  I would prefer it if there was lots of Billy, Ronan and, Michael involved in the taping that week of course ;)

21. Ride in a helicopter  I am insanely afraid of heights so it would be a miracle if someone were able to get me to climb aboard one, but I would love to.

22.  Go to Hollywood  I would love to see what Hollywood is all about.  The Hollywood sign, the walk of fame, all of it.

23.  Go to Las Vegas to see the Shania Twain show   I absolutely LOVE Shania and I really want to go see her show.  Hopefully she'll invite Cory Churko to join her for her shows ;)

24.  Find my dream job  Let's face it, I am not working at my deeam job currently.  I would love to be able to figure out exactly what it is and then go after it.

25.  Have a family (husband, kids)  I have almost given up on that one, but the dream is still alive.

Many of these are dependent on my winning the lottery or marrying a rich man...but they are still things that I think about frequently.

What is on your bucket list?  I'd love to see all the different things that people would put on theirs.  Email me at julie_auger@hotmail.com

Have a great day!!

Julie / @Flip_4  

Hockey in Summer?

I was sitting here today contemplating the meaning of life, OK, who am I kidding? No, I wasn’t.

I was actually at the office, talking to someone and looking outside at the beautiful weather and the people enjoying it when suddenly, the oddest thought crossed my mind.

I really miss hockey.

Where in the world did this come from? It certainly wasn’t from looking outside at all the greenery and the people in shorts and t-shirts. The hockey pre-season is a full two months away, and we’re still in the middle of summer!!

Am I going nuts? Some might say I passed nuts a few years ago, but those aren’t my real friends. ;)

I think it might have to do with the fact that the Ottawa Senators were eliminated 3 months ago, thus making this a very long off-season. There are so many things to miss about the hockey season. Here are a few of my favorites.

1. Lyndon Slewidge – The best National Anthem singer ever!!

2. My favorite Ottawa Senators Player – Chris Phillips #4

3. The atmosphere at the games – Yes, even in Ottawa we know how to have fun, at least in the upper level.

4. The Ottawa Senators Goal horn and the accompanying goal songs for individuals – my favorites being “Beautiful Day” for Alfie and “Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy”, for Chris Phillips!!.

5. Spartacat – The most awesome mascot in the NHL

6. Stuntman Stu – Our PA announcer extraordinaire.

7. I even miss the overpriced pizza, popcorn and pop at the arena.

Now for the other side of the coin, some things I do NOT miss from the hockey season.

1. The horrible wind tunnel at the entrance to the building in winter. As if winter isn’t cold enough already.

2. Living 45 kms away from the rink, making me run to the car after a game so that I don’t end up stuck in the parking lot, so I can get to bed at a decent time.

3. Seeing the hockey rink start emptying a full 10 minutes before the end of the game.

4. Toronto Maple Leaf Fans and Montreal Canadiens Fans invading our rink too many times a year.

5. Never winning the 50/50 or any other contest for that matter.

All in all, I think I will just enjoy the rest of the summer while looking forward to what promises to be an interesting hockey season.

GO SENS GO!!!

Julie / @Flip_4