[I’m re-posting this because it got eaten during the WordPress outage on Tuesday, and I think it’s important.]
Canada lost a sporting legend this week.
Joey Moss died on Monday, age 57, as a result of conditions brought on by early onset dementia & lingering effects from breaking his hip back in July.
He was the 12th of thirteen children born to Lloyd & Sophie Moss. They were a travelling band of musicians, who travelled the Canadian West playing concerts.
According to Canadian hockey lore, he became part of the Oilers equipment personnel in 1984 because Wayne Gretzky was dating Joey’s sister, Vikki. Gretzky had an aunt with Down Syndrome, so he had an immediate rapport with Joey. The kid had a job working at a bottle depot at the time, and Gretzky would often see him outside waiting for a bus to take him to work, even when it was 40 below. Gretzky figured a kid with that kind of drive shouldn’t be just sorting deposit refundables for his whole life, so he convinced Glen Sather to give the kid a chance.
According to Wikipedia & CBC Edmonton, after the season ended, Gretzky got Moss a job with the Edmonton Eskimos/Football Team so he could build on the progress he’d made & not lose anything over the summer. He even offered to pay Moss’ salary.
Gretzky eventually broke up with Vikki, but Joey Moss stayed with the Oilers for a total of 35 years. He worked almost every game in the locker room, and even sang the anthem a couple of times each year. He would divide his time between the Football Team – starting the season with them – and the Oilers – moving over once pre-season started – for most of his adult life.
He knew, I knew, everyone knew about the Down Syndrome. The thing was, the longer the kid was in the job, the less it came up. When he did something wrong, he got yelled at; when he couldn’t do something, he asked for help. The job he did was one that required him to be a hard worker, not be some hire they made to appease their star’s girlfriend. If that was the deal, he’d have been gone the minute Gretzky broke up with Vikki or Wayne fucked off to LA.
Janet & I are saddened to learn about the passing of Joey Moss. Not only was Joey a fixture in the Edmonton dressing room, he was someone I truly considered a friend. We will miss you Joey and you will always live on through our memories. Our thoughts are with Joey’s loved ones. pic.twitter.com/5ucUQhcWQp
— Wayne Gretzky Estates (@GretzkyEstates) October 27, 2020
His impact & influence led to him receiving an NHL “Seventh Man” All-Star Award in 2003, a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Award in 2012, and was inducted into the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame in 2015.
He was an institution, not a charity case. He did work with a charity, the Winnifred Stewart Association, which is an Edmonton-based group working with the developmentally disabled, and named after a pioneer in education and schooling for the “mentally handicapped”.
Just one of the guys.
Joey Moss had a profound effect on the players and anyone lucky enough to know him. pic.twitter.com/5kDBVCULUK
— NHLPA (@NHLPA) October 27, 2020
You can find an extensive collection of tweets about him here. His was a big enough presence that even ESPN and NBCSports covered his passing. The Oilers have a complete history of Joey Moss’ life on their website, including the stories about Gretzky hiring Joey’s mom to handle his fan mail when the Moss family was destitute after the father died. His friendship with Wayne Gretzky is a hallmark of both their lives, and a testament to both of them that they kept it going long after one of them left town.
To close, I dare you to watch this story about him and deny someone’s cutting onions.
RIP, Sunshine.
Sunday broadcast maps (courtesy 506sports.com)
CBS SINGLE
█ Fairbanks
█ Honolulu
█ Pittsburgh @ Baltimore – Jim Nantz, Tony Romo
█ New England @ Buffalo – Ian Eagle, Charles Davis
█ NY Jets @ Kansas City – Kevin Harlan, Trent Green
█ Indianapolis @ Detroit – Andrew Catalon, James Lofton
█ Tennessee @ Cincinnati – Spero Dedes, Adam Archuleta
█ LA Chargers @ Denver (LATE) – Greg Gumbel, Rich Gannon
FOX EARLY
█ Fairbanks
█ Honolulu
FOX LATE
█ Fairbanks
█ Honolulu
█ New Orleans @ Chicago – Joe Buck, Troy Aikman
█ San Francisco @ Seattle – Adam Amin, Mark Schlereth
Tonight’s sports:
- NCAA: selected matchups
- Mississippi State at Alabama – 7:00PM | ESPN / TSN2
- San Jose State at New Mexico – 7:00PM | FS1
- Ohio State at Penn State – 7:30PM | ABC / TSN
- Oklahoma at Texas Tech – 8:00PM | FOX
- Western Kentucky at BYU – 10:15PM | ESPN
- Nevada at UNLV – 10:30PM | FS1
- Fútbol:
- Liga MX:
- UNAM vs. Guadalajara – 8:55PM | UNI
- Liga MX:
- Fisticuffs:
- UFC Fight Night: Hall vs. Silva
- Prelims – 5:00PM | TSN4 / ESPN+
- Main card – 7:00PM | TSN4 / ESPN+
- Top Rank Boxing:
- Inoue vs. Moloney – 10:00PM | TSN5 / ESPN+
- UFC Fight Night: Hall vs. Silva
Plus, SNL has John Mulaney & The Strokes – 11:30PM/8:30PM – NBC / Global.
Enjoy your night. Me? I’m outside throwing candy at kids dressed like Frozen or Minions while WineWife drinks Pinot on the couch. THE PERFECT EVENING!
Scotch night confirmed: Ardbeg in glass
Excellent choice
When I used to work overnights, falling back nights were the most depressing nights, by far. Watching the hour reset itself when you’re working is extremely disheartening.
Which is why hibernation is the best option
I voted today. Not one damn Republican got my vote. Fuck those guys.
The dogs won’t go outside to pee because of all the explosions, so I’m having a Glen Moray & waiting them out.
WHY WAS I NOT TOLD THAT IT IS SCOTCH NIGHT?
Scotch Nights are always nights that end with “Y”
I’m drinking beer and feel like a sap.
I DONT WANNA HEAR THAT CRYBABY SHIT! You’re drinking, and that’s good enough.
One of us, one of us….
I honestly last 10 seconds hearing the Cheeto talk, and I get agitated.
Mrs Sharkbait wanted to watch the debates. I refused for that reason. He would just get me angry.
Like watching a Fulham match in the Premier League. At least I can stop watching fuckwit talk, I can nae quit the futbol.
You’ve gotta listen to Jason Kenney. That Catholic prick has enough wrong opinions to make the Alberta Leg complicit in at least three deadly sins.
Stoner me has 2 fucking bags of candy and chips in the house. I also just got 4 different strands from a buddy and I chose bourbon and weed. I ain’t got no munchies.
Isn’t that where Timmy Horton is supposed to come in?
Seriously it is embarrassing how many people drink and eat that garbage.
The pockets of the East Coast that get SF-Seattle are mindboggling
Broadcast maps are weird
Miami getting Chargers-Denver makes no sense to me.
Wait, I see the logic now. It’s because Fox has the home team in the morning. That’s why they’re stuck with the only afternoon game. Same with Green Bay/ Minnesota and Cleveland.
Are you Rupert Murcock?
If I was a redhead, I’d name my cock Rupert after the guy in the Harry Potter movies.
New (to me at least) sideline reporter named Stormy Buonantony. Not sure if that’s a lot of stereotypes wrapped up into one name or only one.
So I think I did too good of a job with Senorita Weaselo’s birthday present, being that she will not let go of the 27 inch Totoro I got her.
She’s in her 20s, I swear.
Well done
I’m afraid to look up “27 inch Totoro”.
YOU ARE AFRAID????? I look to you for deviant guidance!
The Japanese are into some weird shit that even I’d be
I presumed it is a magic wand variant
EXACTLY! I’m just worried there will be pictures of it inserted somewhere.
It’s just a large stuffed Totoro from the Ghibli store.
Clocks set back an hour? Time to stya up 3 hours later than usual and get wasted!
Solid plan. I see no fault in this logic
ONE OF US!
Another whisky it is.
Evening
*raises Jura*
I went with Corpse Reviver #1 for the first two cocktails, now onto stouts
Nicely done.
Lots of houses in the hood not participating in Halloween. Quite a few just had out candy to take. Kind of proud that we had about the darkest set up in our immediate area. Even some neighbors took photos in front of our little graveyard.
As was said before — little things.
Western Kentucky celebrating like they aren’t down 28-3
High Spirits over. Now it’s Charlie Brown.
Went trick or treating with Deci.
I live downtown, we went to a buddies who has a wee man the same age who live in the suburbs. It was great escapism from bullshit seeing 3 year olds freaked the fuck out that they just get candy for dressing up.
My buddy just grew his 2nd season marijuana plants, and gave me an oz, and some gummies for free. So there is that, also provided the ditch rye but whatever.
Enjoy the small things.
Took out blaxito way early and way late. I ran home after the second house. Not sure why I (1) didn’t realize a two year would need help at the door: and (2) that it’s probably inappropriate to knock on someone’s door and be in their business sans mask.
At the house, we had just shy of 100 trick or treaters. Was disappointed by the lack of CRACKHEAD HUNTER digs.
We had a virtual halloween party. Not great yield on the invite list. I had a few cocktails and am now into the beer.
Just don’t go Toobin
Do’t go full Toobin
-Kirk Lazurus
Justifiable homicide.
— Ambrose Bierce
I’d just do symphonic accompaniment with armpit farts.
Ahoy-hoy
It currently sounds like Beirut outside my house.
You should have froze up some Wagon Wheels, grabbed the ol’ Koho or Titan and snapped a few top shelf or five-hole on the little SOBs.
We had a grand total of 4 kids tricker treating….lol
I live way out in the sticks and went years with out any trickertreaters in my previous domicile, which was unfenced/ungated. Then one year these two Hispanic kids from a family that had moved in recently showed up and I was completely unprepared. I ended up giving them each a few Hall’s Mentholyptus, and a dollar bill apiece so they didn’t come back later and soap my windows or burn down my house.
I hope their parents figured out to to take those kids into town where houses are close together not on one acre lots.
Haha. The farmers near us come to our subdivision. Lots of houses here
The USL final has been canceled; leading experts in the field are shocked to announce that there was a second American soccer league.
On, no. Where am I going to get my Portland Timbers 2 – Sacramento Monarchs action now?
Celebrating Halloween by drinking copious amounts of booze and watching ghost movies. Not all scary. Currently half hour into High Spirits. A meh move with a decent cast involving Beverly D’Angelo, Peter O’Toole and Steve Guttenberg
I’d give Beverly my O’Toole any day of the Guttenberg, if you know what I mean.
Uriah Hall is a baaaaaaad man. Anderson Silva might be older now, but he still got wrecked.
Full on brawl between Florrida and Missouri apparently. Missouri is the Florida of the South-Mid-West after all.
Home Clock in Happy Valley gives PSU an extra 3 points.
Hello friends I’d like to invite you all to join me in my campaign to bring grout before a war crimes tribunal in The Hague. We’ve all been brutalized by the concept and of grout and it’s cleaning and use in our lives. Thank you.
PSU substitution gaffe coming out of a timeout, you hate to see it.
WineWife is cleaning the front door in case some little shit dressed as a Queer Eye is going to judge the house while asking for free candy.
Are Meeechigan Men Reacting Reasonably?
Apparently Gov. Whitmer called it “Spartans by 3” at a press conference this week.
I think the local militia yahoos done tried smh
They tell me I have no reason to be afraid of Oklahoma punter Reeves Mundschau but I am anyway.
Free, oh sorry…Scholarship Football on FOX
Well there was. OkSU forgot how to football.
Hope OSU QB now understands that wearing your hair like Mahomes does not, in fact, make you as good as Mahomes.
Screen pass on 4th and 2? That’s a paddlin
If you’re gonna do that, keep your receivers behind the line of scrimmage. If you got the play, throw it. If you don’t got the play, have the QB punt it.
Excellente.
Damn, Buckeyes. I just stepped out to grab some pizza!
JV VAR sponsored by Texas
found a funny:
Give me a treat boys and fill my bowl
I wanna dress up as a freakin ghoul
for milky ways
Easy to see why BDSM State never capitalizes on their opportunities for advancement.’
Also, why is “baby diarrhea orange” such a popular uniform coloUr choice in the Big Twaaaalve?
Got a COVID test today. Been a week since the rehearsal dinner. I’ve felt normal and fine since. My scallops for dinner taste like they should, so hopefully that means solo quarantine ends soon
If not, I’d be proud to have you as #NuAIDS Eskimo Brother!
/except for that P*ts thing
It would be nice if the Horns could defend the pass without interference calls.
JV NFL is really boring. There is NO WAY the no-longer-Condi Committee will have a Final Four other than tOSU, Clemson, Bama, and assdick Notre Dame.
With a side helping of ESPN saying “this is what fans REALLY want to see” on constant loop. BLECH.
The fact that even if those teams lose a game they’ll still probably make the playoff is hella lame
Son de Clem will lose (sans Trevor) in South Bend next week, then beat the Irish in ACC title game. Guaranteed that everyone in media goes ballistic about how “unfair” it would be to take one over the other.
It would probably take a plane crash for Bama or tOSU to lose in their conferences (based on what I’ve seen).
Never underestimate OSU’s ability to choke against an beatable opponent while looking ahead at the schedule.
If JV Cincy ends undefeated, they may give the Bearcats as a sacrificial offering to Bama.
Full slate of fixtures today, trouble is, they all been liquid ass.
NO, BALLS…I don’t mean that in a GOOD way.
Lube is your friend
FOREVER UNCLEAN!!!!
Making Auburn look good: an even more impressive accomplishment for LSU than winning the national championship.
I see they got the 2-pointer, narrow that lead to 48-11!
I would hope to fuck nobody is actually trick-or-treating this year, but I left a tub full of candy on the porch, just in case.
Only another 77 or so hours left in Murrika’s fascist phase!
Deci is 3. We are going out, basically everyone is doing the same as you and it makes wee man happy so we all mask up and off we go.
I liked when the kids got old enough to say “here’s 20 bucks, go buy what you want, no costume and you can just eat the house leftovers” and not feel like a pariah.
At first I thought the “Seventh Man” award was some kind of second tier discount award before realizing there are technically six skaters on the ice at a time.