Folks, there's a heart-warming cinderella story happening in sports you should know about

[mtnsnake]

It's about a native North American, Ted Nolan, who after getting blacklisted for almost 10 years by the "good ole" boys within the NHL ranks, finally got his chance to coach again this season and is making the best out of it. He culminated the season just hours ago by pulling a near miracle in the last week to get his team into the final playoff spot today, a team that was not expected to go anywhere and on top of that was devastated by injury to its star goalie. But this alone is nothing compared to the REAL story which I've linked to below. It's a long article, but one of the best true stories you'll read about a sports figure, and it is loaded with lots of shady politics in the sports world and what life on Indian reservations is really like. Please read it, and I think when you're done, Ted Nolan will be your hero, too.

The article I'm going to link to is about 7 years old. However, what happened today is sort of the culmination to one of the happiest endings to a sad story that you could ever hope for. I've been pulling for Nolan for all these years, and to see him finally get another chance and pull such a miracle in the last week with his team is simply satisfying to say the least. That's saying something, considering the team he's coaching in the NHL is the team I like the least, but it just doesn't matter.

When you link to it, you'll probably come to an article that's blacked out. Just take your cursor and put it on the "Out" where it says "Out in the Cold" and then drag your cursor down to highlight the entire article from there on down and it will come in.
http://espn.go.com/premium/espninc/magazine/columns/vol3no6tednolan/406888.html

[rocktivity]

1. Working link

http://espn.go.com/otl/americans/hockey.html

:headbang:
rocknation

[mtnsnake]

2. Thanks, but it's not a link to the same story. Try the other link, highlighting it as

I mentioned in the OP. Here is how the other article begins:

It might break a lesser man.

Across the vast expanse of a country that is and is not Ted Nolan's home, the question comes. From the Inuit in the Arctic North to the native players on the Moose Factory Scrappers. From his fellow Ojibway back in Garden River to the National Chief walking the halls of power in Ottawa. Over 5,000 kilometers of Canada, Ted Nolan's people ask, "Why aren't you coaching in the NHL?"

Ted Nolan won a division title in Buffalo, but hasn't been able to land another coaching job. But it was a little girl in Winnipeg who broke his heart. Nolan was giving a clinic to native children when a parent brought it up yet again: "Hey, Ted, why aren't you coaching?" By now, Nolan, the 1997 NHL Coach of the Year with
the Buffalo Sabres, has a stock answer. He mumbled something about bad luck and waiting for the right opportunity. But a little girl in the crowd disagreed. "I know why you're not coaching," she said, placing her little fingers inches from his handsome face. "You're too brown."

"I laughed at the time," remembers Nolan, taking a long drag on his cigarette. Then his grin becomes a grimace. He grinds his butt hard into the ashtray. "But the next day, I thought maybe that's not so funny after all."

Three years ago, Ted Nolan piloted the Buffalo Sabres -- a ragtag collection of unbridled youth, chronic underachievers and a wacko goaltender -- to a division title. All this while warring with his GM, John Muckler, and enduring an ownership mandate to slash the team's budget by $10 million. Stars were traded away, injured players weren't replaced. Still, Ted's boys won.

"The guys would run through walls for him," says right wing Matthew Barnaby, a former Sabre now with Pittsburgh. "We loved him that much."

and much much more at http://espn.go.com/premium/espninc/magazine/columns/vol3no6tednolan/406888.html Don't forget to drag your cursor when you arrive at the link in order to highlight and see the story

What I have pasted above is only a small part of the article. If you can go to the link in the OP and try again, you're gonna love the rest of it, but thanks for your link too!

[The Count]

35. Kicking this to remind myself why DU is sometimes a good place to come to

when you need your spirits lifted...

[some guy]

36. thank you

for kicking, and thanks to mtnsnake for the original post.

I didn't see this on Sunday or Monday, but am glad it got kicked so I could read it today.

:hi:

[MsUnderstood]

3. so I'm not at all a hockey fan

But that was a great story.

And the subsequent link about his efforts to form a North American Indian team was interesting as well.

So where is the last part of the trilogy. . .the current story?

[mtnsnake]

4. Thank you for reading it and I'm glad you liked it. Yes, it's going on right now

Nolan's team, the NY Islanders, just capped off a small miracle today by barely making it in as the last team to make the playoffs in the NHL. Even if his team doesn't have success in the playoffs, it's simply heart warming that Nolan did so well...getting the chance he deserved, taking an underachieving team to the playoffs. He's currently an inspiration to Native Americans all over the contintent and you don't have to be a sports fan to appreciaate what they did to him and how his faith and perserverance has paid off for he and his people. If you're interested in actually following what happens from here on out, just tune into the NHL playoffs which begin this week. Nolan's team will be taking on the powerhouse Buffalo Sabres. Nolan has already won, no matter how his team does in the playoffs.

[cally]

5. THank you.

His story is inspiring. I guess I'm going to watch a NHL playoff game for the first time in my life.

[mtnsnake]

11. Awesome!

The NY Islanders are not my favorite team in the NHL. I love their arch rivals, the NY Rangers, but when Nolan was given the opportunity to coach the Islanders this season, well, it doesn't mean I can't be pulling for him. I'm not a native American myself, but he is a true hero of mine. Make sure you watch the pre-game show of the first game if you can. They'll probably talk about Nolan a bit. :)

[The Backlash Cometh]

6. How do we vote to get it made into a movie?

[mtnsnake]

8. I was just thinking how this should become a movie someday. Hopefully it will!

Thanks for taking the time to read it!

[Rainscents]

7. I love stories like this!

Thanks for posting this. K & R!

[mtnsnake]

12. You and me both, Rainscents! nt

[The Count]

9. reality always surpasses fiction. In rare instances like this, for the better!

Thanks for this.
I was bummed out by the cold contempt in the violinist story from WaPo on this page - I needed something uplifting. I know next to nothing about hockey, but this did it!

[mtnsnake]

13. Yes it does. A story like this is perfect for the spirit

especially when it ends with the type of ending that you could only hope for.

I was bummed out by the cold contempt in the violinist story from WaPo on this page - I needed something uplifting. I know next to nothing about hockey, but this did it!

It did it for me, to, Count! Always enjoy hearing your input, btw, so I'm real glad you liked this true account of Ted Nolan.

[Captain Angry]

10. Now we see if karma exists.

Can the Isles beat the Sabres?

I've been a fan of Nolan for years. He was treated like crap. I can't stand the Isles either, but I'll cheer for him.

I hate the Sabres, so it makes it twice as nice. :-)

[mtnsnake]

15. Wow, wouldn't that be something if the miracle continued in Buffalo

I feel the same way as you do, concerning the Sabres and the Isles, but I'm cheering for Nolan as you are.

My son hates the Sabres even more than I do, lol. BTW, I'm a lifelong fan of the NY Rangers, although I've grown to really like the Ottawa Senators ever since they came into the league not too many years ago. They're only an hour and a half drive from my home in northern NY, so I get to see them once in a while. I just got tickets to Game 2 of the playoffs against the Pens. Go Sens Go!

I've been a fan of Nolan for years. He was treated like crap

Wow, I'm glad that other DU'ers like yourself are familiar with him and appreciate his plight. Thanks for posting that you're also a fan of his. :)

[Captain Angry]

19. Even though you're a Rangers fan, I will still converse with you. :-)

Yeah, I'm a Flyers fan. Not that bright, eh?

I cheer for all of the Canadian teams except for Vancouver, and against Pittsburgh, so Ottawa is my hope in the East. (After Nolan of course)

[mtnsnake]

21. LOL, I knew it even before I clicked on your post

that you had to be a Flyers fan, just from the way you said it in your subject line! :evilgrin:

Rough year for you guys, but knowing how passionate the Philly fans are, I'm sure they will not rest until the Flyers are back in contention (ugh, my biggest nightmare).

One of my best friends scouts for one of the NHL teams. Previously, he had been the Head of Scouting with another NHL team until practically the entire staff got fired after a couple bad years in a row. Over the years he's gotten me plenty of inside info, especially when he head of scouts with the other team.

Anyway, I won't rub it in about the Flyers. I know what it feels like to have stuff like that rubbed in and it aint fun!

[Captain Angry]

23. The Flyers got everything they deserved.

First off, you reply saying you knew I was a Flyers fan and you use a DEVIL smiley? :-P Stupid New Jersey.

Anyway. the Flyers did get screwed by injuries at the NHL and AHL level, so they had a hard time bringing people up.

It cost us a good coach, but got rid of a bad GM.

The Flyers will be competitive again, it'll just be a bit. They decided that if none of the other teams in town were putting in the effort to win on a regular basis, why should they?

Maybe this will help reduce ticket prices or some other concession from the ownership for putting that product on the ice this season.

[mtnsnake]

25. Oh, I've definitely thought about that Devil smiley more than once

and associated it with the NJ Devils (big ugh), the most boring team in hockey. They act so smug and arrogant. Can't stand them, especially Brodeur.

Maybe this will help reduce ticket prices or some other concession from the ownership for putting that product on the ice this season.

I doubt they'll ever reduce prices, but it might make it a bit easier to get decent seats from time to time, although Philly usually sells out, don't they? It's getting harder and harder to get seats to the Sens games now that they're such a contender, not that I want to spend that kind of money too often. Ouch.

[Captain Angry]

27. So boring the Devils don't sell out PLAYOFF games.

I do like Brodeur because he can back it all up with his play. He's not Lindros or some of those other guys that have a big mouth and no game. When he retires, the Devils might as well fold.

Philly always sells out, they're the rich guys team. They don't apologize about it either. If you want into a game, come rich, and come ready.

If you want to see hockey in Philly for an affordable price, go to the Phantoms.

Last I heard, the Flyers were 100% season ticket sales.

I have seen one Flyers game in Philly, and it cost us an arm and a leg.

[brer cat]

14. Thanks for posting!

That is a great story. I'm sending it to my daughter who is a great hockey fan. Her daughters were so happy to find Thrasher's hockey jerseys in their Easter baskets! lol

[mtnsnake]

16. Now THAT is a unique gift to find in your Easter basket...and a good one!

Atlanta must be ROCKIN'!

[brer cat]

18. My daughter sure is!

She's been a hockey fan for sooooo long. She worked two jobs to get tix to the opening season of the Thrashers. And she has play-off tix now.

The girls LOVED having jerseys to match their mother's.

[mtnsnake]

26. Wow, I'd give anything to have tickets for all the playoffs like your daughter has

She is going to love it. For the playoffs, tell her to make sure she gets to the game real early because the atmosphere for the post-season is so electric, even before the game.

[Jcrowley]

17. Dig it

"When all is said and done, people judge you on what you contributed to people's lives," he said. "Trophies are nice, but they don't talk back..."

K&R

Thank you.

[mtnsnake]

24. That's actually a line from the other story that poster #1 supplied, but it's good, too!

Try to do the link that's in the OP, too, if you can. Just remember to run your cursor across the article, starting up at the title, so it shows up. You'll like it :)

[Morgana LaFey]

20. Oh, no!

Does this mean I'm going to have to put you on MY buddy list?

:hi:

Sending to my DH, the sports fan in the family.

[mtnsnake]

22. Please do!

Glad you liked it, Morgana :)

:hi:

[Tellurian]

28. Fantastic story, mtnsnake..

I live in a very big hockey town, ms. Mostly, Bruins fans here. My niece has been skating since she could walk, always positioned as goalie. She's a college freshman now and playing defense at the state univ. Last I heard, her dad had bought a tract of land and was in the process of building an indoor rink for the kids in town.

Nolan's story is definitely one that should be told on the big screen. Redford material for the Sundance festival. Definitely something he would be interested in- Combining the plight of the Inuits, the environment, and bringing it home with the perseverance of an authentic North American native, Ted Nolan who never gave up. (God Bless him!)

Myself, I'm not a hockey fan...but will definitely root for Ted to wipe the ice until his team is #1.

Keep us posted as to times, dates and stations, when the playoffs will be on!

yahoo! Love it!

[Tellurian]

29. K&R~

:kick:

[mtnsnake]

30. Thanks. Someone else in the thread also suggested it's movie material.

I don't think Nolan would want it that way right now because it would open up the can of worms about the idea that he was blacklisted for so long...and he's currently working in the NHL...but someday it would make a great flik.

[Tellurian]

32. True..

and hopefully we'll see the perfect ending unfold before our eyes.

Oh, the suspense of it all. History in the making!

thanks, mtnsnake for telling us about Ted Nolan's journey.

If you communicate with him, tell'em we're rooting for him! :hi:

[applegrove]

31. Thanks for the article. Now is the time I start to watch hockey. Timely.

[mtnsnake]

33. Your welcome

I was actually thinking of posting this story a few weeks ago and put it off for some reason. Then when the Islanders did what they did yesterday under the tutelage of Nolan, I couldn't resist. It was just incredible that the entire season for them came down to an overtime shootout on Sunday and they won it, propelling them into the last and final playoff spot.

Like someone earlier in this thread said, it's almost like karma that Nolan and his team is going back to Buffalo to play against the same team where all the trouble started.

Thing is, at the time all of it was going down in Buffalo where Nolan got screwed by an under-appreciative management, the people of that city were all sticking up for Nolan. They hated seeing him go. After all, he had just been named Coach of the Year for the Sabres, and he did it by taking a bunch of underachievers and making them into something awesome.

Beating the Buffalo Sabres will be an incredible task for Nolan's Islanders. The Islanders are the last playoff team in the East and the Sabres are #1. Whatever happens, Nolan is already the winner in my book and I'm sure everyone elses, too.

[Blue_Tires]

34. ttt nt