Title/Author:
“Tough Guy: My Life on
the Edge” by Bob Probert with Kirstie McClellen Day
Tags:
Ice hockey,
professional, memoir, Red Wings, Blackhawks
Publish date:
October 1, 2010
Length:
272 pages
Rating:
4 of 5 stars (very
good)
Review:
Bob Probert was the type of hockey
player called an enforcer. His game was more about intimidation, protecting his
teammates and fighting. He played the game hard during his career with the
Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Blackhawks and lived life off the ice just as
hard. His memoir, written with hockey
author Kirstie McClellen Day, was nearly complete when he suddenly died in the
summer of 2010 from a heart attack.
Fortunately for hockey fans, the book was eventually finished and
Probert’s story was told.
The book starts off on that fateful
summer day when Bob was doing something he loved, boating on the lake with his
wife Dani and her parents when he suffered that heart attack. Dani’s frantic
cries really set the tone for Bob’s story as he was always making others
scramble, whether it was Dani, teammates, Red Wings front office personnel or
his lawyers.
His early life and hockey career isn’t
much different than that of many other young Canadians who are looking for a
path to the NHL through the Canadian junior leagues. That he discovered he was going to need to
use his fists to advance in the ranks was also not unusual as there are many
players who do that as well. What makes
his story a little different is the twists and turns his life took once he made
to the NHL with the Red Wings.
Here is where the book gets as crazy
as Probert’s life. While he was very popular with Red Wings fans, he was in a
constant state of trying to get more ice time.
While many enforcers have this issue as part of their career, what made
more difficult for Probert was not only his injuries but also his penchant for
alcohol and drugs off the ice. He was in
rehab, whether voluntary or mandated by either team officials, NHL officials or
law enforcement, a total of 10 times. He was essentially deported from the US,
as there was a long period where he could not play games with his team in
Canada as he would not be allowed back into the US. He gave Red Wings staff not only headaches
but he also played hardball for contract negotiations, which eventually led him
to become a free agent and sign with the Chicago Blackhawks where he ended his
hockey career.
Probert writes the book in a manner
and language that he is talking with the guys in either the locker room or at a
bar in one of the many late nights he had during his career. While that lends
an air of authenticity to his story, it also sounds immature and
complaint-filled at times – which again, leads to its authenticity. Probert wanted to write this to tell his
version of what happened without the judgement that he felt would be shown from
only reports of his issues with substance abuse and encounters with law
enforcement. On that front, he does a
good job with a book that fans of the Red Wings or of Probert himself will
enjoy.
Book Format Read:
E-book (PDF)
Buying Links:
No comments:
Post a Comment