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Jean Béliveau stable after suffering stroke
posted by Dave Stubbs at 20h22 EST on Jan 21
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Dave Stubbs has been a sportswriter since 1976, which was roughly a decade after he wore the first of many holes through the knees of his jeans playing nets in road hockey (using a modified butterfly popularized by Hall of Famer Glenn Hall). He still has the welts to show on his shins from that rotten, frozen orange ball.
Stubbs kept thick hockey scrapbooks filled with game summaries and Gazette and Montreal Star stories, collected dozens of Bee Hive Corn Syrup photos and put a fortune of hockey cards through the spokes of his bikes. First book ever owned: Scrubs On Skates, the classic by Scott Young (Neil's dad).
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From Boston,
Our prayers are with you Mr. Beliveau.
Go Bruins
Speedy recovery Mr. Belliveau.
Best wishes to Jean Beliveau truly a class act.
Get well soon Gros Bill! Best wishes!
Wishing Jean Beliveau a speedy recovery. My first year as a hockey fan coincided with Jean's rookie year in the NHL, and I'm still grateful 39 years after his retirement as a player for the countless moments of pleasure he gave to Canadiens fans over two decades, for all the times of triumph and for the grace he displayed throughout, both on and off the ice.
Get well Jean!
Mr. Beliveau, surely on a very short list of truely great men to ever play in any sport, best wishes.
GO HABS...
Nothing But Class.
Get well Mr. Beliveau!
Habs, OLE !
Get well soon Jean...
"Isn't professional sports great. They continue to make the same stupid mistakes & still get paid"
My favourite all time Hab.. only saw him play on TV .. get well soon...Sir
Mr. Beliveau was the best player ever in a Habs jersey. He was my favorite player growing up. I was very sad on that day when Jean retired from hockey. My prayers and best wishes are with you and family for a speedy recovery SIR Jean. You are "THE BEST" and "THE GREATEST" to wear CH!!! God Bless!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9x4erC95lL8 A MUST see if anyone's missed it.
When even Gordie Howe's sisters tell him that they USED to be Detroit Red Wings fans as their response to meeting Beliveau, and Brad Park's mother wouldn't talk to him for months because he body checked Jean Beliveau, Ted Lindsay (also of the hated rival Red Wings) says, with all due respect to Lemieux and Gretzky, Jean Beliveau is the greatest center to ever play the game.....it says a lot about the charm, class, skill and magnetism he exudes.
In a world of craziness, hate, greed, selfishness and corruption, we need a heck of a lot more guys like mr Beliveau in it. Both on and off the ice.
Hopefully he makes a full recovery.
(I've worn #4 my entire career for only one reason and it sure wasn't Bobby Orr, nothing against Bobby but....)
Link doesn't work.. says malformed video id
That's strange. Even cutting and pasting the exact same address worked when I just tried it. If all else fails, do a youtube search for 'Jean Beliveau Legends of Hockey' and pick the 9:17 one that should appear at the top of the list.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9x4erC95lL8&feature Testing
It worked this time when I added &feature to the end of the link. The link in my reply works, the one in the original won't for some reason.
He is such a nice man, I met him when I was 12.
Get well soon, Jean.
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Get well soon, Jean.
Best wishes and a speedy recovery, Mr. Béliveau.
I have been fortunate enough to have met M.Beliveau on nseveral occasions and he has ALWAYS had that warm smile and deep welcoming voice for fans. I wish you a speedy recovery M. Beliveau
Le Gros Bil, Even in Brockville. #4
God Bless Grand Bill
Get well soon Mr. Beliveau. A legend and the definition of class.
I wish Captain Jean a speedy recovery and hope to soon see his smile on the Bell Centre scoreboard!
My grandfather had met him either in Barbados or Bermuda when he was traveling. Spoke so very highly of how down to earth, friendly and a class act Beliveau was.
He's an icon. Hope he gets healthy soon
Get well soon, Mr. Jean Béliveau. You are an inspiation to generations of Montreal Canadiens players and fans. None were greater than you.
__________________
"All things appear and disappear because of the concurrence of causes and conditions. Nothing ever exists entirely alone; everything is in relation to everything else." Buddha
Best wishes to you Mr. Beliveau you are what the Montreal Canadiens are all about the heart of a Lion and a will to carry what its means to be a Hab with you for life. There is not a classier person in pro sports or any walk of life than this man. I am sure there is a sadness in his heart over the last 17 years watching this team fade to the shadow of what it use to be. He is truely a real hero that every parent could hold up to there sons and daughters and say this is how you should present yourself in life.
Good recovery Jean. Truly a class act.
get well soon!!
Best wishes to M. Beliveau and his family. As a neurologist, I know that recovery from a stroke can be very difficult to predict and I hope that his will be on the better side.
Here's how much Jean Béliveau is respected by the game of hockey: during the lockout, he and I chatted about the rights and wrongs of it all and he said the players were in the wrong for a variety of reasons, then elaborated on them in detail.
The story appeared, and almost within hours of its publication, the NHLPA issued a press release arguing the points Mr. Béliveau made.
All the opinions expressed, the misinformation back and forth, the bitterness... tons of it, for months... and the only time the NHLPA felt inclined to respond to ANY of it was when Jean Béliveau weighed in.
Clearly, the PA knew how much Mr. Béliveau's opinion meant, and how based on his character and background, it could shape public opinion.
Dave Stubbs
Habs Inside/Out
Sports Columnist/Feature Writer, Montreal Gazette
• On Twitter: twitter.com/habsinsideout1
I don't know how many people in the world you can say this about but, Jean Beliveau seems to hold EVERYONE's respect. Whether it be his teammates, alumni and fans of the Habs, or even more impressively, the arch rivals and hated enemies of the clubs he played on. Ted Lindsay and Gordie Howe were the two biggest rivals that Beliveau's Habs faced for a lot of his career and you'd be hard pressed to find any two people that have more respect and admiration for him than the two of them in spite of the rivalry. I don't think you can give a better praise or honour to someone's personality or class than that. When even the people that are supposed to hate your guts and despise you because they're your arch-rivals, love you to death and will respect you more than anyone else in the world for as long as they are on this planet, you're truly something special.
As an aside for Mr Stubbs: I'm not sure how much pull the various media sources have in getting something like this considered but, perhaps you and your colleagues could try to publicly promote the idea through your media sources that the NHL should consider a 'Jean Beliveau' award to the league's top captain (or something to do with class on and off the ice, ambassador to the game etc) I'm sure the debate over the specific criteria would center around something along those lines anyway. The main idea would be recognizing the greatest and classiest captain/leader in professional sports history the way he deserves.
I hope he has a strong and speedy recovery.
But let's remember something on on all of that. In a way Beliveau was the first NHL holdout (he wouldn't put it that way) and the first player's advocate. He refused the Hab's initial offer to sign him. And that forced the Habs to buy the whole Quebec Senior league to be able to sign him.
I have met many huge celebrities in my time, athletes and from other fields as well. I have never found myself starstruck. The first time I met Mr. Béliveau, I have never been so speechless in my life. I mean, what do you say? An absolute gentleman, humble, genuinely friendly and one of the best players to ever play the game. Our best ambassador ever. Please get well soon Sir.
Vous êtes notre inspiration, Jean. Nous vous aimons Jean.
This is the class act Jean was. In the day when the Habs were "The Team", we would wait as kids for autographs. Only Jean would appear from the front lobby of the Montreal Forum and sign every kids' autograph book. What a human being!
Don't remember where I heard or read this, think it was a Dick Irvin Jr. book, but a few years after Beliveau retired the doctors discovered that he had a congenital heart problem. If I remember correctly, his heart valves didn't work correctly, and the blood flow from his heart was badly diminished. Maybe somebody could correct me on the details.
He played his whole career with that problem, and was still the athlete we view has having the biggest heart in the game.
Hit the link in the post to the story. I mention that... the Canadiens signed Jean to a $100,000 contract in 1953, monstrous money then, and took out an insurance policy on him. Gave him a physical and the MDs report read that he had "an Austin's motor in a Cadillac chassis," the Austin being a woefully underpowered British car of the day.
Fans booed Jean because they thought he was dogging it in games. Some things in Montreal never change, I guess. But he overcame the heart "anomaly" very nicely, if 10 Stanley Cups are any indication.
Dave Stubbs
Habs Inside/Out
Sports Columnist/Feature Writer, Montreal Gazette
• On Twitter: twitter.com/habsinsideout1
Yeah, I only just read your story, Dave, after posting that.
But it makes you think, given the other news of the day - where some marginal player calls the organization "classless", when he shows none of the heart of the man in the hospital.
Thank you for responding Dave, that makes us feel a little better. Vivre Le Gros Bill!
...I can't imagine the Montreal Canadiens being The Montreal Canadiens without You Jean
Habitant means PASSIONATE HOCKEY
http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=423049
Get well soon Jean.
Gentleman Jean: we await your return to and presence at the Bell Centre!
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”Playing goal is like being shot at.”
--Jacques Plante
Best wishes to Jean and his family.
A true gentleman.
Get well soon Jean...No one represents the CH better than Mr. Beliveau.
The Turtleneck is the "System"...Power to the turtleneck!
I wish all the best and a speedy recovery Mr.Beliveau and the best to your family as well.
Your play, talent and class made me love this sport and there are no words enough to thank you.
Ali B.
For those who don't follow our beloved game too closely they would laugh at hearing the words class, gentleman, role model associated with our sport. But all of these traits are attributed to our greatest captain of all time Le Gros Bill. Best wishes to the man with the engine of a Volkswagen and the chassis of a Cadillac. The respect and love shown by fans from Toronto to Boston...Vancouver to California is a testament to Mr. Beliveau's contributions over the years. Speedy recovery and the prayers of all habs, bruins et al are with you.
Hopefully Mr. Beliveau get's well soon.
A true gentleman. A proud and passionate captain of legendary Canadiens teams. There has never been and will never be a finer ambassador of the game we all love.
Wishing you a full and speedy recovery and all the best to your family. Get well Jean.
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This concludes our broadcast. Goodnight.
Cheers to one of the greatest to ever lace em up, may you recover with grace and strength. All the best Mr.Beliveau and to the family as well. Prayers and thoughts to all who are connected.
Shaker
It is said we are foolish to make role models of, and to idolize athletes. That is probably true in the majority of cases. But can one imagine anyone more worthy of worship than Jean Beliveau. I hope he lives forever.
Excellent post. Jean Beliveau is my all time favourite hab - the definition of a true gentleman. Get well soon.
Congratulations. I think you have best captured what every Habs fan is thinking upon hearing this news. May he live forever, indeed.
Very well said. I feel it says a lot when a 7 yr old little boy (my son) realizes at such a young age what an amazing athlete and human being Jean Beliveau is. He names him as his favorite Hab. :o)
........... "Thank you Cammy for making my day even more amazing!" I STILL BELIEVE. I WILL ALWAYS BELIEVE.
Your best comment ever, it would probably be most poster's best comment ever.
Well said and best wishes to him and his family.
Full Breezer 4 Life
Couldn't have said it better myself.
Best Wishes for a full and speedy recovery!
........... "Thank you Cammy for making my day even more amazing!" I STILL BELIEVE. I WILL ALWAYS BELIEVE.
All the best to my idol, Le Gros Bill. A speedy recovery to the most gracious man ever to don a Habs jersey.
Best wishes to the Captain of captains and his family.
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Ya! The Habs Rule! now on Twitter!
Hope to see you well and back on your feet soon, Mr. Beliveau.
Ovechkin tricked the Dman by playing the puck between his leg. Great move. Washington tied it up.
One of my all time favorites, get well young fella.
They call me Shane
My prayers are with you Mr, Beliveau and your beloved family and best wishes for a speedy recovery.
"We will win the Cup one day only with a mature Carey Price in the nets, .....I hope"
I had the pleasure of meeting Jean when I was teenager living in Montreal.He was even nice enough to take a picture with me and sign an autograph.
My thoughts and prayers are with him and his family.
Get Well!
anybody have a good feed for the caps pens game?
http://atdhe.net/12077/watch-washington-capitals-vs-pittsburgh-penguins
thanks tis
Talking about bad goal, Theodore just gave up one. He came out and deflected the puck towards his goal.
Get Well Soon, Mr. Beliveau!
I hope that he can still fulfill his role as honourary captain in Vancouver for the olympics. Get well soon Jean.
Go Habs Go!
The epitome of class, loyalty, and respect. Best wishes to Jean and his family.
Best wishes Jean!
- I shall always remember Captain Koivu. http://habsandhockey.blogspot.com/