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HomeSportsHart AttackHARTLEY’S HART ATTACK – (Remembering Tom Masich; PG Cougars start season): September...

HARTLEY’S HART ATTACK – (Remembering Tom Masich; PG Cougars start season): September 23rd 2022 EDITION 907

Tom Masich made an impact, a difference, and a significant contribution to Prince George, the city he called home for 56 years.

He understood and realized that actions spoke louder than words and that’s why he made sure things were not just talked about but accomplished.

Tom was a teacher, a leader, and a coach that never hesitated to give a helping hand.

He adored his family, his friends, his athletes, and his community.

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Tom loved track and field, and he enjoyed all aspects of sports but people close to him always came first.

As the founder and long-time coach of the PG Track and Field Club, Tom was an automatic choice in the PG Sports Hall of Fame in 1998, just two years after it originated.

In 2002, he received one of the highest honors, the Queen Elizabeth II’s Golden Jubilee Medal.

In 2005, the City of Prince George renamed Massey Place Stadium (which opened in 1990) to Masich Place Stadium.

Tom’s health has been in decline for 11 years but he carried on understanding the challenges ahead.

In recent years, he had been suffering from Parkinson’s disease.

Prince George lost a legend Sunday morning as Tom Masich passed away at age 86, one week after going into hospice care.

I met Tom, and his wife of 61 years, Anne shortly after arriving in P.G. in 1979.

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It was clear right away he was a proud man with dignity who earned respect.

As per Tom’s wishes, there will be no service.

If there was I am not sure there is a facility big enough in the city to accommodate the number of people that would want to attend.

He was that highly regarded.

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A home opener is special!

Yes, the points count the same as any other regular-season game; yes, it’s not the intensity of a playoff game; yes, in reality, it’s just the start of a long grind.

Players, coaches, and fans usually get excited about the opening night; this is the time of the hockey year all organizations have hope, promise, belief, and confidence.

How long the feeling continues varies from team to team and city to city.

The significance of the first game in front of the home crowd, in essence, has little to do with the standings or the opponent, the power-play, or line match-ups.

This is about the return of the team and WHL after a lengthy absence.

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Naturally, not everything will be judged on the result and the effort of this one particular game, but this is the start of a journey that can help set the tone.

It is one thing to play a home game in mid-November, and yet another when the gun fires to signal a new beginning.

The Prince George Cougars have most of their core players returning this season and have also added a couple of experienced players as 20-year-olds (Chase Wheatcroft and Noah Boyko).

They should be strong in the net (both Tyler Brennan and Ty Young were selected in this year’s NHL Draft).

The Cougars may not win the BC Division (Kamloops is the overwhelming favorite) but they should be much improved over the team that barely made the playoffs last season.

How much improved?

We start to get a tiny taste of what lies ahead over the next few months as their season starts at home this weekend in a doubleheader against the Tri-City Americans.

The Cougars roster is right here.

 

Cat Scan podcast:

P.G. Cougars coach and general manager Mark Lamb discusses his new three-year contract extension, the new 20-year-olds on the team, expectations for the 2022-23 season, and the strength the team has in net during this week’s Cat Scan podcast.

 

Taking Note:

 

FROM THE QUOTE RACK:

Mavericks star Luca Doncic and his mother, Mirjam Poterbin, are squabbling over who owns the trademark to “Luka Doncic 7,” and have taken their case to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s Trademark Trial and Appeal Board. In her defense, back when he was born she did have his original naming rights.

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*Dwight Perry of the Seattle Times http://www.seattletimes.com/author/dwight-perry/

Amazon says their Prime Video first regular-season game (& exclusive broadcast) of “Thursday Night Football” on Sept 15 got 15.3 million viewers. Non-cable networks already have limited free games, but how long until Amazon & other streaming services try to monopolize NFL viewing too?

*Comedy writer Janice Hough of Palo Alto, California www.leftcoastsportsbabe.com

The New York Jets recovered an onside kick that led to the winning touchdown over Cleveland with 22 seconds left. The silver lining for the Browns is that members of their hands team on that onside kick have been offered endorsement deals by the Acme Pinball Co.

*Contributor Bill Littlejohn of South Lake Tahoe, California

In Case You Missed It:

Chicago Bears PK holder Trenton Gill got penalized 15 yards last Sunday for trying to dry off a soggy patch of Soldier Field before a kick. For what — a towel foul?

*Western Canadian comedy writer RJ Currie www.Sportsdeke.com

Hartley Miller is the news and sports director/supervisor plus morning news anchor for 94.3 the GOAT and Country 97fm. He is entering his 10th season as the radio colour commentator for P.G. Cougars’ home games. Hartley has been on the Prince George airwaves since 1979 and is the author of You Don’t Say (sports quotes).

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