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Here is example No. 1,764 of why hockey players are the best around.
Colorado Avalanche forward Matt Duchene was back in Ontario recently taking part in a charity golf tournament. Already off to a good start on the nice meter. In addition to the golf, such events usually have auctions of memorabilia and other such things to further benefit charity.
That's where the story of Wayde Greer comes in. The father of an 11-year-old girl named Trista had seen his daughter's exhuberance start to diminish as she had become the target of bullying in school. Seeing how Trista is a big Zdeno Chara and Bruins fan, Wayde had his eyes set on a signed Bruins jersey in the auction and rounded up money from family to try and win the jersey in the auction as a birthday present.
It didn't take long for him to realize his $500 wasn't going to be anywhere near enough to win the auction. Enter Duchene. Greer retold the story in a column for the Minden Times.
My $500 maximum was reached within about 48 seconds, I extended myself to $800 (heart pounding), but the Bruins jersey would belong to someone else.
That's OK, I convinced myself, "the cause" ultimately wins. When the bidding reached $1,100 I heard a faint whisper from across the table. "Get it for her," said Duchene. "I've got you covered!" In disbelief, but needing to act fast I accepted the gesture and was promptly handed a microphone by Matt's dad Vinny; $1,300, $1,400, $1,500, I was toe-to-toe with the Warden of the county. Am I dreaming?
At $1,600 Duchene leans across the table. "She has a weak spot, we just have to find it!" he says.
My heart racing and hands shaking I peer across the table and see Matt holding up two digits ... $2,000?
A confident nod from across the table, followed by a reassuring wink from Vince and Chris seals the warden's fate.
"Two thousand dollars," I yell into the microphone. SOLD!
Awesome, simply awesome. It's obviously not something that Duchene had to do but he did it anyway. He made the day for a young girl who needed it. Just look at the picture Greer submitted to the Minden Times.
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Obviously Wayde and Trista have a new favorite player in Duchene, no offense to Chara or anything. Rightfully so. That's a story that's going to win over more than two new fans.
Oh and P.S.: Stop bullying.
