April 10, 2004
I loved your April 6 article on Steve Yzerman ("The making of Captain Cool: Yzerman remains larger than life even though he shuns the limelight"). I'd just like to say how much a person can touch others' lives without even knowing it.
My grandfather was from Canada originally, and thus a big hockey fan. He passed that on to my dad, and thus on to me. I'm 24 years old and can't remember a time in my life that the three of us didn't watch the Wings together in the winter months at least a few times. And nearly every conversation eventually involved Steve Yzerman.
In the '80s, Yzerman was it in Detroit hockey, and he carried the team by himself. It didn't go unnoticed to longtime hockey fans. In my family, hard work and sacrifice were things to be proud of. Yzerman fit what a hard worker was on a grand scale.
My grandfather died July 17, 2003, and the last thing we talked about was hockey and Yzerman coming back for one more year. I just want to thank Yzerman for helping me form such great relationships with my dad and granddad, because without him, I'm not sure that we would ever had someone we all respected in common.
Joel M. ClarkLivonia
Congrats on a well-written article. Being a newcomer to the area, it was nice to learn about someone whom everyone talks about yet may not know anything about. Maybe someday I will get the chance to meet him.
The kids at school tell my 7-year-old about him, and for that reason, Stevie Y. is his favorite player. Thanks for giving us some insight so that I can condone that my son has selected an athlete who happens to also be a super person. This day and age, it is not so easy to get both in the same package.
Juergen P. SteupertTroy
I really enjoyed reading about one of professional sports' true mentors. I'm the same age as Steve Yzerman, and I have followed him for his entire run. Should my children ever become celebrities, I would want them to conduct themselves in the manner of Steve or Alan Trammell.
Hey there's an idea: Do the same kind of profile of Tram.
James AngeloShelby Township
Your piece on Stevie Yzerman was probably one of the best sports profiles I've ever read on anyone. You captured the enigma of the man who is so loath to talk about himself. You have the beginnings of a biography there. I'd buy it if you wrote it.
Steve FortunaDecatur, Ga.
I grew up in Bloomfield Hills, and the first sports team I followed on a daily basis was the Wings. In 1983, I turned 9, the year most little boys start their passion for sports. Steve Yzerman was drafted, and he was awesome. Since then, I followed his career and remember arguing to anyone who would listen that the three greatest players were Yzerman, Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux.
I remember the Jacques Demers days, the desperate battles with the Edmonton dynasty, and the buildup of the great '90s Red Wings machine. I also remember standing in my living room, arms raised above my head, tears flowing down my face, in 1997, when Steve finally raised the Stanley Cup above his head. My wife looked at me with a tinge of astonishment and asked why I was crying (besides the fact we finally won the Cup). I said, "I am so happy for Stevie; it's just beautiful."
Daniel FriedmanPhoenix, Ariz.
What a great story. Stevie is truly our hero. He is the consummate gentleman, while also being one of the greatest hockey legends of all time. He is quiet grace, yet fiercely competitive. We are blessed to have him for these many years. Thank you for sharing this glimpse of the Captain with us.
Wayne RugensteinBrighton
All I can say is that the article is one of the best I have ever read. In my opinion, Steve Yzerman is the new Mr. Hockey. This article reinforced that there is so much more to the man than just the game. He sounds like the best friend everyone wants, the husband all the ladies want, and the son every parent can be proud of. I am proud to be a Red Wings fan because of his actions on and off the ice.
Remember one thing: The Red Wings are not Detroit's team. They are Michigan's team, and we Saginaw fans love them just as much.
David W. MarrSaginaw
I am not a hockey fan; here in Texas it is a blip on the radar. We, too, have sporting icons like Nolan Ryan, Earl Campbell and Hakeem Olajuwan. Solid job capturing the essence of what it is to be a quiet, unassuming superstar, just like the three fellows mentioned.
Frank J. McKevittHouston, Texas
Wow. I absolutely loved this article. I've been a hockey fan since the age of 11 when my grandfather and uncle turned me on to the Red Wings. That day, I saw a young Steve Yzerman score two goals against Winnipeg, and I've been an Yzerman fan, and a hard-core Wings fan, ever since. He's been a hero of mine for most of my life.
To read your article and really see everything about the man, well, it makes me that much more sure that I picked a great man to idolize. >Geoff Gartside Lincoln Park
Upper class
I was touched by your Steve Yzerman article. Such a nice balance of the star, the team and the city.
To this day, the only Red Wings jersey I own is his -- and I've had it so long that there isn't a captain's "C" on it. There are too few sports figures of his level of class these days. He'll truly be missed when he retires, but what a pleasure if he does stick around and work with the team in a new capacity.
Kathryn WolfRoyal Oak
The Captain has earned every bit of praise and respect he gets, and more so. I know in this town it's impossible to write anything negative about the guy, and you can only tell the same stories so many times, but your article touched me in a way I didn't expect.
I still get a little misty-eyed when I see the replay of him holding Lord Stanley's Cup for the first time. We in Detroit should always be thankful that we were blessed with "that scrawny kid from Ottawa."
Joshua HooverBurton
I've been a huge Red Wings fan since even before they drafted Steve -- I actually saw him play in Peterborough when I was a kid -- and I don't think people really appreciate all that he has done for the franchise, even before Scotty Bowman arrived and they started winning Stanley Cups. Your article did a great job of telling some of the Yzerman story.
I'm casting my vote for Steve as the best team leader in sports.
Franco AnziniArlington, Va.
Even as an adult with a child of my own, I look up to the way Steve Yzerman has carried himself throughout his career. It would be great if we all had that kind of dedication and desire for excellence in our careers. He is the only athlete I've ever looked on as a role model. Your article really brought Steve down to a personal level like no other I've read.
Christopher BohinskiSaginaw
I live near Buffalo and have been playing the great sport of hockey for over 30 years now. I thoroughly enjoyed your article on Stevie Y.
I also didn't know that Stevie was almost a Sabre. Let's see, we didn't take Yzerman and we gave you Dominik Hasek (for better or worse). I think you guys owe us something down the road. Good luck to your team in the playoffs.
Marty Brannigan Cheektowaga, NY