Panthers president Michael Yormark told me yesterday that the team's 'season ticket advisory board' suggested to him that the team's Den of Honor should be removed because it wasn't big enough and didn't truly reflect the team's history.
That got me thinking.
First off: Wow!
What power this 'Season Ticket Advisory Board' must carry at The Billboard! I wonder what else they came up with that the team jumped on.
''Michael,'' you can hear the STAB saying, ''how about we get someone to sponsor the power play? I think that would be dandy.''
Or, ''hey Michael. We noticed those urinals in the men's room are a little plain. How 'bout we decorate 'em with something?''
So, now that we know how powerful this STAB is, I would like to know what else they have in mind. Because whatever they want, they apparently get. So STAB members, please, make some better suggestions.
-- Word is, the STAB didn't think the Den of Honor was a good representation of the Panthers past.
It had jerseys from the team's first captain (Brian Skrudland) and its first goalie (John Vanbiesbrouck). It also had some rubber rats from 1996.
What else does it need?
Apparently more, so sayeth the STAB.
So what should go in the 'new' Den of Honor? Aside from stuff from the 1996 team, what really personifies this franchise? And what does the STAB want in the 'new' Den of Honor. Because, ultimately, that's the most important question.
Here are some of my suggestions. I would like to hear yours as well. Comments below if you don't mind.
-- Ticket stub from the team's last playoff appearance in 2000. I know it may be faded and yellowed, but it's something for the kids to see.
-- Denis Potvin's coffee cup.
-- The wad of chewing gum Mike Keenan was gnawing on when he traded Roberto Luongo to Vancouver.
-- A copy of Luongo's long-term contract signed with the Canucks a little while later.
-- A hubcap to a 2007 Chevy pickup truck, left on the side of the Turnpike as Jay Bouwmeester headed north.
-- One of the unopened boxes from Jacques Martin's GM office at The Billboard.
-- A piece of signage from all the names the arena has had in its brief history.
-- Peter Worrell's skates. I would have to donate those.
-- Olli Jokinen's old boxing robe.
-- Chris Wells' golf bag (just kidding Chris).
-- Jeff Rimer's wallet -- still unopened (just kidding Jeff),
-- One of the famous monk robes.
-- On a serious note, something from the late, great Roger Neilson would definitely be appropriate.
This list is far from complete, so please add your thoughts here. I will sure to forward it to the team's STAB -- as soon as I meet a member of this exclusive group that is.
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