Carbo via Twitter and a memorabilia find

Last night, Carbo did his live Twitter interview, via Dove Men+Care and AllHabs.net.  I'll admit to being rather thrilled when my question was the first one he answered!  I asked what he would have done for a living had he not been able to pursue a career in hockey, and he replied "Probably an electrician."  Who knew!  It was a blast and I want to thank Guy for being so generous to do this, as well as everyone else involved for making it possible.

Also, my daily eBay search has found this gem.  I already have a Carbonneau Artis stick, but hopefully this goes go to a loving home as it is a real beauty.  Any Artis of Guy's is a treasure!

Finally, Dove has posted Carbo's Real Man Challenge training videos here.  In French with English subtitles, the videos give us an amusing peek at Guy getting ready to do battle with Wendel Clark.

Ask Carbo a question via Twitter

No, the man hasn't joined the popular social media platform yet but via the Canadiens online magazine AllHabs.net, Carbo has graciously offered to participate in a Twitter interview for those who could not meet him in person at his recent Real Man Challenge appearances at the Bell Centre.  (What a guy!)  

For info -- and to read the most excellent article about Guy included -- visit here.

Bonne fete, Guy!

Hopefully it's not too late for me to wish Carbo a happy birthday!  Guy turns 52 today, and he's just as fabulous now as he was at age 16, tearing it up with Les Sagueneens.

Happiest of birthday wishes!

An oldie but a goodie

Tonight, in the Sens vs. Leafs game, Sergei Gonchar of the Senators fought against Clarke MacArthur of the Maple Leafs.  Gonchar, shall we say, is not known for fighting -- this was only his second-ever NHL fight.  Many have noted that his first fight, in 1998, was against another player not known for fighting -- Carbo.

hockeyfights.com then dug up the clip:

Thanks to that particular website for posting this!  If you get the chance, do visit.

Collecting Carbonneau: 2012 version

Many years ago, Diane Lau compiled a list of her favorite Carbonneau items.  Of course I collect too, and have for years.  I thought it would be fun to post my own list.  My top ten:

1.  1995-96 game-worn Dallas road jersey, autographed on back number  

It took me a good four years to acquire a Carbo gamer, but once I finally had it in my hands, I realized that it was well worth the wait.  The jersey is absolutely beautiful.

2.  1982-83 (Guy's rookie year) game-worn CCM Super Tacks, photomatched

These were my serendipitous eBay purchase.  Never thought I'd actually win them, but when I did, I was elated.  I was even more elated when I photomatched them to Carbo's 1982-83 Steinberg rookie card.  

3.  Signed photo, inscribed to me and my fiance Erik

For our first anniversary, Erik wrote to Guy c/o Hockey Night in Canada (where Guy was working at the time, doing analysis during Habs games) and asked him if he would sign a photo as a gift to me.  A few weeks later, the photo came back inscribed to both of us.

4.  1986-87 Kraft Drawings poster print

This was a mail-in offer from Kraft Foods -- Kraft issued a series of hockey cards featuring drawings of various players.  You could mail in proofs of purchase and receive a large poster print of the drawing of your choice.  My Carbo print is by sports artist Jerry Hersh, and it is beautiful.  

5.  ca. 2006-2009 signed business card

My friend Alice got this for me.  It's one of Guy's business cards from his tenure as Canadiens coach, signed. A nice souvenir of Carbo's coaching career.

6.  Video of June 3, 1998 Dallas vs. Detroit playoff game, featuring Guy's famous Shift

This is on Diane's list, and it is also on mine, because the play is truly amazing.  For the "Bring Home a Stanley Cup Champion" contest last year, I described this shift as my favorite Stanley Cup playoff moment.

7.  My two Carbo game-used hockey sticks

One is a Canadien model from very early in Guy's career, the other an Artis from later on.  Both cherished by me.  Everyone I show them to comments on how short they are -- Guy himself said recently that his current sticks are the longest he's used.

8.  Nescafe coffee mug

I searched high and low for one of these.  The likeness of Guy on the mug isn't even that great, but the mere idea was too much for me to resist.

9.  1988-89 Kraft growth chart

Another mail-in from Kraft foods.  I also have the original mailing tube, on which is taped the order form -- the original owner ordered the wrong player and corrected herself in French:  "Je m'excuse."  The important thing here is that I have a six-foot-tall Carbonneau on my office door.

10.  1989 Provigo figurine

Until McFarlane Toys releases a Carbo figurine (pretty please?) this will have to do.  It's tiny and ridiculous, but the likeness is good, and that's what matters.

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And my wish list:

Game-used helmet

Doesn't matter from what team.  I just think player lids are incredibly cool.

"Mere Players" tape from the Ken Dryden's Home Game series

This is on Diane's list of essential Carbo collectibles, and I'm not sure why it continues to elude me, but it does.

Package from Habs jersey retirement (not yet available)

In recent years, the Canadiens have put out wonderful packages when players' jerseys are retired.  A folder, a miniature banner, and an art print courtesy of Le Journal de Montreal.

The chance to speak with Guy

Diane got this opportunity, in 2000 in Dallas.  I haven't yet, though I did meet Guy very briefly in 2008.  

A grail obtained.

In this post, I discussed how my grail of Carbo collecting is a Dallas game-worn jersey.  Game-worns have long been elusive to me because of the price (and me being unemployed at the time) but things have changed.

Fast-forward to the last week of February.  I don't know exactly why I ended up on the MeiGray Group's web site, but I did...and I typed Guy's name into the search box, not expecting to find anything.  Carbo gamers are not that easy to find, and when they do come up, it's typically in an auction scenario.

My jaw practically dropped into the floor when the search result came up.  It's not a white home jersey, as I detailed in the above linked post, but it's just as beautiful, and it's now mine.

The wear is fantastic.  The collar is frayed, and the white trim on the sleeves and hem is dotted with puck marks.  Battle scars earned in the hockey play of one of the greatest.

I'd like to take the opportunity to thank everyone at the MeiGray Group for making this possible.  They were awesome to deal with.  If you're in the market for a gamer of your own, these are your folks.  My mother also had a huge hand in it -- despite not understanding what exactly I'd want with a hockey player's old sweater -- and she has been duly thanked as well.

I am a very happy camper.

The program stand & the arena organ

On Saturday, Guy participated in Real Man Challenges Two and Three at the Bell Centre -- selling programs and playing the arena organ.

Here are some photos.

(source for photos:  Twitter)

Additionally, here is a video of Carbo playing the organ.  Enjoy!

Photos: Carbo serving beer at the Bell Centre

(source for photos:  Twitter)

Guy participated in his first Real Man Challenge this evening -- serving beer during intermission at tonight's Montreal Canadiens/Minnesota Wild game.  He takes on selling programs and playing the arena organ on Saturday.  Go Carbo go!

Carbo in a charity game & a serious off-topic aside

On Sunday, March 4, Guy will be participating in the first edition of the CKOI Face to Face celebrity hockey tournament, presented by Ford.  Two teams of Quebec personalities from different backgrounds will compete in a hockey game at the Bell Centre, benefiting the Montreal Canadiens Children's Foundation.  The goal is to attract 10,000 spectators, and in addition to donations and proceeds from ticket sales, Ford of Canada will make a donation equivalent to the number of people present, as well as $5,000 donated in the name of the winning team.

The fun starts at 1 PM at the Bell Centre.  Tickets are $7.50, taxes included, and more information can be found  here.

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Also, if I may stray off-topic for a moment:  It has been mentioned before on this blog that while I am a big fan of Guy Carbonneau, I am also in fact an Ottawa Senators fan.  

I was dismayed by this morning's article in the Ottawa Citizen which quotes team president Cyril Leeder as saying that if the government of Ontario scraps a tax writeoff for businesses' sports ticket purchases, the future of the team may be placed in doubt.  It seems that this planned scrapping of the tax writeoff was planned with Toronto sports franchises in mind -- large-market teams such as the Maple Leafs would survive without the writeoff, while smaller market teams like the Senators would not.  

Even if you are a Leafs or Habs fan and hate the Sens, the loss of such a rivalry between teams would be enormous.  If you are in Ontario and are concerned about this, as I am, I urge you to contact your local MPP and make your voice heard.  Thank you.   

Carbo's Dove commercial

Hey everyone, Carbo's commercial for Dove Men + Care has been posted!

Among the scenes:  Carbo in a Nova Scotia Voyageurs uniform circa early 1980's, in front of a trophy cabinet, and with his wife Line (and their dog).  Very well done!  This writer is not part of the Dove Men + Care demographic but can now be convinced to buy Dove products.