Lindros 'circles' back on Hometown Hockey A few years ago the late Jack Falla wrote a book called “Home Ice.” The book was an homage to his backyard rink in Natick, Mass., and was loosely based on Jack setting out to visit famous backyard rinks such as the one at 42 Varadi Ave. in Brantford, Ont., the Gretzky residence. Jack was best known for his writing in Sports Illustrated and in 1984 he discovered that his six-page lead story on the Edmonton Oilers first Stanley Cup win generated much less feedback from readers than his essay about his rink—buried deep within the same issue—did. Home rinks are very important building blocks. And their stories often conjure curiosity. In late September, while preparing for our premiere Rogers Hometown Hockey in London, Ont., on Oct. 12, Eric Lindros and I visited his childhood home at 300 Victoria St. Eric recalled the endless hours he and his dad Carl had spent working on their backyard rink, “That little bit of heaven,” perfecting one-timers and deflections and working on his favourite drill, The Circle. Eric would skate in a circle and receive passes from his father, first on his forehand, then on the back. His job was to handle the pass and quickly get a shot on goal. Later they would switch places and Eric would pass to a moving target. This would go on for hours and hours on end. On Saturdays, they would practice until just before leaving for Eric’s house league hockey. Yes, Eric started in house league, using second hand equipment. He was growing at such a pace new gear was just not an affordable option. And clearly it was not required. Those are just two street addresses of many that lead to the same conclusion: If you want to make it in hockey, you don’t have to dream it. You have to love it. As I’ve mentioned in an earlier blog, preparing for this new show has given me time to reflect on my hockey roots. It’s also had me staring at a bookshelf that for over 30 years has inspired new ways to view and articulate the game. It’s why each night this winter I’ll include at least four lines, borrowed from Canadian writers or singers and incorporate them unattributed into the show. Then at the end of the broadcast, I’ll tweet out the writers and their quotes. This way you can play along and see if you recognize them as they spill out. We have a rich tapestry of the written word around hockey. And I know of many in the game who read extensively. I once told Don Cherry I was doing some fundraisers for literacy. He said, “Good idea. Too many people litter!” But I know there are hockey players who will appreciate it. Joffrey Lupul is in our first telecast as his Toronto Maple Leafs play the New York Rangers. His unique first name has its origins in his father Craig’s university studies. Craig Lupul is an Edmonton lawyer who excelled in literature. His favourite writer was Geoffrey Chaucer, whose “The Canterbury Tales” is one of the first great pieces written in English. Geoffrey is pronounced “Joff-rey,” hence the spelling of the Leafs forward’s forename, to save countless mispronunciations. It’s my hope that each week on the night ahead of the work and school week to have some fun with these origins. In Jack Falla’s book I learned that literary giants Henry David Thoreau, Nathaniel Hawthorne and Ralph Waldo Emerson skated together on Nov. 25, 1841 in Concord, Mass. Had there been hockey back then, Thoreau, Hawthorne, Emerson or “THE” line would have been Falla’s favourite story. So here we are, just days away from launching Rogers Hometown Hockey with a backyard rink, a blank sheet and a story to tell. Be sure to listen for the words frozen in our lives, and pass along suggestions.