Jordin Tootoo appreciation thread

NoNecksCurse

#164303
Oct 19, 2011
13,236
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here are some of mine

tootoo fighting in the iconic gold mustards in one of what i would call considering our history a legendary game. "Halloween Fight Night" Preds won the hockey game too.




his fight with a superstar at the time in iginla



one of his longest fights with a guy that really hated him in jamal mayers


 
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PredsV82

Rest easy, 303, and thank you.
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Aug 13, 2007
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As much as the hockey purists hated it, Tootoo was definitely a boon to this market at the time he came along.

Good on him getting a 13 year career out of the talents he had.

Hopefully he saved some money, doesnt have trouble with CTE and has his other off ice issues under control, and can have a happy post career life.
 

Adz

Eudora Wannabe
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Jun 18, 2005
7,515
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Hermitage TN
2 stories. Took my business partner's then 4 year old son to a practice. 2003ish, training camp. Kid was the definition of "holy terror"--just crazy wild, couldn't sit still, was wearing me out. After practice I took him to meet the players and Tootoo took G on his lap and just talked to him--it was very low, I couldn't hear what he said but G was very interested. I got a picture while Toots signed his shirt and gave him a hug. Kid just calmed down completely-slept for 3 hours and was a different kid when he woke up. I don't know if Toots played Shaman with him or whether he told him something that just resonated or what. G wasn't "un-wild" after that but he was different. I saw Toots years after that and told him about it, said thanks and all, and he just gave a very mysterious smile and said "you're welcome."

Cale Hulse, Mr. Gorgeous-alas, he had moved on. There was this player signing at Donelson Lanes. Tootoo was there but the organization was so cheap that they had him signing pictures, not of himself but of Bill Houlder, someone, and (deep breath) Cale Hulse. So being the lazy mom I am, I got my son to go get me a picture. He got one but misunderstood that I just wanted the pic of Cale, got in line, and had Toots sign it. And told him it was for me and pointed to Mom sitting off to the side. Toots wrote on it that I "shouldn't be so shy" and I have to laugh at that.

Happy Retirement. I'll forgive you for the statement about being on the right side. I've forgiven Hammer for the November comment. Neither comment aged well, did it?
 

hido

Registered User
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Jul 26, 2005
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The guy was basically the face of the franchise for awhile. Cover of the Scene, overpacked house when he would be the guest on the radio show at Blackstone, etc. I was fortunate to be at his first game and remember the guy waving his town’s flag up and down the stands. He brought a lot of excitement to the team and town.
 

Drake744

#manrocket
Feb 12, 2010
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Nashville
Yeah it was kind of odd how popular he was here. Not odd in the fact that he shouldn't have been, but odd that he sort of bridged a gap between the casual fan and the hardcore fan during the days when we really weren't all that popular around town yet. Regardless of what you thought about hockey, pretty much everyone knew who Jordin Tootoo was. Which was honestly pretty remarkable considering his skill set. I do admit that at times he kind of annoyed me by doing things like fighting when I thought it was unnecessary (which of course the casual fan loved), taking some dumb penalties or pulling some questionable stunts, however.....there was a point in his career where he actually turned into a productive player for us. Honestly, I don't really blame him with signing with Detroit. They overpaid him and I would've taken it too.

As far as sharing memories of him, there are several that come to mind but that assist in OT against Anaheim to win game 5 that someone posted earlier has to be way up there.
 

PredsV82

Rest easy, 303, and thank you.
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The guy was basically the face of the franchise for awhile. Cover of the Scene, overpacked house when he would be the guest on the radio show at Blackstone, etc. I was fortunate to be at his first game and remember the guy waving his town’s flag up and down the stands. He brought a lot of excitement to the team and town.

I was at that game too... the guy with the flag was shirtless as I remember
 
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FossilFndr

RIP Steve
Jan 18, 2014
3,204
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Fall Branch, Tn.
I was on a trip to Churchill decades ago and in June with ice still in view in Hudson Bay some of the local children were in the water playing. Being from Atlanta I was in a warm coat. Air temp was about 50 degrees F. Remember signs in the rocks to beware of Polar Bears. And adults yelling at me to get back away from there.
Sorry for drift. but shirtless in Nashville arena is nothing to that.

Another memory was a picture dad took from the back of the train at midnight, no flash needed.
 

sighthndlady

Registered User
Sep 29, 2006
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I will always remember his interview after being drafted. Not too sure where Nashville was. Had been as far south as Minneapolis.

And the Canadian anthem in the Inuit language his first game in Toronto (?)
 

sparkle twin

Registered User
Jul 31, 2002
8,958
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Smashville, TN
I was at that game too... the guy with the flag was shirtless as I remember
I think that guy was related to him. I remember that game, Tootoo had like 300 people there, I think even their mayor was here. They were all sitting in the sections behind the benches. That flag guy kept running down to the glass with his flag. I had as much fun watching all of them as I did watching the game!




The hit on Frolik is the one I remember the most. It might be illegal today, but damn, Frolik did a somersault from the hit.

I will remember him well, he was one of my favorite players. I'm glad he was able to get the help he needed and get his life back on track.

Congratulations on a nice career and good luck in retirement, Tootoo!!
 

Armourboy

Hey! You suck!
Jan 20, 2014
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Shelbyville, TN
Dunno I think the younger crowd seemed to be the ones that hooked onto him, my brother for instance loved him. I'm not an individual guy so I don't get warm and fuzzy over certain players, but I can at least appreciate the barrier he broke down and how others may have looked up to him.
 

Drake744

#manrocket
Feb 12, 2010
12,645
1,729
Nashville
Dunno I think the younger crowd seemed to be the ones that hooked onto him, my brother for instance loved him. I'm not an individual guy so I don't get warm and fuzzy over certain players, but I can at least appreciate the barrier he broke down and how others may have looked up to him.
I'm 33 so I think I was like 18 when he broke into the league so I'm not sure if I count as younger. I was never overly attached to him but I always had a soft spot for him. He was certainly unique, and quite honestly I have no idea how he had a career for as long as he did, but, good for him.
 

Armourboy

Hey! You suck!
Jan 20, 2014
19,005
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Shelbyville, TN
I'm 33 so I think I was like 18 when he broke into the league so I'm not sure if I count as younger. I was never overly attached to him but I always had a soft spot for him. He was certainly unique, and quite honestly I have no idea how he had a career for as long as he did, but, good for him.
I would have been 23-24 at the time, but my brother was 16 or 17.
 

Datsyukian Deke

The Captain is Home!!
Apr 5, 2012
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Middle Tennessee
Even I have to admit this never really looked appropriate to me. Wish the guy all the best though in his retirement!

Jordin-Tootoo-Miron-.jpg
 

braindead

Registered User
Jul 14, 2005
4,013
701
The cookie spoke
Tootoo brought passions and heart and fearlessness and underdog belief to a franchise that was still young and struggling for identity. The hated tootoo whistles allowed kids, including mine, to add to the color and charm of our arena atmosphere and help grow a new generation of Preds fans.

Tootoo skated like a shark swims in a tank that’s too small to contain its predatory instincts. Virtually every big hit of his would be charging now but he hit huge and could change the momentum of a game in a shift. He was a predator- little p and big P- in every way.

Memories include his dad coming to those early games and chatting with unbelievable pride with regular fans during intermission. Also beating up 6’7” Valabek, pounding Alex Burrows who deserves to be pounded still, and of course running over Modano and popping Iginla.

Mainly my enduring memory will be just straight line surface to air missle skating off the bench toward the far boards to crush the board and any human that happened to be between him and it.... with the ringing of tootoo whistles in my ears.
 

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