Sports Illustrated Article:
Cover:
McLean for President?
*A hockey rookie sensation hopes to lead the Philadelphia Flyers down the road to the Stanley Cup all the time keeping his hair in perfect position*
Inside Article:
The inside of the Philadelphia First Union Center is like many other spectrums around the country. It is filled with seats, boxes, numerous small stands to buy things at and two teams that call the place home the east coast champions the 76ers and the Philadelphia Flyers.
The floor, which can be transferred into a basketball court or a stage, is down to its bare layer: ice. And on that ice a team of ice hockey players skate around dressed in different colored jerseys running drill after drill that there coach orders, the coach of the year last season Bill Barber. The feeling in the air is a somber one as the players skate from blue line to blue line or shoot on one of the two goalies. Then comes the competition. The scrimmage. Among all the other players on the ice one makes his presence known. The one that starts singing the Foo Fighters “Hero” as Brian Boucher skates out to grab a loose puck outside his crease.
AJ McLean.
AJ looks out over the ice from his seat in the stands at a Phantoms game against the Hershey Bears. The devils according to him that shoulder never win a game against his beloved former team and teammates. Dressed in baggy black pants and a red wife beater topped off with a black baseball hat that is turned around backwards it makes you wonder how he can’t be even a little cold.
“I’m used to it,” he says simply looking back at the ice as Bruno St. Jacques rips a shot on goal only to have it caught, “That’s an awesome name. I would love to have that name. Bruno St. Jacques. It’s like you can’t say the first without the last one,” he says randomly.
Let it be known now that AJ McLean is the king of randoms. He can go from talking about his new apartment to the fact that he hates everything that deals with nature and that he would probably be the first person to be kicked off Survivor. Hell he would even vote himself off.
AJ McLean was born in Kissimmee Florida on January 8 of 1978 making him 23 years old now. His mother and his father were divorced when he was only days old the most he saw of his father in his young years was a check that came in the mail every so often.
“But of course you know he comes running back into my life all of the sudden,” AJ says shaking his head and watching as Neil Little makes a quick save, “Pisses me off to no end too. F*** him see if I care. He hears the dinner bell and comes running to me now. He was sort of there you know lurking in the shadows when I was in minors, but now he’s calling me and shit. Coming to watch my games expecting me to be all buddy buddy with him all of the sudden. It’s never gonna happen, so he should just give up.”
McLean was raised an only child by his mom and grandparents and was brought up having no fatherly figure whatsoever. The season he got involved in ice hockey at age ten was because he wanted to play a tough sport. A sport that every father wanted his son to play and excel in just to see what his father’s reaction would be. Now years later he finally got it and it is an unwanted one.
He can recite his favorite poem by heart now and when he doe sit is clear that he is gearing it towards his father and his reaction. So what is this poem? You’ll find out later in the article he says.
Even though at only 135 pounds McLean is very much under the lightest player in the league prior to him he still shows some of the rawest talent in years. “My mom told me that every time I get checked she crosses her finger and prays that I don’t break my neck,” AJ says smiling slightly. McLean brings uncanny speed to his team along with puck handling abilities on both his right and left hand.
“I’m uh blubby blubby blubby,” McLean says making a face, “Nah I forget the word you use for people that have use of both their left and right hand.
So what exactly is the word AJ is talking about? We’ll let you find out for yourselves.
AJ brings his own personality to the team, one like no other. He dies his hair orange, black and white on the tips for his games and his body is covered in tattoos. He has no room on his arms and his back is filled with a large sun and a few others. He also has the ability to get under any players skin on the ice. He has been in twenty-one fights so far and has won most of them even at his small size.
With the Flyers poised to be one of the best teams in the league and one of the favorable contenders for the cup one has to wonder if AJ thinks that all this attention to just him is a little over the top.
“Of course it’s a little uncomfortable, but I guess I have to deal with it,” AJ shrugs, “I mean I’m a normal 23 year old guy. Ok maybe not exactly normal, but you get my point right? Also I think I am on the most schizophrenic team in the NHL, so I fit in pretty well.”
The Philadelphia Flyers are one of the best teams in the NHL at this time. They seemed to be blessed with many different players with amazing talent that will help them on their long road to the cup. Among them are goalie Brian Boucher, the leader among goaltenders in goals against average and save percentage plus the first NHL player of the week, Jeremy Roenick one of the leaders in assists, Kevin Richardson one of the best defensemen in the league among other names that may sound familiar to hockey fans and if they don’t you’ll hear them at this years Olympics along with McLean John LeClaire, Mark Recchi, Keith Primeau, Simone Gagne among others.
“You know the phrase I wanna be like Mike? Well I wanna be like JR,” AJ says referring to Jeremy Roenick who was acquired from the Coyotes this season, “Well either him or Boosh because Boosh is my boy. And Fedoruk. And Fedetenko. And Williams. And Murray. And Gagne. And Nick. And Brian. And…aw hell I give up.”
It’s hard to believe McLean is who he is at times. While walking down South Street early in the morning, with fellow teammate and one of his best friends Brian “Boosh” Boucher, he runs up to parking meters and attempts to jump over them occasionally falling over when he lands. He likes eating at McDonalds and going bowling, which he says he is the best at even better then he is at ice hockey. He’s the guy who gets looks when he walks down the street because he seems to have a presence that people can sense.
“It’s like you know when he comes into the room,” goalie Brian Littrell says, “It’s weird you can just tell. Well you can tell or you hear him because he is constantly singing or screaming or a mixture of both at times.”
Even though he has a tough guy image in the league McLean also seems to be one of the most sensitive. He calls his mom after every game and every day even when it’s not a game day. He ended up throwing up before his first NHL game because he got himself so worked up. McLean also has a tendency to put too much pressure on himself, which resulted in a tantrum where he secluded himself for two days after he lost a game for the team on a penalty shot.
“He has this amazing talent,” the captain of the team Kevin Richardson says, “He just pushes himself so hard and he comes off the ice after a game just totally wiped out. If I could play like him though I might do the same thing.”
AJ sits on his stool in the Flyers locker room singing a Robbie Williams song called “Karma Killer” while lacing up his skates. Todd Fedoruk looks at him from across the room and shakes his head. The second part to the well-known Gladiator team of McLean and Fedoruk. The two recently got Gladiator tattooed over their chests in small letters by a friend of Fedoruk’s.
“Knowing AJ for a long as I have can have its pluses and minuses,” Fedoruk says, “He’s a great friend. You can always count on him to be there for you when you need it and to cheer you up when you feel worthless. Of course he also seems to have just this huge ego that just can’t be stopped. I really think he should seek help for it,” he finishes before breaking into a smile, “Nah I’m just joking he’s just an all around great guy. Really down to earth. Loves his momma too.”
“Rustyyyyyyyyy,” AJ yells as Ruslan Fedetenko comes into the locker room and sits down at his locker, “Wouldn’t Fedetenko make a damn fine Russian whore?” AJ asks me as Ruslan gets up and walks over to AJ grabbing him into a headlock and throwing him onto the floor. The two wrestle for a minute or so before they both end up giving up and go back to their lockers to continue to get ready for the game tonight.
“Brain agrees with me don’t ya Brian?” McLean asks turning towards his left and looking at goaltender Brian Littrell.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Brian says simply before breaking into a smile.
“You suck Brian,” AJ says.
“You suck,” Brian says.
“You suck.”
“No you suck.”
“No you suck.”
This continues for a few minutes until the two are forced to stop by Mark Recchi who yells at them both for being annoying and tells them to shut up. Of course it’s hard to make AJ shut up and he starts to hum a song to himself while finishing to get changed for practice.
“AJ has an ego problem as you can see,” Boucher says walking up in his gear.
“Shutup man,” AJ says looking up at him, “This coming from the guy who put himself through hell last year.”
Boucher shrugs.
AJ shakes his head and takes out a roll of tape to tape over his ankles and skates. Before every game he tapes around each ankle/skate forty times. Why? “Good luck”, he says, “Plus it makes your ankles a lot more stable.
Boucher rolls his eyes and smirks.
“Shutup,” AJ says again, “I already told you once now get outta here. Go do goalie stuff.”
Brian Boucher according to AJ is his best friend along with Todd Fedoruk and all three of them are hardly seen without each other with Marty Murray and Ruslan Fedetenko too. The Five. As the rest of the Flyers team calls it because of the five friends. The five of them also seem to watch each other’s backs even though they might not want it. If it’s watching someone’s back during a fight, mostly for McLean and Fedoruk, or making sure that play stops when a man goes down.
“Friendships are what makes the game worth playing to me. I mean all my friends are hockey players. I really don’t have any other friends,” McLean sighs, “You move around so much it’s hard to have long term friendships, but these guys I have known for years and I can trust them with anything. Well…except of Fedoruk he has a big mouth,” AJ smiles.
McLean is favored to be going to the winter Olympics along with some of his fellow teammates on the USA team. People have great expectations for a guy who is only twenty-three. They’re wondering how many goals he will get. How many penalty minutes? How many assists? The real question is if he’ll dye his hair red, white and blue on the tips for the Olympic team.
“Hell yeah,” McLean smiles.
So what was the poem McLean was talking about?
AJ clears his throat and takes a breath of air, “Hello sir remember me? The man you thought I’d never be. The boy who you reduced to tears. The lad you called thing for six whole years. Yeah that’s right my names Bob. The one who landed the pop star’s job. The one who you told look don’t touch. The kid who wouldn’t amount to much. Well I’m here and you’re still there. With your fake sports car and receding hair. Drudging for the trousers you think are smart. Married to the woman who teaches art. Married to the life. Married to the school. I wanna sing and dance sir. Now who’s the fool. Sing and dance you thought I was balmy. Settle down thingy join the army. And who are you tell me this. The dream I want I’ll have to miss. Sir it’s God he’s been given the right to structure lives over night. Now I know life’s true path. Tanks and guns that’ll be a laugh. No not me. I’m gonna make a civilian. I won’t lead my life ride in pillion. But thanks for the advice. And I’m sure that will do. For the negative dickeheads just like you. As for now I have a different weapon. Stage and screen are about to beckon. And here I sit in first class. Bullock sir kiss my ass.”
