I grew up in central Ma. in the 60's and 70's and I have never seen another NHL player before or since that measures up to Bobby. The best ever and it's not even close...
As a youngster growing up near Boston, you didn’t want to miss a Bruins game because you might miss seeing Orr doing something you’ve never seen before…and Orr seldomly disappointed.
I grew up in Cambridge during the Orr era and to this day have never seen a better more complete player than Bobby! Sorry to those Gretzky fans but Wayne wasn't half the player Orr was!
No one was better! If you put 5 Bobby Orr's out against 5 of any other player. The Bobby's would win every game. He was the best offence man and the best deffence man and the toughest guy on the ice all the time!
Aside from Bobby Or being so great, there are two things about him that's almost hard to comprehend: 1) FIVE knee operations. Obviously not today's scope type of ops, but when they had to go in and tear the knee up, and yet he won scoring titles & 8 straight Norris awards on bad knees; 2) As great a player as Bobby was, he's an even better person. This might sound hard to believe, but I've never heard ANYONE say a bad word about him. Ever. He's still a God in Boston. Greatest reputation, very humble. He's known for signing an autograph for anyone, anywhere, never charging $$ to do so.
Mike S I live in Oshawa Ontario. He played his junior years there. As a kid growing up everyone had story about how he came and played on their backyard rink. After retiring he lives in the area and GM dealers paid him for services. Al Eagleson screwed him and many players over. I love the interview with Ted Williams, Larry Bird and Bobby about 20 yrs ago. Larry said every game when they played the national anthem he looked up at Bobby's retired jersey and tried to put as much effort in his game as Bobby did. Nobody knew why he would stair up into the rafters. What a great tribute!
Glenn Ward Yep, Larry had MAD respect for Bobby. When he came in as a rookie in '79, Bobby wasn't long removed when he was last with the Bruins, so I'm sure the old Garden workers (Larry was known to be more comfortable with blue-collar types) told Larry about HOW great Bobby was, and he took it to heart. (Ironic considering Larry is also a legend.) You sound like you might be a Boston sports fan. If so, despite the heartbreaks we have had, we're basically spoiled w/ the year-in/year-out success of our teams. Seems like at least 1 of our 4 Big Four teams are vying for a championship, every year. Boston's also unique in that you can make a case for having the greatest in each of the Big 4 (Russell/basketball, Orr/hockey, Williams/greatest hitter, Brady/greatest QB). And then there's Bird, McHale, Havlicek, Bourque, Neely, Hannah, etc., to even the emergence of Gronkowski now. It's crazy how blessed we are. But, IMO, with all the greats that have played for Boston teams, the greatest all-around athlete in Boston sports history is Orr.
Mike S No I'm sorry to say I am a Leafs fan. Let me rephrase that. i want to see the leafs win a cup before i die. Living in south Ontario we get to see all the great ones in their junior years. To be honest I follow players more than teams. So many guys play just 2 blocks from my home (Traveres, Marc Savard, Lindrous, Clutterbuck) And so many guys come from here and play on other teams. I usually root for the team with the most canadians on it and they usually win. I don't really follow basketball. Baseball is great though. I love to see the Jays play the red sox. So many fans come up here and they are really great fans. Not like the obnoxoius Yankys fans. Football I don't really have a team. I change with different years. As a kid I loved the Cowboys (Roger Staubuck) Then in the 80's Redskins (Thiesman). But sure have enjoyed watching Brady and I won a Brady jersey and I wear it with pride. I agree Brady is the best quarterback of all time!!But Orr was the best person in any sport of any time and best at his sport of all time
Glenn Ward LOL@sorry to say. As you probably know, being a Bruins fan, our arch-rival (and yours, as a Leafs fan) is Montreal. I respect the success of the Habs, but I hate the bastards!! I wouldn't mind seeing the Leafs win the Cup, for sure (just not at the Bruins expense lol). I can only imagine HOW bonkers Toronto would be if that happens. I know Toronto is hockey-crazed (I saw The Who back in 89 at the old Exhibition Stadium, there were Leafs shirts all over the place), and you guys are long overdue.
I was 13 and living in the Boston 'burbs. Of course I remember. "They never score early in these overtimes", I thought. Wrong. I was in the bathroom. So I never had the thrill of seeing it as it happened. ;-(
I was 6 watching with my neighbors in Cambridge watching that goal. I remember there was a weekly recap show on WSBK back then. Aluminum foil on the UHF antenna good times!
I grew up in central Ma. in the 60's and 70's and I have never seen another NHL player before or since that measures up to Bobby. The best ever and it's not even close...
As a youngster growing up near Boston, you didn’t want to miss a Bruins game because you might miss seeing Orr doing something you’ve never seen before…and Orr seldomly disappointed.
I grew up in Cambridge during the Orr era and to this day have never seen a better more complete player than Bobby! Sorry to those Gretzky fans but Wayne wasn't half the player Orr was!
No one was better!
If you put 5 Bobby Orr's out against 5 of any other player.
The Bobby's would win every game.
He was the best offence man and the best deffence man and the toughest guy on the ice all the time!
Aside from Bobby Or being so great, there are two things about him that's almost hard to comprehend: 1) FIVE knee operations. Obviously not today's scope type of ops, but when they had to go in and tear the knee up, and yet he won scoring titles & 8 straight Norris awards on bad knees; 2) As great a player as Bobby was, he's an even better person.
This might sound hard to believe, but I've never heard ANYONE say a bad word about him. Ever. He's still a God in Boston. Greatest reputation, very humble. He's known for signing an autograph for anyone, anywhere, never charging $$ to do so.
Mike S
I live in Oshawa Ontario. He played his junior years there. As a kid growing up everyone had story about how he came and played on their backyard rink. After retiring he lives in the area and GM dealers paid him for services. Al Eagleson screwed him and many players over. I love the interview with Ted Williams, Larry Bird and Bobby about 20 yrs ago. Larry said every game when they played the national anthem he looked up at Bobby's retired jersey and tried to put as much effort in his game as Bobby did. Nobody knew why he would stair up into the rafters. What a great tribute!
Glenn Ward Yep, Larry had MAD respect for Bobby. When he came in as a rookie in '79, Bobby wasn't long removed when he was last with the Bruins, so I'm sure the old Garden workers (Larry was known to be more comfortable with blue-collar types) told Larry about HOW great Bobby was, and he took it to heart. (Ironic considering Larry is also a legend.)
You sound like you might be a Boston sports fan. If so, despite the heartbreaks we have had, we're basically spoiled w/ the year-in/year-out success of our teams. Seems like at least 1 of our 4 Big Four teams are vying for a championship, every year. Boston's also unique in that you can make a case for having the greatest in each of the Big 4 (Russell/basketball, Orr/hockey, Williams/greatest hitter, Brady/greatest QB). And then there's Bird, McHale, Havlicek, Bourque, Neely, Hannah, etc., to even the emergence of Gronkowski now. It's crazy how blessed we are.
But, IMO, with all the greats that have played for Boston teams, the greatest all-around athlete in Boston sports history is Orr.
Mike S No I'm sorry to say I am a Leafs fan. Let me rephrase that. i want to see the leafs win a cup before i die. Living in south Ontario we get to see all the great ones in their junior years. To be honest I follow players more than teams. So many guys play just 2 blocks from my home (Traveres, Marc Savard, Lindrous, Clutterbuck) And so many guys come from here and play on other teams. I usually root for the team with the most canadians on it and they usually win. I don't really follow basketball. Baseball is great though. I love to see the Jays play the red sox. So many fans come up here and they are really great fans. Not like the obnoxoius Yankys fans. Football I don't really have a team. I change with different years. As a kid I loved the Cowboys (Roger Staubuck) Then in the 80's Redskins (Thiesman). But sure have enjoyed watching Brady and I won a Brady jersey and I wear it with pride. I agree Brady is the best quarterback of all time!!But Orr was the best person in any sport of any time and best at his sport of all time
Glenn Ward LOL@sorry to say. As you probably know, being a Bruins fan, our arch-rival (and yours, as a Leafs fan) is Montreal. I respect the success of the Habs, but I hate the bastards!!
I wouldn't mind seeing the Leafs win the Cup, for sure (just not at the Bruins expense lol). I can only imagine HOW bonkers Toronto would be if that happens. I know Toronto is hockey-crazed (I saw The Who back in 89 at the old Exhibition Stadium, there were Leafs shirts all over the place), and you guys are long overdue.
The Holy Ghost....I say no more
awesome!!!!
Super man....
I was 13 and living in the Boston 'burbs. Of course I remember. "They never score early in these overtimes", I thought. Wrong. I was in the bathroom. So I never had the thrill of seeing it as it happened. ;-(
I was 6 watching with my neighbors in Cambridge watching that goal. I remember there was a weekly recap show on WSBK back then. Aluminum foil on the UHF antenna good times!
you can't just leave that hangin'. who's better and why?
best defence men but not best hockey player
wrong.
Even Gretzky, Hull, and other hockey greats admitted Orr was the best. Your opinion means nothing