THIS WEEK'S ZAMBONI RIDE ...
	• The Great 8: Bryant McBride • What's Up With: Ron Wilson • More stuff • E-mail bag

Ladies, Gentleman, esteemed NHL colleagues, Hall of Fame selection committee, all you sucker MCs, Greg Polis, Commissioner Bettman, the Ice Girls who shovel the snow during timeouts at Dallas Stars home games, my beloved otter Ken, and all immediate family members of Penguins defenseman Dick Tarnstrom. It is with gratitude and humility that I have been given opportunity to speak before you on what I feel is a grave injustice in the hockey world:

The omission of Cameron Michael Neely from the Hockey Hall of Fame.

This is hardly a new or original plea. Neely fans are numerous and passionate and have made arguments similar in tone and evidence for years.

It should be understood that I have no personal or professional relationship with Cam Neely. I have never met him or invested in Ray Bourque hair care products with him. This is purely a hockey argument. A Hall of Fame argument that, I feel, could be made for a Tim Kerr or a Brian Sutter. A pure goal scorer and a play-to-the-death leader. Hockey's two essentials … outside of goaltending. You HAVE to have goal scorers like Kerr, and you HAVE to have tough, blood-and-guts guys like Sutter. Last year, the Red Wings had Brett Hull, Sergei Fedorov and Brendan Shanahan, but they also had Kris Draper, Kirk Maltby and Darren McCarty. High-level hockey is skill and toughness, and it is my belief that Cam Neely's level of skill and toughness, combined, was Hall of Fame stuff despite a career cut short due to injury.

Neely's career lasted 726 games, more than enough to define a player. It's more games played than Sid Abel (612) and just a few less than former Bruin Bill Quackenbush (744). In those 726 games Neely had the numbers in relation to his games played -- 395 goals, 299 assists and 694 points. As a Bruin alone, his numbers are staggering -- 524 games, 344 goals, 246 assists, 590 points and a +140. The Bruins had a couple of very good teams in that time, but certainly never a GREAT one. During the 1993-94 season, he scored his 50th goal in his 44th game that season. Only Wayne Gretzky reached 50 goals in a season quicker. From the start of the 1989-90 season through the 1993-94 season, Neely scored 176 goals in 216 games.

	HIT THE ICE by Michael Fischer
	TOONS ON ICE Hockey (www.toonsonice.com)

I understand, my friends, that projecting statistics is an inexact science, and I believe in the case of Neely, not even necessary. I think his actual numbers stand alone. But, estimating on the side of caution, it is my belief that Neely would be entering this season as a 37-year-old with 700 goals. And with weight training and nutrition now part of the NHL scene, Neely would STILL be a strong and vibrant goal-scoring force. So, my friends, it is clear that this man, No. 8, had the offensive firepower we associate with Hall of Famers. And if that's all he did, he would worthy of induction.

But, as we know, there was more. He was a relentless forechecker, and insane body checker, and one of his era's better fighters. He set tone with his physical play. He made buildings rock. He lifted teammates with his checks and won games with his goals. A former NHL player told me over the summer that Neely was "the only player I was EVER actually AFRAID of as the game was going on."

As I look at the fine players who have been inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame the past few years, I see players who couldn't match his physical game, and others who couldn't match his goal-scoring prowess. NEELY DID BOTH. And he did it in the clutch, when it mattered most - 57 goals and 89 points in 93 playoff games.

And he did it with class. Class in terms of fighting guys his own size, not resorting to cheap hits, and hitting with purpose. He showed courage and love of the game as he battled his serious injuries. He showed perseverance in dealing with the death of both his parents. He didn't dive, take cheap shots or flop. He was the kind of player who could have played in any era. Mothers and fathers named sons after him and he was a new generation of Bruins fans' Terry O'Reilly. He gave his heart, soul, hip, quad and knee to the Bruins, until every bit of hockey life was sucked out of him.

This is how we want our sons and daughters to play. With fire and within the rules. To be a beast on the ice and likable off it. To pummel Scot Kleinendorst on the ice, and open the Cam Neely House for families of cancer patients off the ice. In so many ways, Neely is the model. So much time is spent on how can we improve the NHL. HOW CAN WE IMPROVE THE NHL? Have everyone play with heart, fire and passion. That would improve the game REAL fast.

Norman Augustine said: "Motivation will almost always beat mere talent." Cam Neely and his teams won most nights he played in the NHL. His motivation and talent was a big reason why. Some players were great and not really remembered. And some players are remembered, but not really great. For a generation of hockey fan and player, whether NHL or squirt, Neely was the blueprint -- tough, courageous, persistent, talented and popular. A blue-collar star. The people's champ.

In closing, I ask the esteemed Hall of Fame Selection Committee to reconsider the career and case of Cam Neely. Look at the latest wave of inductees and say to yourself, "Would an NHL GM trade Neely in his prime for him in his prime?" A room in a house is better with classic, timeless pieces of furniture. The inclusion of Neely into the home of the brave and gifted would make the Hall of Fame a model home. A house that never turns its back on a family member who always did what the great game asked.

Last year, Jason Allison. This year, Byron Dafoe. Bryant McBride is an agent for just two NHL players - Allison and Dafoe. Last fall, unable to surpass the apparent Martin Lapointe salary cap, the Bruins decided not to sign Allison and sought a trade. At the same time, McBride had to seek out a team that WOULD pay Allison AND make a trade with the Bruins. This summer and fall, McBride's other client, Byron Dafoe, was and still is an unrestricted free agent. Dafoe was hoping this would be his summer to get the contract of his life. He was coming off a 35-win season and four years ago was a Vezina finalist after posting 32 wins, a 1.99 goals-against average and 10 shutouts. But, the goaltending carousel hasn't stopped and Dafoe remains unsigned.

	Jason Allison will miss 2-3 months after injuring his knee on Oct. 29.

Allison and Dafoe. Not exactly a red carpet welcome for a rookie NHL player-agent like Bryant McBride. But if you think McBride and Dafoe are wallowing in the mire of missing $150,000 take-home paychecks, think again. Bryant McBride is a positive thinker whose life has been sprinkled with diverse achievement.

He was born in the poorest of ghettos in Chicago in 1965. He moved to Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, when he was 5 and grew up in Canada. As a youth, McBride was a member of an accomplished choir that toured Canada. He attended West Point for a year and a half and was elected the first black class president in the military academy's history before deciding against being an officer and transferring to Trinity College in Hartford, Conn. At Trinity, McBride was a Division II All-American in hockey and was that school's first black class president his senior year. He got his Masters at Harvard.

In 1993 he was hired by the NHL and named director of New Business Development. Last weekend in New York City, he ran his 14th marathon. Whether a road race or a free agent signing, some things take time.

No. 1: How did you become an NHL player-agent?
McBride: "Last year, Jason Allison and Byron Dafoe approached me about representing them. At first I said no. But, finally I agreed to do it if I could do it as part of a bigger sports marketing company called Vision Sports and Entertainment partners. I represent three minor league players as well.

No. 2: What is the plan for the company?
McBride: "I want to grow the number of players we represent. Our whole focus is providing better service for lower fees. There are some good agents out there, but the majority are charging too much and doing too little. And I definitely feel strongly about that. Word of mouth has been terrific and we've gotten interest from other players. But I'm not going to recruit players or try to persuade players to leave their agent."

No. 3: Lower fees and better service, you sound like the bad guy among other agents.
McBride: "They don't like me anyway. There are a few agents that I'm good friends with and other guys who are challenged. I love owning what I do. My dad taught me when I was young, EQUITY IS KING."

No. 4: What was unique about your first few months as a player-agent and the negotiating game?
McBride: "It's wasn't and isn't really that different from any negotiation I've been in. There are deal points. You look for leverage. You look to build the best case for your client. It's funny, I was once a representative and "agent" for the owners. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman is an "agent" for the owners. It's not often looked at that way by the public. You have a responsibility to do what's best and right for your client whether they own the team or play of the team."

No. 5: The primary motivation in negotiation is money. Is there ever more?
McBride: "Sure. I met Jason Allison when he was 19 years old. He's a top-notch guy who works really hard and he takes incredible pride in what he does. He makes a lot of money, but he plays as hard as can every shift, every night. It's easy to represent guys like that."

No. 6: Allison is out until January with a knee injury. How disappointing is that for him?
McBride: "I've seen Jason Allison train and there is NOBODY who trains harder than this guy. You wouldn't believe it. He lives in the weight room. He's one of the strongest guys in the game. He watches everything he eats. To see this happen is just bad luck. He called me at 2 a.m. after it happened. I told him, 'I completely blew out my knee at West Point and went on to play four years of college hockey and run 14 marathons. You'll be fine.'"

No. 7: What is going on with Byron Dafoe?
McBride: "It's been a tough process. Byron is a No. 1 guy who has run into a string of bad luck and hasn't been able to find the right fit. As is the case with Jason, he is resilient."

No. 8: You've worked for the NHL and now you work for NHL players. What is your take on the labor war that is slowly creeping its heinous head?
McBride: "My take is that hockey is a terrific industry that has grown drastically. With the revenue that has been produced, there is a formula out there that will allow both sides to benefit and share in those spoils. The sooner that gets discussed the better. I feel that it is going to be a fight, but we do not want to alienate fans. Baseball did the right thing and they figured out a way to fix their problems. Let's not wait until the last second."

Last year, during an NHL 2Night show, I turned to Barry Melrose on the air and said, "I really hope the Capitals fire Ron Wilson."

Melrose was, for once, speechless. I filled the silent air with my explanation.

	Ron Wilson served as head coach of the Capitals for five seasons.

"So, you could get back into coaching and I could work with someone better than you as a TV analyst and a golfer and who makes ME look better."

Ron Wilson is gifted and natural as a TV analyst and a golfer. He would actually make me look worse at both, so Melrose not getting the Capitals job was probably a better result for me.

Wilson is living a dream year. Live and golf in Hilton Head, S.C., visit your grown family, watch High Definition TV, and drink cappuccino, all while being paid by the Washington Capitals. The Capitals fired Wilson on May 10. And if you are a coach in professional sports and get fired, you still get paid the rest of your contract unless you take another job.

Getting paid while recharging the coaching batteries. Not bad.

Ron Wilson has hockey in every cell of his body. His dad and uncle both won Stanley Cups as members of the Detroit Red Wings organization. As much as surfing the web, golfing, and watching HDTV sounds a lot more fun than trying to figure out why Jaromir Jagr won't try hard every night, the paid, fired coach wants to coach again and it won't be long until he does.

How he spends his days: "I get up around 6:30 a.m. and make myself a cup of cappuccino. I've gotten good at making cappuccino. Then I go on-line and read up on hockey news around the league. I keep up on everything. Then around 8:30-9:00 a.m., I head over to the driving range and practice, and then play a round with a group of guys around 9:30. I collect my winnings and go home. I do some stuff around the house in the afternoon and then read my e-mails. At night I watch hockey on my home theatre until I fall asleep on the couch. I'm like YOU. I'm a geek who has nothing better to do than to maintain my golf handicap and look up goals-per-game averages. RIGHT?"

Ron has High Definition TV and loves it: "It's incredible. Once it's available to everybody, it will revolutionize how people watch the game. You feel like you are right there. I was watching a football game this past weekend and when they took a shot from high up, I thought I was falling out of the sky. For a hockey game, you can read the names on the back of all the players, unlike on a normally televised hockey game."

Watching his old team, the Capitals: "I've watched about five games. If I'm home and not doing anything, it's the first game I'll watch. Nothing much has changed. The one difference I see this year has been the play of Olaf Kolzig, but then he got hurt. And that team is really dependent on solid goaltending and Olie. For some reason, I always felt the team played better in front of Kolzig then Craig Billington. It's hard to explain. They are probably on a learning curve. The players are saying the same things as last year. They have to find a way to get their act together. They made a bunch of changes and are going to have to get better. That model of the one big superstar, you wonder if it really works."

The hurry up line change? "I think that's excellent. It requires you to think quicker on your feet. I would say most of the teams are more concerned about their best defensive pair getting on the ice. I think it's just a matter of being quicker."

Does he miss coaching? "I certainly miss it. It's what I do. I was a head coach for nine straight years. I'm enjoying the break immensely. I'm able to do things I've never been able to do. And I'm still getting paid. If I wasn't getting paid then I'd be working at a Starbucks making cappuccinos for other people and not for myself. I can do that, I've got a skill now."

If someone called you tomorrow with an NHL coaching opportunity, would you take the job? "If it's the right situation, of course I would take it. Providing the situation was right, I would seriously consider anything. But you have to feel right about the situation. I want to win the Stanley Cup and considering the shelf life of a coach is about 4-5 years, taking a job with a very young team might make that difficult."

Analyze that: "I did some TV work in Canada for TSN. And I'm going back again on November 19th for three more days."

The state of the golf game: "Very good. If you put quality time in your game can improve. I'm hovering between plus-2 and plus-3 handicap. (That's two BETTER than scratch) I've never had a hole-in-one. I shot a 70 at a U.S. Mid-Amateur qualifier and missed by a shot."

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