Key Takeaways
- Michael Smerconish paid tribute to Philadelphia Flyers legend Bernie Parent following his passing, sharing personal anecdotes.
- Bernie Parent reflected on his career, philosophy on life, and the championship years in an archive interview.
- Parent discussed the law of attraction and positive thinking as core tenets of his personal and professional success.
- The episode highlighted the strong camaraderie of the 1970s Flyers and the immense fan support during their Stanley Cup victories.
Deep Dive
- Michael Smerconish reflected on the passing of Bernie Parent, whom he idolized as a child and later befriended.
- A Philadelphia Inquirer article by Mike Sielsky called Parent the most indispensable player on the 1974 and 1975 Flyers.
- Parent's 1973-74 season statistics included leading the league in goals-against average (1.89), save percentage (.933), and shutouts (12).
- Bernie Parent works in public relations for the Flyers, maintaining an active lifestyle that includes working out and spending time on his boat.
- He engages in offshore tuna fishing, traveling 80-90 miles out to sea, a passion since childhood freshwater fishing in Canada.
- Parent reflected on the enduring connection with fans from the Stanley Cup years and the over 2 million attendees at the victory parade.
- Parent noted the lasting camaraderie of the 1970s Flyers, with teammates still golfing together after 41 years.
- He cited Jacques Plante as his childhood idol, benefiting from two years of mentorship after a trade to Toronto.
- Parent emphasized that while talent is a gift, success depends on developing it, associating with positive people, and making correct choices.
- His career ended due to an eye injury that caused two weeks of blindness and 19 years of poor vision before a corrective procedure.
- A dentist caller shared owning an original Bernie Parent stick from a patient since 1972.
- Parent discussed memorabilia, noting one championship ring required repair after 32 years.
- He emphasized that winning two Stanley Cups created enduring memories over physical hardware, and he once placed a cup at the bottom of his 9-foot swimming pool.
- Parent recalled a story about positive thinking and visualization during the final minutes of a championship game.
- Parent explained 'The Secret' as the law of attraction, asserting positive thinking draws desired outcomes.
- He and the host discussed how focusing on problems can exacerbate them, contrasting this with solution-oriented thinking.
- Parent confirmed he inherently practiced these principles before reading 'The Secret,' which provided formal structure to his philosophy.
- A caller recounted Parent's specific save against Bobby Orr during a game, recalling his prediction of a win.
- Bernie Parent expressed admiration for the movie 'Slap Shot,' specifically its goalie character.
- A caller from Camden recalled the celebratory traffic chaos in Philadelphia after the Flyers' Stanley Cup win.
- Parent recounted advice from Dave Keon about championship winning and highlighted the close bonds and collective spirit among the Flyers.
- He detailed a humorous 'snipe hunt' prank involving teammate Bob Kelly, the police, and a fake arrest.