Bob Probert dies--45 years old...

[POJO_Risin]

It looks like he had an apparent heart attack...

Probert Dies (http://www.cbssports.com/nhl/story/13603948/exred-wings-blackhawks-enforcer-probert-dies-at-45?tag=headlines;other)

[POJO_Risin]

Ex-Red Wings, Blackhawks enforcer Probert dies at 45
July 5, 2010
CBSSports.com wire reports






DETROIT -- Retired hockey enforcer Bob Probert, as adept with his fists as with a stick in a 16-season career with the Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Blackhawks, died Monday after suffering chest pains while boating with his family. He was 45.

"Bob lost the fight of his life this afternoon," said Probert's father-in-law, Dan Parkinson, a police officer who performed CPR before Probert was rushed to Ontario's Windsor Regional Medical Center.

Probert was on a boat in Lake St. Clair with his wife, children and in-laws when he "developed severe chest pains" Monday, family friend Rich Rogow told a Monday evening news conference at the medical center.

"This is a tragedy for the family," Parkinson said. "We ask that you respect their privacy at this time."

Probert, who struggled to overcome drinking problems during his time in the NHL, played for the Red Wings in 1985-1994 and for the Blackhawks in 1995-2002.

"Bob was a part of our very first NHL Draft class that also included Steve Yzerman, Joe Kocur, Petr Klima and Stu Grimson," Red Wings owners Mike and Marian Ilitch said in a statement. "Bob was always there for his teammates and was one of the toughest men to ever play in the NHL.

"He also was one of the kindest, most colorful, and beloved players Detroit has ever known."

Blackhawks president John McDonough said the organziation's "thoughts and prayers are with the entire Probert family."

"Bob will always be a member of the Blackhawks family and his memory will live on through our fans," McDonough said in a statement.

The Windsor native had 384 points (163 goals, 221 assists) in 935 career regular-season games with Detroit and Chicago. His 3,300 career penalty minutes rank sixth in NHL history.

"Bob was a guy that started as a strictly tough guy but made himself a player," former Toronto maple Leafs enforcer Wendel Clark told Canadian Press. "Off the ice, everything was a whole different story. He was one of the good guys and he'd do anything for anybody."

Probert was charged several times with driving under the influence while playing for Detroit. He also was caught trying to carry cocaine from Canada into the U.S. in 1989 and served a six-month federal prison sentence.

The Blackhawks honored Probert with a Bob Probert Heritage Night on Feb. 22, 2009, at the United Center, and he dropped the ceremonial puck before Game 3 of the 2009 Western Conference Final between Detroit and Chicago.

No funeral arrangements were immediately made. Probert is survived by his wife and four children.

[Diamondjimi]

Wow, way too young to go. Probert was a tough sumbitch.One of hockey's great "late" fighters. He hang back and let his opponent tire himself out and then he'd unleash the fokken fury.
He partied quite hard in his younger days. Cocaine,liquor and whores, he lived like a rockstar back then.
Cocaine will blow your heart out sooner or later...

R.I.P. Bobby!

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The Probert/Crowder bouts were fuckin legendary!

[redblkwht]

Think maybe a stroke or something to do with ALL those fights? there were a ton
when he was a blackhawk, RIP bob-

[atomicpunk5151]

Man can't believe it now. Looks like all the stuff caught up with him in the end.

He was probably Top 5 all time fighter. But the guy could also play. Got 29 goals in 88-89, also made the allstar team. Played wing on Yzerman's line quite a bit as well in those days.

Just tough as hell.

Also his bouts with Tie Domi, Craig Coxe, Marty McSorley, Tony Twist, Wendel Clark and a few other guys in the late 80s/early90s......just stuff of legend.

+++++
Joey Kocur - “This is a very sad day for Red Wings fans as we have lost one of the toughest players, best power forwards and all-around great guys who ever wore the Winged Wheel. My favorite memory of Bob would be sitting down before a game, going over the opposing lineup and picking and choosing who would go first and if the goalie would be safe or not. It was great to be able to go out on the ice knowing that he had my back and I had his. He was like the brother I never had. My prayers go out to his family.”

[Diamondjimi]

Think maybe a stroke or something to do with ALL those fights? there were a ton
when he was a blackhawk, RIP bob-

Mmm, I'm leaning more to his history with this shit...

http://profitbiztools.com/cocaine-addiction-solutions/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/cocaine_lines.jpg

The abuse always gets you in the end... ;)

[Matt White]

The TOUGHEST guy I've ever seen play hockey.....

Don Cherry said it best years ago....

"The reason Steve Yzerman didn't get injured his 1st 1o years in the league is he had Bobbie Probert ridding shotgun for him..."

RIP BOB

The WINGS need to retire his #

[Va Beach VH Fan]

This might have been his best known fight, vs. Marty McSorley...

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[BITEYOASS]

R.I.P. you penalty box lovin mofo! :winner:

[Nickdfresh]

This was a while ago I saw this, but one of the Buffalo Sabres broadcast commentary guys and former NHL defenseman for the Rangers, Sabres, Wings, and Canucks, Mike Robitaille, once told an off-the-cuff story on air about Probert while doing a round table sort of discussion post-game.

He said he was around during a playoff series in the 80's between Detroit and Edmonton where Stevie Y was getting his ass handed to him nightly by Oilers' checkers. So, a couple of games in after it was clear that the Oilers were going to steam roll the Red Wings, Probert skated up to Wayne Gretzky, and said something to the affect of, "tell your guys to lay off Yzerman, or I'm coming for you..." Probert told Robitaille that "Gretzky's eyes got wide-as-quarters" and he immediately skated over to the Edmonton bench. Steve Yzerman barely got touched the rest of the series...

R.I.P. Bob...

[Nickdfresh]

This might have been his best known fight, vs. Marty McSorley...

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When was this?

[Va Beach VH Fan]

When was this?

1994 I believe....

[Romeo Delight]

Thing about Probert is that he could actually play.

All of my favourite alll-time hockey fights are Probert-Kordic.

[POJO_Risin]

You don't stay in the league as long as he does if you can't...

and especially with all his off-ice troubles...

[Nickdfresh]

COMMENTARY
Probert had chance to be so much more
By Drew Sharp
DETROIT FREE PRESS
Updated: July 08, 2010, 6:33 am /
Published: July 08, 2010, 12:30 am

DETROIT—He could’ve been . . . Those words become Bob Probert’s epitaph. It’s the monogram for the blown opportunity.

People heartbroken over his sudden passing Monday seek solace in remembering what he was far removed from the often smothering attention of his playing days with the Red Wings.

Probert finally found the serenity that long eluded him during his troubled past. He was a doting father. He once covered some of the travel costs for a sick little boy to receive the special medical treatment in Los Angeles he needed with one caveat—no one was to know that he was the provider. He twice visited U. S. and Canadian troops serving in Afghanistan as part of an NHL alumni tour.

It’s commendable how selflessness grew from the wreckage of self-destruction. That’s certainly to Probert’s credit and encompasses an integral part in telling the story of a life snuffed out too soon. But it cannot and should not fully erase the enduring frustrations of a hockey career lost in a haze of chemical and criminal abuses.

He could’ve been . . , one of the great NHL power forwards.

Probert was that rare hockey contradiction, physically indomitable with a deft scoring touch. It wasn’t fair classifying Probert as a goon because that implied his lone value was that of enforcer, dropping his gloves and bearing his fists. He wasn’t a designated thug buried on the fourth line, used only when seeking retribution. He was a top-six forward who could skate and score.

Probert was more protector than instigator.

Someone once compared Probert to notorious Broad Street Bully Dave Schultz, and he took it as high praise because Probert knew that for all the fights and setting up residence in the penalty box, Schultz once scored 20 goals in a season for Philadelphia—evidence that embracing the reputation of a brawler doesn’t mean ignoring the presence of true hockey skill.

He could’ve been . . . one of the top 10 Detroit professional athletes of all time.

Probert was already a beloved Detroit sports figure because this is a city that always comforts the imperfect, finding forgiveness for the flawed athletes cast aside as no longer usable. Maybe we were nothing more than closet enablers.

But can you imagine the measure of Probert’s popularity had he stayed clean and averaged 25-30 goals a season while also maintaining law and order on the ice? Only Steve Yzerman and Nicklas Lidstrom would have been more popular publicly among Wings’ players over the last 25 years.

He could’ve been . . . so much more. Sudden death often brings with it a sudden urge to canonize the departed, but the best tribute to Probert wouldn’t be sugarcoating the dark side that primarily defined his career. Perhaps remembering what Probert threw away and later gained becomes motivation for those desperately crying for help taking back their lives from the temptations of alcohol and drugs.

Probert rightfully earned his acclaim as one of best fighters hockey ever saw. His victories on the ice were quick and decisive.

But the daily fight off the ice—where victories are tabulated in consecutive days of sobriety and inner peace—is perhaps how Probert finally achieves the legacy that an underwhelming career couldn’t provide.

[Von Halen]

Probert was a good guy. Yes, he had his issues off the ice, but he was one of the good guys. The only time he ever hurt anyone other than himself, was when he was kicking the shit out of someone on the ice.

Back when I had my '71 Challenger, and used to do the local car shows, I met Bob Probert. There was a big "Nationals" show at the Michigan State Fairgrounds every year, and this one year Probert knew somebody in our group and spent the day hanging out at our area. I had to go take a leak, and Probert said he'd walk with me. This was one of the times he was attempting to stay off the drugs and drinking, so he was totally straight. We come out of the restroom, and this really wasted fucker sees Probert and just starts lambasting him. Talking major smack. Now, Probert was a big motherfucker, and this guy was my size or smaller. I have no doubt Probie would have killed the dude, easily. I'm thinking this is going to get crazy. We stop, Probert looks at the dude, turns to me and says "come on, let's get back to the cars". We start walking away from this guy and he starts yelling to Probert that he better walk away, he's a drunk pussy, and all this shit. So, we stop, turn around, and this guy just keeps running his trap. I see Probert is really struggling with how to handle this, so I ask him if he wants me to go fuck this guy up. Probert says "No, I would love for you to do that, but in the end it would just come back to haunt me when the media gets hold of the story". He was right. It wouldn't have mattered who kicked the shit out of the guy, it would have been one more black mark on Proberts legacy. At that time, he didn't need anymore bullshit, even though he had more problems after that. He was trying. I have always regretted not drilling that guy square in the chops.

Bob Probert and Joe Kocur were two of the baddest motherfuckers on blades. You fucked with Yzerman, or any of their teammates, you paid the price. It's what kept the game clean. I'd suggest reading the book "The Bruise Brothers". Great great stuff.