Bob Probert's new book "Tough Guy"

**In Play Magazine** · October-21-10, 09:05 PM

We just got an advanced copy of Bob Probert's book that he was working on entitled "Tough Guy." Will be reading and posting tidbits from each chapter. Just started reading but the prologue gives you a detailed first hand account of what happened July 5th, 2010, the day Bob passed away. VERY, VERY SAD!

Chapter 9 - "Probe, I've had it with you. You don't wash your underwear. You're eating a hamburger, you're not taking this serious, and I've just had it." - Red Wings Assistant Coach Colin Campbell.

Wings dressing room...
Friend of Bob's: "You're the greatest."
Campbell: "Why are you saying stuff like that to Probe? He's a mess!"
Friend: "God gave him gifts. He's the man"
Campbell: " You're right. God did make him, because no man could create such a piece of shit like this."

So many great stories!!!

http://www.facebook.com/pages/In-Pla...8874928?ref=ts

Ravine · October-26-10, 03:51 AM

No rush on my account. The guy always struck me as being an asshole.
Most guys who are most noted for being "tough guys" are assholes.

**sirrealone** · October-26-10, 08:42 AM

"I always knew what the right path was. Without exception, I knew, but I never took it. You know why? It was too damn hard."

As I've been reading the exerpts from his book in the Freep, that's the line that kept popping into my head [[from Scent of a Woman, one of my favorite movies).

Probert played so hard in hockey, I think he often left it all on the ice. Then, when he was off the ice, he'd just take the easy way out which, as we know, led him to trouble time and time again. At least that's the impression I get from the book. I'll see if our library gets it and read the whole thing one day if so.

**smogboy** · October-26-10, 10:42 PM

Originally Posted by Ravine

No rush on my account. The guy always struck me as being an asshole.
Most guys who are most noted for being "tough guys" are assholes.

I have never understood the mad rush to be first in line. I see people lining up to see movies at midnight- like the movie degrades or changes a week later. I see people sitting outside of stores for days on end, rain or shine to get the latest electronic gimcrack like the first ones are that much faster and prettier. Same with books. It's not like the good ol' days of sitting in front of the neighborhood Harmony House so you could get tickets at the TicketMaster for better seats at a concert.

I'm sure it's a nice tribute to Bob Probert and his fans will undoubtedly find something neat about his personal life in it. While I cheered for him when he played for us, I thought he could've and should've been that much better. He was truly blessed with some talent; he had size, a mean streak and a decent set of hands. For all intents and purposes, he was a power forward and if he truly realized just how good & skilled he was- we might've been talking a Stanley Cup here during his era. Instead he'll be forever etched in my mind as a fighter and someone who never realized his own potential because he fought so many of his own personal demons.

Ravine · October-27-10, 06:12 AM

Smogboy, I've known my son to do that, with movies, on numerous occasions, and I think I have figured out what it's about.
Y'know, the young'uns are all so into the social networking bit, I'm thinking that in order for them to be ready to discuss, and "tweet," like crazy with each other about new movies, they want to have seen them goddam immediately, otherwise they will A) feel as though they are behind the tweet-ball, and B) figure that they have to stay away from their usual cyber-haunts in order to avoid blogged & tweeted "spoilers."

--Ravine, half-heartedly trying to sort of understand, and keep up with, things about which he does not truly care.

**Downriviera** · October-27-10, 09:26 PM

This won't be in the book, but back when the Pistons annointed themselves the "Bad Boys", it kinda ticked me off. I thought the Wings, with Probert and Kocur were Detroits Real Bad Boys. So I made up some T shirts with a a skull wearing a hockey helmet with crossed hockey sticks with the slogan, Detroits Real Bad Boys. A hockey buddy of mine knew one of the Wings equipment guys, so I gave the guy a box of shirts. He passed them out to the players. Probert liked it so much he started to wear it under his jersey. It was in plain view anytime his jersey would come off in a fight. He wore it because he liked it and didn't get paid a dime to wear it. That was pretty cool considering most athletes these days won't do anything unless they get paid. I never got to meet him though. I do have a poster sized pic of him wearing the shirt framed and hanging in a place of honor in my den.

**Wingnatic** · October-28-10, 06:07 PM

One thing most people didn't know about Probert is that he had a big heart and once paid a kids airfare [[the family couldn't afford it ) so he could travel to get treatment [[ and was mad when someone disclosed he bought the airfare) , Bob was a frequent visitor to troops in the middle east . And a few months before his death , he watched a program on TV with his wife that dealt with head injuries specifically concussions in football , boxing , and the need for athletes from hockey to donate their brain for study just as a handful of football players and boxers had already done . Bob told his wife he's like to do that for which she did .