St.
Louis Post-Dispatch - October 1, 1989
St.
Louis Post-Dispatch - October 1, 1989
n
draft day 1988, the Blues presented No. 1 choice Rod Brind'Amour with
a jersey symbolic of his top selection. He took it off as quickly as
he could. Upon returning home to Campbell River, British Columbia, he
hid it in a closet.
''He threw it in the bottom of a clothes cupboard,'' his father Bob said. ''It was behind shoes on the floor. The rats couldn't get at it.'' He meant no disrespect. Rather, it was an action of respect for the uniform and what it takes to wear it. ''He did it because he hadn't earned it,'' Bob Brind'Amour said. ''He felt he didn't deserve it. He doesn't want to hang up anything until he's earned it. ''He has a philosophy: You can't take anything for granted. You can't achieve anything until you've earned it.''
Brind'Amour feels that way about the big money, too. The Blues pried him out of Michigan State before the playoffs last season with a four-year contract worth $900,000, including a reported six-figure signing bonus. His father says he hasn't spent it lavishly. The signing bonus is in the bank earning interest. He hasn't even bought a car. He drove his parents car when he was home this summer.
The money and fame of being a No. 1 draft choice haven't changed him. ''He cut and raked the lawn this summer, and put gas in my car when he used it,'' his father said. ''He's pretty down to earth.'' And very quiet, a trait he inherited from his mother Linda. ''I'm a talker; his mother is quiet and Roddie's very, very quiet,'' his father said. ''He doesn't go and brag about what he's doing. I always liked that about Roddie. ''I always tried to keep him on an even-keel. If he had a good game, I'd say it's over and finished. If you've got to gloat, go to your room and stay there. Don't go out and wear it on your back. It's paid off.'' This is a sign of maturity.
Brind'Amour carries himself as though he's older than 19. This maturity, along with his determined work ethic, his physical strength and skill, have convinced Blues general manager Ron Caron that Brind'Amour will one day be the Blues' captain.
Ron Perrick, Brind'Amour's agent, marvels at his client's maturity. ''His dad and I are the same age, about 43, and we sat down to have a chat over dinner one night, all of us, talking about life in general and hockey,'' Perrick said. ''I kind of felt Rod was the most mature person at the table. ''It was a funny feeling. Of course, it had nothing to do with having 28 beers.'' Brind'Amour never touches the stuff. Perrick related a story about former Blue Craig Coxe taking Brind'Amour out with some teammates at the end of last season. ''Coxie'd say, 'I'd like to order a round for the boys and a glass of milk for my friend here,' '' Perrick said. ''The kid has got a presence, a presence that you respect.''
Brind'Amour is rapidly earning the respect of his St. Louis Blues' teammates. He's demonstrated his tireless work ethic, accepted a shift to left wing from his natural center position without a complaint and quietly goes about his work. Winger Brett Hull chided him the other day to ''lighten up,'' a good-natured attempt to loosen him up. ''He's pretty quiet, doesn't say a whole lot . . . real low key,'' veteran Rick Meagher said. ''That's nice in its own way. He just goes out to do his job. ''I think it's because he's a No. 1 pick and all the other stuff. People say a lot of good things about him, and he's almost embarrassed by it.''
Not that he doesn't appreciate the accolades, it's just that he feels he hasn't earned them yet. He has five NHL games under his belt, with two goals on his first two shots in the playoffs last season. That's it. And this is his first training camp. Although he led the Blues in scoring through six preseason games with seven points on four goals and three assists, he's not ready to induct himself into the Hall of Fame.
Truth be told, he doesn't think he's been all that great. His response when asked how he thinks he's done: ''Not great, that's for sure. I've made a lot of mistakes.'' Such as? ''A lot of little errors, like picking up the right man, getting the puck out of our end, making good quick passes. You know it and the coaches know it. ''I want to do well, but I make dumb mistakes. I've got to learn to forget it because one error can turn into another error. I don't want to make dumb mistakes. I'm trying to work hard.''
The hardest part is adapting to the left wing. With the Blues five-deep at center, counting Brind'Amour, he's been shifted to left wing to strengthen a weak position. ''I'm still learning; I've not really played it before,'' he said. ''I'm learning my way through it. I prefer center, but I'll play wherever I can. I'm trying every day to do my job.'' Coach Brian Sutter likes him on the wing and said Brind'Amour's been one of the best left wingers. At 6-1, 200 pounds, Brind'Amour's strong enough to handle himself on the wing.
Five years of lifting weights have turned him into hockey's version of Popeye. His father described Brind'Amour as a ''normal-sized'' kid before he started lifting weights at age 14 while at the Athol Murray College of Notre Dame, a private Catholic school in Wilcox, Saskatchewan. His father got him onto a weight program, developed by a family friend, and Rod took his lifting seriously. In the summer, he said he lifts six days a week. He did so this summer at Michigan State, where he returned to complete his freshman year. Building strength is a necessity for playing in the NHL. ''A lot of guys are deceiving in how strong they are,'' he said. ''It's a lot of mental stuff. I feel better after doing it. I think I feel stronger if I do something like that.'' ''He's a strong kid, very strong,'' Meagher said. ''He's a good player, lots of talent, with a good hockey sense.''