Schony was Chara

[Eleven]

Spent a pleasurable evening watching a friend's old film of Sabre games that I'm sure I watched as a kid ('75-'80 were the years), and realized something: At one point, Jim Schoenfeld was the biggest freaking player this league had seen. It was pretty neat listening to a CBC announcer (I think it was Hodge) stating that "with his size, he could play in the NBA." No lie. I also watched him administer beatdowns on Bobby Orr and another Bruin (#10, I don't know whom) in the same game. (The light-ups on the old Aud--remember those light-ups beneath the oranges?--read "When Orr fights, you know it's frustration." Cool camera shot; wonder why the Sabs don't do that now.) Saw a good Red Army game too.

 

The commercials were as funny as you'd imagine: an oft-repeated ad for "Molson Diamond," an ad for a coffee maker that one actually could set to make coffee in the morning, and the intro of the "NEW" Ford Bronco.

 

Ted Darling on some of the vids was awesome. I do miss him. And Jeanneret, on the Sabs' first win in the '75 finals (game 3) against the Flyers--obviously this was dubbed--was cool too.

 

But what really impressed me was Schoenfeld's size. Geez, he was a freaking Frankenstein out there compared to the rest of the rink. That escaped me when I was a kid, but looking at it now, he was what Chara is now. And he plowed everybody, blocked shots (in some of the older games, without a helmet), and passed beautifully.

 

Mr. Regier, please sign Chara this summer.

[topshelfcookies]

I wasn't born until '83, therefore wasn't really remembering much hockey until around '89 or '90.

 

I know that what I first remember really associating Schoenfeld with were his "City Mattress" commercials, and the fact that I think my Mom still has a crush on him (she would always say something about him being dreamy when those commercials came on).

 

Man...how much fun would it be to take all the money the Sabres get from their playoff games and just start a "Chara fund". Every home game we get, another what, $1-2 mil gets tossed in the pot? Get to the second or third round, and boys, you've got yourself the best defenseman in the league. Can you imagine our PP with Chara? Hahahahah...

 

Eleven- your point about Schony though makes me think? In 20 years will I be talking to my kids about how when Chara came into the league he was a "monster", but now, every team has a couple of guys that run 6'7"? Scary thought...that's a lot of ugly.

[Taro T]

Spent a pleasurable evening watching a friend's old film of Sabre games that I'm sure I watched as a kid ('75-'80 were the years), and realized something: At one point, Jim Schoenfeld was the biggest freaking player this league had seen. It was pretty neat listening to a CBC announcer (I think it was Hodge) stating that "with his size, he could play in the NBA." No lie. I also watched him administer beatdowns on Bobby Orr and another Bruin (#10, I don't know whom) in the same game. (The light-ups on the old Aud--remember those light-ups beneath the oranges?--read "When Orr fights, you know it's frustration." Cool camera shot; wonder why the Sabs don't do that now.) Saw a good Red Army game too.

 

The commercials were as funny as you'd imagine: an oft-repeated ad for "Molson Diamond," an ad for a coffee maker that one actually could set to make coffee in the morning, and the intro of the "NEW" Ford Bronco.

 

Ted Darling on some of the vids was awesome. I do miss him. And Jeanneret, on the Sabs' first win in the '75 finals (game 3) against the Flyers--obviously this was dubbed--was cool too.

 

But what really impressed me was Schoenfeld's size. Geez, he was a freaking Frankenstein out there compared to the rest of the rink. That escaped me when I was a kid, but looking at it now, he was what Chara is now. And he plowed everybody, blocked shots (in some of the older games, without a helmet), and passed beautifully.

 

Mr. Regier, please sign Chara this summer.

While Schoeny was big (6'2", 200 lbs) and definitely one of the strongest players in the league (maybe THE strongest), there were guys that were bigger than him in the league. Pete Mahovolich definitely was bigger than him (6'5", 210). Korab was bigger too (6'3", 220), as were a handful of others.

 

Some cool memories though.

[Rabbit151]

I remember my father laughing at old Jimmy Scho, "Get the puck out of the zone, Jimmy". It was his only play, and he was terrific at it. Off the glass and gone. The Kalinin blunder the other night, forget about that with Jimmy Scho.

 

For those who are too young, Jimmy Scho was tough, and willing to do anything to win.

[blugold43]

my most enduring memory from my first sabre game came courtesy of schoenfeld. it was the 75-76 season; i was 10 years old and my dad had been comped two seats in the very front row at the blue line. some helmetless forward from the blackhawks tried to skate the puck out his defensive zone with his head down. Schoeny met right at the blue line and waffled him against the glass so hard that it left a streak of blood and snot on the glass right in front of my face for the rest of the game. good times. :)

[X. Benedict]

I remember my father laughing at old Jimmy Scho, "Get the puck out of the zone, Jimmy". It was his only play, and he was terrific at it. Off the glass and gone. The Kalinin blunder the other night, forget about that with Jimmy Scho.

 

For those who are too young, Jimmy Scho was tough, and willing to do anything to win.

 

What I remember about Schoney was his uncanny ability to block shots. I was a at a game once and I was with a friends father who I never remember cursing and after about the 5 blocked shot by Schoney in minutes, he said, "That guy is a human F&*()%^g pincushion. " There were some nights where it seemed every shot hit him.

[Eleven]

While Schoeny was big (6'2", 200 lbs) and definitely one of the strongest players in the league (maybe THE strongest), there were guys that were bigger than him in the league. Pete Mahovolich definitely was bigger than him (6'5", 210). Korab was bigger too (6'3", 220), as were a handful of others.

 

Some cool memories though.

 

Either the official stats are tweaked, or the disco-era camera technology is playing tricks on me, because Schony looks much taller than Korab on the video. Maybe it's the orange hair. Maybe I'm developing vision problems.

[mphs mike]

Eleven you bring back some great memories. I was such a Schoeny fan as a kid that I spent money on his album! Like Dave B I know that Korab was actually bigger but no one was tougher.

 

I'm confident the B's game you reference is the Dec. 1972 game which I will forever remember. Schoeny took on Orr which really p'od the B's. He also fought Carol Vadnais and he busted through the zamboni door fighting Wayne Cashman. That is how legends are born - it was Schoeny's rookie year!