Mike Babcock's Humble Beginnings

Mike Babcock is a Stanley Cup champion coach now entrusted by hockey's motherland to win the Olympic gold medal on home ice.

Babcock sure has come a long way, writes Gregg Drinnan. Drinnan remembers Babcock long ago coaching junior in Moose Jaw where he was already a stickler for details:

And how do you think Babcock learned the importance of details? He did it in places like Moose Jaw where he did a turn as general manager and head coach of the Warriors.

He did it while arranging things like Bikini Night. Yes, Bikini Night!

The Bikini Night contestants — they actually were ‘professional models’ out of Calgary — had goosebumps on their goosebumps as they paraded onto the ice surface during the intermissions.

"On these bodies," I wrote in the Regina Leader-Post, "there were goosebumps on the goosebumps. We’re talking big, big, big goosebumps . . . let’s get-out-of-here-and-find-some-heat kind of goosebumps."

Awesome stuff from one of the most underrated hockey blogs out there.