Brampton Hockey Player Scores at Centre Ice
BILL BRIOUX
How do you put a relationship on ice? Davey Morris did it in style December 8, proposing to his girlfriend at a Brampton, Ont., arena just before his weekly Men’s league hockey game.
Morris met his bride-to-be, Tanya McNeil, at the school where they both work, Brampton’s St. Lucy Catholic Elementary. Turns out the girl loves hockey, which was the deal maker for Davey. After a year-and-a-half courtship, he wanted to pop the question on the giant electric scoreboard at the Air Canada Centre during a Toronto Maple Leafs game, but when he contacted the rink, he found out the deep thinkers at Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment don’t go for that sort of thing anymore. Something about too many broken hearts in Leafs land over the years.
Morris, who plays on “Valley’s Hawks” on the six team Brampton Teachers’ Hockey League (affectionately known as the “Louie League” after co-founder Lou Bell), decided the next best thing was to get down on one knee before his betrothed at centre ice just before a game at Brampton’s South Fletcher SportsPlex.
His team mates—who include yours truly--knew something was in the works. A month earlier, Morris sent an email to players around the league asking if any of us knew a good jeweller. As it happens, somebody did and a ring was ordered. Proof once again that hockey is the answer to all of life’s great mysteries.
Morris sent another email about a week ago asking his team mates to get to the next game on time and be prepared to participate in a little stunt. When we stepped on the ice Tuesday evening, plastic shades were handed out, to be worn during the ceremony. Over in the penalty box, Jimmy the referee managed to coax some romantic music out of a borrowed boom box.
Valley’s red jerseys lined up opposite that night’s opponents, the boys in blue and white from “Pugliese’s Express.” A red carpet was rolled out from the corner of the rink and players extended their sticks is a Sherwood salute.
Down the middle of the red carpet walked McNeil, who knew something was up, too. The giveaway was when Morris had the girl—along with her entire family--brought to the rink in a limousine. The Zamboni must have been booked.
McNeil arrived and was escorted to centre ice, where Morris—in a black-and-red hockey sweater that looked like a tux—was waiting. He got down on one knee-pad and asked McNeil to be his lawfully wedded hockey wife. The poor girl said yes.
After the game in the dressing room, guys were asked to keep their pants on long enough for McNeil to join in on a toast. Morris popped the cork on a bottle of champagne, surely the first time alcohol had been snuck into an Ontario sports facility.
Pictures were taken and a great time was had by all. Long after the usual ice cold shower and dash to the parking lot, the guys stayed behind yakking and just generally savouring the big bonding adventure.
“Hey, don’t you guys want to get home to your wives?” Morris finally asked.
The poor bastard, we all thought.. Still, helmets off to a classy dude. May they raise a whole family of big-hearted draft picks.
Read More Bill Brioux at TV Feeds My Family
