My Brief But Impactful Memory of Joey Moss

Joey Moss with fellow 2015 Alberta Sports Hall Of Fame inductees Bruce MacGregor and Kevin Martin.

A legend is gone.

Sad news today as the world has learned of the passing of Edmonton Oilers and Eskimos mainstay and Alberta Sports Hall of Famer Joey Moss.

Tributes have been pouring in on social media today from those who knew him best and could do way better justice on what he meant to so many people than I ever could. But I wanted to take a moment and add my voice to those from a slightly different perspective.

Back in the late nineties, I was an awkward, out-of-place college student in my first year of radio school. One of the privlieges afforded to us was the opportunity to acquire press passes to Edmonton Oilers games to help us get our feet wet in the world of sports media.

So when it came around to our turn, my fellow student Steve and I got our best suits out of the moth balls and headed down to Northlands Coliseum (then known as Skyreach Centre) for what we were sure would be our big break.

We stuck out like sore thumbs, I'm sure, dressed in the best clothes we had, which were either too dated or too fancy for the occasion. Plus we had never had "backstage" access to anything like this so I'm sure we either came off looking like lost puppies or wide-eyed kids in a candy store.

As we haphazardly searched for the media lounge, who should come walking in our direction in an otherwise empty concourse but the man himself, Joey Moss. We knew who he was immmediately, I mean of course we did, the guy is an icon in Edmonton.

And as he strolled towards us, going about his duties, he spotted us in our fancy duds and remarked "Cool dudes!"

With that nod of approval and a high five to one of us, he was on his way.

It was that moment, along with the fact that I hit Kevin Lowe in the face with a microphone that night - a story for another time, that left a lasting impact on me in my young, budding career.

That if Joey Moss thinks I'm cool, I must be doing OK.

I think I should get a tshirt made...

"I'm Cool Because Joey Moss Said So."

My favourite quote that I've seen today comes from Barrie Stafford from the Oilers equipment staff.

"Joey may be the only celebrity in the world who doesn't really understand that he is one."

And because of that humble disposition, he gave a couple of fish-out-of water a boost of confidence in an otherwise intimidating situation.

Thanks Joey. RIP.

Photos Courtesy of Sunny 94's Al Lucas.