Latest news with #TheGreatOne
The Province
5 days ago
- Sport
- The Province
Gretzky says favourite nickname is the one Alberta gave him, not 'The Great One'
'My dad hated that one. He hated The Great One,' Wayne Gretzky admitted recently Retired NHL hockey player Wayne Gretzky (left) and his father Walter Gretzky (right) at the University of Alberta Hospital in Edmonton on Tuesday October 3, 2017. Photo by Larry Wong / POSTMEDIA NETWORK Already with one of the most iconic nicknames in professional sports history — The Great One — it's easy to forget that Wayne Gretzky was briefly bestowed with a different title: the White Tornado. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors During his minor hockey days, Gretzky, wearing white gloves, dominated a Quebec City tournament with speed and scoring prowess, leading someone in French media to dub him le Tornade Blanche. University of Alberta Chancellor and Lt. Gov., Lois Hole, holds the hand of Wayne Gretzky as he receives an honorary Doctorate, during a convocation ceremony, in Edmonton in this file photo. PHOTO BY: JOHN ULAN 'My dad hated that one. He hated The Great One,' Gretzky admitted. Those same gloves sold for US$14,291 (CAD$ 19,727) at auction in 2019. His personal favourite, however, is Doc, in recognition of his honorary doctorate from the University of Alberta, awarded in 2000. Gretzky made the revelation on the recent New Heights podcast with brothers and pro footballers Jason and Travis Kelce. Gretzky told the Kelces he asked friends to call him Doc because people also did so for Dr. Jerry Buss, the late former owner of the Los Angeles Lakers. In reality, Buss was a legitimate doctoral recipient, having completed a Ph.D in physical chemistry at the University of Southern California before becoming a real estate magnate and an NBA franchise owner. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Wayne Gretzky meets fans as he signs autographs of his book at a book signing at West Edmonton Mall in Edmonton, Alberta on Monday, October 24, 2016. Photo by Kucerak, Ian / Postmedia 'My kids even call me Doc,' Gretzky said. He offered a different version of how he earned the name five years ago on TNT's The Steam Room. He recounted being on a plane when one of the flight attendants asked if there was a doctor on board to help attend to a passenger with anxiety, prompting him to hit the call button. 'She goes, 'Really?' And I go, 'Yeah, I'm an honorary doctor.' She goes, 'That's not funny,' and I said, 'Well, my goodness, I wouldn't have said it if I thought the guy was really in trouble.' FILE: Wayne Gretzky blows out candles to celebrate his 18th birthday. Photo by EDMONTON SUN QMI AGENCY / EDMONTON SUN QMI AGENCY Doc was applied, he said, after he told friends on the golf course. Another little-known sobriquet he revealed to hosts Charles Barkley and Ernie Johnson is Mr. Douglas, which was the name he'd use at hotels to avoid fans at the height of his fame. Douglas is also his middle name. Teammates quickly adopted it in the locker room once they found out. Gretzky said fellow former Oilers great Mark Messier, meanwhile, would often call him Mr. Waynderful. Read More News News News Vancouver Canucks Vancouver Canucks
Edmonton Journal
5 days ago
- Sport
- Edmonton Journal
Gretzky says favourite nickname is the one Alberta gave him, not 'The Great One'
Article content 'My dad hated that one. He hated The Great One,' Gretzky admitted. Those same gloves sold for US$14,291 (CAD$19,727) at auction in 2019. His personal favourite, however, is Doc, in recognition of his honorary doctorate from the University of Alberta, awarded in 2000. Gretzky made the revelation on the recent New Heights podcast with brothers and pro footballers Jason and Travis Kelce. Gretzky told the Kelces he asked friends to call him Doc because people also did so for Dr. Jerry Buss, the late former owner of the Los Angeles Lakers. In reality, Buss was a legitimate doctoral recipient, having completed a Ph.D in physical chemistry at the University of Southern California before becoming a real estate magnate and an NBA franchise owner. 'My kids even call me Doc,' Gretzky said. He offered a different version of how he earned the name five years ago on TNT's The Steam Room.
Edmonton Journal
5 days ago
- Sport
- Edmonton Journal
Gretzky says his favourite nickname is the one Alberta gave him and not 'The Great One'
Article content 'My dad hated that one. He hated The Great One,' Gretzky admitted. Those same gloves sold for US$14,291 (CAD$19,727) at auction in 2019. His personal favourite, however, is Doc, in recognition of his honorary doctorate from the University of Alberta, awarded in 2000. Gretzky made the revelation on the recent New Heights podcast with brothers and pro footballers Jason and Travis Kelce. Gretzky told the Kelces he asked friends to call him Doc because people also did so for Dr. Jerry Buss, the late former owner of the Los Angeles Lakers. In reality, Buss was a legitimate doctoral recipient, having completed a Ph.D in physical chemistry at the University of Southern California before becoming a real estate magnate and an NBA franchise owner. 'My kids even call me Doc,' Gretzky said. He offered a different version of how he earned the name five years ago on TNT's The Steam Room.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
John Cena's Farewell Tour Has Been a Total Flop
John Cena's heel turn felt like a transformative moment in the wrestling business. The eternal baby face, embarking on his farewell tour, took a dramatic creative leap during the twilight of his career. It unlocked a myriad of stories to explore and was supposed to allow Cena to do his most interesting character work since the "Summer of Punk" in 2013. The initial presentation at Elimination Chamber was edgy and Hollywood. Cena was possessed with a rage of violence, with The Rock, a generational movie star, calling the shots. Travis Scott's involvement was a bit odd, but he's a global hip-hop mogul, and to a certain generation, his presence provided an immediate aura. Advertisement Since that night in Toronto, it's all been downhill. But why? How has WWE botched this run, and how can they salvage it? John CenaGetty Images Let's get one thing out of the way: The Rock's absence has unquestionably been a detriment to this angle, but with some witty writing, the company could've minimized that. Cena could've articulated his motives and portrayed The Rock as some overlord operating in the shadows, who could pop up anytime he saw fit. That increases the desire to see "The Great One," but doesn't create confusion when he doesn't appear. From his opening promo, Cena's material has felt expired by a decade. Since the "Open Challenge" era in 2015, when he showed a willingness to put young talent over, Cena has garnered monster crowd reactions. He slowly transitioned into the "living legend" who was putting on bangers in the ring and was finally embraced by fans. This idea that he's holding a grudge from back when Obama was in office is a bit hard to rationalize. Advertisement From the jump, he's cut the "you people" style of promo, mixed in with some comedic one-liners. By constantly raising his voice and having the same inflections before the barb that's supposed to generate heat, he becomes a parody of himself. Almost all of Cena's mic time hasn't ended with him lying flat on his face. Every week before their subsequent matches, Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton have decimated Cena, even when the latter has tried to gain the upper hand with a cheap shot. Yet the bell rings for the bouts, and Cena becomes a formidable threat. The finish to those affairs has featured five total ref bumps and interference from Scott and R-Truth. Cena has won and retained the Undisputed WWE Championship thanks to a rapper and a 51-year-old jobber. This is somehow not a 2K career mode. The Needed Fix John CenaGetty Images Cena has to immediately ditch the bullying-the-audience approach—he needs more depth as a performer. If the plan is to turn him face before he hangs it up, he has to lean more into his personal insecurities and the state of the locker room. Advertisement He should be paranoid about his successor and how he's concerned about the landscape of WWE once he officially retires. Cena should question if anyone can "fill his shoes," which opens the door to teasing his final opponent the rest of the year. There's likely to be a multi-man match with Scott in the fray at some point, so explain the complexities of that relationship. If The Rock is busy, fill in the gaps of how he facilitated the partnership and why Scott is a valuable asset outside of the squared circle. Travis Scott & John CenaGetty Images The inevitable programs with AJ Styles and CM Punk will likely be a step up in quality thanks to past chemistry. Punk, in particular, can evoke a more passionate Cena on the stick, and hopefully, the pair can exchange words beyond potty humor and the art of being a father. Advertisement If the final chapter is another duel with Rhodes, that's fine, but it can't be telegraphed by creative. The climax of this story should come on the final date in Boston. Cena should be determined to leave his hometown as the "Last Real World Champion" and try to avoid a rematch with "The American Nightmare." There are endless roads (no pun intended) to explore, but this current one is littered with potholes and debris. This Cena story must rediscover the plot before it's too late. Related: WWE Insider Predicts Huge Rock and John Cena Summerslam News Related: What's Next for Cody Rhodes? An Update on His Creative Direction
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
WWE Insider Predicts Huge Rock and John Cena Summerslam News
John Cena's heel turn felt like a moment in time. The babyface, who for two decades dedicated his life to being the positive image of the company, took the most daring creative leap of his career during his farewell tour. The image of Cena brutalizing Cody Rhodes with the Rolex leaves the current generation's megastar dripping in his own blood. The spectacle of seeing Cena's change in demeanor was elevated dramatically by the involvement of The Rock. The throat slit, the barking orders—"The Great One" has an aura, and flanked by a hip-hop mogul, it gave Cena a swagger he had been missing since 2005. The Rock's shocking absence and a half-baked villainous Cena have soured the angle, but one wrestling insider has information that could reignite fan interest. The Rock, Travis Scott, John CenaGetty Images On a recent episode of his podcast, former WWE talking head Jonathan Coachman revealed some interesting information about the potential creative for The Rock and Cena. Advertisement "I also got wind that at some point this summer, The Rock and Cena will be crossing paths to make up for the disaster the last two months have been," Coach said. "I also found out that Night 2 of SummerSlam will have a tag match involving Travis Scott. Now they (the creative team) are trying to get that summer back by booking all of this stuff two or three months out."\ Coach clarified that his intel suggests that the SummerSlam bout will be a six-man tag, indicating that one side could have Scott, Cena, and perhaps maybe even The Rock. That might seem outlandish now, but there's still plenty of time to book a cohesive story leading to that blow-off. Scott and Cena: SummerSlam Team Preview?Getty Images Cena's character has gotten rather stale since his first few heel promos, but there's plenty of time to salvage this new persona. Adding some layers and filling in some holes with The Rock back in the fold would do wonders, and the two sharing the ring together again would be the icing on the cake. Related: Cody Rhodes Return Update: Is a WWE Comeback Imminent? Related: Triple H Blasted as 'Idiotic' by Wrestling Veteran Over Creative
