Sutter during the Cup parade in downtown LA – Photo: IKIRI
By Paul Armbruster • KingsNewsDaily.com •
Grantland’s Katie Baker put together a fun article about what hockey families would make great reality TV stars. The Sutters would certainly be near the top of that list. Here’s what she had to say about them…
You wouldn’t even need a premise for a show featuring the Sutters — you’d just need a camera, a warm jacket, and an ability to decipher farmboy mumbles. The six brothers (Brent, Brian, Darryl, Duane, Rich, and Ron) from Viking, Alberta, all played in the NHL in the ’70s and ’80s and have held various coaching and GM roles since. They’ve proven to be eminently watchable, in an understated and slow-moving way. It’s not unlike watching nature shows, actually.
In the amazing 90s-era documentary on the brothers, The Boys Who Loved Hockey, Darryl Sutter is at one point interviewed while leaning against a fence in front of a barn; years and years later, when he coached the L.A. Kings to the Stanley Cup last season, he did so as one of the more delightfully quotable characters associated with either team. (My favorite moment was his answer to a question about where he was when he got the phone call from the Kings, asking him to come take over the team: “I think I was in the barn … I wasn’t shoveling shit, I remember that, but I had that day.” A reporter followed up, asking him if he was literally in a barn. “Yeah. That’s what I said.”) I would watch a full Ken Burns miniseries on these people, for serious.
For serious indeed. We here in Los Angeles can’t get enough of Darryl’s Sutterisms.
I’d watch! I became addicted to Sutter’s press conferences during the playoffs last year. My co-workers kept asking me why I was laughing so much. Comedic gold.
I’d tune in weekly, for sure. Sutter is the best and he’s so honest
No bull with this guy. Who wouldn’t watch??
I would watch for sure… everything else aside, I bet Darryl and his relationship with his son Chris on the farm would provide some Kodak / heartfelt / Hilarious moments. My Girlfriend is a behavioral therapist and works with autistic kids and I myself volunteer at a school for mentaly, physically, and socially challenged children…I have had the pleasure (let me reiterate PLEASURE) of working with some kids who have down syndrome and they are some of the coolest kids around…not to mention most have a greast sense of humor and are very generous in many ways. So in conclusion…I would watch but would bet on Darryl and Chris being the highlight of it all.
Mad respect for the time you give to those kids. I know you get a lot out of it yourself but it’s a wonderful and critically important thing you’re doing as I know you know. Regarding a show, I know you also know it would probably never get made but you’re right, for all the silly fun a show like that would focus on, the highlights and profound moments would be examining his relationship with his son. Thanks for sharing man.
Anytime…thanks for providing a forum to share.
Wow, I give you a lot of credit to take the time to help out like you do in volunteering. Much props to you!
Paul may provide the forum, but you and your girlfriend do the job! Well done to you both!