Remembering Lyndon Byers! LB’s Friend and Teammate- Ray Bourque Joins! ||The Greg Hill Show

Remembering Lyndon Byers! LB’s Friend and Teammate- Ray Bourque Joins! ||The Greg Hill Show

I’ll do it even more right now with our next guest, friend and teammate of Lynden Buyers, Ray Bourke. Hey, Ray. Hillman, how are you? I know it’s a little sad day today, but yeah, it is. Um, I’m I’m okay. I’m okay. But uh we lost uh we lost one of a kind and uh I think I think I agree with you and you know it’s sad day but celebrate the amazing things that LB was all about and he uh when I say one of a kind I I I mean that I haven’t met too many people that uh was like LB on and off the ice. Yeah. Well, I you know, he was the same person Wiggy brought this up earlier. The same person that you saw who was playing for the Bruins or was on the radio. He was the exact same person every day in life when you when you hung out with him. I mean, he was he was all in. He had no off switch, Ray. No off switch. No. No. He’s one of these guys. It’s like be ready. be ready for what comes back if you’re going to ask him a question because he’s going to be real and uh that’s that’s what LB was all about and so much fun to be around. Um he just loved people. He just wanted to be loved and make people feel special and he certainly did that. Um you know uh a great teammate uh kept things really loose uh you know on the road uh in the dressing room and I really think that LD doesn’t get enough credit for the player he was. you know, he’s looked at as a guy that, you know, um when you say a goon or or an enforcer or something like that, LB was a lot more than than just that. I mean, when LB showed up in Boston, he was a second round pick. We had a that was a really good draft for us in 82. Um and LB was part of that. And uh you know, in juniors, LB was uh you know, a guy that would score, set up plays, and you know, if needed, would fight. And that’s how he kind of came into the Bruins. And and then as you come in as a junior player, you got to kind of feel your way and what how can you fit, you know, and and all of a sudden LB was, you know, having a decent camp, went to the miners a little bit, but all of a sudden like, you know, he dropped the Mets and man, it was like, wow, this guy is really, really tough. And he kind of found his way that way. But, you know, LB, you could play LB and not have to worry about, you know, him being on on the ice for whatever amount of minutes he would play. And I just remember a big a big play that he made in the 87 against Montreal when we finally were able to beat Montreal and go on to our first finals. He was playing short-handed with Rick Middleton. set Ricky up for an amazing uh big short-handed goal that really helped us uh propel ourselves uh to get through Montreal. And I think Rey, you can speak better to this than any of us, but this fan base has as much or at least it did when it was a part of the game, which it really isn’t unfortunately anymore. But, um, has as much respect for somebody who drops the myths, as you just said, as as a goal scorer, you know, as as a skill player. Well, the big bad Bruins. And you know, I mean, it’s always like even, you know, even the Bruins now, um, you know, with with some of the signings that they made and all that stuff, they want to find that grit again. you know, something that they they kind of lost maybe a touch and and and part of the Bruins always have to have that piece that element to their team because that’s the history of the Bruins over, you know, decades and decades and over a century now that, you know, the Bruins have looked at as a team that’s going to be tough to play against and and back obviously back in, you know, the 70s and 80s that you you saw a lot more of it. uh you know the the rules have changed and all that stuff, but it’s still a element of the game that is still in the game and the only sport that you know you’re allowed to to fight and uh now it’s you know the fights are a lot less but still when something happens out there and and there’s a reaction and the fights are uh are not staged or nothing. it’s a reaction or frustration or having your teammates back and and back then, you know, that happens a lot more often than it did than it does now. But still, uh it’s an element that LB brought and in the Bruins fan just uh they just love. And you know, we had a we had a tough team. You know, you’re talking LB, Jay, Cam, Gordy, um you know, Swoop. We had, you know, we had a a handful of guys that was ready to take care of any kind of business that was going to happen that way. And and when I broke in, you know, I had Terry O’Reilly, John Wick, Calc Court, Stan Jonathan. It was, you know, it’s always been an element that’s been there that’s been a lot uh that that the fans just love and and uh always enjoy to kind of watch. Well, that’s what allowed you to play as a skilled player really, Ray, because that they would do the fighting for you. Yeah. Well, I’m still 20 and0. I I I still say I’m 20 and0, but I didn’t have to fight the guys that LBD LB did. Uh but um no, it’s uh he he’s an amazing guy. And you know what, like I just I I just remember after his career and then you know he teams up with you and you know he had a uh he had an amazing following when he played. But what you know what happened once he joined you on radio and and just the cult of uh people that uh just loved him and some of the things that he would put himself out there for. Um is just a character that he’ll be missed. uh you know we we all know LB had you know had his issues and and he had to deal with a lot of stuff there health-wise. Yeah. Um but uh just a guy that was such a big heart and and was ready to help anybody anytime. And um and then you know he was a big I mean being being a Brun and then having Don Cherry as a former coach that he never played for but always really liked. And then LBD, you know, kind of picks up on Grapes’s attire and and the outfits that he would wear sometimes and the clothes and and just uh it was just an an amazing character that uh will be missed. Right. You know, there’s always the guys that wear the A and the C on their jerseys, but there’s those guys that are like the hotbeat of the team that might not have that C or A on the jersey, but their leadership just hits in other ways. It seemed like LB was that type of guy. He certainly was. um you know, you your captain or assistant or whatever that uh it’s it’s just not one or two guys that is part of the leadership uh group and uh you know and LB was certainly one that uh was always uh you could go to him or you know he was just a guy that kept kind of a glue guy that kept things together you know and when I said earlier that you know he kept things loose all the time and making it fun. You got to have those guys cuz you know, God knows uh the game could be stressful at times when uh you know, maybe things aren’t going as well as you’d like as a team or whatever and those guys are key all all the time. So, he was certainly one of those. Well, we’ve talked about a lot this morning, but he would also do anything for anybody. And when it when it came to charities in this region, he would show up. All he had to do was ask and he would show up and he would go to anything and support anybody. And so, um, we want to do the same thing for his wife Annie and for his son Will. And so, we launched a fundraiser this morning and the Bruins Foundation is matching your donations up to $25,000 for Annie and for Will. And, uh, Rey, I know you want to make a donation as well this morning. Yeah, the Borg family foundation would love to support uh Annie and Will and and El’s family and uh we’re we we’re going to make a donation of $10,000 on behalf of the W family Foundation. So, I encourage everybody if you’re a big LB fan and and uh Will’s got a little ways to go. He’s a young boy and uh we’d love to support them. Yeah. Yeah, that’s great. And um I think that that you know that when it comes to what he did for others, it’s our opportunity to do it for his family and for as you said, Will has a ways to go and and uh college eventually and all that stuff. So Rey, I really appreciate you taking the time to check in this morning and to share some of your thoughts on on uh on LB on Lynden Buyers. I appreciate it. Oh, thanks. Thanks, man. I know you guys were tight and uh it’s a great uh really appreciate you uh coming out and uh kind of a honoring and remembering uh LB. Uh I know you guys were tight and a special friendship just like uh an amazing teammate. So uh good work. All right, thank you Ray Bour. Thank you. All right, that is Ray Bourke. You could go to the gregillfoundation.org org and go to beneficiaries and make a donation if you want to help Annie and Will. And we will be right back.

Greg opened the show remembering LB this morning! We all are mourning the loss of our friend Lyndon Byers
Friend and teammate of LB, former Boston Bruins’ Captain, #NHL Hall of Famer Ray Bourque joins! Bourque shares his best LB memories!
The Greg Hill Show

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