A week after burying his son Brendan, USA hockey GM Brian Burke was in Vancouver talking about his temporary team and the loss of his son.
“Your kids are supposed to bury you,” Burke said. “You’re not supposed to bury them. … The saddest thing about it is his future was so bright. The sky was the limit for him.”
A week after burying his son Brendan, USA hockey GM Brian Burke was in Vancouver talking about his temporary team and the loss of his son.
“Your kids are supposed to bury you,” Burke said. “You’re not supposed to bury them. … The saddest thing about it is his future was so bright. The sky was the limit for him.”
Despite the heavy heard, Burke is soldiering on.
“But I never thought about not coming (to the Olympics),” Burke said. “My son would have wanted me to come.”
“I was asked to do a job and I’m going to do it,” Burke added. “The fact that I have had a tragic event in life shouldn’t change it. USA Hockey asked me to do a job and I’m going to do it.”
Burke also defended his decision to go with a younger Team USA this year.
“Sometimes when you’re young, you never know any better and you go all out,” said Burke, who compared an Olympic team to a symphony orchestra. “We’ve been criticized just about everywhere, but it’s a small wedding, folks. There are 23 chairs at the table, that’s all. I did a lot of soul searching on turning the page on our Greatest Generation. I think we have some of the world’s greatest athletes,” said Burke, who directed the Canucks for six years as president and GM, until 2004. “And we’re determined to make some noise.”
Here's hoping it works out golden!
