In his conversation with Brodie Brazil, Drew Remenda takes you back to the San Jose Sharks very first game at the Cow Palace, back when he was serving as the team’s assistant video coach.
I keep thinking I am going to see my 11 year old self in some of these old videos. I was at that 1st home game and it was my 11th birthday. Been a fan for the last 33 years. Got a Link Gaetz autograph while he had half a hotdog crammed in his mouth, dripped mustard all over the paper. So awessome.
I had season tickets the first two years at the Cow Palace… The best memory I have is having a steep climb of about 50' worth of stairs to get to the bar. It was easy getting up, but not really easy getting down. Let's not forget, Link Gaetz!
Hey Brodie, How cool. It's crazy to cast our minds back to those days because it sort of doesn't seem like it was THAT long ago but, it was. It's just another reminder of how old I actually am! hahaha Thanks Drew and Brodie for this fun walk down memory lane.
Growing up in Minnesota I grew up a North Stars Fan. In April of 1991 went into the Air Force, I was in basic training when the North Stars had their run to the Cup and lost to the Penguins. I got Married to a Girl from California in 93 Which is also the Year The Northstar’s moved to Dallas. I was upset the North Stars left Mn but was very Happy they moved close to me. I went to one game that Year and realized everything about the Franchise was different and they were no longer the Team I grew up rooting for. I had a tough time accepting this and decided at that time I needed a new Team, one that hadn’t abandoned Me. A lot of the old North Stars Players ended up in San Jose and those Teal Sweaters of the first few Years were second to none. Also they had that Russian line and made the Playoffs that next Spring. So I became a Sharks Fan then. In the early stages of my Marriage my Newly acquired Wife being an only child Was extremely Homesick beyond what I would consider reasonable. She asked Daily if we could move back to her Hometown in Northern Ca. I had zero desire to move to Ca but ultimately relented with the caveat that We move close to San Jose and I get to buy Season tickets to the Sharks Games. She agreed and a Month later We ended up moving to Ca, not San Jose however we ended up moving in with her Parents (far East Bay) and my Season Tickets turned into one Game the next Year! I have Loved the Sharks since then. In my lifetime my 2 different Teams have been to the Stanley Cup Finals twice and both lost to the Penguins 1991 North Stars and 2016 Sharks!
Prior to the first season, a coworker and I decided to head down as workouts for the first season had started…and found the doors to the Cow Palace unlocked. So we went in. And the place was empty, of course, except for the team and coaches out on the ice and a few stray workers up in the stands. A worker walked by us and said hi, like it wasn't a problem for us to be there. So the two of us went on down to the penalty boxes, opened a door, and sat down in the sin bin. Just then, the coaches paused the workout and circled the team up at the center ice circle. And one of the coaches (if I recall correctly) pulled out some old program from a few years back and read off the printed height of a particular assistant coach who wasn't the most … um, altitude blessed? … individual on the ice. They'd brought a tape measure so that this reported height could be checked and verified in front of the team, because the boys deserved to know the truth. I don't know if Drew will read this, but … was that you? (My coworker and I were kicked out about 45 seconds afterward, because we obviously didn't belong there.)
I'm 57 i went to Seals games as a young kid until they left in the summer of 76 i was 8… Then we had the SF Smamrocks they played in the old pacific hockey league and played in the cow palace it was fun not the NHL but pro hockey for 9, 10yr old kid it was great.. I went to the first home game ever for the Sharks a pre-season game at the cow palace i payed 8 bucks and sat up in the top corner they won that pre-season game 4-3
I'm a little surprised Drew didn't mention the Cow Palace's history in pro wrestling! Many of the all time greats have wrestled in this building. I actually attended a New Japan Pro Wrestling show at the Cow Palace as recently as 2018.
Anyone from the sharks org reading this: Brodie is KILLING IT with the sharks content. I’ve never been more tuned into this YouTube channel. You gotta make sure he continues to stay around
And only a couple of weeks into that inaugural season, in mid-November, the Sharks hosted the Red Wings in the Palace. Tied them 3-3 and Link fought the toughest guy in hockey at the time, Probert. That must have been a great game for the fans.
My parents were at the Sharks 1st victory over the Calgary Flames at the Cow Palace back in 1991 and our whole family are proud Sharks fans ever since. On a off topic my mom who is Mission High Class of 1959 saw Elvis Presley back at the Cow Palace sometime in the late 50's and was so happy to tell anyone she could about that show!
19 Comments
I was at that 8-0 drubbing!
God I love Drew, we're so lucky to have him for so many years.
I keep thinking I am going to see my 11 year old self in some of these old videos. I was at that 1st home game and it was my 11th birthday. Been a fan for the last 33 years. Got a Link Gaetz autograph while he had half a hotdog crammed in his mouth, dripped mustard all over the paper. So awessome.
I had season tickets the first two years at the Cow Palace… The best memory I have is having a steep climb of about 50' worth of stairs to get to the bar. It was easy getting up, but not really easy getting down. Let's not forget, Link Gaetz!
The Cow Palace is absolutely legendary 🐄🐮.
Hey Brodie,
How cool. It's crazy to cast our minds back to those days because it sort of doesn't seem like it was THAT long ago but, it was. It's just another reminder of how old I actually am! hahaha Thanks Drew and Brodie for this fun walk down memory lane.
Peter St. John
Clovis, CA
Drewwwwwwww!! Bless you bro
Growing up in Minnesota I grew up a North Stars Fan. In April of 1991 went into the Air Force, I was in basic training when the North Stars had their run to the Cup and lost to the Penguins. I got Married to a Girl from California in 93 Which is also the Year The Northstar’s moved to Dallas. I was upset the North Stars left Mn but was very Happy they moved close to me. I went to one game that Year and realized everything about the Franchise was different and they were no longer the Team I grew up rooting for. I had a tough time accepting this and decided at that time I needed a new Team, one that hadn’t abandoned Me.
A lot of the old North Stars Players ended up in San Jose and those Teal Sweaters of the first few Years were second to none. Also they had that Russian line and made the Playoffs that next Spring. So I became a Sharks Fan then.
In the early stages of my Marriage my Newly acquired Wife being an only child
Was extremely Homesick beyond what I would consider reasonable. She asked Daily if we could move back to her Hometown in Northern Ca. I had zero desire to move to Ca but ultimately relented with the caveat that We move close to San Jose and I get to buy Season tickets to the Sharks Games. She agreed and a Month later We ended up moving to Ca, not San Jose however we ended up moving in with her Parents (far East Bay) and my Season Tickets turned into one Game the next Year!
I have Loved the Sharks since then. In my lifetime my 2 different Teams have been to the Stanley Cup Finals twice and both lost to the Penguins 1991 North Stars and 2016 Sharks!
Prior to the first season, a coworker and I decided to head down as workouts for the first season had started…and found the doors to the Cow Palace unlocked. So we went in. And the place was empty, of course, except for the team and coaches out on the ice and a few stray workers up in the stands. A worker walked by us and said hi, like it wasn't a problem for us to be there. So the two of us went on down to the penalty boxes, opened a door, and sat down in the sin bin. Just then, the coaches paused the workout and circled the team up at the center ice circle. And one of the coaches (if I recall correctly) pulled out some old program from a few years back and read off the printed height of a particular assistant coach who wasn't the most … um, altitude blessed? … individual on the ice. They'd brought a tape measure so that this reported height could be checked and verified in front of the team, because the boys deserved to know the truth. I don't know if Drew will read this, but … was that you? (My coworker and I were kicked out about 45 seconds afterward, because we obviously didn't belong there.)
Sweet video brother 😮
Cow Palace. when I was a kid, my kid brain kept trying to figure the name out. This was a great video, Brodie!
I'm 57 i went to Seals games as a young kid until they left in the summer of 76 i was 8… Then we had the SF Smamrocks they played in the old pacific hockey league and played in the cow palace it was fun not the NHL but pro hockey for 9, 10yr old kid it was great.. I went to the first home game ever for the Sharks a pre-season game at the cow palace i payed 8 bucks and sat up in the top corner they won that pre-season game 4-3
Never saw the Sharks play in the Cow Palace, but I did see a Bulls game there! The Palace is an icon of Bay Area and Sharks history!
I'm a little surprised Drew didn't mention the Cow Palace's history in pro wrestling! Many of the all time greats have wrestled in this building. I actually attended a New Japan Pro Wrestling show at the Cow Palace as recently as 2018.
Anyone from the sharks org reading this:
Brodie is KILLING IT with the sharks content. I’ve never been more tuned into this YouTube channel. You gotta make sure he continues to stay around
I went a game there! My first hockey game ever!
And only a couple of weeks into that inaugural season, in mid-November, the Sharks hosted the Red Wings in the Palace. Tied them 3-3 and Link fought the toughest guy in hockey at the time, Probert. That must have been a great game for the fans.
This is great stuff! Great idea who ever came up with it. Love hearing the old stories.
My parents were at the Sharks 1st victory over the Calgary Flames at the Cow Palace back in 1991 and our whole family are proud Sharks fans ever since. On a off topic my mom who is Mission High Class of 1959 saw Elvis Presley back at the Cow Palace sometime in the late 50's and was so happy to tell anyone she could about that show!