Jeremy Roenick discusses new book, concussions and evolution of U.S. hockey in Q & A with Eh Game

Three years after publishing his autobiography - J.R.: My Life as the Most Outspoken, Fearless and Hard Hitting Man in Hockey, Jeremy Roenick has released his second book Shoot First, Pass Later.

Known as one of the greatest U.S. born players to ever play in the NHL, Roenick partnered once again with veteran sports writer Kevin Allen (USA Today) to write about topics such as his transition into life as a television analyst, parenting and the current state of the NHL.

Eh Game had a chance to speak with JR via telephone where discussed a variety of different subjects from concussions and politics to partying.

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EG:  On Dec. 1 it was announced that you would be playing for the Chicago Blackhawks alumni against the Minnesota Wild / North Stars alumni at the upcoming 2016 Stadium Series in Minneapolis.  It is your first game wearing a Blackhawks sweater since being traded in 1996, how does it feel?

JR: I’m very excited about it, it should be a lot of fun, I’m very close with everyone there and played against the Minnesota North Stars when they had Mike Modano and Dino Ciccarrelli.

It’ll bring me back to my start, it’s a nostalgic feeling.  The Blackhawks took a chance on me.

EG:  In November your book tour stopped in the Greater Toronto Area, how did that go?

JR: It went great, I had a great media tour, there was a lot of traction, my book sales soared especially on my website.  We had two good signings in Burlington and Mississauga.  It was well received and we have been doing very well in sales.

EG: How did the partnership start with Kevin Allen of USA Today who wrote the book with you?

JR:  Good question. Kevin Allen I have known since I was 14 or 15 when he did a piece about top American players coming through ranks.

I’ve known him for 30 years, it’s really good relationship, me giving him what he needs and him being nice to me, I thought Kevin was the perfect guy to put my attitude and opinion on paper.

EG: For those that haven’t read your first book, how is this one different? And was the process different in the way it was written?

JR:  The process was a lot different, (for the first book) the entire process was 92 hours of interviews between Kevin and I.   There was lots of storytelling about my life as an athlete and in the locker room, with the language we use in locker rooms and lots of crazy stories

At this point, I had to graduate as an analyst.  This book has a more professional outlook, tone and personality in the way the book came across.

(Shoot First, Pass Later) has my opinion on the game today, players today, Gary Bettman and our relationship, my family – being a father and a pro athlete.  It is a little more serious, it’s a fast quick read that entertains you and allows you to have an opinion about my opinion.

EG: What’s the fine line between a player that enjoys the night life turning out like you have? Or ending up like Derek Sanderson when he hit rock bottom?

JR: Representation and relationships. My agent found me when I was 13, we got close.

When I was a pro, he was already a father figure and didn’t care about anything else but me.  Also having a wife that didn’t care that I was a pro athlete, she cared about my wellbeing as a person and our relationship – and everything that being a pro athlete brings.

EG: You have had 14 concussions in your career?  Some ex-players have filed a lawsuit against the league right now, what are your thoughts on the matter?

JR: I’ve had 13 concussions and I don’t really think about, I can’t avoid what’s going to happen to me, I’ve played the game with the understanding that its physical, gruelling and punishing and I chose to play it hard in the way I wanted to be viewed and it allowed me to be successful, life is about overcoming all obstacles.

You can’t buy the life that I have had and that I have, you can’t buy the experiences that I have had. I am one of a very select few to do things I do and have done and I wouldn’t change what I have done to worry about what happens when I am 65, I could be a good guinea pig.

I’m 46 next month, I feel great, no effects of my concussions, hopefully I never do, but I can tell you I am not worried about it all right now.

I don’t understand how you can grow up and dream about being a pro athlete, a hockey player and dream about being in the NHL and the NHL giving you that platform which allows you be famous and live a great life and turn around 15 years later and sue them because you say they didn’t have your back.

Hockey, football - it’s no secret that they are brutally punishing sports.  In the 1980's, not only were players not aware of concussions, neither were the management or doctors, I don’t think they knew what CTE was in the 1980's.

It would be a kick in the balls to go and sue the organization that gave me the opportunity to have the life that I have had and gave me this platform.

EG: Do you think your opinion may have to do with how much money you made versus what they did?

JR: That’s not the league's fault if you came up in the wrong era or didn’t play well enough, the league shouldn’t be punished for that

EG: How has the American game evolved since you began playing?  What do you think the reasons are behind the progress?

JR:  The 1980 U.S. Olympic Team sparked a generation - the best generation of USA hockey, that’s Jeremy Roenick, Mike Modano, Brian Leetch, Chris Chelios, Keith Tkachuk and Bill Guerin who in the 1990’s and 2000’s were favoured in international hockey.

Through our generation, USA hockey has become more prevalent across the country in terms of building rinks, becoming more of a mainstay and creating different training programs like the USA development program.

(The Miracle on Ice) was the trigger, my generation and then the amp up at the grass roots level.

EG: What about the contribution of NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman?

JR: Gary, you may not like him because of the lockout but he has done so much to build hockey in America. He cares.

EG: Are the St. Louis Blues the new San Jose Sharks in the sense of a talent laden team that can’t get over the hump?

JR: Yes

Here is a team that has underachieved and has an amazing amount of talent.  Each year the hockey gurus are expecting the Blues to be one of the better teams - then they make the playoffs and bow out.

They need to change their mentality, the Hawks always have their number, they have to get over the Hawk curse or they could be the Sharks of the early 2000's.

EG: Is there a certain X- Factor missing in teams that are considered chokers?

JR: I think David Backes is a good leader, a solid player who wears his heart on his sleeve.  I think he would be able to draw players into playing the right way.

Is it goaltending? That they haven’t had the solid reliable goaltending you need year after year, going back and forth between Jake Allen and Brian Elliott or their European blend?

They have good European talent.

It’s a determination to play the same way with the solid goaltending you need night in night out.

EG: The new coach's challenge system, you spoke in favour of it in the book but it had not been implemented at the time of publication, are you in favour of what you see?

JR: I love it, I love the challenge and 3-on-3.  A game that is so fast like ours, you can’t rely on the human eye to get everything right – it’s an impossible task.

When you have the technology to see what happens and u don’t use it (a situation can happen where a team can) miss the playoffs by 1 point, that’s millions of dollars in revenue.

That can’t be given to the natural eye to get everything right, always use video to get it right, a coaches challenge will allow the right call to be made.

3-on-3 is entertaining, 70 percent of Overtime games decided in OT and not the shootout is exciting.  There are breakaways and back and forth action, finally we’re going to have an All-Star game worth watching.

EG: You talk about hanging out with former U.S VP Dan Quayle. If you had to run for president what player would make a good running mate?

JR: Without question it would be Chris Chelios, if I was doing something wrong or unethical – he would kick my ass and get it right. He is a protector and sidekick and would make sure that everything was done properly.

EG: Is there anything you would like to add?

JR: I think that the topics in my book will make for a very informative day of reading.

You might not like me and not like my opinions but I think you’ll like reading my book.

Follow Neil Acharya on Twiter: @Neil_Acharya