Definitely a difference-maker

Sporting News, The, March 20, 2000 by Larry Wigge

"Look at Pittsburgh in the early 1990s," MacInnis says. "They needed help on defense and got it in trades for Larry Murphy and Ulf Samuelsson. The Avs went after Sandis Ozolinsh in '95-96, and Detroit got Larry Murphy before they won in 1997 and '98.

"Ray Bourque can play with anybody, anywhere, any time and make that team better."

"We've been missing something here for a couple of years," says Foote, whose stay-at-home style should work perfectly as Bourque's defense partner in Colorado. "When he walked into the dressing room, it was like, `Whoa! This is the missing piece of the puzzle.'

"It's still something. I mean, you see him in the dressing room, but you still can't believe it's really him. He's one of the most respected guys in the game, maybe the most respected, and he's sitting right next to me all of a sudden."

Battling the odds? Battling time?

No, that's not the mosaic I would paint of Ray Bourque. There's more mileage left on this thoroughbred--much more.

"If I play the way I think I'm going to be playing," Bourque says, now fully realizing he's back in a playoffs race, "it's not the end of Ray Bourque.

"All I needed was a reason to continue-and winning can become contagious, you know?"

Moving on to success? Ray Bourque is hoping that, like Roger Clemens, leaving Boston finally will bring him a championship. But Bourque, like other sports immortals who changed teams late in their careers, forever will be associated with his original club.

                  Old             Years with              Year of
Player            team             old team    New team   the move

Hank Aaron        Braves              21       Brewers      1975
Willie Mays       Giants              20       Mets         1972
Ty Cobb           Tigers              22       A's          1927
Phil Niekro       Braves              20       Yankees      1984
Johnny Unitas     Colts               17       Chargers     1973
Joe Namath        Jets                12       Rams         1977
Franco Harris     Steelers            12       Seahawks     1984
Joe Montana       49ers               13       Chiefs       1993
Bob Cousy         Celtics             13       Royals     1969-70
Clyde Drexler     Trail Blazers       12       Rockets    1994-95
Oscar Robertson   Royals              10       Bucks      1970-71
Doug Harvey       Canadiens           14       Rangers    1961-62

Tim Horton        Maple Leafs         20       Rangers    1969-70

Player            Comment

Hank Aaron        Returns to Milwaukee, where career started with
                   Braves, but the Brewers continue to struggle.
Willie Mays       Retires after Mets lose World Series in 1973.
Ty Cobb           A's fail to halt Yankee machine until 1929--the
                   year after Cobb retires.
Phil Niekro       Two 16-win seasons, but no playoffs, before moving
                   on to Indians, Blue Jays and back to Braves.
Johnny Unitas     Chargers can't escape division cellar with a
                   2-11-1 record.
Joe Namath        Rams win division with 10-4 record, but Namath
                   plays in only four games.
Franco Harris     Seattle goes to playoffs, but Harris is released
                   before Halloween.
Joe Montana       Two years with the Chiefs, two playoff
                   appearances, but no return to the Super Bowl.
Bob Cousy         Plays only seven games with Cincinnati as
                   player-coach, and team goes 36-46.
Clyde Drexler     Helps Rockets win second consecutive NBA title
                   in 1995.
Oscar Robertson   Teams with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to lead Bucks to
                   1971 NBA title.
Doug Harvey       Wins his seventh Norris Trophy in his first season
                   with Rangers. Later bounces around the minors
                   before finishing up with the NHL expansion
                   St. Louis Blues at 44.
Tim Horton        After brief stays with Rangers and Penguins, he
                   still is a solid defenseman for the Sabres at 44
                   when he dies in an auto accident in February
                   1974.