Four More

The Red Wings were playing the San Jose Sharks in the 1995 playoffs. The Sharks had upset the Wings in 7 games the previous year, and Detroit fans, knowing their team was much improved from a year ago, were waiting to avenge the loss. 

I took my friend Tamer to the Game 1 of the series. He was psyched. We got to Joe Louis Arena in time to see the pre-game warmups. We went to the lower bowl, next to the runway where the visiting team entered and exited the ice. There was no way they could not hear Tamer as he yelled at them. 

“That’s it San Jose! Only 4 more games left!” he yelled, referring to what he believed to be an impending Wings sweep. Of course, the Sharks didn’t acknowledge this continuous verbal barrage, but that didn’t stop Tamer. 

“4 more, San Jose, only 4 more!” he yelled as the Sharks skated by. As per my usual custom, I was watching line combinations and the players taking shots on the goalies. Tamer was right next to me, so I heard everything he said. 

“4 more! 4 more!” Tamer continued to yell at the San Jose players. I was starting to tune him out for the repetitiveness. But suddenly, his tone changed. 

Tamer then yelled directly to me, even louder and with more urgency, as if there was something wrong. 

“LOOK! 4 MORE!”

I looked, and there it was, right in front of me. San Jose defenseman Jayson More had skated up and turned around so his back was directly facing us. His number? 4. 

4. More. 

An initial shock and disbelief gave way to serious laughter and guffawing. Some people standing around us noticed too, and laughed. Tamer was not the sort of guy to study team rosters or stats, so I have no doubt he had no idea of the existence of Mr. More or his number. We laugh about it to this day. 

And, as it turns out, Tamer was right. The Red Wings dispatched the Sharks in 4 games to advance to the conference finals. Thus, #4 Jayson More only had 4 more games to play that season.