March 16, 2000: Bob Clarke snaps over questions regarding Eric Lindros' health
Bob Clarke, the general manager of the Flyers, went "Bob Clarke" in an interview during the game against the Montreal Canadiens regarding the health of star Eric Lindros.
The Lindros-Clarke relationship in Philadelphia over No. 88's career was an icy one, to put it mildly. In this episode, Lindros was still out of the lineup from a concussion from a March 4 game at Boston. When pressed by reporters and one local beat writer in general, Clarke snapped back and dispelled the claims regarding Lindros' health and treatment since the Boston game.
It even got a little personal, this on live television.
Clarke muttered, "You make all this stuff up and write it as truth," with a frustration in his voice. Clarke held back as best he could, but the "Flin Flon Bomber" allowed his Hall-of-Fame hockey passion to seep through to the interview, ending the exchange with an expletive directly at the reporter.
You can catch the 41 second audio clip here via YouTube.
Questions regarding the health of Lindros during his Flyers career were almost tabloid-like in coverage. From his concussions, bruised ribs, back spasms, even a collapsed lung in April of 1999, the superstar was constantly under a microscope from the media. Eventually, Lindros was traded to the New York Rangers in the summer of 2001.
Only in Philadelphia…
Mike Watson is a contributing writer for Flyerdelphia. Follow him on twitter @Mwats_99.
