OT? A Biakabutuka playing hockey
Today I noticed an interesting last name when going through the hockey news. Turns out that Tim Biakabutuka's nephew plays hockey and was just signed by the Blues as an udfa. Thought that might be worth sharing.
"Jeremie Biakabutuka was born in the hockey-crazed Canadian Province of Quebec. But that doesn’t mean hockey was the sport of choice in his home.
He is the nephew of University of Michigan and NFL running back Tshimanga “Tim” Biakabutuka. That took precedence.
“We are a football family first. Hockey’s like a second sport in our family,” the young Biakabutuka said. “But my father didn’t really like the contact aspect. You can get injured really bad with a concussion. So I played hockey, and I was pretty good at it. So I thought why not just keep going in that sport.”
Nobody tell him about Paul Kariya's concussion history.
Seeing as Uncle Tim and the O line had the Bucks on skates for 313 yards, I totally get the parallel.
As a UM grad born and raised in St. Louis, I can only hope that this young man provides a moment of hockey fan bliss on par to that glorious game.
Interesting
To say nothing of Johan Franzen's concussion history.
Johan Franzen barely remembers Johan Franzen's concussion history.
He was with the Red Wings in training camp last season as a free agent invitee, and he looked like a promising young player in the prospect exhibitions and lone NHL preseason game he played. He signed an amateur tryout contract with the Grand Rapids Griffins in April and played a few games for them at the end of the AHL season. I was hoping the Wings would bring him back again on an entry level contract to play for the Griffins, but they already have a stockpile of young defenseman.
I just realized that Biakabutuka was "close, but no pi" in that historic game against the Buckeyes.
And, what do I mean by this? Well - "pi" - what does that really mean when it comes to football? In my eyes - it's 314 yards. And, Tim was just a single yard short - with 313 yards gained - against the Buckeyes in the 1996 version of The Game in Michigan Stadium.
So it was 99.6π instead of 99.9π. Big deal.
Cool. Thanks for posting.
I was at a game of his this year when they played Moncton. Heard the last name and immediately got on google. You’ll all be shocked to hear that the kid is an absolute brick.
"Disappointing fans in Columbus is nothing new for young men named Biakabutuka." - I approve this sentence :-)!
And we couldn't find a spot for him on the hockey team? For shame!
Not as cool I suppose but Mike Knuble's son I believe has signed to play hockey at Notre Dame.
I wonder if we offered, anyone know? Dad played high school hockey in West Michigan at East Kentwood back in the day, played at UM and then had a long career in the NHL. Bought, or has some stake in an ice rink in Michigan where the Fox Motors travel teams play out of, so still in the area. If his son can play at ND you'd think he could play at UM (although UM only gets top 5 picks in the drafts I guess).
“Too much violent contact in football. Play hockey instead.” LOL
Yeah, that was my takeaway. Football is a violent sport, sure, one of if not the most violent (obviously excluding combat sports), but hockey's not what I think of when looking for an alternative...
Like football, but faster…!