Tuvanhillbilly 3.0

Okay, so this is not really Caps related, per se, but you could make the argument that he was a Cap at one time (at least in title, if not in spirit). And these interviews are so darn interesting. So I’m going ahead and posting this interview with Yardo from today’s issue of Sovietsky Sport.

1/13/2008 P. Lysenkov

Photo: Pavel Lysenkov

“JAROMIR JAGR: I’M 37 AND STILL BELIEVE IN FAIRY TALES”

Pavel Rosa gave a start when he turned the corner in the locker room and saw Jaromir Jagr. He then crossed himself and bowed down to the ground. Three centuries ago this is how the serfs bent their backs before the Baron. Well Jagr really did resemble a high society landowner, with his fur-trimmed velvet coat down to his toes, grey-haired wig and red hat.

“Dedushka Moroz (“Grandfather Frost”) has come to visit!” guessed Rosa.

Yagr fixed his broad beard and went straight out on the ice. Avangard’s practice had not yet ended, and players were taking shots at the net, so Yaromir grabbed a puck and made a few feints with it. The dumbstruck goalie didn’t even know how to react to the New-Year’s bullet. The players started smiling and joking “You know, we were good all year long, so Ded Moroz has come to visit us!” and “You know, Yardo, if you wore that outfit during a game, you’d become the KHL champion”.

Whistling the Christmas tune “Jingle Bells”, Jagr smiled into his wadded up beard and cut circles on the ice, posing for the camera. I suggested this carnival arrangement to the Czech superstar yesterday. I have to admit that I myself didn’t believe he’d be brave enough to do this. After all, he is the most expensive hockey player in the world, and he’s no youngster-he’ll be 37 in February.

But the Omsk team beat Lokomotiv 3:1, Yaromir himself made a goal and was in a complacent mood. The guys from the Avangard press service quickly arranged the New Year’s costume. “Dedoooshka Moroz, you say?” said Jagr, stretching out the “oo”. “Oh those Russians. Well okay, I agree. Only you don’t have to dress up my Inna as Snegurochka (Snow Maiden). She would really not like that at all”. (more…)

No, it’s not Caps related at all- although you could make a case for a “6 degrees of Kevin Bacon”-ish connection in that Dmitry Chesnokov (of so many wonderful Russian Caps articles) is involved. The other day I saw this fairly long article on the Sovietsky Sport which was an interview with Jaromir Jagr. The interview was dynamite, but I just didn’t have the time to translate it. Luckily, Dmitry did, and provided it to Puck Daddy for publication today. Whatever your feelings are towards Jagr–love him or hate him, you’d never see an interview like this in the mainstream American sporting press. And I love how he glowingly talks about Avery until he is asked if he would like to play with him again.

Would you love to see him playing for Avangard Omsk?

“No!”  Jagr started waiving his hands and almost fell from his chair laughing.  ”Two years playing together for the Rangers was enough. Couldn’t you come up with a lighter sentence?”

28 July 2008 P. Lysenkov

Jager is from Omsk, Ovechkin is from Moscow

Jaromir Jagr studies Russian and talks with Ovechkin

(Translator’s note: This is an excerpt from a large two-page interview with Jaromir Jagr. Jagr is being interviewed by Pavel Lysenkov from Soviet sport, and I have only translated the portion where Pavel calls Ovechkin up and has Jager talk with him)

….Jager and I go to dinner together. I decide to conduct a “hotline”, where #68 will answer questions from the readers of Soviet Sport. While Yaromir orders chicken and spaghetti, I decide to call… Alexander Ovechkin. I’d like to know what these two superstars might have to talk about? (more…)