JR being JR before a Sharks game at Philadelphia.

As today is an important day in hockey history, with Jeremy Roenick hanging up his skates after 21 years in the NHL, I decided to live blog the press conference being held in HP Pavilion today.

11:01 - Press Conference Live started. Seems like a pre-game show.

11:02 - Ahhh, echo effect! Okay, they fixed it. It sorta looks like the State of the Sharks. But wow, lots of people.

11:03 - JR promises to talk a lot. I wouldn’t expect anything else.

11:05 - JR’s roommate was DW when he was 18. Not allowed on the scale before the draft since he was so small, he was scared he wouldn’t be drafted.

11:05 - Talking about Mike Keenan’s impact on him – that “crazy son of a bitch.” He’s already crying. Awwww.

11:07 - “Then Chicago got crazy and traded me.”

11:07 - Talking about how he had to help establish the game in Phoenix. Phoenix owner: “Good news! I just bought a house. Bad news, its right next to yours.”

11:09 - He was proud about playing for the Flyers. “And play for Mr. Schneider Who I gave a hug to when he signed me in 200. Not too often you see a player hugging an owner, which I seem to do quite often.”

11:11 - Uh-oh, lockout, LA, and second stint in Phoenix coming.

11:12 – Not apologizing about his play in LA. So happy to play with Robataille.

11:13 - After Phoenix: “Make a couple texts, say I’m retired.”

“And just when I thought it was all over, the great career, a career that I was really proud of, was leaving, and I wasn’t really able to say goodbye to it. And then Doug Wilson called me, I was in a golf tournament, and he asked me to fly down to San JOse and talk with him about maybe coming here to San Jose. I was a little bit overweight by twenty pounds. - Twenty-five. – Twenty-five.”

11:14 - “Doug Wilson and the San Jose Sharks gave me my life back… and most importantly, they gave me my respect back.”

11:15 - Mentioned Thornton, Pavelski, Setoguchi, and Mitchell – specifically mentioning mentor the kids and taking them under his wing. Says Thornton is one of his best friends.

11:15 - Gordie Howe dumped a bunch of snow on JR’s head back in 77 at a Whalers game. Coolest thing in JR’s life, and that moment stuck with him. Resonated his whole life. Since then, he has been trying to do little things to make the same impression on young children – tossing pucks, grabbing popcorn through photo holes, etc. “Don’t ignore them. Give them your time. Give them your energy.”

11:18 - He still loves the game, and still has passion for the game, but knows that he has to end his career.

11:19 - Says he was done talking, but then remembers he forgot to thank people and started talking some more.

11:20 - One of the 23 players to have 500 goals and 700 assists. Gotta be a HHOF member.

11:21 - That Game 7 was amazing. Truly an inspiration.

11:23 - It was how he played the game – Doug Wilson. “Greatest teammate they ever had.” “This is a guy that played the game the right way.” “The pilot light never went out.”

11:24 - “As unfiltered as JR can be sometimes and some of the things he says, it comes from his heart and he always backs it up on the ice.”

11:25 - JR went “all in” when going to San Jose.

11:26 - Compared JR to Ricci in being fearless, and being afraid for his safety just because he always went all-out.

11:27 - DW is now tearing up, which is something you never see.

11:29 - Greg Jamison was a bit hesitant about signing JR, but in a phone call: “I’ll keep my mouth shut. I’m here to play, I’m here to help.” After one year, went to JR and said he was a complete and total man of his word.

11:33 - Ahhh stupid CSN ticker is cutting off some of his highlights video. But man, is it amazing. I hope its on youtube after this, its really well put-together. Song is perfect as well.

11:33 - 6 goals in 6 career game 7s (t-2nd all-time). Amazing; did not know that.

11:34 - Weirdest 500th goal ever, hands down.

11:35 - Dave Ogrean on the phone, USA Hockey Executive Director. Talks about growing up in Boston and the effect of the Miracle on Ice. all-time leading scorer in the World Junior Championships

11:36 - A’s highlights. Great job, CSNBA!

11:38 - JR tearing up right now, really started crying when he heard Mike Modano on the phone.

11:39 - “I knew I had to keep my head up because I knew you were coming for us and trying to take my head off especially.”

11:40 - “Good luck in retirement, I know you’re going to enjoy it, I’m not too far behind, so I’ll be joining you soon.”

11:40 - JR thinks that Modano is the greatest US-born player of all-time, the phone call was the greatest thing ever. “I’m your biggest fan.”

11:42 – Keith Tkachuck on the phone now. “I hope I’m your second favorite player after Mike Modano.” “I love you man, I love you man!”

11:43 - So, Keith Tkachuk is absolutely hilarious. “So just be half as good as Jeremy and you’ll be fine.” Credits JR to helping establish Phoenix on and off the ice.

11:44 - “I can’t figure out what you’re going to do because its either a) Dancing with the Stars or b) you’re going to be the next judge on American Idol.” Got a big laugh.

11:45 - “It’s amazing on how many good lies you had in the woods.” I think Keith Tkachuck just established himself as one of my favorite non-Sharks.

11:46 - “Oh my god, I love you. I love you like my own brother.” “Well you should, you talk to me more than anyone.”

11:46 - Chris Chelios on the phone. He’s getting ready for next year. Finds it hard to believe that JR is retiring.

11:48 - It still amazes me that Chelios is just a year younger than my mom. Geez.

11:50 - “To see someone stand up to Iron Mike like you did as a young player was pretty special.”

11:50 - Haha, talked about JR’s comment about Babcock at the end of this season. Says he got into a bit of trouble from that, but he’s used to it.

11:51 - “Not golf. I hate golf so I won’t see you there.”

11:52 - “I might be retired, I just don’t know it yet.” Okay, Chelios is making me like him.

11:52 - “I call you on a daily basis, even if you don’t answer the phone.”

11:54 - Question time. But why does Kate Longworth have to be first? Why????

11:55 - JR doesn’t think he’s done with hockey. Thinks he might go into management, hopes someone will help him with that *glances at DW* Is thinking about Dancing with the Stars.

11:56 - David Pollak! Asks if he regrets saying anything. JR says that he always spoke from his heart, that he didn’t want to be cliched and generic, because the fans and the media didn’t want to hear that. JR kind of enjoyed being ripped by the media for his quotes.

He never said anything he regretted or would take back.

11:59 – “Whenever I meet someone, I have 2 minutes, I have a handshake, and I have an autograph.”

12:00 - Asked what advice he’d give to an aspiring hockey player – “Don’t be afraid to rock the boat, but do it with respect.” Talks about how teammates make you better, and having fun makes you a star. “Just enjoy it. It goes by really quick.”

12:01 - “I want to be remembered as a warrior.” He hated losing more than he likes winning.

12:02 - Talking about transforming himself as a player, helping the young guys like Pavelski, Mitchell, and Setoguchi. “Joe [Thornton]‘s not a young guy. He’s married and old.”

12:05 - Todd gets to talk, finally. One of his biggest concerns was dealing with JR, he didn’t know what he was getting into. Turned out to be a pleasue to coach, was passionate coming to the ice every day.

12:07 – HAHA JR has the piece of glass that deflected the puck into the goal for his 500th goal. That’s perfect.

12:09 - This past year, JR was soaking up everything, remembering everything.

12:10 - Jody Shelley! Uplink is kind of crappy, but still. All the way from Columbus is pretty special.

12:11 - Shelley talking about how JR just spoke how he felt, that he always told the truth.

12:12 - ROSS MCKEON SHUT UP ABOUT THE PLAYOFF FAILURES!!!

12:12 - I agree with Shelley that it hurt more not winning it for JR than it did just not winning it.

12:12 - Why must Kate be the one interviewing JR post-press conference? Why?

12:13 - JR says it was a great way to go out, but he wishes that he won the Stanley Cup; it will haunt him forever

12:14 - Really appreciates the time he spent in San Jose, he never thought he would get the amount of support he did – its akin to the support in Chicago and Philly.

12:16 - JR regularly hosts dinners for Devin Setoguchi and Torrey Mitchell. They’re going to miss his wife’s cooking. Hilarious.

12:17 - He knew that he should retire – both mind and body told time. He felt that not retiring wouldn’t be right, and he’d be taking away a spot from a young player.

12:18 - His first All Star game was very memorable – at the old Chicago Stadium during the Gulf War. All, the Olympics and winning the silver medal.

12:19 - He hopes that the San Jose fans appreciate his time in teal – don’t worry JR, we do. We really do.

12:20 - He was asked to host some shows, he thinks that the network (CSN) will try to rope him into a job. Right after it cuts to the studio, the anchor re-affirms that and says there will always be a chair available for him.

12:23 - The studio is now analyzing JR’s ability to hold his emotions in check. Once a sports analyst, always a sports analyst.

12:24 - McKeon thinks that broadcast won’t be enough; he sees Roenick as taking up a Ricci-like role in the front office, being close to the players.

12:25 - Press conference is over. Great job by whoever set it up; the speeches from JR, Doug Wilson, and Greg Jamison, as well as the phone calls from Ogrean, Modano, Tkachuk, and Chelios. Almost made me tear up a couple of times.