Before he walked into the Flyers' locker room Monday night and addressed the team after Game 3 of their playoff series against Washington, Jay Snider said it would be one of the most emotional moments of his life.
"Normally," he said with conviction and deep admiration, "it would be Dad in there."
He was talking about Ed Snider, the Flyers chairman and cofounder who died of bladder cancer April 11 at age 83.
During most of his 50 years with the team, Snider would walk from locker to locker after each home game, get to know the players, and, whether they won or lost, thank them for their effort.