TAMPA — It’s good to be the Coop. Another hockey season is here for the Lightning and its headliner head coach.
Who didn’t want a backstage pass to Jon Cooper and his troopers on the way to the Stanley Cup Final? Charles Barkley, come on down! Vince Vaughn, belly up to the bar! Box seats at Wrigley Field, next to fellow master motivator Cubs rock star Joe Maddon! SRO at Cooper’s decidedly quotable Cup news conferences.
Did we mention his offseason golf game with former Yankees star — and Lightning season-ticket holder — Tino Martinez? One of the other guys in the foursome: Derek Jeter.