Even though his voice has a southern twang to it, don’t be fooled. Geoff Collins has Pennsylvania roots.
He was born in 1971 and grew up near Atlanta, but when he went to the Omni Coliseum to watch NHL games, he wasn’t cheering for the Atlanta Flames. Collins instead rooted for the Philadelphia Flyers, even if people threw stuff at him, he said.
Collins liked the physicality and toughness of the 1970s Broad Street Bullies led by Hockey Hall of Famer Bobby Clarke. When he played middle school basketball for his dad — a big fan of former Temple men’s basketball coach John Chaney — Collins won the Floor Burner Award, given to those who hustled and gave a strong effort.