That's my boy!!!

[Don Cherry]

December 26, 2002
Tru Bru
By Dan Shaughnessy
ESPN The Magazine


Canadiens tonight. And Joe Thornton can't wait to get to work. Fortunately, it's not going to take him very long to walk from his home to the FleetCenter for the Bruins game against Montreal. Jumbo Joe lives less than two blocks from his workplace, which gives him the best commute of any pro athlete since Robbie Alomar lived at the SkyDome Hotel while he was playing for the Blue Jays.

On the 37th floor of a high-rise tower overlooking Boston's Charles River, Joe has the bachelor pad of your typical 23-year-old millionaire sports star.

Giant TV ... bobblehead doll of self on top of TV ... huge leather couches arranged in L-shape in front of TV ... PlayStation ... Xbox ... autographed jerseys from Nolan Ryan, Jeff Bagwell and Bruins demigods Bobby Orr and Johnny Bucyk ... Ping-Pong table in living room ... fridge filled with Cool Whip, OJ, frozen peas and cases of Egg Beaters (beer discreetly hidden in cabinets) ... bedroom ... bathroom.

There's one book in the place, and it's a bio of another athletic Joe named DiMaggio. Jumbo Joe Thornton is not a big reader. "Not too much spare time out there, eh?" he says with a laugh. "Just play hockey and go to sleep."

He sleeps, though, knowing that the Bruins have the best record in the Eastern Conference and that he's largely responsible. Folks around Boston are touting Captain Joe as MVP timber. Playing on a line with sniper Glen Murray and the silky combo of Sergei Samsonov and Mike Knuble, Thornton is on a 100-plus point pace, trailing only Mario Lemieux in scoring....MORE...

[SkateZilla]

But if he doesnt ride the team bus he'll get Mugged for Cash in the Parking Lot or under a bridge.