Timothy Brown - What it Means to be a Veteran

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Looking back, it seems kind of funny that Timothy Brown grew into the player that he did. For those that followed his minors career, it was not all smooth sailing at first. In his first 19 games in the VHLM, Brown did not score a single goal. During his 20th however, he finally got a taste of goal scoring. Little did the few scouts in the stands know that night, they were witnessing the humble beginnings of a future first round pick in the VHL.

 

 

Brown after scoring his first VHLM goal

 

 

Game 3 of the S75 wildcard round; Seattle trails Chicago 2-0 in the series, and 4-3 in the game. Jacob Tonn has left the Bear’s net, and they try to get that equalizing goal. With approximately 30 seconds left in the game, Brown receives a pass from Kyl Oferson and races into Chicago’s zone. He tries a hopeful pass, but watches helplessly as Jeff Downey intercepts it and skates the other way. The Bears are able to recover and briefly have the puck in the offensive zone, but are unable to get a shot away. Timothy Brown stares into space as reality sinks in. The Seattle Bears have been eliminated from playoff contention. After the game, he takes a lot of flak from both the media and the fans. He had 7 shots and 9 hits, doing everything in his power to keep his team in the game, but they seem to have forgotten. Such are the expectations of a veteran player.

 

 

Brown, moments after being swept by Chicago

 

 

Fast forward to the current season. Timothy Brown has led the Bears in points and goals for the second straight season, and that series a year ago has become a distant memory. The Bears are in a very similar situation as they are heading to the wildcard once again, but Brown refuses to let that get to him. “I have to have a short-term memory”, he explains. “I can’t expect the rookies on the team to learn from their mistakes if I can’t learn from mine”. Brown has never had a letter on his jersey, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t a leader both on and off the ice. He theorizes that it would mean more to some of the younger players on the team, and he prioritizes their needs first. We asked Timothy for his view on how his role on the team has changed over the years. “I was lucky enough to be on the S73 Seattle Bears team with legends like Rayz Funk and Hulk Hogan”, replied Brown. “They helped me improve as a player and as a person. It’s time for me to pay that forward and help the next ones in line”.

 

 

Brown during a team practice in S76