Dave, Groomsman

Dave (aka: DK)

DK had me at "a gator bit my arm."  Ask him about it.  I met Dave when I started playing for this softball team called Riff Raff in the early 90's.  He was the pitcher, and had this somewhat unorthodox, yet effective, throwing motion (see: gator encounter).  But I didn't let that prevent us from being buddies.  We won the championship in Oak Park my first season on the squad (a clear indication I was the difference maker), and we remained good friends ever since.

In Forest Park, Dave kinda took me under his wing, and taught me the art of bartending at the old O'Sullivan's on Circle Ave.  All good bartenders have a mentor, and DK was like the Coughlin to my young Flanagan.  There were no stupid poems, and no bottle tricks...just shots of Absolut in your pint of Killian's Irish Red.  DK also made a pretty kick-ass Reuben, and would always pile the corned beef thick and high when I came in for lunch after class at Loyola.  I remember thinking, "damn, this guy looks a lot like Mickey Rourke.  But he makes a helluva sandwich!"

DK can get pretty passionate about things, like someone else I know ;)  In 1992, when my Pens beat his Hawks in the Stanley Cup, I think he wanted to slug me at one point.  Maybe it was after Game 1, when I went berserk after Mario Lemieux netted the GWG with 12 seconds left.  Dave wasn't too happy as I ran by pumping my fist and screaming in his face.  But being my good pal, he restrained himself.

Dave is one of those people that you can hang out with for an hour, and he'll treat you like his best friend that he's known forever.  Simply a great guy and an even better friend. And because I love Dave so much, I dug through the archives to find this video to dedicate to him...



Pens trailed 4-1 in this game. Ouch :)