A POTENTIALLY ROYAL ISLANDERS FAMILY
The true romance of a Bourne and a Gillies
(Editor’s Note: An amazing thing happened when Justin Bourne came back to Long Island two years ago on a college break to attend his father Bob’s induction into the Islanders Hall of Fame.
As he recovers from a broken jaw suffered during the ECHL season, Justin has started to write. Check out his blog here. When we caught up via email a few days ago, I told him he had to share his love story with Islanders fans. I thank him for agreeing…CB)
Everyone wants to know, and Brianna loves to answer. I love the answer as much as her; it’s the re-telling of our little fairytale that gets a little redundant. Brianna is my girlfriend. I would love for her to be my fiancé, but I play hockey for a living. And I don’t play private-jets-to-Montreal hockey, I play sleeper-bus-to-El-Mira hockey. The pay scale varies a smidge from the first type to the second, and shiny finger circles cost about what I earn per year. But that next level is so close…it’s just so close.
My Dad, Bob Bourne, won 4 Stanley Cups with the New York Islanders in the early ’80s. He put up great numbers as a big man who skated like a runaway train. He killed penalties and was a playoff performer, scoring 40 playoff goals with 56 assists for 96 points. His reward for his service was induction into the New York Islanders Hall of Fame in late 2006.
I was playing NCAA Div. 1 hockey at the time, representing the University of Alaska Anchorage in the highly-acclaimed WCHA. The Islanders offered to fly me down to be a part of the ceremony, so I gladly took them up on their generous offer. No, thank you, I won’t be needing accommodations; Dad says I’ll be staying with family friends. Let me take this thing back a little further.
Bob Bourne and Clark Gillies are Saskatchewan boys. Clark was from Moose Jaw, and Dad from Kindersley (Netherhill, actually). They played baseball against each other growing up. In fact, both were so good that they ended up in Virginia, playing Double A ball for a Houston Astros farm team. They played against each other in the Western Hockey League - Clark for Regina, Dad for Saskatoon. Dad may have mentioned on occasion he was glad to be friends with Clark, the hulking power forward of a generation, because it afforded him the free pass from punishment other players were not so fortunate to carry.
When they found themselves on the same Islanders team at 20 years old, the foundation of their friendship was poured. Both married, their wives (my wonderful mother Janice, and Bri’s wonderful mother Pam) were like two peas in a pod. They bought houses next door to each other, and their 5 kids became a little posse: my brother Jeff, and Bri’s sisters Jocelyn and Brooke. (Please note that Clark Gillies has 3 daughters. That’s another article entirely).
Brianna and I were particularly close. We dredged up an old birthday video (at McDonald’s, no less. Way to splurge, parents), and at one point I can’t find Brianna, and I call for her repeatedly. The pictures and stories go on, but those are largely for the pleasure of Pam and Mom. As the paths of Dad and Clark veered in ‘86 (Clark to the Buffalo Sabres, Dad to the L.A. Kings), the families stayed in touch. Even when we moved up to Kelowna, British Columbia, Clark would come to Dad’s golf tournament with the kids, and all was well. What I’m getting at is, we were close. Really-very-quite close.
Yet when I was flying down to stay with the Gillies Family for Islanders Hall of Fame weekend, they were kind of strangers to me. I hadn’t actually talked with them since I had formed a personality (still up for debate), and the last time I saw Bri I think she had an inflatable alligator around her waist and water wings on. The Gillies house is full of love and dogs. They have 3 Newfoundlands, which in case you were wondering, are indistinguishable from Clark if he’s in sweatpants. They’re huge.
I walked in, got hugs and hellos, and got slobbered on. Bri wiped it off with her sleeve, offered me a beer, and we all caught up with one another. She was my unofficial host for the trip.
We drank a lot. The induction was a solid 3 days of meeting at a different place to have drinks (fine with me), so Bri and I were comfortable enough to really talk. She was great. Smart, funny and cute, she was everything I sort of stopped expecting to find while trying to figure out who I’d end up with. I thought about how amazing it could be. I thought maybe she did too…
What? Oh, you have a boyfriend. Oh.
Bri and I got along a little too swimmingly, and decided to stay in touch. I had had a great week with her, but it was time to grow up and move on and all that mumbo-jumbo. We talked frequently after that, each time as good as the previous. January 2nd, I got a text from my brother Jeff saying “Brianna’s myspace status changed to single.”
Bri called that night. After a few weeks of talking, we decided we had to give it a go. We booked her a plane ticket to Alaska (by we, I mean our parents; we were broke and in college) to see if this could work. Not only could it, it did. Bri spent time with my family in Kelowna during the summer, and I spent the remaining time with hers in Dix Hills. I was training for my own experiences…I had been invited to Islanders rookie camp and eventually the big one. It was confirmed…we - Brianna and I - were officially an us.
Brianna finishes her Masters degree in Occupational Therapy on June 26th (to add to her BA in Psychology and BS in Health Sciences). I finish my second year of playing hockey professionally here in the next few months, and we have some decisions to make. (I also have a BA in Psych, but that parlays into squat).
We can’t wait to start our lives together, and the tentative plan is to move close to her sister Brooke in Boston and rent a refrigerator box while we try to make ends meet early on. I’m looking for work, hoping to write, and she’ll be putting out applications. She’s one of the best in her class in a much-desired field, so she shouldn’t have any trouble. Our families love the situation so much they can’t handle it. And we love it even more. So without further ado, I present my master plan:
I extend this offer to the Islanders: We will sell you the breeding rights. All you have to do is pay for the wedding, and we’ll give you the guaranteed rights to our first-born son, breeding the styles of two Islanders Hall of Famers, restoring the Island to its rightful place of glory. The potential is huge. He could be Okposo’s linemate after a Chelios-esque 18-year career. He could be draft eligible while Ricky is still under contract. We’re building something here!
So whaddaya say, Mr. Wang? The puck is in your zone.
Comment on this story here. Slide down for discussion on other Islanders topics.
54 Responses to “A POTENTIALLY ROYAL ISLANDERS FAMILY
The true romance of a Bourne and a Gillies”
Please Wait
Great piece of writing by the kid. Can you imagine the offspring of these 2 gene pools. Loved the ending about Okposo and Ricky. Very funny.
Great stuff.I don’t know about his kid but Justin can easy replace B.D. who is MIA anytime…
Damn this kid’s blog is great!!!
It’s candid, insightful, funny and very honest. You get the feeling you are reading a real person instead of forced rambelings.
It’s what blogs are supposed to be.
Great story!! Clarky’s daughter aint to shabby either
thats a great story. Here’s to a great and happy future for Brianna and Justin.
Also dang he is one hell of a writer
Excellent! F’ing hysterical. Gillies daughter is hot!!!
Damn this blog rules…
Hey CB have you tried to reach Mr. Wang or Snow for comment? LOL
He has already been signed to a fifteen year contract!
its worth a shot. can’t be worse than Tambellini bloodline
What a neat story !
I wish Justin a lot of luck in his hockey career. Also to Brianna as well. We should have the draft rights to all male offspring of Justin and Brianna ! Build via the draft !
Go for it Charles !!!
Pat
Great story, good luck to a wonderful life together.
Wow great story. Young love.
A child with the genes of Gillies and Bourne mixed together? I’d sign it as a preschooler.
What a great story.
However, let’s look at the other angle too…what about all those poor boyfriends who date one of the Gillies girls and have to go home and pass muster with Jethro himself? I’d be more concerned about that than I was when I dated the daughter of a high-up in one of the county PD’s, who always liked to remind me how many guns he had and how good he was at using them.
Might as well clone a few extra amd put all of them into the rapid aging chamber so that way they’ll be ready to play hockey in five years instead of eighteen.
So is he no longer an Islanders prospect?
Sounds like a classy kid! The Bourne and Gillies families should be very proud of raising what seems to be very down to earth, nice kids. Not so easy in this crazy world. Hats off to both families…!
Pay for the wedding and sign the kid!
lmao! Sell the breeding rights.. That’s awesome!
The way CW’s luck is running, they’d have all daughters. Heh.
Great story. Thanks CB and thanks Justin for letting Mr. Botta post it. I hope it all works out. Great picture too. You both look very happy.
Awww, how sweet! This is a great story, and I like Justins reasoning lol…
Loved the story. Just went and read some more of his blog. He’s a really good writer. If hockey doesn’t work out he should try writing professionally. I posted and told him so. His writing is funny and honest and seems to come from the heart. I am thrilled our dynasty may carry over to a new generation. Now if we can just convince CW to pay for that wedding. . . j/k
ROFLMAO!!!!
Best blog of the year…
Well done young Bourne-son.
I’d chip in for the wedding, but I’ve got a daughter and soon to be son-in-law squandering away my discretional income this year for a humdinger in Vegas.
Hey, then again, if you get anywhere with Wang, give consideration to a double ring with us!!
Daughter was a D-1 Vball player and future son-in-law played (I am chagrined to say) for a New Mexico soccer team that took the bridesmaid position in the finals of the NCAA’s a few years back.
Hell, get the four of you married at the same time and ship all of you off to Saskatoon, no wait..not a good idea, er Moncton for a honeymoon in the dead of winter!!
I’d much rather have a HOCKEY grandson than a g’damn soccer playing rugrat. (Soccer is the downfall of the American Civilization).
Nick Classic..
I was thinking the same thing about the guys going to Gillies’ house to pick up his daughters. I would LOVE to compare notes with Clark.
For the record…
There was not a single guy that came to my house for my daughter that was not met by me with a Louisville Slugger(wooden-34/31). And it was already cracked and broken.
True story….Her Junior Prom…
“Uh Mr. 505, what time do you expect your daughter home tonight?”
“What time is the prom over?”
“11:30PM”
“Where is being held?”
“Downtown, at the Civic Center”.
“Okay, at that time of night, that’s about a 22 and a half minute drive, so we’ll see you at 11:54″. (And I am shadow swinging my bat during this chat)
“Well, Mr. 505, we were thinking of going to Denny’s for about an hour afterwards”.
“Okay fine….I’ll expect you at 12:35AM….WITH A RECEIPT FROM DENNY’S”
She was home at 12:32AM..
(HEY!!! she had volleyball the next day).
Off-Topic sidenote to Young Bourne-son..
Nice to see the Seawolf colors on this blog….I was an original season ticket holder to the Seapups in the early 80’s before (in the chicken coop) and when they moved to the Sullivan (4 ducats, 12 rows up the blue line) during the Brush Christensen era…watched then grow up into D-1 status before I moved on to 505 country.
The hardest thing I did when moving was giving up those seats. (That and giving up my tree stump at Koots)
LONG LIVE THE SEAWOLVES!!
(I guess you could say that while your dad was taking care of business in my original home on LI with THE DYNASTY, I was helping sow the seeds for a future hockey home for you in Anchortown).
What a great piece. Fairy tale story. Love it.
Whens the movie? Great blend of man action and chick flick rolled in one.~
Great piece Justin.
What a cute story, really nice read. Thanks for sharing it with us!
Kid,
Great article. From an old school guy like myself, watching your dad, and hopefully your father in law, I wish you all the best. The grandkids (omg im old) would definately have to be Islanders. I love your humor too. Brought a smile to my face this morning.
only one love story per season on the hockey blog please…lol…:-)
Great stuff CB. I hope they get the breeding rights… and Wang has somebody working on the cloning process in his basement.
There were rumors that he had Milbury cloned so they could have the clone make public appearences after the Luongo-Dipietro fiasco. Any truth to that?
Young love, how grand. All happiness to them.
What’s next, Mike Bossy’s Tony Awards predictions?
Just kidding. That was funny and engaging. The kid can write.
Awesome story and funny and well written unlike my posts. Good luck to them. I like hearing stories about that.
Random happening of the day: A frequent customer of my place of business walked into the shop 10 minutes ago wearing a Lighthouse hat and isn’t a hockey fan. He works at a church and a lot of the members there are fans so he wants to support it.
Is this kid drafted?
Excellent story. He is a such a witty writer
CB, I respectfuuly diasgree with your analysis of the article in Newsday. Injuctive relief is the measure that will be used by he court to enforce the lease. By it’s very meaning the Isles “cannot play somewhere else while the court battle goes on.” The leasing company will go to court and petition the court for an injunction stopping that very scenario from happening. Things like this happen in the real estate world all the time. Please divulge why you believe that cannot happen.
Cute story, I’ll have to read his blog when I get a chance. Some funny comments here, too!
This is fantastic. Loved the Gillies/Newfie line, too.
Best of luck to the young couple … they’re entering a great stage of their lives.
great post CB, keep up the tremendous work. You’re not too far from PR to have someone in the organization turn this into a feel-good story are you? It’s certainly appealing in so many ways as a hockey story, human story, islanders story.
great read.
Very nice Justin, a great love story and two great people. I wish you both all the best, looks like a bright future!
Great read by Justin.
CB, Nathan McIver got waived, any chance the Isles grab him?
Joe- Chris Botta might not see your question here since he said “Comment on this story here. Slide down for discussion on other Islanders topics.” Just letting you know, you might be more likely to get an answer on the other thread.
Thanks TMC, didnt see that.
Great piece of writing.
Put a huge smile on my face!!!!
Imagine the possibilities of a bloodline like that - the next superstar who can do EVERYTHING.
Go for it, Charles!!!!!
Justin played for utah most of last year and played like 15 games for the soundtigers…he is a great guy; last i heard he was back in the echl this year in idaho..so i don’t think he is islander properity anymore
Great story…the stuff at the end is for real, right?
Well done, by the young Bourne. Well-written and very entertaining. I am rooting for him, and his wife-to-be.
Speed of Bourne with the size of Gillies? Yikes.
That was a great read … thanks for sharing Justin’s blog CB!!
505 & Nick … I was thinking the same exact thing … how do you face Jethro taking out his daughter … well .. Justin has a history with the family … so I’m happy for him and Bri… Good Luck Guys ….
BTW: Can you imagine the grandson of Bourney and Clarkie??? GEEEEEZEEE … that almost wouldn’t be fair to other hockey players …. and I’d love to see that … especially in an Isles jersey… Make it happen Wanger! LOL!
Wow, Clark Gillies as your father-in-law.
You better be good to her, Dude.
Too cute
CB,
Maybe Justin can write on Hockeybuzz.com as the Islanders Blogger. I don’t know were B.D. Gallof went.
This is an awesome story! Great read, personal, funny and charming.
Here is Justin’s Blog site. He’s a great writer!
http://www.jtbourne.wordpress.com