FEATURE: Doc Emrick Sidebars Continued

CHRIS RILEY, VETERAN NHL TV STAGE MANAGER
* DOC AS MARRIAGE BROKER: "Mike helped me ask my future wife, Jackie, to marry me. I was trying to think of a different way to propose to her. I thought I'd ask her during the game when I was working. It was December 14, 1996, Devils against the Canadiens. The plan was for Jackie to be watching the game because I had produced something I wanted her to watch. She was going toi be at a friend's house watching the game. Doc helped me put together the whole proposal to Jackie. During our second-period break Doc tossed it to me and I asked Jackie. Then, Doc took it back from me and said, 'We wait for Jackie's answer.' Then I called her at the party and she said 'Yes!' Then Doc made the announcement on the air that Jackie said yes. Later, when she came to the game to close the deal, she got the ring. Doc toasted us as we raised our glasses with Champagne!"
- RELATED: Doc Emrick Sidebars Part I - RELATED: A Legendary Broadcaster

* DOC AND CHRIS AT OLYMPICS: "In 1992 I worked the hockey venue at Meribel, France. Until then, I had never met Doc but there he was in the office trailer outside the hockey rink. He introduced himself to me and we chatted and from that point on we had a great time at the Games. I was amazed at how intensely he prepped for the Games. How he learned all the names and proper ways to pronounce them; and these were players from all over the world. When we had to produce a ten-minute hockey recap Doc wrote the whole copy and voiced it in an amazing twenty minutes. Watching him work was an amazing experience for me."
* WATCHING MIKE CRAFT A 'TEASE': "I was working Devils hockey for SportsChannel; putting together opening teases. We would talk about what the story was for the night and what the 'Tease' should be. Watching Doc put it together was like watching Picasso paint a masterpiece only Mike was doing it with words and video."
* STAR AS A NICE GUY: "Once we were doing a Devils highlight video and Doc asked me what town I grew up in here in New Jersey. I asked why and he said he would mention it in the video. Sure enough, after the video was done, Mike had this line, 'The Cup-winning celebration could be felt from Jim Dowd's hometown of Brick to Clifton, Ridgewood and, yes, RIVER EDGE.' I'll never forget that."
* THE BEAUTY PART OF MIKE EMRICK: "For my money, the best part of Doc was that he never had a huge ego. With him it was always about The Game and the broadcast. He has a huge passion for hockey and it showed in how he prepped for games. He always weaved in a story or piece of information about something no one knew. I'll also cherish the memories of having a beer with him after a game and talking about life and hockey. He was like your favorite uncle. He was really cool because you could talk to him on many levels and Doc made me feel great about myself. Besides, he loves dogs -- and what could be better than that? Someone who loves dogs!"