During the 2012 Winter Classic, Mike Rupp scored a goal and celebrated most unexpectedly. The Flyers were already on a 2-0 lead as Rupp scored in the second period, and he celebrated by removing his right hand from his glove and then giving a salute to the benches.
The back story was that Rupp left the Penguins, who did everything to prepare for signing Jagr. Jagr instead chose Philadelphia, which upset Rupp. So when he scored, the celebration was pure mockery against Jaromir Jagr.
Jaromir Jagr didn’t say much about it at the moment, but years later, he got his revenge with the most awesome one-liner.
After quitting playing, Rupp started working in TV.
”I was working the All Star Game for NHL Network when it was in LA, and that was the year Jagr was in Florida, and he made it to the All Star Game. We go into to this rental car place out in California, and we’re going to rent a car, so we can over, me and my family,” Rupp said on the Cam & Strick Podcast.
”It was a small place, and it looked like it had perhaps 15 cars. So we go walking in this place, my daughter and I, and sure shit, Jagr is sitting right there.”
”I’m like, ’Son of a b*tch.’ So I go up to him and are like, ’Hey, my job in this league was to be annoying. And that’s what I was trying to be.’ But it was all good, but then he turns to me and goes, ’Hey, I love watching you on TV. You do a really great job. You’re way better at this than you were a hockey player.”
”I was just like, ’Okay buddy, it’s 1-1, we’re even! We’re done now, right?”
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