Funnyman Bobby Farrelly is a Republican. At least judging from his performance at the Leary Firefighters Foundation charity hockey game on Sunday, you could assume so.
Farrelly, of “There’s Something About Mary” fame, robbed Massachusetts Senator John Kerry — a Presidential hopeful Democrat — five times at the FleetCenter in the event geared towards raising money for a new training facility in Worcester.
They were about the only five saves Farrelly had all day. Denis Leary’s squad, named “MC” triumphed in the 18-10 blowout that saw nearly 15,000 people jam into the FleetCenter. In the four year history of the event, it was the first time Leary’s team took home a win.
“My performance was patently evident to everybody who was there: fairly marginal,” Kerry said. “Couldn’t get it in the net today, but I came out here to survive. I haven’t skated in about eight months, I do have a day job. My goal today was survival and here I am.”
The Leary Firefighters Foundation, who’ve already raised over $1 million for Worcester area fire departments and $1.8 million for the families of New York Firefighters.
The event kicked off with a lengthy introduction ceremony in which generations of Boston Bruins greats gathered on the ice for a snapshot. Joe Thornton, Phil Esposito, Ray Bourque, Bobby Orr, Cam Neely and John Bucyk gathered at center ice for the memorable moment.
“For a kid who grew up around here, to see those six guys out there on the ice in Bruins uniform and to see them introduced and see Bobby Orr skate out there. Those guys are the greatest and to be out there on the ice with them is just a dream,” Kerry said. “Some of us realize we shouldn’t be here, but you know what? We’re damn glad we were and we loved every minute of it.”
Actor Tim Robbins shared those sentiments.
“I skated tonight with Bobby Orr … how ’bout that,” he said while blushing.
Later, Leary marveled at the chance to be on the ice with some of his greatest hockey heroes.
“We were out in the pre-game skate, before the crowd was even there and Michael J. Fox was getting warmed up in the corner,” he said. “He threw a pass out in front and Guy Lafleur caught it and scored a goal and I said ‘How ya feeling?’ He said, ‘I feel great, what do you mean?’ And I said you just made a pass and Guy Lafleur scored a goal. He said, ‘Jesus is that Guy Lafleur, I don’t have my glasses on.’
“I come off after as shift … I can barely breathe and Gordie Howe starts telling me about some fight he was in 30 years ago. This is great, this is insane,” Leary added.
Still, for Leary and Kerry, the issue is more pressing than the fun.
“Here’s where we are,” Kerry said. “We’re in a war on terror and the firefighters are the first responders. Two-thirds of the firehouses in America are understaffed. Some of our trucks can go to a fire but they can’t do anything until other trucks arrive. We need emergency and hazardous material training and equipment. I think a lot of people feel very strongly that if we can open firehouses in Baghdad, then we can keep them open in the United States of America.
“There’s a gap, there’s a preparedness gap and it falls, amazingly enough, to people like Denis Leary to spontaneously come together and try to help fill that,” he said. “It shouldn’t have to happen that way. I think the Federal Government should step up and take care of its responsibilities on Homeland Security.”
