TORONTO — The faded, stained and torn Brampton Excelsiors bantam lacrosse sweater that Jim Veltman always wore under his pro pads came off his back for the last time Sunday.
The 42-year-old captain of the Toronto Rock didn't go out a winner on the scoreboard because the Philadelphia Wings pulled out a 15-14 win, but he ended his playing career with eight pro titles to his credit including five with the Rock and with the reputation of being one of the most respected men in the sport.
"I'd like to be remembered as an honest player," he said after teammate upon teammate had shaken his hand in the dressing room. "I was a guy who thought every shift was important. I don't think I took shifts off."
Veltman was first class all the way.
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"Play the game with integrity and love the game itself," he said in offering advice to the next generation of players. "I wear my minor lacrosse shirt under my stuff because I like to remember where I learned my trade and it was in Brampton.
"That stuff is important. Don't just play and take from the game. You have to give something back, and I like to think I did some of that."
Veltman will have a say now as part of the coaching staff in trying to resurrect a team he led to five National Lacrosse League championships.
"I'm excited about trying to build a contender again," he said.
Athan Iannucci's fourth goal of the game and league-record 71st of the season broke a 14-14 tie with 43 seconds left. Iannucci won the NLL scoring title with 100 points.
"I would have loved a victory but, at the same time, I'll take that kind of effort any day," Veltman said. "I thought we were going to pull it out and it was going to be a Cinderella story but, you know, it just seems that's what happened to us this year.
"We just got snake-bitten too many times. Three overtime losses . . . it just wasn't meant to be this year."
The last game of the NLL's regular season meant nothing in the standings since Toronto had already been eliminated from contention and Philadelphia was set in fourth in the East Division and looking ahead to a playoff game against the Bandits in Buffalo this Friday night. Yet, and despite a city transit strike, more than 10,000 fans made their way to Air Canada Centre to witness Veltman's farewell performance.
"Jim Veltman is a true sportsman and a true champion and has been a role model to every player in the league," commissioner Jim Jennings said during a pre-game ceremony.
Teammates Blaine Manning and Chris Driscoll presented Veltman with a framed collage of career highlights and nine-year-old Kris Veltman stood on the green carpet with his dad to watch a video tribute.
"This is an awesome experience for me," Veltman said upon taking a mic in hand to offer his thanks.
It was a thrill to play in front of the large crowds his team attracted, Veltman said. The NLL single-game attendance record of more than 19,000 was set when Toronto won its last title in 2005.
"I love to play this sport," said Veltman, who also was part of three title Buffalo teams in the 1990s. "It's a big part of my life."
His teammates have been like a second family, he said.
There was a roar from the crowd when he added, "You haven't got rid of me yet because, apparently, they want me to do some coaching."
Also scoring for the Wings were A.J. Shannon, Jason Crosbie and Jamie Rooney with two goals each and Rob Van Beek, Jake Bergey, Pat Heim, David Mitchell and Merrick Thomson with one each.
Manning and Lewis Ratcliff scored three each for the Rock, Scott Campbell and Aaron Wilson got two each, and Veltman, Driscoll, Kasey Beirnes and Rob Marshall added one each. Veltman picked up four assists.
With Philadelphia up 2-0, Veltman broke free to take a pass and beat Rob Blasdell with an overhand shot. It would be his last NLL goal.
Bob Watson was replaced by Mike Poulin when the Wings went up 7-2. Heim made it 8-2 on the first shot on Poulin and that's where things stood after one quarter. It was 10-7 at halftime. Brandon Miller took over from Blasdell and it was 12-9 after three quarters.
Late in the third, Veltman just missed getting another goal when his nifty over-the-shoulder backhander bounced off a post.
Wilson, set up by Veltman, scored a fourth consecutive Toronto goal to tie it 14-14.
On Iannucci's winner, Poulin made two incredible saves before the scoring champion got a rebound and leapt into the crease for a shot. The ball was in the net a split second before his feet touched the floor.
"The ball fell at the goalie's legs," said Iannucci. "He looked at it and looked at me and he couldn't get to it in time.
"I was in the right spot at the right time."
The crowd stood in the dying seconds and began chanting, "Thank you, Jim, thank you, Jim."
After players on the opposing teams shook hands, Veltman took a solo lap around the floor and threw his helmet, a glove, his stick, and then his other glove to spectators.
"I didn't think about doing that before the game," he explained. "The guys said, 'Take a lap on your own."'
It was a spontaneous thanks to the fans, who were still on their feet cheering as he made his exit slapping hands with youngsters leaning into the corridor that led to the hallway to the dressing room.
"I could feel the emotion start creeping up," Veltman said of the last minutes of his playing career. "You know what it felt like?
"It felt like you're at you're own funeral. I don't know if that's kind of morbid or what but, you know, its sort of like everybody is giving these accolades and . . . the nice thing is you're alive to experience it and to feel it.
"There's a lot of emotion. You just feel all the support I've had over the years and you try to connect with people in the stands who you've seen there since the (Maple Leaf) Gardens. It's pretty special. That's the kind of bond you get, I guess, after 10 years. If you last as long as I do, that's what happens."
The game had been rescheduled from Saturday to make room for an NBA playoff game in the arena, and the transit strike was yet another hint that the lacrosse gods might be disagreeing with his decision to retire, but he wasn't changing his mind.
"The regret will probably come at the beginning of next year when I see everybody going on the floor with equipment and I'll be there without equipment," he said. "I just love bangin' with the guys.
"I love being on the floor. It's where I feel most comfortable. Now I'm going to have to sit back on the bench and try to direct traffic a little bit, but I looked forward to it."
He was asked what advice he'd give young men breaking into the league.
"The best thing you can do in this league is adjust," he said. "Don't pigeon-hole yourself into one particular position or one particular style.
"You've got to be ready to adjust your game to what the team needs. I Iike to think I did that over my career.
"I started off as a big scorer and I ended up on the defensive end being a transition guy. Halfway through this season, I was back on the offence. That's what young guys have to realize — there isn't just one way to being a good player or to being a contributor to your team. You've got to understand the needs of the team and then fill those needs."
Veltman and head coach Glenn Clark are pals and have coached their sons through novice lacrosse. Working together behind the Rock bench will be a natural progression.
"Jimmy and I have been good friends for a long time," Clark said. "It'll be a pretty smooth transition."
Defenceman Dan Ladouceur is one of the few remaining players who shared in the five Rock title runs with Veltman.
"He's a leader," said Ladouceur. "We're going to miss him from a playing standpoint but, if he can help players grow into something like that, that's going to be invaluable as this organization moves forward."
The other single-game elimination playoff game in the East will send the New York Titans to Minnesota to play the Swarm on Saturday. In the West, the Calgary Roughnecks are at the Colorado Mammoth on Saturday and the Portland Lumberjax are at the San Jose Stealth on Sunday.
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