The Ultimate Road Trip: All 89 Games with the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Ultimate Leafs Fan

by Mike Wilson

The Ultimate Leafs Fan makes it his mission to figure out what makes fans bleed blue Have you ever watched a Leafs road game and wondered about all those people in blue and white? Sign-waving, fully costumed fanatics filling arenas from Alberta to Anaheim. Who are these people? How did they get there? What motivates them to follow a franchise that hasn't won a Stanley Cup in a half century?

Mike Wilson, the man ESPN called the "Ultimate Leafs Fan," had to find out. He attended every Leaf contest of the 2018-19 NHL season. Through 89 games, from October to April, the retired Bay Street trader explored all 30 rinks to document stories of Leaf love. Mike took every conceivable mode of transport, stayed in team hotels and on friends' couches, then went into the cheap seats, private suites, the streets, sports bars, hotel lobbies, and many other unique locations where Leaf Nation gets together, to gather tales both hilarious and heart-wrenching.

Media personalities, former players, and NHL celebrities gave Wilson their thoughts on what fuels the Leaf passion. With a foreword from club president Brendan Shanahan and colorful souvenir photos of those he met, The Ultimate Leafs Road Trip allows fans to vicariously experience the journey of a lifetime.

Genres: Sports, Hockey, Canada, Nonfiction

304 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 6, 2020

Reviews

[Lance · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many sports fans have dream trips on their bucket lists. Whether it is to visit every stadium or arena for their favorite sport or follow their favorite team to places they never saw, it is safe to say passionate fans hope to take this type of excursion. For Toronto Maple Leafs fan Mike Wilson, he was able to make that a reality during the 2018-19 NHL season and his adventure is captured in this book he co-authored with veteran hockey author Lance Hornsby.

Wilson had earlier been dubbed the "Ultimate Leafs Fan" by ESPN and if there ever were any doubts that this title was correct, those are wiped away after reading this book. His trials and tribulations he encountered with transportation, lodging, security at both airports and arenas and some encounters with opposing fans might try the patience of any hardy fan. The two most eye-opening incidents that I found in the book that made me congratulate him for his patience were an overzealous security guard in Las Vegas when he was not allowed to bring his camera into the game against the Golden Knights and his encounter with an angry New York Islanders fan who, like nearly every other fan that night, came to boo John Taveras in his first game back after leaving the Islanders to sign with his hometown Maple Leafs.

Those encounters, however, were very few compared to the wonderful stories Wilson shared with readers about Leafs fans hen saw at every city. The Maple Leafs are one of those sports franchises with a very large fan base that covers an entire nation, or in their case, two as there were large contingencies of Leafs fans in American cities Wilson visited as well as in Canadian cities. While reading the book one gets the sense of this being like a very large progressive hockey party. Like a progressive dinner, where people have each course at different locations, Wilson seemed to have a party at each arena with his fellow Leafs fans.

Other interesting aspects of the book that will keep a reader's interest is how his partner Deb was the person who kept all of this organized. She was the one who arranged most of the travel and lodging for Wilson and, on occasion, herself when she joined him on a stretch of his journey. I also like reading about how some of the fans he met would stay loyal to the Leafs even though they may be thousands of miles away from Toronto. Wilson's encounters with some players in Leafs history were also good reading as throughout the book, his passion for the team as well as his encyclopedic knowledge shows that ESPN picked the correct person to dub "The Ultimate Leafs Fan." While certainly Maple Leaf fans will love this book, hockey fans of any team will enjoy reading about one fan who was able to complete an incredible hockey journey.

I wish to thank ECW Press for providing a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.


https://sportsbookguy.blogspot.com/20...

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fabulous road trip without leaving my armchair! 89 season Leaf games, woohoo! I'm exhausted and can only imagine Mike Wilson's fatigue, and bliss, at the end of this fantastic undertaking. Die hard hockey fans will enjoy this but devoted Leafs fans will love it. Everyone has a story as Mike finds out in his chats with fans of all ages at all the rinks he visits over the course of months. Then there's the players, current, past and wannabes who chime in with stories adding more layers and colour and in many cases, six degrees of separation. I don't know Mike but I grew up in the same neighbourhood, went to a different school and have childhood friends who know him from high school. I lived near where Tim Horton did and never knew it until reading this book. I also have a Leaf story about the only game I saw with a girlfriend--we won tickets--in the late '70's, at the Gardens and there was a streaker, remembering he only had socks and a sign. My friend asked what was on his sign. No one is looking at his sign I replied. Don't know who won, think we played Canucks but what a wild game!
Wilson and long time sports writer Lance Hornby have crafted a highly engaging and entertaining book you can't help but smile at each story, each page turned. At the great pics of fans in all manner of garb, all the backstories, all the folks who come from so many other countries to catch a game in Boston or Montreal because they met their wife there at a game, you get the idea, so much history, memories and general passionate hockey fun!
Wilson's style is everyman appealing, he suffers opposing team fans graciously (mostly, except for the occasional over boorish ones we'd all like to punch out) and shouts out to all and sundry who lined up to see him in between periods after hearing about his quest. Mike, truly, embodies the Ultimate Leaf Fan, a title given him by a local t.v. station. His massive collection of Leaf memorabilia is outstanding and his love of the Leafs equally so. Like many of us, we live in hope that '67 will come again one day soon.

[Kevin · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've been a Leaf fan since I was very young, so I was looking forward to reading this book. I was expecting a detailed analysis of each of the team's 89 games that year, with special behind the scenes glances at the players and perhaps getting to sit in on strategy sessions with the Leaf's coaches and management staff. What I got was a compact travel diary of the author's travels through the league, and the hundreds of fan names that he collected during his travels (especially if said fans were either, a) dressed head to toe in Leaf's colours, or b) were at least somewhat mildly intoxicated.

Oh sure, there were some nice tidbits about ex-Leaf players, and even a few cute stories about some of the extremes that fans will go through to follow around their team. Just not enough of this info for my liking. And is it just me, or did the author appear to have a "problem" with some authority figures? There appears to be a lot of jibes at hotel clerks, ushers, and restaurant staff who didn't live up to his own "code of conduct".

[Kim_reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mike Wilson, the ultimate leafs fan follows the Toronto Maple Leafs around all 89 games of the 2018-19 NHL season. Along the way he talks to Leafs fan to find out what draws them to bleed blue.

I was in 2 minds about whether to give this book a go. I love hockey but the Leafs are not my team. I’m glad I did. With the next season being postponed because of COVID-19, it was heart warming to hear the tales from celebs, ex players and the general public about what lead them to be hockey fans and Leaf supporters. Although the writing wasn’t amazing, Wilson more than made up for it with the trials and tribulations of travelling across the US and Canada. The photos were an added plus, showing the range of people who find joy in hockey. A must read for any hockey fan.

Thank you to ECW Press for this advanced copy.

[Brina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am a sucker for road trip books. I enjoy seeing how the participants go for the adventure of a lifetime on the open road for a trip of a lifetime. Throw sports into the mix and I’m psyched up for a real adventure. During the 2018-19 season, ultimate Toronto Maple Leafs fan Mike Wilson attended all 89 of the team’s games, a season most of us sports fans can only dream about. He met supporters of Canada’s team at every stop along the way and relayed what the team means to the nation. Privy to team skates, Wilson told Leafs war stories while pointing out the history of hockey in each city on his trip. In all, this was a season and trip I would have loved to be privy to and enjoyed reading of his journey.

4 stars

[Tom · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF. I only got 35 pages in before I tired of the name dropping.

"I went to the Leafs home opener and got to hang out with Larry Tanenbaum in the directors lounge and hung out with extremely rich people."

"I went to Dallas and Stars' alumni president Marty Turco gave me a private tour of the team's new lounge, dressing room and museum."

"In Detroit, I had dinner with Wings senior vp Jim Devellano, then got a private tour of the arena the next morning!"

I thought this was supposed to be about why fans are so passionate? Not all the perks this one guy was getting. Couldn't get past page 35.

Also, apparently, fans were stopping the author just to keep shaking his hand, like he was a celebrity. Which also got tired pretty quickly.

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an amazing road trip! The book is filled with snippets about his travels to different arenas/cities and the people he meets. I loved the stories of the different fans and how they ended up where they did and yet kept their love for hockey and the Leafs. I listened to this and enjoyed it but I think I would have enjoyed it much more being able to see the pictures he added to his book.

i received a copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

#TheUltimateRoadTrip #NetGalley

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have received this title via NetGalley and publishers in exchange for an honest review
This book was so fun. It felt like you were on the journey with Mike, not just reading it. While the writing may not have been the best, the content more than made up for it.
I really like that Mike included pictures of people he met. I like that he talked about the places he went to eat and his experiences at all the airports.

[Dave Cottenie · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting concept that provides a light read with a few feel-good moments. The travel challenges and interactions with less than savoury airport workers provides the most interesting points. However, the further the trip goes the less interesting it gets. Very little time spent on describing the atmosphere and venues of different places and too much time listing people who were met on the way. It definitely is a shout out to all those travelling Leaf fans, however.

[Susan Williams · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Ultimate Road Trip to 89 Toronto Maple Leaf games in Canada and all throughout the USA. Author Mike Wilson dubbed “The Ultimate Leafs Fan” take you on the most memorable trip, with stories from down memory lane to present day. Photos of Mike and all of the leaf die hard fans are full of life, you feel their excitement and most of all the LOVE of the game.

[Bevan Boychuk · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was really into the book for the first few hours (listen on audio book), but the stories became repetitive and he told a few tales about being a jerk to employees and acting like a big shot, so I gave up

[Jack Youd · Rating 4 out of 5]

Listened on audiobook. A very interesting read on what is most sports fans dream to travel around following their team. It was cool to hear about the different sites visited in each city and the bit of history with each and to the way different fans acted at different points. Great read.

[Ray Brooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read for any Leaf fan.

[Jesse · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm totally neutral to hockey, so this didn't excite me, but I always love books about completing a difficult challenge.