BY KEITH LACEY
Bert Templeton is known as a rugged, tough ?old school? hockey coach.
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Bert Templeton |
What many don?t know is he?s a man of strong faith.
?I?m putting my future in the Lord?s hands and we?re going to do the best we can to try and fight this cancer,? said Templeton Tuesday morning, hours after settling his lawsuit with the Sudbury Wolves and owner Mark Burgess.
With legal proceedings now out of the way, Templeton, 63, said he can now concentrate on focusing his energy and trying to battle the cancer which doctors have described as terminal.
Court papers filed in relation the lawsuit revealed doctors have given Templeton between two and six months to live.
Templeton has kidney cancer, which has now spread to other parts of his body.
Templeton readily admits he?s in for the toughest battle of his life, however, he sounded in great spirits when contacted by Northern Life and appears ready and willing to wage any battle necessary to get the disease into remission.
?The odds are not good from what the doctors have told us, but there are a couple of experimental procedures out there that we?re definitely considering,? said Templeton, the second winningest coach in Canadian major junior hockey history.
?There are definitely one or two things out there we?re seriously considering trying. My whole attitude all along since being diagnosed is ?what?s going to happen is going to happen? and that hasn?t changed.?
Templeton, who wouldn?t divulge the details of the legal settlement, said the public support since it was revealed he has cancer, has been tremendous.
Having the lawsuit settled and behind him is a big relief, he said.
?I obviously have more important things I have to get onto,? he said.
Templeton acknowledged he?s seriously considering the kind gesture of Peter Karmanos, owner of the National Hockey League?s Carolina Hurricanes and Plymouth Whalers of the Ontario Hockey League, to seek treatment at the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute in Detroit.
Karmanos founded the institute by donating $15 million in 1995 in memory of his wife, who died of cancer.
Templeton said he would be placing a call to the institute Tuesday and is willing to go down to the institute if doctors convince him there is a possibility he can get his cancer into remission.
The fact he?s kept his body in tremendous physical condition for most of his adult life has really helped him since he was diagnosed with cancer back in June, said Templeton.
?I think all of the years I took really good care of myself to stay in top shape has really helped me during this battle,? he said. ?You need all the strength you have to battle this disease.?
The love and support of his wife Sandy has also been tremendous and has him leaning towards taking whatever steps necessary to try and battle the disease, he said.
?Sandy?s been really, really supportive and encouraging through all of this,? he said.
The support of so many people in the hockey world over the past couple of months has been wonderful, but doesn?t surprise Templeton.
Various coaches, former players and team executives from professional and major junior hockey have been in contact and shown tremendous support, said Templeton.
Templeton?s $400,000 lawsuit was filed in June, three months after he was fired following a difficult 2002-03 campaign, where the Wolves won only 16 of 68 games.
Templeton was terminated by Burgess with one year remaining on a five-year deal signed in 1999.
Only days after it was revealed Templeton had filed the lawsuit, Burgess and the Wolves announced they didn?t know the seriousness of
Templeton?s health problems and wanted to negotiate a final settlement.
Details of the settlement were not revealed, as is normal procedure in civil litigation, but lawyers on both sides said everyone will be happy with the final deal.
?The Sudbury Wolves and Bert Templeton are pleased to announce they have reached a settlement of their litigation,? said Malcolm MacKillop, the Toronto lawyer representing the Wolves.
?The settlement involves payment of all monies owing to Mr. Templeton under the terms of his contract.?
Templeton said he would not agree to any deal unless certain allegations made by the hockey club in the statement of defence were withdrawn.
?You can ask any owner I?ve worked for over the past 30 years?I treated their money like it was my own,? said Templeton. ?Not one team I?ve worked for ended up in worst financial shape than when I came on board.
?You work hard to built a reputation you can be proud of and I was not willing to have that reputation damaged.?
MacKillop?s statement made it clear all allegations of wrongdoing by Templeton during his four years as coach and general manager were dismissed and withdrawn.
?The Sudbury Wolves wish to make it clear that Bert Templeton served the team well, faithfully and honourably in every respect during his four-year tenure as head coach and general manager.
?The Sudbury Wolves fully support Bert Templeton and wish him all the best in the continuing effort to battle his illness.?
Wolves president Mark Burgess would not comment on the lawsuit except to say he?s glad the matter is now behind him and now the fans and new management can concentrate on the new hockey season which has started well for the Wolves.
