Meet Your Fellow Subscribers: Tom Clemens

First responder who loves the Avs

The latest in a series of stories profiling you, the subscriber, to Dater On Avalanche. If you want me to write on you too, email me a thumbnail sketch of your life, how old you are, a picture of yourself and I’ll then email you back to ask five random questions to fill these out. Email me: adater@comcast.net.

TOM CLEMENS

Tom Clemens is a retired social worker, who has lived in Colorado for more than 20 years now.

His love for the Colorado Avalanche started from the minute he got here, and he’s a bigger fan than ever. Tom is the son of a football coach and lived in several places growing up (New York, Massachusetts and Michigan among them) as a result. He went to three different high schools in three years, at one point.

But he gravitated more toward hockey. He didn’t want to follow in his father’s footsteps because football coaching was “a little too intense for me.”

“I’ve been a big-time hockey fan for 50+ years,” Clemens said.

5 RANDOM QUESTIONS WITH TOM CLEMENS

1. I've always thought it would be tough to have a dad who was a coach. Actually, I would think it would be harder to be a coach who had kids, and how you treat your kids as opposed to your players. Was it hard for both of you at times because of that?

“Of course, I think it was tougher on me and my brothers because whatever school we attended came with the knowledge of my dad's occupation as a football coach. You either get like preferential treatment/or you get resentment. But it's interesting you asked about his perspective because I know he was frustrated looking back on it. “Why can't my two sons behave accordingly and toe the line like my older brother who was " Mr. All-American"? At the same time, we grew up in the late 60's early 70's when there were so many alternatives to playing sports: sex, drugs and rock and roll!! I obviously chose the other path. So, that's on me. I just wanted to numb out from being a victim of sexual abuse and alcohol and drugs offered me that! So, hopefully answering your question, it was difficult on the whole family. His expectations for us, my mother dealing with all the chaos, my other 3 brothers and myself always having to adjust to new towns, losing friends, making new ones, etc!”

2. My favorite two regular TV shows now both have to do with fishing - Wicked Tuna and Deadliest Catch. What's your favorite current TV show?

“I guess I have to get with it, I don't really have a favorite show. It was Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul but those are over. I will have to find one!”

3. I was such a nervous flyer as a younger man that I needed some help a couple times from flight attendants to calm down. Have you ever been a nervous flyer, or thought you were going to die in a crash?

“I can definitely relate to the fear of crashing and flying. I really love to fly but I do have that fear at times. I did talk with therapists historically and co-workers because I worked as a Social Worker for 25 yrs. I have just accepted the fact that if something like that were to happen, there is nothing I can really do about it. I try to focus on planes and people fly every day safely. Sometimes, you have some turbulence and bad weather but generally, these folks who fly and work on planes are very competent. You would be surprised how good those systems work on a plane like hydraulics and so forth. They have to meet rigorous safety standards to be airworthy! So, unless you have a catastrophic failure, I think you are pretty safe.”

4. When is the last time you had lobster?

“I think was about 7-8 yrs ago? Traveled back to Massachusetts to visit my dad with my girlfriend at the time. Went to Gloucester I believe!”

5. If you could go back in time and just experience what it was like for one week, in that time period without being able to change anything but just observe what it was like and live it for a week, what time would that be?

“Jeez, you ask some difficult questions. That's a tough one. Perhaps, it would be when I lived in Hamilton, NY. I was sitting on the floor of my HS at the time and someone took my picture for the yearbook and I looked so depressed because I was. With my long hair and jean jacket, I didn't fit in this "cow town" in upstate NY! I can only observe but I would have pity on this kid who had been in 3 different HS in 3 years, been a survivor of abuse. I would have love and forgiveness for this kid for sure!!!”

Thank you Tom.