Voice Of Canada
Despite holding open tryouts before the season, the Outlaws selected Paradise resident Phil John, who often sings the national anthem at home games, to be this week's voice for the Canadian anthem with Edmonton and the Calgary Vipers in town. The irony is that John, 55, medical coding specialist, was already familiar with the French version because his father grew up in Canada.
"Calgary and Edmonton are in the English-speaking regions, so it was a little tricky getting (the anthem) down," John said before revealing a precautionary cheat sheet inside his hat during tonight's game. "But so far, so good."
John is a former Enloe Idol winner and lends his voice at funerals and in theater productions (among other gigs), and he seemed to classify this task as one of his bigger challenges.
"Just ask my wife," John said amid a chuckle. "It's taken some practice around the house."
For the record, he said he hasn't reverted to the cheat sheet yet with two nights left in the homestand.