When Wayne Gretzky revealed his unusual pre-game meal

In 2022, Wayne Gretzky, widely considered the greatest ice hockey player of all time, discussed his eating habits before games in an interview with Graham Bensinger.

Gretzky’s pre-game meal consisted of junk food, including hot dogs with onions, mustard, pie, and a diet coke. While this may seem shocking to many, it’s important to consider the context of the time.

As Gretzky noted, there were no energy drinks or power bars available at the time. Instead, he found that drinking diet coke provided a similar energy boost to the glucose found in many energy drinks.

But his unusual pre-game meal didn’t stop at Diet Coke. He also indulged in chocolate bars, finding that they gave him the energy he needed to perform on ice. While this may seem counterintuitive, it’s important to note that Gretzky possessed a level of stamina that few other players could match.

In fact, his stamina was so impressive that it caught the attention of an exercise physiologist. As Peter Gzowski noted in his book, "The Game of Our Lives," the physiologist was shocked by Gretzky’s capacity to recover.

This is likely due, at least in part, to Gretzky’s unique pre-game meal. While it may not have been what most people would consider a “healthy” meal, it clearly worked for him.

Overall, the player's revelation about his pre-game meal is a reminder that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to nutrition for athletes.

While a healthy diet is important for overall health and well-being, athletes may need to experiment with different foods to find what works best for them. Sometimes, that may include indulging in a few hot dogs or chocolate bars before a game.

Wayne Gretzky was sued for $10 million

Wayne Gretzky, the legendary NHL player, was sued for $10 million by Steven Sparks for allegedly lying about the benefits of a weight loss product in 2022.

Gretzky got involved with OMG Gum, a weight loss product, after his wife Janet became its spokesperson and claimed that he had lost 35 pounds in six to eight weeks thanks to the product, which was also repeated by Janet Gretzky.

This statement motivated Sparks and other investors to provide more funding to OMG Gum's parent company, BuChew. However, he later revealed that his weight loss statement was not true.

Sparks claimed that Wayne Gretzky's motivation for lying was to increase the value of BuChew's stock, which he had surreptitiously purchased under his family's name.

In addition to the $10 million, Sparks sought $500,000 for attorney fees and 10% interest. The filing also detailed Sparks' claim that the Gretzkys tried to remove him from BuChew and told the company that they could no longer use Gretzky's image or name for OMG Gum.

The lawsuit showed the importance of honesty in product endorsements and the legal consequences that can result from false claims.