P2: Tony Soprano’s journey to hockey stardom began with a few key figures who helped him along the way, even if not all of them were exactly cheerleaders. One of the most memorable influences was his Uncle Junior, who had a habit of reminding Tony that he "didn’t have the makings of a varsity athlete." Junior would say it every chance he got, usually right after Tony had scored a game-winning goal or outskated his opponents. Instead of being discouraged, Tony used Junior’s constant doubts as motivation. "I loved proving him wrong," Tony recalls. "Every time he said it, I’d push myself harder, just to see the look on his face when I did the impossible." Tony’s early mentors saw his potential and helped guide him, but it was Uncle Junior’s doubting words that pushed Tony to go above and beyond, making his success that much sweeter. Guess Tony did have the makings of a varsity athlete.