Vince Vaughn picks up check for Lightning's Jon Cooper: ‘This is Chicago, my town. This is how we treat people'

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Jon Cooper is living the life in Chicago. Heck, he may never want to leave.

For the second time this week, the Tampa Bay Lightning head coach went to Chicago Cut Steakhouse with a party of 20 and again got a free meal for his entire group.

Charles Barkley picked up the check the first time and movie star Vince Vaughn - a noted Blackhawks fan - had the honor Tuesday night.

Cooper and Vaughn are apparently old friends and the actor stopped to hug Cooper and chat with the Lightning coach for about 10 minutes upon arriving at Chicago Cut.

[NBC SHOP: Gear up, Blackhawks fans]

After Barkley's kindness a couple days earlier, Cooper wanted to repay the favor for Vaughn, but the celeb wouldn't let that fly, according to Chicago Cut managing partner David Flom, who recapped the ordeal to the Chicago Tribune:


“Cooper called me over to his table and said ‘Hey, I want to pick up Vince Vaughn’s check,’” Flom said. “He was doing it to be kind because of the Barkley thing. I tell the server and then walk by Vince’s table. Sure enough, Vince looks at me and says ‘I know that guy just called you over to pick up my check. That’s not how we roll in Chicago.’ He goes ‘This is Chicago, my town. This is how we treat people. I got his check.’ How can you argue with Vince Vaughn? I said, ‘OK, no problem.’ I go walk away and he stands up and says ‘I got his check. This is Chicago.’


“So we go over to Cooper and he goes ‘Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me. Twice with 20 people and I haven’t paid once.’”

 

Cooper apparently a big Vaughn fan, as he's been noted as quoting "Wedding Crashers" in speeches to the Lightning - such as "No excuses, play like a champion (Rule No. 76)."

What a classy move from Vaughn to represent Chicago in the best way possible. Cooper has his team up 2-1 over the Blackhawks after Monday's win in the United Center and yet he's still getting treated like royalty in town.

This is Jon Cooper's world, you guys. We're just living in it.

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