Showing posts with label Koivu. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Koivu. Show all posts
Thursday, July 09, 2009
Au revoir, mon capitaine
Lap dance to Sonia who put this in the comments yesterday. It made mom of HF29 cry. Everyone should watch.
Wednesday, July 08, 2009
Koivu a Duck
Now that just doesn't seem right.
One year, 3.25 M.
Plays with close friend Teemu. Buys house in Orange County. Stars in The O.C reunion episode.
Ed's note (well, HF29 note) - please scroll down to the next excellent post from HF10 for a little more analysis on what Koivu meant to us all.
Ed's note (well, HF29 note) - please scroll down to the next excellent post from HF10 for a little more analysis on what Koivu meant to us all.
Kovalev? Goodbye. Koivu? Good luck. Komisarek? Good riddance.
Not shown: traitorous fucking pigdog defensemen.So it's been a week since the grand free-agent frenzy started, and the Canadiens are a mixed bag of what the fuck that really won't get sorted out until we see if Bob actually had a plan or just threw money at anyone who wasn't part of last year's monumental cock-up of a season. Those types of arguments will last as long as Leaf fans gloat about how Flyers North will beat the Hobbits/midgets/Lollipop Guild/Roloff Family into submission next year (which should be until they realize that at some point, all those thugs will take penalties and pay dearly for it - we hope.) I'm reserving judgement on who the Habs kept, solely because I don't have a fucking clue what will happen. I'm resigned to hoping for the best and expecting something far less. Sort of like the last 15 years.
No, today is the day to talk about the ones who went away, got away, or were shamefully pushed away. Kovalev. Komisarek. Koivu. In that order.
Kovy, the Superstar that Never Was:
And so the era of Kovalev ends fittingly, with all sorts of rumours, mystery, rabid fans defending "L'Artiste", just as many rabid fans wishing he would fuck off, and an anticlimactic finish (the Sens? That's it? Not the Penguins to play with Malkin, not LA to mess up the young kids, not a reunion with Jagr in Russia?)
On any given night, Kovalev was the best player in the rink or the worst. He was dominating and controlling the puck for minutes at a time, or shying away from contact on the boards. He was making a mockery of physics with a wrist shot from an impossible angle or taking a stupid penalty. He is, for a generation of younger Habs fans, the closest thing to a non-goalie superstar they have ever known. To the older generation, he's a modern day Pierre Larouche; talented beyond most mere mortals and never able to put it all together in the package it deserved.
The stories surrounding Kovalev run the gamut from "slacker/cancer/bad influence/only tries when Koivu is out" to "great teammate/amazing work ethic/great mentor for the kids". Given what I saw on the ice and the implosion of the dressing room last year (including Kovy's infamous walk in the snow with Gainey) I lean more towards trouble than terrific. And with Gainey clearly looking to take this team in an entirely different direction on ice and in the room, Kovy's time was clearly up. I will remember the fantastic performance in the playoffs against Boston, the epic comeback against the Rangers, the night he crushed Darcy Tucker, the countless one-timers that sizzled into the top corner, the myriad of tricks, the goal he destroyed Chara and Thomas on. But I'll also remember the bizarre pronouncements, the amount of times I shouted at the tv because it looked like Kovy was taking a shift or a night off, and that I knew I would kill to put his talent into the body of a guy who played full-bore like Steve Begin just to see what would happen.
In the end, I don't have any ill will towards Kovalev. I appreciate that he came to Montreal and then re upped with them when they were struggling badly on ice and off. But I am not about to shed a tear for his departure or curse at him for going.
I will save my bile for ...
Komisarek, the ungrateful turncoat:
(Note to Leaf fans who seem to think this Komisarek hate is irrational: Please review what you said about your former captain when he was contemplating his future about one year ago. That's a pretty big glass house you live in.)
It's not that he went to the Leafs. I hate the Leafs, but I hate the Bruins more. What drives me (and so many other Habs fans) to white-hot-levels of "Komisarek is a Judas" hatred is the perception that Komisarek essentially gave the finger to an organization that:
a) Announced he was priority number one in free agency, over the beloved team captain, the talented Russian fan-favourite, and the French-Canadian scorer the team gave up a first-round pick for just a year earlier;
b) Thought so highly of his input and contributions that they asked him to coach while he was injured this year;
c) From all reports, bent over backwards to help him and his family when his mother passed away; and
d) Made no secret of the fact that they considered him future captain material.
Komisarek received an offer from Bob Gainey that was reported as 5 years, $20 million. He left for the Leafs for 5 years, $22.5 million. According to reports, Komisarek never even gave the Habs the opportunity to match the offer. He bolted. That, more than anything is what hurts. The franchise drafted him, taught him, had plans for him. The fans adored him, defended his questionable tactics when other teams accused him of late hits, not fighting, or cheap shots. We all suffered the guffaws and countless youtube replays of Komisarek getting destroyed by Milan Lucic and stuck by him. The Canadiens and the fans invested in Mike Komisarek, and he didn't invest anything back. That's why we're mad. That's why we turned so quickly. That's why next year, I will cheer every time he gets caught out of position trying to make a big hit, every time he gets thumped by Lucic, every time he takes a stupid penalty. That's why he's getting his ass booed at the Bell Centre for the rest of his life. Like that fucker Grabovski, he looked the Habs franchise in the eye and spit; So fuck him. He could have learned a thing or two from:
Koivu, the man who deserved better:
Lost among the rage over Komisarek's departure and the stupidity of a rally for an enigmatic 25 goal scorer was the shabby treatment doled out to the most important Montreal Canadien of the past decade. Saku Koivu never became the elite scorer his early seasons promised due to a combination of bad luck with injuries, bad linemates, lack of size, whatever. He never lead the Habs to a Cup, which is how legends usually get made in Montreal. He was never fully embraced by a large segment of the fan base, either because he wasn't Francophone, or didn't score highlight reel goals, or because he had the misfortune of being the leader of the most rudderless, Three Stooges-esque collection of Habs teams ever (thank you, Mr. Corey and Mr. Houle and Mr. Tremblay).
The measure of Koivu's worth to the team and city can't ever be quantified in points-per-game or trophies won. His tireless charity work, his ability to come back from knee injuries and cancer and almost losing an eye, his calm and dignified response to the barbs lobbed at him over language by the Guy Bertrands of the world, his willingness to get on with the business of playing hockey without complaining about his contract, or his linemates, or his lack of support from certain fans all speak to the man he was. Koivu was a throwback to an earlier incarnation of Montreal Canadien; The class of Beliveau, the guts of the Richards, the little big man tenaciousness of Joliat. He isn't as fast as he used to be, and he isn't strong enough to continue to battle for 25 minutes a night against the Getzlafs or Malkins of the world anymore. But his time with Tanguay and Kovalev last year and his work with kids like Little Tits and Gui! Gui! Gui! surely show that he had something to offer on the ice to go along with all he brings off it. Obviously none of us know what transpired between Koivu and Gainey over the past year, and we don't know what kind of offers or counteroffers were made. But in my opinion, Koivu deserves better treatment from the franchise he has served so well for so long. If by some miracle he returns, I will welcome him with open arms. If he is indeed done as a Canadien, I will wish him nothing but the best and hope that his next appearance at the Bell Centre results in a deafening ovation. He deserves that. He deserves better than what he's received so far.
No, today is the day to talk about the ones who went away, got away, or were shamefully pushed away. Kovalev. Komisarek. Koivu. In that order.
Kovy, the Superstar that Never Was:
And so the era of Kovalev ends fittingly, with all sorts of rumours, mystery, rabid fans defending "L'Artiste", just as many rabid fans wishing he would fuck off, and an anticlimactic finish (the Sens? That's it? Not the Penguins to play with Malkin, not LA to mess up the young kids, not a reunion with Jagr in Russia?)
On any given night, Kovalev was the best player in the rink or the worst. He was dominating and controlling the puck for minutes at a time, or shying away from contact on the boards. He was making a mockery of physics with a wrist shot from an impossible angle or taking a stupid penalty. He is, for a generation of younger Habs fans, the closest thing to a non-goalie superstar they have ever known. To the older generation, he's a modern day Pierre Larouche; talented beyond most mere mortals and never able to put it all together in the package it deserved.
The stories surrounding Kovalev run the gamut from "slacker/cancer/bad influence/only tries when Koivu is out" to "great teammate/amazing work ethic/great mentor for the kids". Given what I saw on the ice and the implosion of the dressing room last year (including Kovy's infamous walk in the snow with Gainey) I lean more towards trouble than terrific. And with Gainey clearly looking to take this team in an entirely different direction on ice and in the room, Kovy's time was clearly up. I will remember the fantastic performance in the playoffs against Boston, the epic comeback against the Rangers, the night he crushed Darcy Tucker, the countless one-timers that sizzled into the top corner, the myriad of tricks, the goal he destroyed Chara and Thomas on. But I'll also remember the bizarre pronouncements, the amount of times I shouted at the tv because it looked like Kovy was taking a shift or a night off, and that I knew I would kill to put his talent into the body of a guy who played full-bore like Steve Begin just to see what would happen.
In the end, I don't have any ill will towards Kovalev. I appreciate that he came to Montreal and then re upped with them when they were struggling badly on ice and off. But I am not about to shed a tear for his departure or curse at him for going.
I will save my bile for ...
Komisarek, the ungrateful turncoat:
(Note to Leaf fans who seem to think this Komisarek hate is irrational: Please review what you said about your former captain when he was contemplating his future about one year ago. That's a pretty big glass house you live in.)
It's not that he went to the Leafs. I hate the Leafs, but I hate the Bruins more. What drives me (and so many other Habs fans) to white-hot-levels of "Komisarek is a Judas" hatred is the perception that Komisarek essentially gave the finger to an organization that:
a) Announced he was priority number one in free agency, over the beloved team captain, the talented Russian fan-favourite, and the French-Canadian scorer the team gave up a first-round pick for just a year earlier;
b) Thought so highly of his input and contributions that they asked him to coach while he was injured this year;
c) From all reports, bent over backwards to help him and his family when his mother passed away; and
d) Made no secret of the fact that they considered him future captain material.
Komisarek received an offer from Bob Gainey that was reported as 5 years, $20 million. He left for the Leafs for 5 years, $22.5 million. According to reports, Komisarek never even gave the Habs the opportunity to match the offer. He bolted. That, more than anything is what hurts. The franchise drafted him, taught him, had plans for him. The fans adored him, defended his questionable tactics when other teams accused him of late hits, not fighting, or cheap shots. We all suffered the guffaws and countless youtube replays of Komisarek getting destroyed by Milan Lucic and stuck by him. The Canadiens and the fans invested in Mike Komisarek, and he didn't invest anything back. That's why we're mad. That's why we turned so quickly. That's why next year, I will cheer every time he gets caught out of position trying to make a big hit, every time he gets thumped by Lucic, every time he takes a stupid penalty. That's why he's getting his ass booed at the Bell Centre for the rest of his life. Like that fucker Grabovski, he looked the Habs franchise in the eye and spit; So fuck him. He could have learned a thing or two from:
Koivu, the man who deserved better:
Lost among the rage over Komisarek's departure and the stupidity of a rally for an enigmatic 25 goal scorer was the shabby treatment doled out to the most important Montreal Canadien of the past decade. Saku Koivu never became the elite scorer his early seasons promised due to a combination of bad luck with injuries, bad linemates, lack of size, whatever. He never lead the Habs to a Cup, which is how legends usually get made in Montreal. He was never fully embraced by a large segment of the fan base, either because he wasn't Francophone, or didn't score highlight reel goals, or because he had the misfortune of being the leader of the most rudderless, Three Stooges-esque collection of Habs teams ever (thank you, Mr. Corey and Mr. Houle and Mr. Tremblay).
The measure of Koivu's worth to the team and city can't ever be quantified in points-per-game or trophies won. His tireless charity work, his ability to come back from knee injuries and cancer and almost losing an eye, his calm and dignified response to the barbs lobbed at him over language by the Guy Bertrands of the world, his willingness to get on with the business of playing hockey without complaining about his contract, or his linemates, or his lack of support from certain fans all speak to the man he was. Koivu was a throwback to an earlier incarnation of Montreal Canadien; The class of Beliveau, the guts of the Richards, the little big man tenaciousness of Joliat. He isn't as fast as he used to be, and he isn't strong enough to continue to battle for 25 minutes a night against the Getzlafs or Malkins of the world anymore. But his time with Tanguay and Kovalev last year and his work with kids like Little Tits and Gui! Gui! Gui! surely show that he had something to offer on the ice to go along with all he brings off it. Obviously none of us know what transpired between Koivu and Gainey over the past year, and we don't know what kind of offers or counteroffers were made. But in my opinion, Koivu deserves better treatment from the franchise he has served so well for so long. If by some miracle he returns, I will welcome him with open arms. If he is indeed done as a Canadien, I will wish him nothing but the best and hope that his next appearance at the Bell Centre results in a deafening ovation. He deserves that. He deserves better than what he's received so far.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Oh Captain My Captain - Devils Preview and Open Thread
No one seems to want to talk about last night, so here's a new thread for you to look forward. The basic facts about tonight's game - 7 PM in Jersey, Ookies, Koivu, TFS(tm), and Brendan Shanahan. Please God let us go into the All-Star break with a win.Personally, I'll be watching Lost.
Friday, November 02, 2007
En français, Captain K
You couldn't have made it any easier for Daniel Briere.
That's right, you, les médias francophones, les politiciens. You, maître Guy Bertrand, cher collègue.
You created a Quebec language debate over a Finn. You did.
In what promised to be an amusing field day for journalists on both ends of the language spectrum for Brière's first game in Montreal since Le Snub, we are left instead with the media's latest case in power point presentation of Brière's thought process as he passed on the opportunity to play for Montreal in July.
In Saku Koivu's judgment, Briere finds validation. He has been spoon fed. You can bet the house he bought in Philadelphia that these thoughts have run through his mind a few times today: "You want to know why I didn't sign here? Because I didn't want to deal with your fabricated somethings out of nothings, that's why. Ce que Saku endure aujourd'hui, je refuse d'intégrer ça à mon travail, d'imposer ça à ma famille, de vivre ça dans mon quotidien. It's not for me."
No argument here, Danny.
It's a nasty subject for an athlete to deal with, and for some reason, in Quebec, it grabs headlines time and time again.
Only in Quebec, perpetually locked between what William Johnson has described as Canada and the illusion of utopia, will this topic take on such life. What are the fans clamouring for, that Koivu pant in broken French during intermission or post-game interviews? Do the fans want to know he's at least trying to learn?
Dans quel cadre devons-nous situer ce débat? Quel irritant sert-il d'identifier à travers cette saga? Que le capitaine du Canadien soit gêné de s'exprimer en français? Plutôt, que la fibre francophone du méga symbole d'appartenance que représente cette équipe s'effrite graduellement dans une ligue nationale devenue de plus en plus hétérogène? Qu'est-ce qui vous dérange vraiment les Québécois. Le moment nous impose de défénir le problème une fois pour tout afin de cerner le malaise. Afin de l'enrayer.
It's confusing and it requires explanations.
Has Quebec's cultural status frailed to the point of inflexion at the mere mention of a hockey player's language skills? Does the true problem not lie with the notion that this need for Quebec to assert itself has become so voracious that the Finish captain of the Montreal Canadiens must be thrown in the mix? Will Quebec feel better about itself if Koivu begins to express himself in French? Isn't that silly rock and roll antics seen at concerts, artists playing to the crowds with their crooked "Comment ça va Montréal!!!"
Koivu in French, in English. Insignificant. Meaningless. It won't enhance Quebecois pride, nor will it dent it. Don't kid yourselves, the language debate in Quebec and the ensuing separation issues have far more serious consequences and more important triggers than Captain K, s'il vous plait.
Why allow it to flow into sports? Why bother the athletes? Why irk the fans? As we have said before on these very pages, is Koivu really paid to win or to conjugate?
Le Québec se trouve en ce jour sur un terrain fertile, en imagination, en réflexion, en avenues potentielles: dans quelle voie faut-il mener ce débat? La problématique est toute simple. Notre sport national, cette équipe se meuvent à l'extérieur des rancunes culturelles.
This doesn't concern hockey, the Montreal Candiens or Saku Koivu. We should all be encouraged to redraw the lines. In the end, all this recurring debate does is spin a furious war of words that leaves the players in a state of bewilderment and the NHL's upcoming free agents watching with an apprehensive eye and an enlarging memory bank to boot come July. Therein lies the formula that makes a Quebecois star a Philadelphia Flyer.
That's right, you, les médias francophones, les politiciens. You, maître Guy Bertrand, cher collègue.
You created a Quebec language debate over a Finn. You did.
In what promised to be an amusing field day for journalists on both ends of the language spectrum for Brière's first game in Montreal since Le Snub, we are left instead with the media's latest case in power point presentation of Brière's thought process as he passed on the opportunity to play for Montreal in July.
In Saku Koivu's judgment, Briere finds validation. He has been spoon fed. You can bet the house he bought in Philadelphia that these thoughts have run through his mind a few times today: "You want to know why I didn't sign here? Because I didn't want to deal with your fabricated somethings out of nothings, that's why. Ce que Saku endure aujourd'hui, je refuse d'intégrer ça à mon travail, d'imposer ça à ma famille, de vivre ça dans mon quotidien. It's not for me."
No argument here, Danny.
It's a nasty subject for an athlete to deal with, and for some reason, in Quebec, it grabs headlines time and time again.
Only in Quebec, perpetually locked between what William Johnson has described as Canada and the illusion of utopia, will this topic take on such life. What are the fans clamouring for, that Koivu pant in broken French during intermission or post-game interviews? Do the fans want to know he's at least trying to learn?
Dans quel cadre devons-nous situer ce débat? Quel irritant sert-il d'identifier à travers cette saga? Que le capitaine du Canadien soit gêné de s'exprimer en français? Plutôt, que la fibre francophone du méga symbole d'appartenance que représente cette équipe s'effrite graduellement dans une ligue nationale devenue de plus en plus hétérogène? Qu'est-ce qui vous dérange vraiment les Québécois. Le moment nous impose de défénir le problème une fois pour tout afin de cerner le malaise. Afin de l'enrayer.
It's confusing and it requires explanations.
Has Quebec's cultural status frailed to the point of inflexion at the mere mention of a hockey player's language skills? Does the true problem not lie with the notion that this need for Quebec to assert itself has become so voracious that the Finish captain of the Montreal Canadiens must be thrown in the mix? Will Quebec feel better about itself if Koivu begins to express himself in French? Isn't that silly rock and roll antics seen at concerts, artists playing to the crowds with their crooked "Comment ça va Montréal!!!"
Koivu in French, in English. Insignificant. Meaningless. It won't enhance Quebecois pride, nor will it dent it. Don't kid yourselves, the language debate in Quebec and the ensuing separation issues have far more serious consequences and more important triggers than Captain K, s'il vous plait.
Why allow it to flow into sports? Why bother the athletes? Why irk the fans? As we have said before on these very pages, is Koivu really paid to win or to conjugate?
Le Québec se trouve en ce jour sur un terrain fertile, en imagination, en réflexion, en avenues potentielles: dans quelle voie faut-il mener ce débat? La problématique est toute simple. Notre sport national, cette équipe se meuvent à l'extérieur des rancunes culturelles.
This doesn't concern hockey, the Montreal Candiens or Saku Koivu. We should all be encouraged to redraw the lines. In the end, all this recurring debate does is spin a furious war of words that leaves the players in a state of bewilderment and the NHL's upcoming free agents watching with an apprehensive eye and an enlarging memory bank to boot come July. Therein lies the formula that makes a Quebecois star a Philadelphia Flyer.
Thursday, October 04, 2007
The Morning Skate for Thursday, October 4th
Bullet points for what you missed while dreaming of going 82-0. Hey, at least it's possible now...
- Habs win! And in glorious Hi-Def no less. Here's the video of Saku's OT heroics. Breezer's defensive zone gaffe in the last 2 minutes brought the boo-birds out in the TMS household, even as he led the team with 30 shifts. We'll have more on the game later today, and you can always scroll down to the next post and check out last night's open thread for the insta-reactions (thanks to everyone who popped in, especially LG77, we'll do it all season);
- Leafs lose! Dany Heatley, with 6 years and $45 mill fresh in his pocket, got the winner;
First place! Enjoy it while it lasts.
Monday, October 01, 2007
No Sex in the Champagne Room Tips its Hat to the Captain in this FHF Season Preview of Saku Koivu
FHF, in conjunction with Telefilm Canada and StripperCorp, is pleased to offer our Habs season preview with no cover charge. For FHF virgins, you may want to review our trademarked Stripperriffic Rating System before tipping the bouncer.
The tits – Great playmaker, and terrific vision of the ice. He knows where his teammates are and will get them the puck more often than not. When he’s not injured count on him for just under a point a game pace. A skilled skater who can handle himself well down low in the corners; he’ll pivot himself out of traffic and find a way to the net. He scores goals at opportune moments; his game rises with the circumstances.
The cellulite- I don’t recall ever seeing Koivu blaze down the ice and fire a blast past a goalie. He recognizes that his shot isn't his most potent weapon. Over 90% of his goals are scored in close. If you can push him out of the slot and keep him on the periphery you’ll limit the threat. When he’s not injured count on him for just under a point a game pace. The argument is that he’s not a legitimate no.1 centre.
The armpit hair – Health. Two bad knees, the terrible cancer, an accumulation of bruises over the years. It means the team can’t count on him to play the 82 game schedule, although you know he desperately wants to be there. Slumps. Long ones. He’ll go goalless for 20 consecutive games, almost every single year. It brings the first line to a grinding halt. Then the whole team suffers and the predictable 20- game slide begins. When he’s not injured count on him for just under a point a game pace. The argument is that he’s not a legitimate no.1 centre. He doesn’t rake in the points the way a game breaking star does. He’s been a target in the French media for a long time. He took a 5 minute phone call while eating at a restaurant in Finland this summer only to find that he had brought nuclear Armageddon to the world, or at least on the front pages of La Presse. Has he had enough?
In the VIP room - Work, no matter the circumstances. Whether riding a streak or mired in a slump. In health or near death, he's conditioned to fight. It’s in his blood. He’s relentless. Courageous. Disciplined. That’s why he wears the “C”. It’s not for meaningless speeches in the room, not for his words, because he is a man of few. It’s because everything he represents to this team and to this game is apparent, and right there to learn from during every practice and every game. When he’s not injured count on him for just under a point a game pace. The argument is that he’s not a legitimate no.1 centre. He doesn’t rake in the points the way a game breaking star does. True, but only 9 other centers in the league had more points than he did last year. You want a top 10 centre? So do 20 other teams. Now only if we could get a top ten winger….
Chez Parée bound? - He’s welcome WHENEVER he wants. Think Ray Liotta and Lorraine Bracco in Goodfellas slipping through the backdoor of the club, through the kitchen and inside where the waiters are hustling in a new table for him on the best spot in the house.
.....Lap dances (out of 10) - In the words of HF10...A million! A million lap dances for Saku!
Signature Song – Heart of Gold. He embodies life in all of its sequences and tempos and whatever the circumstances he does so with an unblemished will to prevail. He gives to the team, to the community, to a voracious media as he sits in his stall game after game. A special man, Montreal is lucky to have him.
4 a.m. Smoked Meat Sandwich:
HF10: As much as it pains me to say it, 2007 Saku isn't an NHL number 1 centre. Two major knee injuries and the cancer battle have taken too much from the original mini-mite who made Turgeon expendable and looked like a perennial top-ten scorer. However, I absolutely love his talent, guts, and dedication to the franchise. He's one of the good ones and no one deserves to lead another Habs Cup winner more.
HF29: I will never say anything bad about him. Period.
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Ça Suffit - Part Two
The enmeshment between the Canadiens and the city of Montreal runs deep. It has justified the rise in journalists that cover the daily saga that wraps itself around an 82 game schedule. It has bred the creation of 24 hour sports radio stations in both official languages. It has enabled late night televised debates over every single detail regarding every aspect of the team, drawing huge audiences in the process. The Montreal Canadiens are the team that never sleeps, revived over and over again, well after the game or the season has been played, by its fans that now enjoy so many outlets to channel their passion.
The team and its players are subjected to hot lamp scrutiny as soon as they agree to play in Montreal.
General manager Bob Gainey, who is no stranger to captaincy, winning or personal devastation, stands by oft criticized Saku Koivu with unquestionable faith and confidence.
Recently though the aim has shifted slightly towards the GM.
Many in the francophone media have argued that Gainey wasn’t fit for work after his own terrible loss. This very personal and very private issue was raised in the francophone newspapers, televised news bulletins, radio shows and during the team’s press conferences, all while the man still struggled to come to terms with his immense grief.
After having remained idle at the trading deadline, Gainey’s dedication to his work in view of his personal loss was questioned by the media who in the process sank to new depths as far as unprofessional and distasteful conduct is concerned. The man is in the throes of agonizing tragedy and the francophone media is calling for his head. Aren’t we all told to cope and gather our inner strength to try and move forward, to not abandon life, to resume work in the face of adversity?
Recently though the aim has shifted slightly towards the GM.
Many in the francophone media have argued that Gainey wasn’t fit for work after his own terrible loss. This very personal and very private issue was raised in the francophone newspapers, televised news bulletins, radio shows and during the team’s press conferences, all while the man still struggled to come to terms with his immense grief.
After having remained idle at the trading deadline, Gainey’s dedication to his work in view of his personal loss was questioned by the media who in the process sank to new depths as far as unprofessional and distasteful conduct is concerned. The man is in the throes of agonizing tragedy and the francophone media is calling for his head. Aren’t we all told to cope and gather our inner strength to try and move forward, to not abandon life, to resume work in the face of adversity?
Gainey should have been praised by the media for the courage it took to embrace a daily routine again, despite the reality that for the rest of his life that routine will include the grieving and the coping. Instead, he was criticized for attempting to revert to a sense of normalcy in the world that had again suddenly collapsed around him. Life has not been easy on Bob Gainey, you figure the media would intuitively sense that and publicly empathize with the man Russian coach Victor Tikhonov once labelled the most intelligent player in the world. Instead, in the spasm of those few weeks, the media in Quebec requested his head.
Some in the francophone media that follows this team move with a modus operandi and a purpose to unleash venom. It’s fully evidenced in the format that 110% has chosen to adopt in showcasing participants (who in fact are all journalists) barking at one another to get their points across. The overly simplistic result far too often falls somewhere between the incoherent and uninformative. When 110 succeeds, as a journalistic medium, it's because the decibels are low and the debators are afforded the luxury of finishing a sentence. This aggressive reporting, if one can call it that, was also in full force when journalists barged into Koivu’s hospital room, which only yielded tabloid fodder.
Last month, a francophone radio host asked his audience to call in and comment on whether or not there should be a limit of European players on every NHL team because of their alleged lack of dedication. This form of tribalism has no place in sports journalism, let alone in sports. Some in the French media continue to disseminate a message laced with subtle xenophobia. It’s not as outrageous as the kind Don Cherry advocates, but both are hatched out of the same rotten egg.
Some in the francophone media that follows this team move with a modus operandi and a purpose to unleash venom. It’s fully evidenced in the format that 110% has chosen to adopt in showcasing participants (who in fact are all journalists) barking at one another to get their points across. The overly simplistic result far too often falls somewhere between the incoherent and uninformative. When 110 succeeds, as a journalistic medium, it's because the decibels are low and the debators are afforded the luxury of finishing a sentence. This aggressive reporting, if one can call it that, was also in full force when journalists barged into Koivu’s hospital room, which only yielded tabloid fodder.
Last month, a francophone radio host asked his audience to call in and comment on whether or not there should be a limit of European players on every NHL team because of their alleged lack of dedication. This form of tribalism has no place in sports journalism, let alone in sports. Some in the French media continue to disseminate a message laced with subtle xenophobia. It’s not as outrageous as the kind Don Cherry advocates, but both are hatched out of the same rotten egg.
As a francophone Quebecois myself, I hold my media to higher standards. I'm asking for more. However, I only ask for sports. Leave the politics to the politicians. When comparing the French media to the Anglo press, one cannot help but notice a difference in style. This dichotomy runs along cultural lines drawn over time between Quebec and Canada. The English press, save for the irate Cherry, voice contained criticism. Confined within the borders of what seems appropriate. The frustration is there, it's palpable, but rarely overt, never overbearing. Is it boring? Maybe it is at times.
En français, as a testament to the wonderful warmth, passion and authenticity that the French Québécois are about, the media often takes things to an all too personal, begrudging level. And it gets ugly very quickly. It’s time for these members of the francophone media in Quebec to start treating the players with dignity and its fans with respect. Nobody deserves this as much as Koivu, Gainey and some of the most knowledgeable hockey fans in the world. They all deserve something cerebral to chew on. C’est assez, ça suffit.
Ça suffit: Part One: Oh Captain, My Captain
The rapacious sports journalists in Montreal. Now there's your elephant in the locker room.
Many in the Montreal sports media, the Habarazzi, go beyond the borders of hockey and they do so in vitriolic manner. None has endured such character assassination as the team’s captain, Saku Koivu.
Koivu has heard and read it all, mostly in the French media about his lack of leadership and character.
Doubt rained over Koivu even before the trainers had finished stitching the first C on his jersey.
He wasn’t fit to captain the team because he couldn’t communicate in French.
His stamina was questioned after his remission from cancer.
Koivu has heard and read it all, mostly in the French media about his lack of leadership and character.
Doubt rained over Koivu even before the trainers had finished stitching the first C on his jersey.
He wasn’t fit to captain the team because he couldn’t communicate in French.
His stamina was questioned after his remission from cancer.
His desire to will the team to victory seemed unconvincing.
His apparent lack of mentoring skills has left the younger players scrambling in all directions, leaderless. Funny how most young players on the team enjoyed banner seasons in 06-07.
His quiet demeanor has failed to lift the team during its struggles.
His apparent lack of mentoring skills has left the younger players scrambling in all directions, leaderless. Funny how most young players on the team enjoyed banner seasons in 06-07.
His quiet demeanor has failed to lift the team during its struggles.
Anyone who questions Saku Koivu’s character must arguably not have grasped the full spectrum of the meaning behind the words cancer, remission, comeback, charity. Saku Koivu is everything that is good in sports today. Forget the trivialities of a hockey season, his leadership away from the rink, where it really matters, should leave most of us in embarrassment; we have not achieved a fraction of what he has while carrying burdens far too enormous to fathom on his small shoulders.
You can question his play, his lack of scoring prowess, his inevitable scoring droughts that have impacted the team around Christmas time over the last few seasons. You can’t, however, doubt his leadership. Nobody can. We owe many thanks to this courageous young athlete and his supporters should run the gamut, from the most devoted hockey fan, to the numerous beneficiaries of the PET scan machine his charitable foundation donated to the Montreal General Hospital.
Today, the ever present media has become an ambassador of sorts. In so doing, it communicates in two directions. It both relays its perceptions of the team to the public and voices the issues and sentiments the public may want to address with the team. Sometimes, the message has been distorted and at times the media has been guilty of delving into pure fabrication. On other occasions, they have simply crossed the line.
You can question his play, his lack of scoring prowess, his inevitable scoring droughts that have impacted the team around Christmas time over the last few seasons. You can’t, however, doubt his leadership. Nobody can. We owe many thanks to this courageous young athlete and his supporters should run the gamut, from the most devoted hockey fan, to the numerous beneficiaries of the PET scan machine his charitable foundation donated to the Montreal General Hospital.
Today, the ever present media has become an ambassador of sorts. In so doing, it communicates in two directions. It both relays its perceptions of the team to the public and voices the issues and sentiments the public may want to address with the team. Sometimes, the message has been distorted and at times the media has been guilty of delving into pure fabrication. On other occasions, they have simply crossed the line.
Koivu not being a leader falls into the realm of fabrication.
His dedication to overcoming devastating odds speaks so loudly to the contrary. While others may possess more raw talent he is blessed with splendid devotion to hard work, an intangible that eludes even the most talented on this earth most of the time. He plays possessed in the playoffs days after returning from a cancer that wiped away an entire season and, more importantly, almost extinguished his life. He comes back this year with a blind spot in an eye he almost lost as the Habs were leading the eventual champion Carolina Hurricanes 2-0 in last year’s opening round series. He then silences his doubters by producing his best season, despite the cataract left in his eye.
The public doesn’t really care about Koivu not commanding the French language. Did it care when Kirk Muller wore the C? This would seem to contradict the fact that Koivu continues to receive the loudest cheers from the fans at the Bell Centre. Does any player on the team regret Koivu’s inefficiencies in the French language? Is the media really sending the public’s message to the player or is it merely frustrated that it doesn’t have the most quotable captain in sports? Is he paid to win or to conjugate?
Should Koivu have endured a commando like raid in his hospital, with flashes blaring in his injured eye simply because he is a public figure? Some in the francophone media did in fact see that to be the case because those photos were disseminated. In publishing the fruit of this intrusion they displayed disgraceful ineptitude. The line that journalism in all its integrity must view with such consideration was crossed.
The fans and media alike need to remond themselves every now and then that this is a game. Only a game. A beautiful one at that, but one that matters very little when set against the backdrop of something much larger: life. Saku would be the first to attest to that.
Thursday, June 21, 2007
The Habs, Soccer...and Strippers, but Who's on First?
In that order of affection, yes.
I have never watched a Habs game at a strip club. That would be a bit too much for the senses. I'll take a good game on TV over a lap dance from a girl named "Cristelle" who is trying to pay for her law degree. Sure, our exorbitant $1500 tuition fees require students to go to such lenghts. This is the city where tuition hikes occur at a slower pace than a Barry Richter end to end rush.
The FHF are slowly gearing up for Euro 2008, with qualifying games already scattered throughout the spring and summer. If Greece pulls off another upset, you read it here first, I'm going to throw myself off someplace high.
What direction are the Habs going in? It's too early to speculate. The Yashin rumors are nothing but and unless he signs, I wouldn't read much into it. I don't know that he is the igniting flame that must be lit under Kovalev's tremendously lazy culo but I don't see it as the passionate mix that brings the chalice of love home. We saw what Anaheim did. It takes grit and selflessness; Kovy and "Museum Donor Boy" don't come to mind all that quickly. Now if MDB wants to sign here for coffee and change, that's another story. I'll even buy the coffee, keep the change.
The Draft is upon us, then comes July 1, talk to me a week later, when most of the UFA's will have been snatched up. If the Habs are in the mix, if they are part of the conversation then there is hope. One thing is absolutely certain, this team needs to fill the hole in the middle on that second line. Some say that gap has been filled for the last 10 years because that's all Saku Koivu has been good for. I disagree. But if that is true, and most believe it to be so, then who's on first? Mike "For the love of God someone feed this poor child" Ribeiro was not the answer. Plekanec is maturing into a great two-way forward but he needs to become the face of the 3rd line, the back bone of any team with depth and the ability to come up with that important goal. Higgins converted to center? He is going to be a beauty, but the answer is develop him into the natural player he is at his natural position, on the wing. I keep on replaying in my mind that gorgeous goal he scored in the last game against the Leafs and wonder what is to come.
This team needs a center, who can plug and play on lines 1 and 2 and who can provide the punch that will desperately be needed once the canon's launched by Sheldon St-Laurent will have been silenced. (i'm already in prep-grieving mode). Maybe MDB is the answer. Since he never seemed to care about the game, and neither did Kovy, maybe 2 negatives turn into a posi....ahh forget it....
I have never watched a Habs game at a strip club. That would be a bit too much for the senses. I'll take a good game on TV over a lap dance from a girl named "Cristelle" who is trying to pay for her law degree. Sure, our exorbitant $1500 tuition fees require students to go to such lenghts. This is the city where tuition hikes occur at a slower pace than a Barry Richter end to end rush.
The FHF are slowly gearing up for Euro 2008, with qualifying games already scattered throughout the spring and summer. If Greece pulls off another upset, you read it here first, I'm going to throw myself off someplace high.
What direction are the Habs going in? It's too early to speculate. The Yashin rumors are nothing but and unless he signs, I wouldn't read much into it. I don't know that he is the igniting flame that must be lit under Kovalev's tremendously lazy culo but I don't see it as the passionate mix that brings the chalice of love home. We saw what Anaheim did. It takes grit and selflessness; Kovy and "Museum Donor Boy" don't come to mind all that quickly. Now if MDB wants to sign here for coffee and change, that's another story. I'll even buy the coffee, keep the change.
The Draft is upon us, then comes July 1, talk to me a week later, when most of the UFA's will have been snatched up. If the Habs are in the mix, if they are part of the conversation then there is hope. One thing is absolutely certain, this team needs to fill the hole in the middle on that second line. Some say that gap has been filled for the last 10 years because that's all Saku Koivu has been good for. I disagree. But if that is true, and most believe it to be so, then who's on first? Mike "For the love of God someone feed this poor child" Ribeiro was not the answer. Plekanec is maturing into a great two-way forward but he needs to become the face of the 3rd line, the back bone of any team with depth and the ability to come up with that important goal. Higgins converted to center? He is going to be a beauty, but the answer is develop him into the natural player he is at his natural position, on the wing. I keep on replaying in my mind that gorgeous goal he scored in the last game against the Leafs and wonder what is to come.
This team needs a center, who can plug and play on lines 1 and 2 and who can provide the punch that will desperately be needed once the canon's launched by Sheldon St-Laurent will have been silenced. (i'm already in prep-grieving mode). Maybe MDB is the answer. Since he never seemed to care about the game, and neither did Kovy, maybe 2 negatives turn into a posi....ahh forget it....
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