P.K. Subban is a Nashville Predator. It doesn’t matter if you're okay with 'the trade' or not, it's already history. Besides, there is very little anyone can do about it, except perhaps complain which is essentially pointless. Accept it and move on, that’s what grown ups do.
I believed at the time (and still do) that the trade was a mistake. Marc Bergevin went all-in acquiring a known commodity in Shea Weber in exchange for Subban’s obvious potential. If you were to ask general managers around the league, most would say it was a good trade for the Canadiens organization. Though clearly many like myself, plus one GM, don't agree.
Which brings me, oddly enough, to the current trainwreck that is the American election. Many of us have lamented the popularity of the supremely unqualified Donald Trump. It's becoming clear his support has little to do with substantive policy, but rather a thinly-veiled appeal to an underlying culture of intolerance and ignorance among many voters. Trump knows he is the right man for everything that is wrong with an appallingly large segment of American society.
So too in hockey, the problem isn’t Subban, or Bergevin, it’s the culture. As pro sports go, there are few that match hockey in its conservatism. Golf certainly. Tennis perhaps. For example, in an era when pro sports leagues have been forced to address player safety, in particular concussions, the NHL still tacitly approves of bare-fisted fighting by arguing that 'it's just part of the game.' The league generally discourages individuality in its players, both on and off the ice, unless it conforms to a model of humility, old-school toughness, quiet community service and 'the code.'
Subban is anything but that. He is brash, outspoken, funny, loud and incredibly gifted. His public image is as important as was his pride in playing for the Canadiens. Unfortunately that kind of thinking doesn’t mesh with NHL culture. In the minds of many, Subban was getting too big for his britches, an appropriately antiquated expression to illustrate the point.
Like it or not, players like Subban represent the modern generation of professional athletes. Branding is important to them, but can also be extremely lucrative to the franchises for which they play. Pro leagues don't own players like they used to, a concept that seems strangely foreign to NHL GMs.
The irony is that the Canadien’s glory days were rife with players and managers doing a lot of out-of-the-box thinking. They were trend-setters, not trend-followers. The wild-eyed intensity and politically vocal Maurice Richard comes to mind. The problem isn’t that players think they are bigger than the game, it’s management believing they are. Would Roy have been traded if cooler, more mature heads prevailed over ego? Let's be honest, it was a childish spat that set back the franchise at least a decade.
I believe Marc Bergevin sincerely wants to make this team better. I believe Michel Therrien thinks he has the winning formula. They may be right. I hope they’re right, but I can't help but wonder how much hockey culture plays a role in their decisions. That said, though I may disagree with their decisions, we all want the same thing, and I can't fault them for that. Besides, holding grudges is a profound waste of time.
I am very much looking forward to Canadiens hockey this season. I'm excited to see what Shea Weber brings to the team, but I will also be watching and supporting P.K. Subban.
Yes, I can do both. That's what grown ups do.
Thursday, September 1, 2016
Saturday, May 9, 2015
Fifty Blessings
Fifty years.
Turning forty seemed like a big deal at the time, but fifty? That's a number that gets your attention. As with any milestone, recollection of the journey never seems to fully capture the length of road already travelled, which is just another way of saying it all seems like a blur.
As the clock ticks past the half-century mark, it's tempting to look at one's life as a ledger of successes and failures as if the sum has any real value. It doesn't, by the way. For most of us, our greatest successes or failures have no bearing on the rest of the universe. I believe the only meaningful evaluation of one's life can be drawn from the ancient, but no less relevant adage 'count your blessings.' The precept is not exclusive to any belief system or religion, but the simple act of being grateful for what you have received is not only a good way to live, it's a good measure of a lifetime. For purposes of expediency, I won't recite fifty blessings as the title implies, but to go with a numerical theme, here are my top five.
Do what you love. Love what you do.
I have been blessed with a career that has been, shall we say, diverse. A friend once joked that he stopped writing my work number in pen due to the number of times I changed companies. A repeat victim of department closures, cutbacks and downsizing, my career would best be characterized as crossing a river by leaping from one stone to another. Along the way, I have been careful to not torch any bridges (though some fell apart of their own accord). I am equally fortunate that many of the people with whom I have worked are still friends and colleagues. As much of an adventure it has been, I've been blessed to continue to do what I love, working alongside some remarkable people.
Capturing the spark.
One of my most cherished blessings is creativity. In fairness, I believe everyone has this gift in one form or another, the challenge is finding an outlet for all that energy. In my case, it takes many forms, from a career in graphic arts, to public speaking and broadcasting. Having the ability to express one's ideas and imagination is a gift for which I am deeply grateful. When I see others discover and express their own gifts, it is nothing short of inspiring. The most important lesson learned over time is to set your own standards for creative expression. Work at it, nurture it, push your boundaries and do it for no other reason than feeding your own passion.
In the company of good friends.
Over the course of one's life friends are made, friends drift apart and then, in defiance of time and circumstance, come together again. These relationships can flourish and sometimes end in bitterness. Through it all, the gift of people in my life has never lost its value. It is those shared experiences that help us to grow and discover who we are. It's important to surround yourself with people who will support you through the darkest times, disagree with you or call you on your BS, and push you out of your confort zone. There are few things more gratifying than spending time laughing at life and yourself in the company of a good friend. I have been blessed to have experienced many incredible relationships in my life, and even more grateful that through challenging times, friendship and love have endured.
Finding 'the one'
Falling in love is easily one of the life's greatest blessings, but finding someone who is the perfect companion for life's journey is something truly astonishing. I have difficulty summoning up superlatives to describe my wife. In the simplest of words she is love, kindness, compassion and beauty inside and out. How she ever fell for a screwball like me is easily one of the great mysteries of my life. She comforts, supports, encourages and laughs with every fibre of her being. She throws herself at every task, giving freely and generously of her time to those in need. We laugh together until the tears fall, and cry together until the pain passes. We are a team in every sense of the word, covering when one falters and standing side-by-side through the myriad challenges and joys of life. I love her with all my heart, and it's a love that grows profoundly deeper with each passing day.
A family that grows together.
There are times in one's life when it might seem the contrary, but family is truly one of the greatest of all blessings. I know this in part because I have been fortunate to have grown up with a mom, dad and brothers who helped forge who I am today. I also know this, because I have lost both parents and a brother far too soon, yet their memories continue to guide me. That connection is what bridges the distance of time and space from my older brother, a bond that has grown stronger and deeper over time. That may have something to do with the way in which our parents stayed connected to their brothers and sisters, who lived in Scotland, England, France and the United States. In a time before social media and the internet, they always managed to find a way to share in one another's lives. Of course, families are not a fixed circle. They grow and intersect with others, drawing in new faces, with new chapters to add and experiences to share. A growing family has blessed me with another mom and dad, brothers and sisters, neices and nephews, and two wonderful sons who are the pride and joy of my life. I honestly don't know where I would be without the love and support of family,
The overarching blessing of life is the discovery that there is no wasted time. Every moment, be it tragic, joyful, mundane or miraculous, is precious. These moments define us by forcing us to grow, testing our mettle and revealing a side of ourselves we never knew. While the march of time subtracts some of the boundless energy of youth, what we gain is a richness of experience that is truly priceless. I am profoundly grateful for my fifty years of blessings which now includes the blessing of being fifty.
'Look to the future, because that is where you'll spend the rest of your life.'
George Burns
Turning forty seemed like a big deal at the time, but fifty? That's a number that gets your attention. As with any milestone, recollection of the journey never seems to fully capture the length of road already travelled, which is just another way of saying it all seems like a blur.
As the clock ticks past the half-century mark, it's tempting to look at one's life as a ledger of successes and failures as if the sum has any real value. It doesn't, by the way. For most of us, our greatest successes or failures have no bearing on the rest of the universe. I believe the only meaningful evaluation of one's life can be drawn from the ancient, but no less relevant adage 'count your blessings.' The precept is not exclusive to any belief system or religion, but the simple act of being grateful for what you have received is not only a good way to live, it's a good measure of a lifetime. For purposes of expediency, I won't recite fifty blessings as the title implies, but to go with a numerical theme, here are my top five.
Do what you love. Love what you do.
I have been blessed with a career that has been, shall we say, diverse. A friend once joked that he stopped writing my work number in pen due to the number of times I changed companies. A repeat victim of department closures, cutbacks and downsizing, my career would best be characterized as crossing a river by leaping from one stone to another. Along the way, I have been careful to not torch any bridges (though some fell apart of their own accord). I am equally fortunate that many of the people with whom I have worked are still friends and colleagues. As much of an adventure it has been, I've been blessed to continue to do what I love, working alongside some remarkable people.
Capturing the spark.
One of my most cherished blessings is creativity. In fairness, I believe everyone has this gift in one form or another, the challenge is finding an outlet for all that energy. In my case, it takes many forms, from a career in graphic arts, to public speaking and broadcasting. Having the ability to express one's ideas and imagination is a gift for which I am deeply grateful. When I see others discover and express their own gifts, it is nothing short of inspiring. The most important lesson learned over time is to set your own standards for creative expression. Work at it, nurture it, push your boundaries and do it for no other reason than feeding your own passion.
In the company of good friends.
Over the course of one's life friends are made, friends drift apart and then, in defiance of time and circumstance, come together again. These relationships can flourish and sometimes end in bitterness. Through it all, the gift of people in my life has never lost its value. It is those shared experiences that help us to grow and discover who we are. It's important to surround yourself with people who will support you through the darkest times, disagree with you or call you on your BS, and push you out of your confort zone. There are few things more gratifying than spending time laughing at life and yourself in the company of a good friend. I have been blessed to have experienced many incredible relationships in my life, and even more grateful that through challenging times, friendship and love have endured.
Finding 'the one'
Falling in love is easily one of the life's greatest blessings, but finding someone who is the perfect companion for life's journey is something truly astonishing. I have difficulty summoning up superlatives to describe my wife. In the simplest of words she is love, kindness, compassion and beauty inside and out. How she ever fell for a screwball like me is easily one of the great mysteries of my life. She comforts, supports, encourages and laughs with every fibre of her being. She throws herself at every task, giving freely and generously of her time to those in need. We laugh together until the tears fall, and cry together until the pain passes. We are a team in every sense of the word, covering when one falters and standing side-by-side through the myriad challenges and joys of life. I love her with all my heart, and it's a love that grows profoundly deeper with each passing day.
A family that grows together.
There are times in one's life when it might seem the contrary, but family is truly one of the greatest of all blessings. I know this in part because I have been fortunate to have grown up with a mom, dad and brothers who helped forge who I am today. I also know this, because I have lost both parents and a brother far too soon, yet their memories continue to guide me. That connection is what bridges the distance of time and space from my older brother, a bond that has grown stronger and deeper over time. That may have something to do with the way in which our parents stayed connected to their brothers and sisters, who lived in Scotland, England, France and the United States. In a time before social media and the internet, they always managed to find a way to share in one another's lives. Of course, families are not a fixed circle. They grow and intersect with others, drawing in new faces, with new chapters to add and experiences to share. A growing family has blessed me with another mom and dad, brothers and sisters, neices and nephews, and two wonderful sons who are the pride and joy of my life. I honestly don't know where I would be without the love and support of family,
The overarching blessing of life is the discovery that there is no wasted time. Every moment, be it tragic, joyful, mundane or miraculous, is precious. These moments define us by forcing us to grow, testing our mettle and revealing a side of ourselves we never knew. While the march of time subtracts some of the boundless energy of youth, what we gain is a richness of experience that is truly priceless. I am profoundly grateful for my fifty years of blessings which now includes the blessing of being fifty.
'Look to the future, because that is where you'll spend the rest of your life.'
George Burns
Tuesday, February 17, 2015
Winning Respect
In Montreal there is no higher position than coach of the Canadiens. With respect to Mayor Denis Corderre, the glaring media spotlight of Habs bench-boss is beyond compare. Every decision is scrutinized by a batallion of reporters, insiders, critics and pundits, not to mention legions of fans and couch-coaches worldwide.
It is simultaneously an incredible and soul-destroying job.
Michel Therrien doesn't have it easy. His NHL coaching resume, prior to his hiring (or technically rehiring) is story marked with near greatness and ignominious failure. At times he doesn't help his reputation by making decisions that can seem puzzling, risky and downright bizarre.
Which makes it all the more impressive that Michel Therrien carries on his coaching duties seemingly without giving a flying f*ck what anybody thinks.
Of course, there are plenty of legitimate factors contributing to the Habs' success this season: Carey Price elevating his game to the stratosphere, brilliant moves by General Manager Marc Bergevin and young players maturing at the right time. Without undermining the value of those factors, I would argue where the rubber truly meets the road is how those elements come together on the ice. Certainly Therrien's experience as coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins tells us that a skilled lineup doesn't always equate to success. Understanding the complexity of NHL-level strategy combined with the skills, mindset, egos and experience of your roster is a difficult balancing act at best.
Somehow in the face of his own personal history and the frenzied spotlight, Therrien has found a way to keep the Canadiens consistently atop the standings. Yet despite this record, he seems to have garnered only a modicum of grudging respect. In virtually any other franchise in the NHL (including Toronto) Michel Therrien would be hailed as a hero.
Is Therrien the best coach in the NHL? Successful certainly, but maybe not the best.
Is Therrien the best coach for the Canadiens right now? The answer has to be a resounding yes.
Turning around a team that failed to make the playoffs in 2012, with a roster laden with some notable dead weight, inexperienced and developing players, in the unforgiving and oft brutal spotlight of Montreal media and rabid fan base, is nothing short of remarkable. And yes, he's done so in two languages, despite having to endure crass mockery of his accent.
Love him or hate him, Michel Therrien is unwavering in his viewpoints and will coach the team the way he believes it should be coached until he gets fired, or retires. That is perhaps the only way a person not only copes with the stresses of coaching the Montreal Canadiens, but can be successful doing so.
I don't always agree with Michel Therrien's decisions, but I cannot fault his success in one of the toughest coaching jobs in professional sports.
Though I highly suspect he couldn't give a flying f*ck what I think.
Tuesday, January 20, 2015
Falling Leafs
The Twitterverse is abuzz today over so-called Toronto Maple Leafs fans tossing jerseys onto the Air Canada Centre's ice after another lackluster performance, a 4-1 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes. The chatter quickly escalated to a fevered cacophony when it was revealed that the jersey-throwers in question had been arrested, charged with public mischief, fined $5000 and banned from the Air Canada centre for a year.
Some opinions posit that the Maple Leafs organization is essentially applying a league-wide rule to the letter of the law. Citing player safety, under no circumstance shall fans throw foreign objects on to the ice, a rule that is often overlooked after the home-team scores a hat trick, or the occassional octopus in Detroit.
While the Leafs organization may argue that they are simply following standard procedure, make no mistake, the severity with which the organization is applying the law, and the public way in which it is doing so, is clearly an attempt to stem an an enormously embarassing trend.
From a hockey fan perspective, and moreover as a sports fan, while I do think the rules are being applied with notable zeal, what is being lost in the conversation is our understanding of what it means to be a team supporter.
Anyone who is a fan of a sports franchise knows that prolonged periods of success are never a given. There will be seasons of difficult losses or mediocre performances. For Leafs fans, that period has been intolerably long, and one could easily sympathize with their impatience, frustration and anger.
That said, to toss your team's jersey on their own playing surface is without question the height of disrespect. Rules and regulations notwithstanding, it is a public declaration not only withdrawing support for the current team, but also tossing aside its history and everything that it represents.
Yes, it is just a jersey. It isn't sacred or holy, however it still means something to those that wear it now and those that have in the past. In the case of the Toronto Maple Leafs that means a founding member of the NHL, 13 Stanley Cup championships and a huge fan-base whose loyalty, in the light of recent years, can only be admired.
There are other ways to express your displeasure for a team's performance (or lack thereof). You can boo them off the ice, you can stop showing up for games, you can write blogs or vent your frustration on talk radio.
But if you choose to reject the very symbol of the franchise you support, then perhaps you were never really a fan to begin with.
I believe things will turn around for the Leafs, there is too much at stake to maintain the status quo.
When it does, I'm sure there will be plenty of room on the bandwagon. I just hope the jersey-tossers enjoy the company of disingenuous hypocrites, because there'll be plenty.
Some opinions posit that the Maple Leafs organization is essentially applying a league-wide rule to the letter of the law. Citing player safety, under no circumstance shall fans throw foreign objects on to the ice, a rule that is often overlooked after the home-team scores a hat trick, or the occassional octopus in Detroit.
While the Leafs organization may argue that they are simply following standard procedure, make no mistake, the severity with which the organization is applying the law, and the public way in which it is doing so, is clearly an attempt to stem an an enormously embarassing trend.
From a hockey fan perspective, and moreover as a sports fan, while I do think the rules are being applied with notable zeal, what is being lost in the conversation is our understanding of what it means to be a team supporter.
Anyone who is a fan of a sports franchise knows that prolonged periods of success are never a given. There will be seasons of difficult losses or mediocre performances. For Leafs fans, that period has been intolerably long, and one could easily sympathize with their impatience, frustration and anger.
That said, to toss your team's jersey on their own playing surface is without question the height of disrespect. Rules and regulations notwithstanding, it is a public declaration not only withdrawing support for the current team, but also tossing aside its history and everything that it represents.
Yes, it is just a jersey. It isn't sacred or holy, however it still means something to those that wear it now and those that have in the past. In the case of the Toronto Maple Leafs that means a founding member of the NHL, 13 Stanley Cup championships and a huge fan-base whose loyalty, in the light of recent years, can only be admired.
There are other ways to express your displeasure for a team's performance (or lack thereof). You can boo them off the ice, you can stop showing up for games, you can write blogs or vent your frustration on talk radio.
But if you choose to reject the very symbol of the franchise you support, then perhaps you were never really a fan to begin with.
I believe things will turn around for the Leafs, there is too much at stake to maintain the status quo.
When it does, I'm sure there will be plenty of room on the bandwagon. I just hope the jersey-tossers enjoy the company of disingenuous hypocrites, because there'll be plenty.
Friday, September 19, 2014
Michel Therrien vs. Michel Therrien
'It was like men against boys' Michel Therrien notoriously lamented as coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins. It was a cold January night in 2006 and his slumping team had just dropped a 3-1 stinker to the Edmonton Oilers.
Therrien threw the entire team under the bus that night and perhaps unwittingly, himself. He lambasted the player's soft defence and utter lack of passion, then concluded his exasperated diatribe by wondering aloud if he could possibly find a solution.
Despite the much publicized rant, Therrien managed to turn things around for the Penguins, eventually leading the team to the Stanley Cup finals in 2008. Though the Peguins lost to the Detroit Red Wings, the team looked poised to become perennial cup contenders. But by February of the following season it had all unravelled again and Therrien was sent packing. It was an inglorious end to what had once seemed a storybook tale for the former Habs coach. Adding insult to injury was his replacement, Dan Bylsma, leading the team to their third Stanley Cup in the same season, fulfilling a destiny Therrien surely felt he had earned.
When Therrien returned as coach for the Canadiens in 2012, that rant among other things, was firmly on the minds of fans. It was unsettling to know that the organization had placed its trust in a man whose past history included the most public display of losing a locker room in living memory. Secondary to that, was a lingering concern about whether Therrien was still capable of coaching at the professional level after a three-year absence from the bench.
We got our answer in the shortened 2012-2013 season when the Habs showed significant improvement. The mission was simple: make the playoffs. To that end, Therrien delivered. But the first round loss to a truculent Ottawa Senators team seemed to bring out a bit of the old, exasperated Therrien, although his frustration was mercifully not directed at his players.
Last season was something of a different story. Although Therrien more than delivered on the goal of the post-season, it was during the regular season when fans and pundits began to wonder which Michel Therrien was behind the bench. There were moments of what some might label strategic brilliance, like putting Peter Budaj between the pipes for a second time in Boston, as a healthy Carey Price sat on the sidelines. Then there were those head-scratching moments, such as stapling P.K. Subban to the bench in critical 3rd period situations, or virtually any time he let Douglas Murray on the ice.
As the season progressed, opinions in the Canadiens' fan-base and media alternated between various levels of frustration, confusion, surprise and muted admiration of Therrien's coaching abilities. When things went bad, Therrien stood silently behind the bench, looking remarkably like that bronze Rodin sculpture, while more than a few of us wondered if he was thinking 'what is the solution?'
The Habs solid performance in the post-season seemed to erase much of that doubt. Save for a couple of fumbles (see Douglas Murray again) Therrien adjusted strategy, boosted minutes of his top performers and most importantly, remained composed.
So the real question for the forthcoming season is: Which Michel Therrien will show up? Will the old habits resurface, or has the experience of the past two seasons become the wisdom that will take his coaching abilities to the next level?
It could be argued that there is a similarity between the Pittsburgh Penguins roster under Therrien and the 2014-15 Canadiens. Both are teams well equipped with a core group of young players with the capacity of becoming the league's best.
Similar too, is coaching a talented, but struggling team to a turnaround that led deep into the post season. In 2009, Therrien failed to capitalize on that past success, which ultimately led to his dismissal.
One hopes these similarities are not lost on Michel Therrien, and that somewhere behind that distant thoughtful gaze lies a man with something to prove.
Therrien threw the entire team under the bus that night and perhaps unwittingly, himself. He lambasted the player's soft defence and utter lack of passion, then concluded his exasperated diatribe by wondering aloud if he could possibly find a solution.
Despite the much publicized rant, Therrien managed to turn things around for the Penguins, eventually leading the team to the Stanley Cup finals in 2008. Though the Peguins lost to the Detroit Red Wings, the team looked poised to become perennial cup contenders. But by February of the following season it had all unravelled again and Therrien was sent packing. It was an inglorious end to what had once seemed a storybook tale for the former Habs coach. Adding insult to injury was his replacement, Dan Bylsma, leading the team to their third Stanley Cup in the same season, fulfilling a destiny Therrien surely felt he had earned.
When Therrien returned as coach for the Canadiens in 2012, that rant among other things, was firmly on the minds of fans. It was unsettling to know that the organization had placed its trust in a man whose past history included the most public display of losing a locker room in living memory. Secondary to that, was a lingering concern about whether Therrien was still capable of coaching at the professional level after a three-year absence from the bench.
We got our answer in the shortened 2012-2013 season when the Habs showed significant improvement. The mission was simple: make the playoffs. To that end, Therrien delivered. But the first round loss to a truculent Ottawa Senators team seemed to bring out a bit of the old, exasperated Therrien, although his frustration was mercifully not directed at his players.
Last season was something of a different story. Although Therrien more than delivered on the goal of the post-season, it was during the regular season when fans and pundits began to wonder which Michel Therrien was behind the bench. There were moments of what some might label strategic brilliance, like putting Peter Budaj between the pipes for a second time in Boston, as a healthy Carey Price sat on the sidelines. Then there were those head-scratching moments, such as stapling P.K. Subban to the bench in critical 3rd period situations, or virtually any time he let Douglas Murray on the ice.
As the season progressed, opinions in the Canadiens' fan-base and media alternated between various levels of frustration, confusion, surprise and muted admiration of Therrien's coaching abilities. When things went bad, Therrien stood silently behind the bench, looking remarkably like that bronze Rodin sculpture, while more than a few of us wondered if he was thinking 'what is the solution?'
The Habs solid performance in the post-season seemed to erase much of that doubt. Save for a couple of fumbles (see Douglas Murray again) Therrien adjusted strategy, boosted minutes of his top performers and most importantly, remained composed.
So the real question for the forthcoming season is: Which Michel Therrien will show up? Will the old habits resurface, or has the experience of the past two seasons become the wisdom that will take his coaching abilities to the next level?
It could be argued that there is a similarity between the Pittsburgh Penguins roster under Therrien and the 2014-15 Canadiens. Both are teams well equipped with a core group of young players with the capacity of becoming the league's best.
Similar too, is coaching a talented, but struggling team to a turnaround that led deep into the post season. In 2009, Therrien failed to capitalize on that past success, which ultimately led to his dismissal.
One hopes these similarities are not lost on Michel Therrien, and that somewhere behind that distant thoughtful gaze lies a man with something to prove.
Wednesday, September 17, 2014
Captain? What Captain?
The announcement of Saku Koivu's retirement last week was bittersweet. Sweet, for the memories of one the Montreal Canadiens most loved and respected team leaders in their history. Considering that list includes the likes of Maurice Richard, Jean Beliveau and Yvan Cournoyer, that is high praise.
Bitter, for the ignominious way in which some media in Montreal regarded his captaincy and being uncerimoniously jettisonned to the Anaheim Ducks in 2009, after a record tying ten-year tenure as team captain. Yes, that other captain was Beliveau.
Koivu was a talented hockey player, though maybe not a superstar by a statistical measure, who played in an era when the Habs roster was mediocre at best. He was a difference-maker for a team that managed far more playoff success than expected.
It was his battle with cancer, specifically Burkitt's lymphoma, that truly defined his character for Habs fans. Koivu demonstrated a quiet courage and determination that inspired many in the stands and on the ice. The experience cemented his relationship with the community, a legacy that remains to this day courtesy of the Saku Koivu Foundation's onging support of the Montreal General Hospital, and his role in securing a PET/CT diagnostic scanner.
Still, it is bittersweet that his last days as an NHL hockey player were not spent in a Habs uniform. If you believe in the power of symbolism, then in many ways it would have represented the paradigm shift in thinking that the Canadiens management claim to have undergone under Marc Bergevin's leadership.
It is for this reason many believe that Koivu's number 11 should be retired by the team, if not for his inspired leadership, certainly to make amends for letting go of one of its most respected leaders.
Perhaps part of the reason for not choosing a captain after sending Brian Gionta packing, is that the organization at long last recognized the bar set by Koivu.
Perhaps veterans Andrei Markov and Tomas Plekanec, who both played with Koivu, recognize what it really means to be team captain.
Perhaps the Canadiens organization understand the maturity demonstrated by Koivu and so concluded that neither Max Pacioretty or P.K. Subban are ready to don the coveted 'C', at least not yet.
Perhaps the Canadiens organization is recognizing what it had, and what it meant.
Perhaps.
Saku Koivu has certainly earned something beyond a cursory congratulations from the Montreal Canadiens for a long and successful career. I wonder though, if the idea of retiring his jersey will awaken those critics who regularly described Koivu as overrated and a poor leader for his difficulty with a certain language.
It's a page of history for which the organization and media ought to atone.
You could easily do worse than having a team captain like Saku Koivu, but you most assuredly would have a hard time doing better.
Bitter, for the ignominious way in which some media in Montreal regarded his captaincy and being uncerimoniously jettisonned to the Anaheim Ducks in 2009, after a record tying ten-year tenure as team captain. Yes, that other captain was Beliveau.
Koivu was a talented hockey player, though maybe not a superstar by a statistical measure, who played in an era when the Habs roster was mediocre at best. He was a difference-maker for a team that managed far more playoff success than expected.
It was his battle with cancer, specifically Burkitt's lymphoma, that truly defined his character for Habs fans. Koivu demonstrated a quiet courage and determination that inspired many in the stands and on the ice. The experience cemented his relationship with the community, a legacy that remains to this day courtesy of the Saku Koivu Foundation's onging support of the Montreal General Hospital, and his role in securing a PET/CT diagnostic scanner.
Still, it is bittersweet that his last days as an NHL hockey player were not spent in a Habs uniform. If you believe in the power of symbolism, then in many ways it would have represented the paradigm shift in thinking that the Canadiens management claim to have undergone under Marc Bergevin's leadership.
It is for this reason many believe that Koivu's number 11 should be retired by the team, if not for his inspired leadership, certainly to make amends for letting go of one of its most respected leaders.
Perhaps part of the reason for not choosing a captain after sending Brian Gionta packing, is that the organization at long last recognized the bar set by Koivu.
Perhaps veterans Andrei Markov and Tomas Plekanec, who both played with Koivu, recognize what it really means to be team captain.
Perhaps the Canadiens organization understand the maturity demonstrated by Koivu and so concluded that neither Max Pacioretty or P.K. Subban are ready to don the coveted 'C', at least not yet.
Perhaps the Canadiens organization is recognizing what it had, and what it meant.
Perhaps.
Saku Koivu has certainly earned something beyond a cursory congratulations from the Montreal Canadiens for a long and successful career. I wonder though, if the idea of retiring his jersey will awaken those critics who regularly described Koivu as overrated and a poor leader for his difficulty with a certain language.
It's a page of history for which the organization and media ought to atone.
You could easily do worse than having a team captain like Saku Koivu, but you most assuredly would have a hard time doing better.
Monday, September 8, 2014
This Looks Bad
One of the first posts I saw on Twitter this morning concerning the Ray Rice video read quite simply:
This looks bad.
That could be the understatement of the year. The video, the second to surface since the incident last February in the elevator of an Atlantic City casino, is an irrefutable indictment of Ray Rice. The footage shows Rice violently striking his then-fiancee (now wife) Janay Palmer, knocking her unconscious. Those facts, as a prosecutor would say, are indisputable.
A star athlete caught on video in an act of domestic violence. This looks bad.
When the NFL initially disciplined the Baltimore Ravens' running back, it was for a mere two games. What followed was a media and public outcry that essentially forced the league to amend its own policy and the suspension grew to six games.
Then came today's video. Rice has subsequently been released by the Ravens and faces an indefinite ban from the NFL.
It looks as bad for Rice as it does for the NFL, who must now deal with the question: had they or had they not seen the second video? One could easily presume that both versions of the surveillance footage would have come from the same source, which on the surface casts doubt of any claim of ignorance.
A damning video the NFL denies seeing. This looks bad.
The problem is, in a society obsessed with optics, the facts are often quickly kicked to the curb. They are superfluous in the eyes of the spin-doctors whose purview is not justice, but how incidents affect the brand.
A two-game suspension seemed a reasonable response to the NFL, but when the heat was on a contrite Roger Goodell stood before the cameras to concede the league had 'got it wrong.' Now in the face of universal disgust at Rice's actions, and with virtually no other choice, the league has issued its strongest punishment.
A professional sports league slow to react to the criminal behaviour of its players. This looks bad.
What is most unsettling is that, without the video, the disciplinary action most likely doesn't happen. The media would only have hearsay and eyewitness accounts to pursue the story, and the incident would fade into the shadows beyond the spotlight of professional football.
We didn't see it, therefore it doesn't look bad, we move on, forget the whole thing and go back to our Sunday sports ritual guilt-free. The NFL brand lives to cash another cheque.
In the grand scheme of things, I'm fairly certain Janay Palmer and all victims of domestic violence could give a good Goddamn about the NFL brand. In Janay Palmer's case she had the media and TMZ to do her fighting for her, but only because she's a high-profile figure. Most assuredly the plight of the vast majority of domestic abuse victims go unreported and unacknowledged.
It doesn't just look bad, it is bad. It's about time organizations stopped focusing on how things look and address the issue of domestic violence for what it is.
Unacceptable.
This looks bad.
That could be the understatement of the year. The video, the second to surface since the incident last February in the elevator of an Atlantic City casino, is an irrefutable indictment of Ray Rice. The footage shows Rice violently striking his then-fiancee (now wife) Janay Palmer, knocking her unconscious. Those facts, as a prosecutor would say, are indisputable.
A star athlete caught on video in an act of domestic violence. This looks bad.
When the NFL initially disciplined the Baltimore Ravens' running back, it was for a mere two games. What followed was a media and public outcry that essentially forced the league to amend its own policy and the suspension grew to six games.
Then came today's video. Rice has subsequently been released by the Ravens and faces an indefinite ban from the NFL.
It looks as bad for Rice as it does for the NFL, who must now deal with the question: had they or had they not seen the second video? One could easily presume that both versions of the surveillance footage would have come from the same source, which on the surface casts doubt of any claim of ignorance.
A damning video the NFL denies seeing. This looks bad.
The problem is, in a society obsessed with optics, the facts are often quickly kicked to the curb. They are superfluous in the eyes of the spin-doctors whose purview is not justice, but how incidents affect the brand.
A two-game suspension seemed a reasonable response to the NFL, but when the heat was on a contrite Roger Goodell stood before the cameras to concede the league had 'got it wrong.' Now in the face of universal disgust at Rice's actions, and with virtually no other choice, the league has issued its strongest punishment.
A professional sports league slow to react to the criminal behaviour of its players. This looks bad.
What is most unsettling is that, without the video, the disciplinary action most likely doesn't happen. The media would only have hearsay and eyewitness accounts to pursue the story, and the incident would fade into the shadows beyond the spotlight of professional football.
We didn't see it, therefore it doesn't look bad, we move on, forget the whole thing and go back to our Sunday sports ritual guilt-free. The NFL brand lives to cash another cheque.
In the grand scheme of things, I'm fairly certain Janay Palmer and all victims of domestic violence could give a good Goddamn about the NFL brand. In Janay Palmer's case she had the media and TMZ to do her fighting for her, but only because she's a high-profile figure. Most assuredly the plight of the vast majority of domestic abuse victims go unreported and unacknowledged.
It doesn't just look bad, it is bad. It's about time organizations stopped focusing on how things look and address the issue of domestic violence for what it is.
Unacceptable.
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