This is why Canada pisses me off...
I read the Globe and Mail online pretty regularly over here. I also follow as much Canadian hockey as I can. So imagine my surprise when I woke up this morning to read an article about how some of our federal politicians felt it absolutely necessary to take time out of their busy schedules to raise an issue over Shane Doan being the captain of Team Canada, over an issue which may or may not have happened 17 MONTHS AGO! (the short story, for anyone who doesn't already know, is that Doan allegedly made a derogatory remark toward a French Canadian official during the course of an NHL game last season; Doan denies making the remark, and he was cleared by an NHL investigation).
In my, admittedly, very brief reading this morning, it is my understanding that the typically opportunistic Jack Layton is at the core of these comments. This is not the first stupid Jack Layton moment, but I really want to spell out for anyone who's reading (and cares) why this is the stupidest one of all....
Let's just assume that, yes, Shane Doan made a derogatory remark against a French Canadian official -- depite the fact that he personally denies it; despite the fact that he's a reputedly clean-mouthed hockey player in a world of foul-mouthed cussers; despite the fact that he was cleared by his employer, the NHL, almost two years ago; and despite the fact that any person, player, and coach who has ever been associated with the guy has come to his defence -- let's assume that, yes, Shane Doan uttered this remark 17 months ago.
When you're playing under such pressure, you say and do things that can get the better of your character, right? Are such things as derogatory remarks allowed to be dismissed, even accepted, because they happen during the 'heat of the moment'? Shouldn't this be accepted? Shouldn't we try to move beyond the negative aspects of the game and focus on the positive aspects?
You just answered 'no' to the last three questions didn't you?
Then let me ask you this: where were Jack Layton and the other political grandstanders about five days ago, when Canadian defenceman Shea Weber threw, 'in the heat of the moment', one of the worst elbows I've ever seen during the course of a hockey game? Weber officially received a three-game suspension (it was almost five games), Yannick Seidenberg won't play for the rest of the tournament, and where were the protests? Are Layton and company suggesting that the hurt feelings of an on-ice official, which were allegedly hurt two years ago, are more important than the physical well-being of the German forward? Haha...of course not: Layton's votes don't come from Germany, do they?
This incident has sickened me to the worst degree. I'm all for equality and peace, love, and understanding just as much as anybody (I would say more than the average person); I attempt a life of balance, patience, and tolerance; but it is this type of absolutely politically correct bullshit that really grinds my gears.
If Doan's 'comment' is worth this outrage, then where is the hate-mail for Weber? The answer is that Weber doesn't deserve it, and nor does Doan. Doan has just been used as a pawn in the childish game that is Canadian politics in the early 21st Century. We badly need a leader, who isn't afraid to look beyond his or her own personal motivations, who will lead Canada in the coming years -- News Flash: it isn't Justin Trudeau. I'm very sceptical.
In the meantime, I was extremely satisfied with Team Canada's effort this evening. They skated and played picture-perfect hockey for 45 out of 60 minutes. There were lapses, but they pulled away with a great victory courtesy of Nash's beautiful deflection, which I wish could have been Doan's, as he was there too providing the screen. They defeated a very good Slovakian team tonight (with Satan, Gaborik, Hossa, Demitra, and Chara in the line-up). What made it even more sweet is that, combined with the Czech victory last night, I just made 600 Krowns on my TipSport ticket.
Till Next Post...
In my, admittedly, very brief reading this morning, it is my understanding that the typically opportunistic Jack Layton is at the core of these comments. This is not the first stupid Jack Layton moment, but I really want to spell out for anyone who's reading (and cares) why this is the stupidest one of all....
Let's just assume that, yes, Shane Doan made a derogatory remark against a French Canadian official -- depite the fact that he personally denies it; despite the fact that he's a reputedly clean-mouthed hockey player in a world of foul-mouthed cussers; despite the fact that he was cleared by his employer, the NHL, almost two years ago; and despite the fact that any person, player, and coach who has ever been associated with the guy has come to his defence -- let's assume that, yes, Shane Doan uttered this remark 17 months ago.
When you're playing under such pressure, you say and do things that can get the better of your character, right? Are such things as derogatory remarks allowed to be dismissed, even accepted, because they happen during the 'heat of the moment'? Shouldn't this be accepted? Shouldn't we try to move beyond the negative aspects of the game and focus on the positive aspects?
You just answered 'no' to the last three questions didn't you?
Then let me ask you this: where were Jack Layton and the other political grandstanders about five days ago, when Canadian defenceman Shea Weber threw, 'in the heat of the moment', one of the worst elbows I've ever seen during the course of a hockey game? Weber officially received a three-game suspension (it was almost five games), Yannick Seidenberg won't play for the rest of the tournament, and where were the protests? Are Layton and company suggesting that the hurt feelings of an on-ice official, which were allegedly hurt two years ago, are more important than the physical well-being of the German forward? Haha...of course not: Layton's votes don't come from Germany, do they?
This incident has sickened me to the worst degree. I'm all for equality and peace, love, and understanding just as much as anybody (I would say more than the average person); I attempt a life of balance, patience, and tolerance; but it is this type of absolutely politically correct bullshit that really grinds my gears.
If Doan's 'comment' is worth this outrage, then where is the hate-mail for Weber? The answer is that Weber doesn't deserve it, and nor does Doan. Doan has just been used as a pawn in the childish game that is Canadian politics in the early 21st Century. We badly need a leader, who isn't afraid to look beyond his or her own personal motivations, who will lead Canada in the coming years -- News Flash: it isn't Justin Trudeau. I'm very sceptical.
In the meantime, I was extremely satisfied with Team Canada's effort this evening. They skated and played picture-perfect hockey for 45 out of 60 minutes. There were lapses, but they pulled away with a great victory courtesy of Nash's beautiful deflection, which I wish could have been Doan's, as he was there too providing the screen. They defeated a very good Slovakian team tonight (with Satan, Gaborik, Hossa, Demitra, and Chara in the line-up). What made it even more sweet is that, combined with the Czech victory last night, I just made 600 Krowns on my TipSport ticket.
Till Next Post...
posted by gulldogg at 4:07 p.m.
1 Comments:
When I first heard about this I thought it was a joke...but no, not in Canada. So now Bob Nicholson has to fly from Moscow to Ottawa (at whose expense? one assumes the Canadian taxpayer's expense) to sit before a committee and justify his decision to name Shane Doan team captain. The fact it's even happening is utterly ludicrous. btw, what did Doan say? Allegedly, at a game in Montreal in which four French-Canadian officials were in charge, he said to a teammate, "We're in Montreal and we get four French-Canadian officials. Can you believe it?"
Wow.
Post a Comment
<< Home