I give the Montreal press corps a hard ride sometimes, so it's in my mind that I should pay them compliments when I see their good work.
I am not all that enamoured by the tempest they have created by making Markov's last game in the KHL a big issue. But compared to how it could have gone, they did some positively textbook journalism.
Showing posts with label Gazette. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gazette. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 08, 2013
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Holiday Reading
The editor must be on holiday. How else does one explain the error-ridden and misinformed piece of tripe that the paper published today about the Habs?
I am going to link it, because it's that ridiculous.
According to Vincent Lubrano, correspondent and fan from the Garden State, Francis Bouillon is not French enough, Francis is not a name used by Quebec French name, Louis Leblanc does not exist and the Canadiens would be better off with 20 average players from the home province.
I am going to link it, because it's that ridiculous.
According to Vincent Lubrano, correspondent and fan from the Garden State, Francis Bouillon is not French enough, Francis is not a name used by Quebec French name, Louis Leblanc does not exist and the Canadiens would be better off with 20 average players from the home province.
Thursday, September 02, 2010
Softened Stance
You know, there are times I marvel at this internet age. Not only am I able to have all the work from columnists I enjoy sent to a single page to check, but I can also keep it on record for future reference.
Occasionally, like today, it makes for amusing double takes.
Part of my morning reading this morning was an article posted to the Gazette website from Pat Hickey. Now I like Hickey because he's familiar and he does a good job at treating stories. But it could hardly be said that I read his views to be stunned or bowled over. Rarely one to spout a controversial headline, he likes to report what he sees without too much spin (or so it seems to me).
However, in this morning's opinion piece, he seemed to go out on a limb (by his standards) as he injected that little bit of cynicism and aggression into his column and his headline.
The piece he wrote was originally sent to me under the tile of:
"Price must prove he's the man"
What followed was a brief column about Carey Price's alleged salary demands and a suggestion that he get back in his box as far as wage demands are concerned.
You can still read the piece here (for now). But as well as being housed on that link, the bulk of the column (and the one that is accessible from the Gazette website) now comes under a different title:
"Price's agent denied reported 'strike'"
I don't know the inner workings of the Gazette, nor who had the word on tweaking the header. But it seems to happen often enough. This time just seemed like it was worth mentioning; both because Hickey doesn't usually challenge players in his headlines with words like "must" and the fact that the piece, despite containing the important news of a denial, contains nothing to do with a denial, only the original challenge to Price.
Just thought I'd share that. I'm sure you'll all be glad when summer and holdouts finally end...
Occasionally, like today, it makes for amusing double takes.
Part of my morning reading this morning was an article posted to the Gazette website from Pat Hickey. Now I like Hickey because he's familiar and he does a good job at treating stories. But it could hardly be said that I read his views to be stunned or bowled over. Rarely one to spout a controversial headline, he likes to report what he sees without too much spin (or so it seems to me).
However, in this morning's opinion piece, he seemed to go out on a limb (by his standards) as he injected that little bit of cynicism and aggression into his column and his headline.
The piece he wrote was originally sent to me under the tile of:
"Price must prove he's the man"
What followed was a brief column about Carey Price's alleged salary demands and a suggestion that he get back in his box as far as wage demands are concerned.
You can still read the piece here (for now). But as well as being housed on that link, the bulk of the column (and the one that is accessible from the Gazette website) now comes under a different title:
"Price's agent denied reported 'strike'"
I don't know the inner workings of the Gazette, nor who had the word on tweaking the header. But it seems to happen often enough. This time just seemed like it was worth mentioning; both because Hickey doesn't usually challenge players in his headlines with words like "must" and the fact that the piece, despite containing the important news of a denial, contains nothing to do with a denial, only the original challenge to Price.
Just thought I'd share that. I'm sure you'll all be glad when summer and holdouts finally end...
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Bottom Of The Barrel Still To Be Found
"I thought Jack Todd's column about Jacques Martin a whole week after he was hired was the bottom of the barrel," forward Christopher Higgins said of today's Canadiens lead news. "I guess the barrel is a little deeper than we thought."
Just a comment on the dire situation for Habs news fiends...
[Note, I may have misheard what Higgins actually said, static and years of loud rock concerts...]
Just a comment on the dire situation for Habs news fiends...
[Note, I may have misheard what Higgins actually said, static and years of loud rock concerts...]
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Habs Should Give Up?
Why, We're Having Our Playoffs Early
The Canadiens fans are growing weary. It seems that everyone has forgotten just how long 82 games is. Many of our number seemed to be coming in Leaf (it is spring) and are calling for the TNT. I heartily disagree with them.
The reason: the team is still alive. Their situation has greatly suffered of late, sure. There have been ugly losses. But giving up on the season makes little sense. I feel the arguments from the other side are hollow and clutching at straws, like this via Mike Boone:
Hope the team doesn't make the playoffs? Clean house and get their s--- in order?
The outlook is as knee-jerk as they come. And I don't care how many games this reporter has seen the Canadiens rise and fall through. My main question to him would be: "What do you expect Gainey will be able to in the off-season that he wouldn't be able to do if they made the playoffs?"
Nonsense
In my mind, there's absolutely no added benefit from missing the playoffs. None.
Nothing is preventing the team from making the identical changes they would make come a playoff exit as they would in the event they don't make the playoffs. Would the public outcry be harsher? I'm not sure – out in the spring is out in the spring to this and many fans. The only thing that has the power to gloss over Habs fans demands are Stanley Cups, not second round charades in Philadelphia. The season will not be forgotten, and a playoff round lost will only accentuate any feelings.
The only time it does make sense to lose is when you are going to do it properly and get the rewards of a sure thing draft pick like Tavares or Hedman. However, thanks to the pitiful efforts from Long Island, Phoenix and Atlanta (yet again), it's too late for that. In our situation, picking 20th is not going to be that different to picking 13th, I'm afraid. Deep drafts are the stuff of mythology. Guaranteed goods beyond pick 3, let alone pick 12, don't happen, ask Benoit Pouliot and Gilbert Brule.
Losing more now, besides placating the "guru" quoted above, would achieve nothing at all. It angers me that someone would utter the words, even more so that he be revered for it.
This year's chances in context
Personally, I think this year's team will have better chances than any team we can assemble for next year, or probably even a few years. Sure, the team has slumped hard since mid-January, but if we let Tanguay, Kovalev and Schneider go, who does reporter A see coming in to replace these guys?
Our rookies don't have a 20-goal man among them (maybe Pacioretty one day in the distant future), much less a Kovalev or a Tanguay. Our defencemen are regressing, will they be better than Schneider in a season?
What's more, we're not the only team to bid in this year's UFA market. The Islanders (armed with the additional jewel that is Tavares or Hedman) will also have almost all their space to play with. Other teams like Toronto, Ottawa and others will all be there to play with money. Going into July 1 in hope of coming out with one useful piece is bad enough, to think you'll replace 3 or 4 is far too optimistic for the perennial bridesmaids in Montreal. Last time I checked we had Hamrlik, not Rafalski or Timonen; Lang, not Hossa.
Think of the season like a game
I find that this approach helps. To win the "game", a team must place in the top 8 in their conference, nothing more, nothing less.
Yes, it is disappointing that we all thought we'd be taking a few games off watching this team by now, singing some "Na, na, na, nas", but the game is not over. In this analogy, we blew the 4-0 lead we had coming out of the first, but we are still tied going into the last 5 minutes of the third. Perhaps it is a miracle that we are tied, perhaps there have been a few posts or wrongly disallowed goals, but a draw it is. No one complains about saves from the posts after a win.
The really funny thing is, just like a game, this is exactly the type of drama we all really crave. The scoreboard watching. The meaningful games. This is edge of the seat stuff. Everyone's favourite moment of last season was the 6-5 comeback. Everyone's favourite playoff series of late the 3-1 series turnaround. Nobody is harping on about the 5 goals we gave away to the Rangers cheaply or the 3 games we could have competed better for in 2004. And, let's face it, for this year the jubilation of clinching in game 82 will be a long-awaited OT-winner compared to the empty netter to go up 3-0 that the Bruins just scored with their clinch.
In my mind, the goal for this team hasn't changed: get into the playoffs. We'll worry about the rest later.
The reason: the team is still alive. Their situation has greatly suffered of late, sure. There have been ugly losses. But giving up on the season makes little sense. I feel the arguments from the other side are hollow and clutching at straws, like this via Mike Boone:
A postgame rant from the pressbox a few games ago:
"I hope they don't make the playoffs. That way, they can spend the off-season cleaning house and getting their s--- together.
"If they make the playoffs, that will just camouflage everything that's wrong. Maybe they'll win a couple games or fluke off a round and everyone will say 'Great! This team is on the right track.'"
No, the ranter wasn't me. It was a veteran beat reporter who has seen the Canadiens rise and fall through many more games than I.
Hope the team doesn't make the playoffs? Clean house and get their s--- in order?
The outlook is as knee-jerk as they come. And I don't care how many games this reporter has seen the Canadiens rise and fall through. My main question to him would be: "What do you expect Gainey will be able to in the off-season that he wouldn't be able to do if they made the playoffs?"
Nonsense
In my mind, there's absolutely no added benefit from missing the playoffs. None.
Nothing is preventing the team from making the identical changes they would make come a playoff exit as they would in the event they don't make the playoffs. Would the public outcry be harsher? I'm not sure – out in the spring is out in the spring to this and many fans. The only thing that has the power to gloss over Habs fans demands are Stanley Cups, not second round charades in Philadelphia. The season will not be forgotten, and a playoff round lost will only accentuate any feelings.
The only time it does make sense to lose is when you are going to do it properly and get the rewards of a sure thing draft pick like Tavares or Hedman. However, thanks to the pitiful efforts from Long Island, Phoenix and Atlanta (yet again), it's too late for that. In our situation, picking 20th is not going to be that different to picking 13th, I'm afraid. Deep drafts are the stuff of mythology. Guaranteed goods beyond pick 3, let alone pick 12, don't happen, ask Benoit Pouliot and Gilbert Brule.
Losing more now, besides placating the "guru" quoted above, would achieve nothing at all. It angers me that someone would utter the words, even more so that he be revered for it.
This year's chances in context
Personally, I think this year's team will have better chances than any team we can assemble for next year, or probably even a few years. Sure, the team has slumped hard since mid-January, but if we let Tanguay, Kovalev and Schneider go, who does reporter A see coming in to replace these guys?
Our rookies don't have a 20-goal man among them (maybe Pacioretty one day in the distant future), much less a Kovalev or a Tanguay. Our defencemen are regressing, will they be better than Schneider in a season?
What's more, we're not the only team to bid in this year's UFA market. The Islanders (armed with the additional jewel that is Tavares or Hedman) will also have almost all their space to play with. Other teams like Toronto, Ottawa and others will all be there to play with money. Going into July 1 in hope of coming out with one useful piece is bad enough, to think you'll replace 3 or 4 is far too optimistic for the perennial bridesmaids in Montreal. Last time I checked we had Hamrlik, not Rafalski or Timonen; Lang, not Hossa.
Think of the season like a game
I find that this approach helps. To win the "game", a team must place in the top 8 in their conference, nothing more, nothing less.
Yes, it is disappointing that we all thought we'd be taking a few games off watching this team by now, singing some "Na, na, na, nas", but the game is not over. In this analogy, we blew the 4-0 lead we had coming out of the first, but we are still tied going into the last 5 minutes of the third. Perhaps it is a miracle that we are tied, perhaps there have been a few posts or wrongly disallowed goals, but a draw it is. No one complains about saves from the posts after a win.
The really funny thing is, just like a game, this is exactly the type of drama we all really crave. The scoreboard watching. The meaningful games. This is edge of the seat stuff. Everyone's favourite moment of last season was the 6-5 comeback. Everyone's favourite playoff series of late the 3-1 series turnaround. Nobody is harping on about the 5 goals we gave away to the Rangers cheaply or the 3 games we could have competed better for in 2004. And, let's face it, for this year the jubilation of clinching in game 82 will be a long-awaited OT-winner compared to the empty netter to go up 3-0 that the Bruins just scored with their clinch.
In my mind, the goal for this team hasn't changed: get into the playoffs. We'll worry about the rest later.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Why We Like The Blogosphere
Funny when you see it, but this article and linking blog remind me why I prefer the blogosphere:
Gazette article: Habs tickets sales go off without a hitch
Habs Inside/Out linker: Ticket sales go relatively well
I understand the pressures of advertising and sponsors and all the like – I deal with that in my real job. But, clearly the blog here gives the representative headline and the article in the Gazette is giving the company line. Interesting.
The tickets. To me, it sounds like a strange new system:
A little bit inequitable, to be sure. Especially when you hear the inevitable complaints of the people there right from the start who got randomly shafted for hours of wait.
It's a two-sided coin isn't it? Sure I want them to do well, but I also long for the days when I used to basically walk up and get a seat on the night of.
There is definitely something to be said for putting in some standing room areas like at the Forum. Now that was fun times...
Gazette article: Habs tickets sales go off without a hitch
Habs Inside/Out linker: Ticket sales go relatively well
I understand the pressures of advertising and sponsors and all the like – I deal with that in my real job. But, clearly the blog here gives the representative headline and the article in the Gazette is giving the company line. Interesting.
The tickets. To me, it sounds like a strange new system:
the system randomly places people waiting online in a purchase order...
A little bit inequitable, to be sure. Especially when you hear the inevitable complaints of the people there right from the start who got randomly shafted for hours of wait.
It's a two-sided coin isn't it? Sure I want them to do well, but I also long for the days when I used to basically walk up and get a seat on the night of.
There is definitely something to be said for putting in some standing room areas like at the Forum. Now that was fun times...
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