Yesterday, I wrote about Gionta's injury and the resulting need for a serious evaluation of the Canadiens status at this point. Your response was passionate and thoughtful as usual.
I'm not sure where we netted out on the response, but apart from a few people I've spoken to, most seem to agree a response of some kind might not be a bad idea from our fearless leader. Personally, I feel the answer lies between the extreme idleness proposed by the few and the hyperactive movements unleashed by others.
Anyway, to each their own. As I said, i don't really know what to do do, I have just concluded that "nothing" might not be the right answer this time. I might interest some of you to read the advocate for "nothing" and make your minds up for yourselves whether he or I is the crazier. He does make some god points, so maybe I do draw the short straw?
On another front, Olivier (faithful reader and stats mentor), has leaped on the idea of trading Plekanec – which a) tells me he's at least as crazy as I am if I am so diagnosed, and b) that he doesn't suffer from the sentimental disease that can plague the millions. Read his piece on the imaginary trade.
Tonight's the first night of hockey after Gainey's season-defining reinsertion of Laraque. Let's see if the Canadiens show the Capitals up for the charlatans they are...
Showing posts with label Habs Inside/Out. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Habs Inside/Out. Show all posts
Friday, November 20, 2009
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Finally: A Trainer
Habs Inside/Out tap into the searches of their many loyal readers to discover the unheralded addition of Scott Livingstone's replacement.
It's about time this happened. Though, for all we know this guy might have been hired a month ago.
It's hard to find much to say about the new guy, Lorne Goldenberg. His CV as the HI/O guys point out looks fine. He has NHL experience and Ottawa experience (think the first guys you ever saw interviewed on bikes after a game). The Canadiens are fitter than they were 10 years ago, but as the Livingston redundancy attests to, they are nowhere near the class of the league, perhaps not even top half. So, it will be Lorne's job to make sure the players get and stay fit, learn about and maintain flexibility and, I think, gain some serious endurance.
For the personal trainers among you, here's a look at his programme for younger players (presumably with an aim to gaining the edge to make the NHL one day).
Lapierre and Latendresse are already making the commitment to go and give the programme their full attention in beautiful Ottawa. Latendresse gets full marks for taking his offseason seriously.
It's about time this happened. Though, for all we know this guy might have been hired a month ago.
It's hard to find much to say about the new guy, Lorne Goldenberg. His CV as the HI/O guys point out looks fine. He has NHL experience and Ottawa experience (think the first guys you ever saw interviewed on bikes after a game). The Canadiens are fitter than they were 10 years ago, but as the Livingston redundancy attests to, they are nowhere near the class of the league, perhaps not even top half. So, it will be Lorne's job to make sure the players get and stay fit, learn about and maintain flexibility and, I think, gain some serious endurance.
For the personal trainers among you, here's a look at his programme for younger players (presumably with an aim to gaining the edge to make the NHL one day).
Lapierre and Latendresse are already making the commitment to go and give the programme their full attention in beautiful Ottawa. Latendresse gets full marks for taking his offseason seriously.
Saturday, July 04, 2009
Which petition would you sign?
Habs Inside/Out is linking up to two online petitions, one to bring Kovalev back as the captain of the Canadiens, another one to bring back Saku Koivu.
As a staunch supporter of both, albeit for different reasons, I had to think about which one to go with. Koivu as the big-game competitor who never saw any deficit as too big, and Kovalev as the most entertaining and, frankly, talented forward I've ever seen wearing the CH in my lifetime.
Of course, the likelihood is that neither could be brought back without a little wheeling and dealing. If Koivu were back, Plekanec might be traded for picks or prospects. If Kovalev is to be back, the salary allowance has to come from somewhere – it would probably mean trading a newly signed player or Hamrlik.
I am pretty certain that Gainey has made up his mind. I'd also wager that Canadiens management is more likely to be taking draft advice from Pierre Maguire than consulting fan petitions during free agency.
But it's all a bit of fun. Plus we have 12 weeks to fill...
I signed for Saku.
As a staunch supporter of both, albeit for different reasons, I had to think about which one to go with. Koivu as the big-game competitor who never saw any deficit as too big, and Kovalev as the most entertaining and, frankly, talented forward I've ever seen wearing the CH in my lifetime.
Of course, the likelihood is that neither could be brought back without a little wheeling and dealing. If Koivu were back, Plekanec might be traded for picks or prospects. If Kovalev is to be back, the salary allowance has to come from somewhere – it would probably mean trading a newly signed player or Hamrlik.
I am pretty certain that Gainey has made up his mind. I'd also wager that Canadiens management is more likely to be taking draft advice from Pierre Maguire than consulting fan petitions during free agency.
But it's all a bit of fun. Plus we have 12 weeks to fill...
I signed for Saku.
Friday, February 20, 2009
Don't Believe What You Read
Reporting On Canadiens A Shambles
You know what they say in internet land: "More haste, more speed"
Desperate reporters look to desperate measures as they would prefer to scoop anything from the murky waters of the online channel than scoop nothing at all.
Unfortunately, the result for the rest of us. Those who would rather know the truth in an hour than 15 guesses at what the truth might be now is often confusion and, ultimately, frustration.
On the same day as all this, I found this classic quote from a classy champion:
It could have been said about this sorry situation and not Luis Felipe Scolari's dismissal at Stamford Bridge. Had Sir Alex been so unlucky as to be tuned into RDS two days ago, I'm sure he'd concur.
The Kovalev story
The Kovalev story this week started easily enough. The news that he would be benched for 2 days came straight from the horses mouth and wasn't preceded by any speculation or rumours of the news.
But this juicy tidbit was spotted as a cash cow right from the start. Every newspaper and every blog had posted news of the press conference announcement within a few minutes. I tried to get something out as fast as I could - it probably earned me a good 30 cents just from hits (cash cow, indeed)...
The real cash from this story was in the spinning out, not in the initial report. The obvious fabrications sprung up remarkably quickly. No sooner had Gainey stopped talking that someone in the French press reports that Gainey has been trying to trade Kovalev for 2 weeks (to the Western conference, no doubt). The story is so predictable. It could be true, but it probably wasn't. We move on.
The next predictable part of the saga is Kovalev's musings on this matter via – you guessed it – the Russian press. This old cherry is a good one because it assumes (probably rightly) that not many in Montreal read Cyrillic, much less check up on Pravda by the day. The story as it was released can be found here: Prêt à partir, Kovalev blâme les jeunes.
This was as lazy as it was unprofessional. Back in 2007, La Presse broke a story that was either fabricated or shoddily translated. Back then it was purported that Kovalev, said the same things as this time. Kovalev denied it. The Canadiens investigated and decided their was no foundation to it. And the coup de grace, La Presse's alleged source came on Quebec French radio and refuted that Kovalev said any of this things the rag claimed he did.
This time it was not La Presse, but a locked-out employee (who used to work for La Presse). De Foy's sources, according to his CKAC interview were as watertight as La Presse requires – he merely claims he has a Russian friend in common with Kovy (not that he told the Russian friend these things, even). Even if Kovalev did tell his friend these things, it's hardly bullet-proof [The other night I told Tobalev I would stop watching the Habs if they started Carey Price without him earning a minute of it – clearly that was a heat of the moment exaggeration on my part]. De Foy, as a journalist with access to players (when they don't hang up on him...) could hold a higher standard. He chose not to. He instead favoured the scoop (again).
Still one rogue journo is not the end of the world. That is if any of the others held a high standard with regard to sourcing.
Within minutes of the initial report (see here for timing comment 1 to 15, about 30 minutes), RDS had it up. Given the reliability of La Presse's sources in the past, and the fact it was a recycled story line, you'd hope RDS spent the time checking the validity. It strikes me they probably didn't. As pleased as I am to be able to turn the TV on any time and listen to a new debate on the Canadiens, RDS yesterday showed just how low their standards are.
They weren't alone. The once excellent Habs Inside/Out, who I once praised near daily, were among the more professional; were also hapless in their own terror of being scooped. They waited an astounding ten minutes to become a tertiary source. Pat Hickey followed with this. There were more.
The Montreal media caught out by false reports? Try idleness...
As a blogger we hear at length how inferior we must be to the great professionals because we don't have access to dressing rooms and to players. Yet in this situation, in a breaking situation where a call to a player could have resolved the whole thing and saved embarrassment, they chose to print.
One reporter did end up doing some reporting. With a sccop that should thoroughly humiliate the self-important Habs writing community, Darren Dreger of TSN broke the news. He wrote to Kovalev.
The usual suspects picked up this story just as quickly. RDS swept their previous story under the rug, hence the absence of a link here today. Habs Inside/Out at least admitted they had no idea what was going on.
The whole episode, precipitated by the search for the scoop and the fear of being scooped, is wholly disappointing.
Operation Axe
First, let me say that this mass arrest from the Montreal police (with the minor exception of a few Habs players) is great news for Montreal as a community. I don't have the full details (CBC reports), but a sting planned over almost 3 years, the biggest in Montreal history, did well to bring in so much.
As far as Operation Axe affects the Canadiens, you'd think the journalists fresh off their adrenaline-induced flurry of the previous 24 hours might have shown some restraint. But again this story was rushed to our bandwidths without much diligence. The first reports only spoke of the hype (generated by La Presse, of course). But as soon as the flimsiest of details came out, the half-baked products were uploaded.
I have spewed enough vitriol above and don't think i need to retread the same ground. Needless to say, the initial reports full of sensation were picked up by nearly everyone. As the light dawned on the situation this morning, and the story gets duller by the minute for conspiracy theorists, the alternate version is presented as a competing news story.
Friend and fellow blogger Robert L does the business on this episode. If you haven't had enough of ragging on the media, give his latest a read.
Eric Engels
I would be negligent if I didn't give a special nod to my fellow blogger Eric Engels who has also called for better standards of journalism from this group. Quite an indictment from a member of Hokeybuzz.com, no? His comments can be found at the bottom of this article.
The irony
You have to admit the irony of the whole situation is fun to take in.
The networks and press that flounder to get out stories criticising and cutting down players on the Montreal Canadiens, essentially for not doing their jobs properly, are doing so all the while neglecting the values of journalism. The result is they look as big fools on the page as Sergei Kostitsyn after a giveaway with a failed deke at the Vancouver blueline.
If Gainey had the power, I think he'd be suggesting a mandated vacation for certain non-performers in the press. Overheard via a common Azerbaijani friend of mine and Gainey's:
As an editorialist rather than a reporter it's easy for me to point the finger, maybe too easy. I'm sure the demands of the reporting job are heavy and that I too would have trouble. However, I would be remiss in my own role as commentator on Canadiens and their media if I did not at least shine the light on this embarrassing episode. I don't think I'm alone with 2 bloggers in feeling a bit ashamed of our brethren here...
What I do know is that the internet and 24-hour news has changed everything for the news media. I can see that some aren't able to keep up...
Desperate reporters look to desperate measures as they would prefer to scoop anything from the murky waters of the online channel than scoop nothing at all.
Unfortunately, the result for the rest of us. Those who would rather know the truth in an hour than 15 guesses at what the truth might be now is often confusion and, ultimately, frustration.
On the same day as all this, I found this classic quote from a classy champion:
"Their haste is a reflection of the sad way the game is going, with everyone from owners, the board members, the supporters and the media demanding instant success and showing absolutely no patience in the pursuit of their ambition."
It could have been said about this sorry situation and not Luis Felipe Scolari's dismissal at Stamford Bridge. Had Sir Alex been so unlucky as to be tuned into RDS two days ago, I'm sure he'd concur.
The Kovalev story
The Kovalev story this week started easily enough. The news that he would be benched for 2 days came straight from the horses mouth and wasn't preceded by any speculation or rumours of the news.
But this juicy tidbit was spotted as a cash cow right from the start. Every newspaper and every blog had posted news of the press conference announcement within a few minutes. I tried to get something out as fast as I could - it probably earned me a good 30 cents just from hits (cash cow, indeed)...
The real cash from this story was in the spinning out, not in the initial report. The obvious fabrications sprung up remarkably quickly. No sooner had Gainey stopped talking that someone in the French press reports that Gainey has been trying to trade Kovalev for 2 weeks (to the Western conference, no doubt). The story is so predictable. It could be true, but it probably wasn't. We move on.
The next predictable part of the saga is Kovalev's musings on this matter via – you guessed it – the Russian press. This old cherry is a good one because it assumes (probably rightly) that not many in Montreal read Cyrillic, much less check up on Pravda by the day. The story as it was released can be found here: Prêt à partir, Kovalev blâme les jeunes.
This was as lazy as it was unprofessional. Back in 2007, La Presse broke a story that was either fabricated or shoddily translated. Back then it was purported that Kovalev, said the same things as this time. Kovalev denied it. The Canadiens investigated and decided their was no foundation to it. And the coup de grace, La Presse's alleged source came on Quebec French radio and refuted that Kovalev said any of this things the rag claimed he did.
This time it was not La Presse, but a locked-out employee (who used to work for La Presse). De Foy's sources, according to his CKAC interview were as watertight as La Presse requires – he merely claims he has a Russian friend in common with Kovy (not that he told the Russian friend these things, even). Even if Kovalev did tell his friend these things, it's hardly bullet-proof [The other night I told Tobalev I would stop watching the Habs if they started Carey Price without him earning a minute of it – clearly that was a heat of the moment exaggeration on my part]. De Foy, as a journalist with access to players (when they don't hang up on him...) could hold a higher standard. He chose not to. He instead favoured the scoop (again).
Still one rogue journo is not the end of the world. That is if any of the others held a high standard with regard to sourcing.
Within minutes of the initial report (see here for timing comment 1 to 15, about 30 minutes), RDS had it up. Given the reliability of La Presse's sources in the past, and the fact it was a recycled story line, you'd hope RDS spent the time checking the validity. It strikes me they probably didn't. As pleased as I am to be able to turn the TV on any time and listen to a new debate on the Canadiens, RDS yesterday showed just how low their standards are.
They weren't alone. The once excellent Habs Inside/Out, who I once praised near daily, were among the more professional; were also hapless in their own terror of being scooped. They waited an astounding ten minutes to become a tertiary source. Pat Hickey followed with this. There were more.
The Montreal media caught out by false reports? Try idleness...
As a blogger we hear at length how inferior we must be to the great professionals because we don't have access to dressing rooms and to players. Yet in this situation, in a breaking situation where a call to a player could have resolved the whole thing and saved embarrassment, they chose to print.
One reporter did end up doing some reporting. With a sccop that should thoroughly humiliate the self-important Habs writing community, Darren Dreger of TSN broke the news. He wrote to Kovalev.
The usual suspects picked up this story just as quickly. RDS swept their previous story under the rug, hence the absence of a link here today. Habs Inside/Out at least admitted they had no idea what was going on.
The whole episode, precipitated by the search for the scoop and the fear of being scooped, is wholly disappointing.
Operation Axe
First, let me say that this mass arrest from the Montreal police (with the minor exception of a few Habs players) is great news for Montreal as a community. I don't have the full details (CBC reports), but a sting planned over almost 3 years, the biggest in Montreal history, did well to bring in so much.
As far as Operation Axe affects the Canadiens, you'd think the journalists fresh off their adrenaline-induced flurry of the previous 24 hours might have shown some restraint. But again this story was rushed to our bandwidths without much diligence. The first reports only spoke of the hype (generated by La Presse, of course). But as soon as the flimsiest of details came out, the half-baked products were uploaded.
I have spewed enough vitriol above and don't think i need to retread the same ground. Needless to say, the initial reports full of sensation were picked up by nearly everyone. As the light dawned on the situation this morning, and the story gets duller by the minute for conspiracy theorists, the alternate version is presented as a competing news story.
Friend and fellow blogger Robert L does the business on this episode. If you haven't had enough of ragging on the media, give his latest a read.
Eric Engels
I would be negligent if I didn't give a special nod to my fellow blogger Eric Engels who has also called for better standards of journalism from this group. Quite an indictment from a member of Hokeybuzz.com, no? His comments can be found at the bottom of this article.
The irony
You have to admit the irony of the whole situation is fun to take in.
The networks and press that flounder to get out stories criticising and cutting down players on the Montreal Canadiens, essentially for not doing their jobs properly, are doing so all the while neglecting the values of journalism. The result is they look as big fools on the page as Sergei Kostitsyn after a giveaway with a failed deke at the Vancouver blueline.
If Gainey had the power, I think he'd be suggesting a mandated vacation for certain non-performers in the press. Overheard via a common Azerbaijani friend of mine and Gainey's:
"We don't need them the way they are performing their duties right now."
As an editorialist rather than a reporter it's easy for me to point the finger, maybe too easy. I'm sure the demands of the reporting job are heavy and that I too would have trouble. However, I would be remiss in my own role as commentator on Canadiens and their media if I did not at least shine the light on this embarrassing episode. I don't think I'm alone with 2 bloggers in feeling a bit ashamed of our brethren here...
What I do know is that the internet and 24-hour news has changed everything for the news media. I can see that some aren't able to keep up...
Monday, November 17, 2008
All-Star Farce
The NHL, The Habs And Their Fans
All-Star Farce
The NHL, The Habs And Their Fans
I wasn't sure if I'd be chiming in on this topic again. I mean, come on, it's pretty uninspiring. Could I be more ambivalent about anything in hockey as I am about all-star voting?
This year, it's turned in to nonsense – with Canadiens fans artificially voting for players with voting code on their PCs. It's always been a bit of a nonsense exercise anyway, this voting, where the same few players get voted in year after year. Crosby, Ovechkin, Malkin, Brodeur, etc. Zetterberg, Datsyuk, Lidstrom, etc.
At first, I have to say I was appalled by the Montreal plebs stuffed the ballot boxes without end. But with the NHL response, and that of people who in my mind go too far the other way, I have to say I am more amused than anything right now. How can I not have a chuckle. If it ticks off Philly fans like this guy:
How could I not laugh? Threw in Richards, eh? As much as Mike Richards is loved by Philly and Benoit Brunet, he is hated by me. I'll be happy if Koivu gets his spot.
Of course, it's embarrassing to Montreal and Canadiens fans. But so are flags on cars, Thunderstix, towel waving and the like. For a city where victory riots are accepted as faits accomplis, I hardly think a little creative computer-programming is much of a black mark in the eyes of the rest of the league. You want embarrassing, look at this:
Frankly the voting debacle's more embarrassing for the league – who have yet again shown their standard level of foresight and risk analysis expertise in forgetting automation (Anybody still confident Bettman and the boys are ready for the inevitable massive drop in revenue coming?). This must be the first time anyone has actually taken one of their slogans to heart ("Vote Now. Vote Often") – they should be forgiven for not being used to anyone paying attention to what they say or their website.
Positives do emerge
Apart from a good laugh at the conservatives calling for a return to the good old days where computer voting didn't mess up the accepted order (and the pre-anointed claimed their new sweaters year upon year), I thought of a few legitimate reasons to be positive about 6 Canadiens on the team.
There are certain positives to emerge from the voting scandal. First and foremost is that Koivu deserves to be on the team. He is one of the top 4 centres in the East and is one of the longest serving captains in the league – with the second-longest tenure as Canadiens captain. Since the game is meant to be part of our 100th season celebrations, he should (and it looks like he will) be there.
The second positive element is that there probably won't be room for as many also rans as the Habs get voted in, the real top players make it through naming (Malkin, Semin, Crosby, Ovechkin, Chara, etc.). If they don't pick up their game, freeloader perennially-named players like Lecavalier, Staal and St. Louis will miss out.
Third, Kovalev deserves to go to the skills competition (if not the game just at the moment). I've always been disappointed when the hardest shooter, fastest skater or best puckhandler weren't included in the more entertaining portion of the event. Maybe they can do the Kovalev pylon drill as a competition?
Fourthly, it will give fans like the guy who said this on a comments thread...
... a chance to see the outside world from here until January (provided he sees the light in auto-voting).
I suppose the final positive to come from this will be the inevitable overhaul that the NHl brings to the system. As with Rory Fitzpatrick, this embarrassment will force them to do something other than hand out 2 game suspensions.
Komisarek not in that league
Of course, there are negatives too. Komisarek chiefly among them.
Komisarek wouldn't make the starting 6 of our team if I had a vote, let alone the Eastern conference. After clawing his way to number 2 on the team and falling back to number 3 towards the end of the season, this all-star possibility currently sits behind 4 other players on my vote card for ice time.
That's why I'll admit it is embarrassing that fans are voting for him anyway. There is blindness to faults. But this will hurt those who purport that Montreal fans know their hockey. People voting for Komisarek as an all-star (even Price for that matter), clearly do not know anything beyond the bleu, blanc, rouge.
It's also unfortunate that the Canadiens (whose centennial season is actually next year) won't get more than their mandatory single representative in 2010. Computer programming laggards everywhere from Sunrise to Voorhees will make sure of it.
This year, it's turned in to nonsense – with Canadiens fans artificially voting for players with voting code on their PCs. It's always been a bit of a nonsense exercise anyway, this voting, where the same few players get voted in year after year. Crosby, Ovechkin, Malkin, Brodeur, etc. Zetterberg, Datsyuk, Lidstrom, etc.
At first, I have to say I was appalled by the Montreal plebs stuffed the ballot boxes without end. But with the NHL response, and that of people who in my mind go too far the other way, I have to say I am more amused than anything right now. How can I not have a chuckle. If it ticks off Philly fans like this guy:
"Guess that means Sidney Crosby, Alexander Ovechkin, Evgeni Malkin, Mike Richards, Thomas Vanek and Henrik Lundqvist will have to battle it out for “reserve’’ duty in the Eastern Conference."
How could I not laugh? Threw in Richards, eh? As much as Mike Richards is loved by Philly and Benoit Brunet, he is hated by me. I'll be happy if Koivu gets his spot.
Of course, it's embarrassing to Montreal and Canadiens fans. But so are flags on cars, Thunderstix, towel waving and the like. For a city where victory riots are accepted as faits accomplis, I hardly think a little creative computer-programming is much of a black mark in the eyes of the rest of the league. You want embarrassing, look at this:
Frankly the voting debacle's more embarrassing for the league – who have yet again shown their standard level of foresight and risk analysis expertise in forgetting automation (Anybody still confident Bettman and the boys are ready for the inevitable massive drop in revenue coming?). This must be the first time anyone has actually taken one of their slogans to heart ("Vote Now. Vote Often") – they should be forgiven for not being used to anyone paying attention to what they say or their website.
Positives do emerge
Apart from a good laugh at the conservatives calling for a return to the good old days where computer voting didn't mess up the accepted order (and the pre-anointed claimed their new sweaters year upon year), I thought of a few legitimate reasons to be positive about 6 Canadiens on the team.
There are certain positives to emerge from the voting scandal. First and foremost is that Koivu deserves to be on the team. He is one of the top 4 centres in the East and is one of the longest serving captains in the league – with the second-longest tenure as Canadiens captain. Since the game is meant to be part of our 100th season celebrations, he should (and it looks like he will) be there.
The second positive element is that there probably won't be room for as many also rans as the Habs get voted in, the real top players make it through naming (Malkin, Semin, Crosby, Ovechkin, Chara, etc.). If they don't pick up their game, freeloader perennially-named players like Lecavalier, Staal and St. Louis will miss out.
Third, Kovalev deserves to go to the skills competition (if not the game just at the moment). I've always been disappointed when the hardest shooter, fastest skater or best puckhandler weren't included in the more entertaining portion of the event. Maybe they can do the Kovalev pylon drill as a competition?
Fourthly, it will give fans like the guy who said this on a comments thread...
I've been voting regularly (50+ times a day) and will continue to do so, however the auto-voting bot is useless (and pretty stupid).
... a chance to see the outside world from here until January (provided he sees the light in auto-voting).
I suppose the final positive to come from this will be the inevitable overhaul that the NHl brings to the system. As with Rory Fitzpatrick, this embarrassment will force them to do something other than hand out 2 game suspensions.
Komisarek not in that league
Of course, there are negatives too. Komisarek chiefly among them.
Komisarek wouldn't make the starting 6 of our team if I had a vote, let alone the Eastern conference. After clawing his way to number 2 on the team and falling back to number 3 towards the end of the season, this all-star possibility currently sits behind 4 other players on my vote card for ice time.
That's why I'll admit it is embarrassing that fans are voting for him anyway. There is blindness to faults. But this will hurt those who purport that Montreal fans know their hockey. People voting for Komisarek as an all-star (even Price for that matter), clearly do not know anything beyond the bleu, blanc, rouge.
It's also unfortunate that the Canadiens (whose centennial season is actually next year) won't get more than their mandatory single representative in 2010. Computer programming laggards everywhere from Sunrise to Voorhees will make sure of it.
Friday, October 24, 2008
Blogging the NHL
Habs Inside/Out A Rare Ally Among Mainstream Media
Blogging the NHL
Habs Inside/Out A Rare Ally Among Mainstream Media
More than a week late on this one, but you'll have to forgive my oversight. A wedding and a wonderful winning streak had come in the way of this article and the blogsite.
As I often try to do when I notice conflict and contrast in hockey and its loyal media, I wanted to write a piece about two recent stories I had come across. The first, and most encouraging, was this one from Habs Inside/Out about adding new bloggers to the site and the second was this one from Puck Daddy about the Oilers losing a blogger.
I'll begin with the latter...
Blogger booted
It was during the Oilers first game of the season that blogger Dave Berry of Covered in Oil was accosted by press (gang) guys and asked to cease his blogging activities from the Oilers pressbox. I won't recount the whole story, but if you want to read the drama, read on at Dave's last entries here and here.
The fact that I neither read nor particularly have any inclination to read live blogs while I'm watching a game is neither here nor there. The fact of the matter is, the Oilers have overstepped the mark on this occasion. Berry was doing nothing to contravene any oath he had taken or any law of society. He merely ticked off the brass, at which point they had to invent a set of rules which they would then go on to impose for all of 24 hours.
Their battle, as has been pointed by many a commentator, is rather futile. Anyone watching on TV, at the game with a blackberry or even still in the pressbox can easily live blog negative thoughts about the team if they want to. Covered in Oil, even, is still up and running, and will probably just replace Dave by someone else at some point.
What's more, even though the content was largely negative, how many people did the Oilers think this material was reaching. Judging by their comments, its probably only in the low thousands.
No, all the Oilers have ended up doing in this mixed up situation is anger a lot of very very vocal people. The story of the incident has been picked up by every hockey blogger under the sun (it must have if I'm in on it too) and every corner of the hockey playing universe. In terms of PR for the organisation, it was a -10 – I didn't read a single article taking the Oilers side here.
For me, as interesting as the saga was, what intrigued me more was who ratted Mr. Berry out in the first place.It must have been:
a) someone reading the blog that night (especially because it emerged the problem was content)
b) someone who doesn't like the idea of live blogging
c) someone who had contact with the Edmonton Oilers press guys
As big and popular as blogging is, I think it's a stretch to believe that anyone to do with the hockey team operation or ownership would be reading snide remarks instead of watching their team. This leads me to believe that it was either another blogger or someone from the traditional media.
Now, I thought that bloggers stuck together. And all the response in this case leads me to believe that is true, even though Berry did try to drag a couple of peers down with him belatedly.
So, that leaves the big bad media. Berry, a member of both fraternities himself, even expressed that were he not blogging he'd have had nothing to do while waiting for his quotes anyway. That throws the "too busy working" alibi right out the window. Yeah, I think the Edmonton media landed a scoring low here.
After all, there is a certain implicit agreement in the "I'll scratch your back, you scratch mine" arrangement between bloggers and media who work together. In the case of the Oilers organisation, it went to the extreme - the blogger was dissing his team and those "scratching his back". They decided to tell Mommy and Daddy.
Gosh, the media really do have their knickers in a twist over this new-fangled blogging thing, don't they...
... Well not all of them actually.
The progressive team @ Habs Inside/Out
Though I don't always agree with their take on matters involving hockey, I have to hand it to the boys from the Gazette and the blog they have nurtured over the past two seasons. I think they deserve acknowledgment for their efforts here.
For one thing the blog is done in the right spirit. It neither takes itself too seriously, nor does it take hockey too seriously. It simply provides an addendum to all the material that is published in its parent publication, the Montreal Gazette. This hasn't stopped the main page and Mike Boone's blog from being the most complete, up-to-date and reliable source for Canadiens material (in English, I should qualify).
The other thing the blog has done right has been to embrace the bloggers. I can't say that I have personally experienced their favour on too many occasions (there was a recent link attributed to another blog), but I still laud them for interacting and even linking with bloggers like Robert L, TC Denault, the Four Habs Fans and others. The step they have taken to formalise this relationship by serialising some of these authors on their Other Wing page, is either ahead of the times or right with them, depending where you're from. And the manner in which they interact with the bloggers does them credit too.
Habs fans should count themselves very lucky to have these guys. And, when you think about it, English Habs fans are the luckiest of all – with probably the most intense and disproportionate amount of coverage of any team in the NHL (given the size of our group).
So, in general, can bloggers and the media get along?
I think they can. Other than Habs Inside/Out, I think that there are countless examples showing that they can. In Long Island they fraternise, and in Washington they get along too. Thankfully Edmonton is one of a few teams who tread a more archaic path.
Personally, I don't think Tobalev or I would have any problem getting along with any of the professional Habs media (though as I said, we would have plenty to debate and disagree about – hockeywise).
Incidentally, I also wonder whether co-habitating is the right approach for everyone at the end of the day. I think the root of blogging and what makes it powerful and compelling is its independent nature. On this occasion, I tend to agree with Matt (the Flames fan) at Battle of Alberta, when he says:
It is certainly a dilemma that some lucky bloggers get to deal with. It's still all theoretical to me.
In any case, I am thankful I support Montreal, where the door to the halls of media discussion has been left wide open with a sign saying "Welcome bloggers".
As I often try to do when I notice conflict and contrast in hockey and its loyal media, I wanted to write a piece about two recent stories I had come across. The first, and most encouraging, was this one from Habs Inside/Out about adding new bloggers to the site and the second was this one from Puck Daddy about the Oilers losing a blogger.
I'll begin with the latter...
Blogger booted
It was during the Oilers first game of the season that blogger Dave Berry of Covered in Oil was accosted by press (gang) guys and asked to cease his blogging activities from the Oilers pressbox. I won't recount the whole story, but if you want to read the drama, read on at Dave's last entries here and here.
The fact that I neither read nor particularly have any inclination to read live blogs while I'm watching a game is neither here nor there. The fact of the matter is, the Oilers have overstepped the mark on this occasion. Berry was doing nothing to contravene any oath he had taken or any law of society. He merely ticked off the brass, at which point they had to invent a set of rules which they would then go on to impose for all of 24 hours.
Their battle, as has been pointed by many a commentator, is rather futile. Anyone watching on TV, at the game with a blackberry or even still in the pressbox can easily live blog negative thoughts about the team if they want to. Covered in Oil, even, is still up and running, and will probably just replace Dave by someone else at some point.
What's more, even though the content was largely negative, how many people did the Oilers think this material was reaching. Judging by their comments, its probably only in the low thousands.
No, all the Oilers have ended up doing in this mixed up situation is anger a lot of very very vocal people. The story of the incident has been picked up by every hockey blogger under the sun (it must have if I'm in on it too) and every corner of the hockey playing universe. In terms of PR for the organisation, it was a -10 – I didn't read a single article taking the Oilers side here.
For me, as interesting as the saga was, what intrigued me more was who ratted Mr. Berry out in the first place.It must have been:
a) someone reading the blog that night (especially because it emerged the problem was content)
b) someone who doesn't like the idea of live blogging
c) someone who had contact with the Edmonton Oilers press guys
As big and popular as blogging is, I think it's a stretch to believe that anyone to do with the hockey team operation or ownership would be reading snide remarks instead of watching their team. This leads me to believe that it was either another blogger or someone from the traditional media.
Now, I thought that bloggers stuck together. And all the response in this case leads me to believe that is true, even though Berry did try to drag a couple of peers down with him belatedly.
So, that leaves the big bad media. Berry, a member of both fraternities himself, even expressed that were he not blogging he'd have had nothing to do while waiting for his quotes anyway. That throws the "too busy working" alibi right out the window. Yeah, I think the Edmonton media landed a scoring low here.
After all, there is a certain implicit agreement in the "I'll scratch your back, you scratch mine" arrangement between bloggers and media who work together. In the case of the Oilers organisation, it went to the extreme - the blogger was dissing his team and those "scratching his back". They decided to tell Mommy and Daddy.
Gosh, the media really do have their knickers in a twist over this new-fangled blogging thing, don't they...
... Well not all of them actually.
The progressive team @ Habs Inside/Out
Though I don't always agree with their take on matters involving hockey, I have to hand it to the boys from the Gazette and the blog they have nurtured over the past two seasons. I think they deserve acknowledgment for their efforts here.
For one thing the blog is done in the right spirit. It neither takes itself too seriously, nor does it take hockey too seriously. It simply provides an addendum to all the material that is published in its parent publication, the Montreal Gazette. This hasn't stopped the main page and Mike Boone's blog from being the most complete, up-to-date and reliable source for Canadiens material (in English, I should qualify).
The other thing the blog has done right has been to embrace the bloggers. I can't say that I have personally experienced their favour on too many occasions (there was a recent link attributed to another blog), but I still laud them for interacting and even linking with bloggers like Robert L, TC Denault, the Four Habs Fans and others. The step they have taken to formalise this relationship by serialising some of these authors on their Other Wing page, is either ahead of the times or right with them, depending where you're from. And the manner in which they interact with the bloggers does them credit too.
Habs fans should count themselves very lucky to have these guys. And, when you think about it, English Habs fans are the luckiest of all – with probably the most intense and disproportionate amount of coverage of any team in the NHL (given the size of our group).
So, in general, can bloggers and the media get along?
I think they can. Other than Habs Inside/Out, I think that there are countless examples showing that they can. In Long Island they fraternise, and in Washington they get along too. Thankfully Edmonton is one of a few teams who tread a more archaic path.
Personally, I don't think Tobalev or I would have any problem getting along with any of the professional Habs media (though as I said, we would have plenty to debate and disagree about – hockeywise).
Incidentally, I also wonder whether co-habitating is the right approach for everyone at the end of the day. I think the root of blogging and what makes it powerful and compelling is its independent nature. On this occasion, I tend to agree with Matt (the Flames fan) at Battle of Alberta, when he says:
There's a reason I've never attempted to contact the Flames organization, get a press pass, an interview, or the like. Actually, there's two reasons, the first of which is that I like this blog the way it is: it's personal, I don't owe anyone any favours, and I don't have to abide by anyone's rules and guidelines but my own.
It is certainly a dilemma that some lucky bloggers get to deal with. It's still all theoretical to me.
In any case, I am thankful I support Montreal, where the door to the halls of media discussion has been left wide open with a sign saying "Welcome bloggers".
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