International TournamentsDiscuss International Tournaments like the WJC, Olympics, and World Cup, as they take place, or discuss past tournaments. performances.
Hockey Canada defends Crosby; IIHF deletes controversial article
He wouldn't have a ****ing job if it wasn't for the fans.
Yes, exactly. Crosby doesn't want to play, but then he should come out and say so, as should everyone else who declines. Stop making up excuses saying that you're "tired"
The 'fans' don't own a player nor do they have a right to demand he participates in any auxiliary tournament. The IIHF has yet to realize that the World Championships are poorly planned and offer little enticement for North American players. It is not a best on best tournament, takes place during the heart of the NHL playoffs, Canadian/American fans are largely indifferent, and it offers little in the way of prestige from the players' perspective (as evidenced by poor attendance).
What makes this article so asinine is that it condemns players as somehow lacking honor or pride in their country because they don't want to participate. It's ridiculous that the IIHF would equate participating in their tournament with civic duty. If NHL players really want to repay their fans and their country, they should donate time and money towards charity and philanthropic activities in their community - which many already do.
Decent post. You forget one thing though. We, 'the fans' is what make Crosby what he is and is the reason that 'made him rich'. The hockeyfans comes to games, watch Crosby play, watch TV. Whitout you and me, Crosby would be a poor spoiled brat, now he is a rich spoiled brat and therefore he should participate in all games he can and not play golf.
1. Most hockey fans do NOT watch the IIHF championships, most don't even know they exist and the ones that do, a large majority couldn't care less enough about this meaningless tournament. Therefore, Crosby isn't turning his back on his fans seeing as most of them don't know or don't care about this meaningless tournament. Just because you do, Crosby and the like are NOT obliged to bend over backwards to appease your interests.
2. a) Yes, the fans pay Crosby's salary, so do businesses, sponsors and other ventures. "YOU" are not the only person that makes Crosby rich.
2. b) Crosby is EMPLOYED by the PITTSBURGH PENGUINS (and Reebok). His obligations are to the team that pays him his $8M contract. He is not obliged to play for free, risk injury, fatigue and other things to the people he is contractually obligated to. He would be doing a HUGE disservice to himself and the people that have money invested in him, including fans of his, the Pittsburgh Penguins and the NHL. More fans than would ever be watching a few IIHF tournament games.
3. By far the most ignorant statement I've ever heard: "We the fans is what make Crosby what he is"
No you don't. The fans didn't make Crosby the best hockey player in the world. Sidney Crosby did that, as well as his family, coaches and teammates. You had ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with his development as a hockey player or human being. "You" made him wealthy. You didn't make him a player, a person, a friend, a brother or sister.
4. to add to your ignorant statement that you had something to do with Crosby being who he is... how about the fact that without players like Crosby THERE WOULD BE NO NHL AND NO HOCKEY WORTH WATCHING.
Just as much as the fans are responsible for providing to the sustainability of a league to watch the best talent play, without the talented players YOU would not be watching hockey.
Stop pretending like Crosby and these other players owe you anything and just because you watch a few games, buy a few tickets that they should be your personal jester 365 days a year.
Crosby and these other players are humans. They work just as hard training, traveling, and playing the sport as the blue collar workers the article describes, if not more. They sacrifice their time for you 8 months out of the year at the detriment of their families and personal lives.
Let's also not forget that Crosby did play in the Olympics for his country and his fans. More fans that even know this meaningless tournament existed.
Most of these guys are also giving back to the communities through charities and other ventures.
So get off your high horse and stop thinking people owe you ANYTHING just because you're aware of their existense.
I would love to play 1 on 1 with Crosby, and because I provided to his paycheque does not mean he is obligated to do so.
This all boils down to unfortunately many players not caring enough to play at the worlds.
If they cared, they would go. And thats a shame when your countries international teams comes calling and is told no by so many players.
They care, and some of the reasons the article mentioned are legitimate reasons. Perhaps because you're a hockey fan from Europe (assuming so based on your Finland avatar, I could be wrong) where travel is less and the season is not as many games as the NHL season, being tired doesn't seem quite as a legitimate reason not to play. Teams like LA, Vancouver, Anaheim, San Jose, Calgary, and Edmonton travel close to 50,000 miles in a season. Some a little more, some a little less. It's a lot of travel for those players. I'm sure traveling another approximately 6,000 miles for a 3 week tournament isn't the first thing they want to do once the NHL season ends.
As a Kings fan I've seen plenty of Kings players go play in Worlds the last few years because the team hasn't been in the playoffs, and I've been legitimately happy for them when they've had players earn medals at Worlds. I was glad to see some of the Kings players choose to go this year after the Kings were eliminated from the NHL playoffs. At the same time I'm not going to look down on those players that chose not to go or were prevented from going due to injury.
Drew Doughty is one of those players who was playing injured in the NHL playoffs, would have kept playing had the Kings not been eliminated, and skipped Worlds due to his injury. I think he wanted to go but the Kings medical people told him to pass. Sometimes it's the NHL teams telling players to skip the tournament so they can rest injuries.
I'm not going to fault the Kings for keeping Doughty out of the tournament. He played at Worlds last year, played an 82 game NHL season this year, the Olympics, and the NHL playoffs where he was playing over 27 minutes a night. I don't think the Kings are in the wrong in asking him to rest instead of continuing to play with a wrist injury. The last thing an NHL team wants is one of their players playing through an injury in a tournament that doesn't benefit them. I can't say I blame them. Ryan Smyth broke his ankle in practice for the tournament. I'm sure Kings management wasn't real happy about that.
This.
I was actually surprised to see Hockey Canada respond to the IIHF article at all. Looks like it hit a nerve.
oh, it did.
they've discovered, that sudden abstinence based on pleaded reasons isn't appreciated by many people in the hockey universe. the arrogant reactions of some (by far not all) northamericans are somewhat symptomatic of their attitude characterized by the persuasion of their own superiority. even though the nhl is without a doubt the strongest hockey league in the world, they shouldn't think, that they are the hub of the universe!
i still think, it was the damn duty of stars like crosby, koivu, franzén... to show up at the whc.
The IIHF is a sadder organization than I thought it was, imagine the Recording Industry Association of America holding a concert three months after Woodstock and then publicly complaining when Hendrix and the Who declined. It would be patently ridiculous and would be laughed at, don't give me all this phony nationalism business, everyone can see the IIHF's transparent intentions, they want more revenue plain and simple.
The IIHF is a sadder organization than I thought it was, imagine the Recording Industry Association of America holding a concert three months after Woodstock and then publicly complaining when Hendrix and the Who declined. It would be patently ridiculous and would be laughed at, don't give me all this phony nationalism business, everyone can see the IIHF's transparent intentions, they want more revenue plain and simple.
The article plainly admits it's about money. It's the whole issue.
Well, when you're played the big salaries, you have a 'moral' obligation when the phone rings to your country and the culture that is hockey. If you can't make it fine, but for those who can make it and are perfectly healthy: If you can't devote 3 weeks to a tournament with that jersey everyone loves, then stay home when the Olympics begin, you don't deserve to go. Enjoy your cash and your lake house.
This mentality applies to FIFA events and soccer tournaments and should apply to hockey. Playing devil's advocate a little, I can understand the position people have with the IIHF. They need to completely overhaul their own tournament, and image. A lot of people are critical of the IIHF, I am one of them, so maybe the IIHF needs to shut up a bit more and start putting more sweat and tears into this tournament. They can start by offering this tournament more often in North American, television rights all over the world where this tournament can be covered and reasonable high quality video feeds online, instead of the over priced crap they stream now on their website. How about a better website, instead of that 1999 piece of garbage PDF site we're forced to scroll.
Well, when you're played the big salaries, you have a 'moral' obligation when the phone rings to your country and the culture that is hockey. If you can't make it fine, but for those who can make it and are perfectly healthy: If you can't devote 3 weeks to a tournament with that jersey everyone loves, then stay home when the Olympics begin, you don't deserve to go. Enjoy your cash and your lake house.
Oh I forgot it was the IIHF and IIHF hockey fans that were paying Crosby and not the Pittsburgh Penguins, NHL and NHL fans. Silly me.
I also do not know what it is like to be a human being and to be broken down and need time to recover from 8-9 months of grueling physical activity. I am pretty sure, like robots, these "athletes" can play 365 days a year without physical and mental breakdown just to appease the 12 IIHF viewers that might be watching this irrelevant hockey tournament
By your same logic then they shouldn't play for the Cup and spend time with their family too.?
The Cup is pretty much what North American players strive for. The worlds tournament is not that big of a deal over here. Trying to win the Cup also happens to be the reason that these players are able to spend their lives playing hockey. I am thrilled that Sid isn't going, he needs the rest. His hockey priority is the Penguins at this point, as it should be.
note: if HF boards didn't remind me, I wouldn't have known about this tournament. It's irrelevant
By your same logic then they shouldn't play for the Cup and spend time with their family too.?
The main priority/goal of an NHL athlete is to compete for the Stanley Cup. That's why they play 82 games in the regular season away from their family in the first place. An NHLer's main priority isn't to represent their country in the World Championships, you know that.
Decent post. You forget one thing though. We, 'the fans' is what make Crosby what he is and is the reason that 'made him rich'. The hockeyfans comes to games, watch Crosby play, watch TV. Whitout you and me, Crosby would be a poor spoiled brat, now he is a rich spoiled brat and therefore he should participate in all games he can and not play golf.
Why?
So if I can sell 18,000 tickets for people to come watch a bunch of NHLers play at GM place, how are they obligated to come play for free? How is that any different?
Crosby has represented his national team plenty of times, including 3 months ago at the Olympics, and so Hockey Canada isn't exactly losing out because he's not going to the WC and have said as much. Basically the IIHF are bummed because he's not coming out there for free and making them some money.
Sure, it would be nice for the fans in Germany to watch him, but it's the World Championships, not the Sidney Crosby Exhibition, so it's really his call. I don't go in to my job on my vacation time for fun, and I don't expect him to do the same.
Oh I forgot it was the IIHF and IIHF hockey fans that were paying Crosby and not the Pittsburgh Penguins, NHL and NHL fans. Silly me.
I also do not know what it is like to be a human being and to be broken down and need time to recover from 8-9 months of grueling physical activity. I am pretty sure, like robots, these "athletes" can play 365 days a year without physical and mental breakdown just to appease the 12 IIHF viewers that might be watching this irrelevant hockey tournament
Give me a break, if you're in your 20's you shouldn't be complaining about almost five full months of off season. There's plenty of elite talent in the IIHF tournament that has no problem going, or getting better for their club because of it.
Just a wild guess on my part, but I'm guessing most of the people bashing Crosby, Backstrom, and the rest have never played 12 games in a month let alone played 12 games a month for 9 straight months.
Just a wild guess on my part, but I'm guessing most of the people bashing Crosby, Backstrom, and the rest have never played 12 games in a month let alone played 12 games a month for 9 straight months.
Just a wild guess on my part, but I'm guessing most of the people bashing Crosby, Backstrom, and the rest have never played 12 games in a month let alone played 12 games a month for 9 straight months.
There is a fair amount of truth in the article by the IIHF guy, but I do have a number of issues with it. One, I am not a fan of calling out a guy who answers the bell nearly every time that he was called. Two, I did not like how heavily he implied that the way to give back to the world of hockey is to play in IIHF tournaments. At least in Canada, players, including many who never will be asked to wear the Maple Leaf, give much more back to hockey through mentorship, training opportunities, and money given to minor hockey organizations than by participating in the World Hockey Championships.
Decent post. You forget one thing though. We, 'the fans' is what make Crosby what he is and is the reason that 'made him rich'. The hockeyfans comes to games, watch Crosby play, watch TV. Whitout you and me, Crosby would be a poor spoiled brat, now he is a rich spoiled brat and therefore he should participate in all games he can and not play golf.
Wow...fans need to stop giving themselves so much credit. You had no part in making Crosby rich or making him the player he is today. He's responsible for that. Crosby owes his fans nothing. His job is to play hockey, not please the fans. Simple as that.
1. Most hockey fans do NOT watch the IIHF championships, most don't even know they exist and the ones that do, a large majority couldn't care less enough about this meaningless tournament.
Probably MOST of the people responsible for making the NHL stars NHL stars. Even if they came from EUrope initially, I would challenge you to mention those who came right in and became superstar without the resources and money the NHL fans provided through their clubs.
You clearly didnt read the article. He also writing about people who havent played in the playoffs or been resting for a month who says no.
Yet, the player he singles out the most, along with Zetterberg (except for the 7 games part) just got done a 7 game series in the 2nd round of the playoffs after going to the finals 2 straight year and winning Gold in the Olympics.
It's great there's so much enthusiasm among the Russians in this event, but that seems to be the only top tier country showing it. Probably has something to do with the fact that they want to defend their championship and make up for their poor Olympics showing, though lol @ winning this tournament having any meaning this year. The Canadians have absolutely nothing to prove.
There is a fair amount of truth in the article by the IIHF guy, but I do have a number of issues with it. One, I am not a fan of calling out a guy who answers the bell nearly every time that he was called. Two, I did not like how heavily he implied that the way to give back to the world of hockey is to play in IIHF tournaments. At least in Canada, players, including many who never will be asked to wear the Maple Leaf, give much more back to hockey through mentorship, training opportunities, and money given to minor hockey organizations than by participating in the World Hockey Championships.
Sure, it's a pro-IIHF piece from an IIHF official. To pimp the WCh is in their immediate interest. But then the article was not about Crosby, but a whole bunch of examples. Hockey systems outside Canada are not as independent of IIHF funds.
