Post by midlandpucks on Sept 27, 2007 12:22:48 GMT -5
At the risk of some of you misunderstanding what I'm trying to do, I'm going to bring this up because it drives me mad.
Everyone probably saw the Oklahoma State coach go crazy on youtube at the female reporter because she criticized his former starting quarterback's toughness and leadership skills. The kid is 19. He did say that if one of his players got in trouble off the field, that they are more than fair game.
That brings up Ryan Berard. I watched him play a fair amount these past couple years - way more this past year than when they traded for him. I didn't go to many games that year and neither home playoff game. Always liked his effort, and the couple times I talked to him, found him engaging and polite.
I understand the team wants to keep what happened Wednesday quiet. On the grand scale, it's a mistake but he deserves the fresh start that he asked for in the summer multiple times. I also understand if Watson and Edwards don't want to address it. I also would understand if Cameron Knowles and whoever else is doing the radio games doesn't want to address it. They're paid by the team. Clearly, the topic of the assault last year had to be danced around but it was only fair why it was explained that players were out of the lineup and I recall hearing on the radio nothing about charges or convictions, which I get.
However, the Berard article today mentioned nothing about what happened, which is a disgrace. It really is. It's such a sweep-under-the-rug job which would be fine if Constantine was paid by the team. He isn't. He's meant to be an objective reporter and for there to be no mention of at least that Berard was sent home and/or suspended tells me and should tell everyone that not only is he lazy, he's bought off, in essence by the Spirit.
I'll reiterate, don't come after me with suggestions that I want details, police reports, etc. Boys are sometimes boys. He made a mistake. Almost a harmless mistake. With no victims, I suppose. But he deserved to pay some type of price, I feel bad for him. But he has a certain right to privacy. But for any of the rest of us, if we were a "public figure", and he knew he was the second he played his first OHL game, we couldn't possibly get such preferential treatment.
I guess I'm looking to see if I'm the only one who feels that way. If so, so be it. But I do pay for the tickets, etc. I regrettably pay for the newspaper. Should a beat reporter actually be afraid or nervous to write "the facts" in a story? I understand that the Spirit website will end up being an infomercial, in essence and that they'll tell us Adam Comrie is going to be the next Chris Pronger, and Chris Ferguson WAS the fastest skater known to man, but in the paper, it's embarrassing how it's all "party line" stuff and very little is questioned anymore.
I just don't think it happens in other cities and I think we deserve a bit better. But why would we as fans get it now?
Everyone probably saw the Oklahoma State coach go crazy on youtube at the female reporter because she criticized his former starting quarterback's toughness and leadership skills. The kid is 19. He did say that if one of his players got in trouble off the field, that they are more than fair game.
That brings up Ryan Berard. I watched him play a fair amount these past couple years - way more this past year than when they traded for him. I didn't go to many games that year and neither home playoff game. Always liked his effort, and the couple times I talked to him, found him engaging and polite.
I understand the team wants to keep what happened Wednesday quiet. On the grand scale, it's a mistake but he deserves the fresh start that he asked for in the summer multiple times. I also understand if Watson and Edwards don't want to address it. I also would understand if Cameron Knowles and whoever else is doing the radio games doesn't want to address it. They're paid by the team. Clearly, the topic of the assault last year had to be danced around but it was only fair why it was explained that players were out of the lineup and I recall hearing on the radio nothing about charges or convictions, which I get.
However, the Berard article today mentioned nothing about what happened, which is a disgrace. It really is. It's such a sweep-under-the-rug job which would be fine if Constantine was paid by the team. He isn't. He's meant to be an objective reporter and for there to be no mention of at least that Berard was sent home and/or suspended tells me and should tell everyone that not only is he lazy, he's bought off, in essence by the Spirit.
I'll reiterate, don't come after me with suggestions that I want details, police reports, etc. Boys are sometimes boys. He made a mistake. Almost a harmless mistake. With no victims, I suppose. But he deserved to pay some type of price, I feel bad for him. But he has a certain right to privacy. But for any of the rest of us, if we were a "public figure", and he knew he was the second he played his first OHL game, we couldn't possibly get such preferential treatment.
I guess I'm looking to see if I'm the only one who feels that way. If so, so be it. But I do pay for the tickets, etc. I regrettably pay for the newspaper. Should a beat reporter actually be afraid or nervous to write "the facts" in a story? I understand that the Spirit website will end up being an infomercial, in essence and that they'll tell us Adam Comrie is going to be the next Chris Pronger, and Chris Ferguson WAS the fastest skater known to man, but in the paper, it's embarrassing how it's all "party line" stuff and very little is questioned anymore.
I just don't think it happens in other cities and I think we deserve a bit better. But why would we as fans get it now?
