AKA..."Hopefully the Last Post I Will Ever Write About Ray Emery" and this is a long one so please be patient. There are just some things I feel I needed to get off my chest.
Image From the Ottawa Citizen
DHS has already posted his reaction to the Ray Emery "Off the Record" interview, and even though I'm a couple of days late on it, I thought I'd do the same. While the consensus seems to be that it was a good thing he didn't blame the Senators for what happened this year, it almost seems like every time he took responsibility for his actions, he shrugged it off as just "Ray being Ray".
Wasn't "Ray being Ray" and you not nervous about being late the problem in the first place? Isn't that how he got the rep for not being a good teammate? If one does have the reputation of being late and holding up practice, isn't that something you should be nervous about? Maybe I'm just being extra hard on Ray. He could mean that he WASN'T back then nervous about being late but he is now and that's something he'll correct. However, my opinion hasn't changed quite as drastically as Chris Reid of the Ottawa Citizen:
I'm glad he tried to have perspective on the situation in that he didn't blame the Senators for what happened, even though I fully admit that the team could have done more to control the situation, but I didn't get the same impression as Reid from the interview. Emery basically said that if he stayed in the NHL, he'd only be paid one-tenth of the salary. I don't want to outright say money was the only motivating factor and it's true, he's better off going somewhere where he can be starter if he's serious about getting his career back on track. He didn't say anything about needing to work harder at showing up on time or even working harder in practice, which was also an issue as well.
If you haven't been reading Dean Brown of the Team 1200's blog, I highly recommend it as he had a great post in regards to the interview (typos aside):
On his alleged drug problem:
On the Ottawa Media
I admit, maybe the media was a little hard on him. As much as I love Ottawa, the city's not the most exciting place in the world and he made a good story. On the other side of the coin, maybe I'm being too judgmental but his behaviour didn't strike me as somebody who didn't enjoy being looked at or talked about. As somebody who lives in the middle of Leafs nation, I can tell you he wouldn't have lasted as long as he did had he been in the Toronto market.
After all of this, I still wish him well. I hate to see him not being able to reform himself as he's still young and has a ton of potential, anybody who has seen him play can see that but he has a lot of shaping up to do. I've just come to accept that this is how Ray is and at least now he's not our problem anymore.
Speaking of the Media...Prepare for a Rant!
The Cover of "Rant" by Chuck Palahniuk
Ray and I do have something in common in that we're both bound for Europe soon and we'll experience first-hand the lack of hockey coverage and hockey love that Europe has to offer. Unlike Ray though, I'll definitely miss it. I know the mainstream media has a prickly relationship with us humble bloggers (yet somehow "journalists" maintaining a blog is a-okay and totally different). As critical as I am about the media, we're inevitably dependent on them to do what us bloggers do. At least blogs with a certain standard do, and I'd like to think we're one of them.
That being said, when I read this article about a potential three-way trade between the Kings, Blackhawks and the Senators in the Ottawa Sun, I had to wonder how the MSM still had the gumption to look down on bloggers when one considers the fact that this "hot rumour in NHL cirlces" was brought to my attention last week by Connie from A Queen Among Kings who saw it on a Kings fansite that stated the rumour originated from Hockeybuzz.
I have to admit, Hockeybuzz doesn't incite as much wrath and anger in me as it does some other bloggers because I never read it. I've never seen it as a legitimate news source, even if it does have real "professional" reporters and yes, that is solely because of their resident "anonymous" blogger. If you can't post under your real name, then I'm sorry, I won't see you as credible or legitimate because that strikes me as you've got something to hide. And yes, that's exactly why on this blog I don't post under a real or full name because I don't expect or want readers to think this is a legitimate news outlet.
As for the rumour, I know the summer sucks and is full of slow news days, but come on. I know the Los Angeles Kings are a bit desperate but for a team that's building for the future, do you really think they'll be likely to ship somebody as important to the franchise as Anze Kopitar for a maddeningly inconsistent goaltender and an underachieving defenseman? And I know the Senators don't exactly have a solid goaltending duo, but how can you possibly justify trading Martin Gerber, who might be inconsistent for Nikolai Khabibulin, who is more expensive, even LESS consistent and injury-prone? Bryan Murray isn't one to shy away from big trades, but he's not one to make trades that make no sense.
That being said, if it happens I will eat my words and issue a full apology. And possibly hide in a protective bunker for a couple of weeks because obviously something is wrong with the world if it does.
Cross-posted on HLOG
DHS has already posted his reaction to the Ray Emery "Off the Record" interview, and even though I'm a couple of days late on it, I thought I'd do the same. While the consensus seems to be that it was a good thing he didn't blame the Senators for what happened this year, it almost seems like every time he took responsibility for his actions, he shrugged it off as just "Ray being Ray".
"I wasn't trying to make a statement, (January 28th) was after the All-Star break and I went to the game rink and they were at the practice rink," explained Emery. "I apologized for it then, it was my fault but like I said, I'm not the guy who's really nervous about being late."
Wasn't "Ray being Ray" and you not nervous about being late the problem in the first place? Isn't that how he got the rep for not being a good teammate? If one does have the reputation of being late and holding up practice, isn't that something you should be nervous about? Maybe I'm just being extra hard on Ray. He could mean that he WASN'T back then nervous about being late but he is now and that's something he'll correct. However, my opinion hasn't changed quite as drastically as Chris Reid of the Ottawa Citizen:
The thing that we can all believe and accept as fact is that the guy is starting to listen to the people who can get his career back on track. If everything he said had been rehearsed or planned out, it makes no difference to me, he is taking the steps needed to put his career back on track.
I'm glad he tried to have perspective on the situation in that he didn't blame the Senators for what happened, even though I fully admit that the team could have done more to control the situation, but I didn't get the same impression as Reid from the interview. Emery basically said that if he stayed in the NHL, he'd only be paid one-tenth of the salary. I don't want to outright say money was the only motivating factor and it's true, he's better off going somewhere where he can be starter if he's serious about getting his career back on track. He didn't say anything about needing to work harder at showing up on time or even working harder in practice, which was also an issue as well.
If you haven't been reading Dean Brown of the Team 1200's blog, I highly recommend it as he had a great post in regards to the interview (typos aside):
On his alleged drug problem:
I do not know if Ray did or did not take illegal drugs during his time in Ottawa. I like most others have had many people repeat the many rumors to me. Many ask why the Ottawa media refused to speak openly about the rumors in print or on TV and radio. The reason is a simple one. In this country the laws covering libel, slander and defamation are far different from those in the USA. Down south as long as you slap the word "alledgedly" [sic] in front of a sentance [sic] you can say almost anything. It does not work that way in Canada. Also in both countries when you get sued you can’t tell the judge “well your honor everyone has heard it”. That is not a defence. Unless you know absolutely and can prove it with presentable, verifiable evidence, the reporter is the one headed to jail not the rumored drug user. I can speak of it now, because Ray himself has spoken of it and my observations are directed at his comments and those alone.
On the Ottawa Media
He won’t miss the Ottawa media he says. Ray should be careful what he wishes for. There are many who contend he got a far easier ride here than he would have received in several other NHL cities. I guess he will find that out if or when he ever returns to the NHL
I admit, maybe the media was a little hard on him. As much as I love Ottawa, the city's not the most exciting place in the world and he made a good story. On the other side of the coin, maybe I'm being too judgmental but his behaviour didn't strike me as somebody who didn't enjoy being looked at or talked about. As somebody who lives in the middle of Leafs nation, I can tell you he wouldn't have lasted as long as he did had he been in the Toronto market.
After all of this, I still wish him well. I hate to see him not being able to reform himself as he's still young and has a ton of potential, anybody who has seen him play can see that but he has a lot of shaping up to do. I've just come to accept that this is how Ray is and at least now he's not our problem anymore.
Speaking of the Media...Prepare for a Rant!
The Cover of "Rant" by Chuck Palahniuk
Ray and I do have something in common in that we're both bound for Europe soon and we'll experience first-hand the lack of hockey coverage and hockey love that Europe has to offer. Unlike Ray though, I'll definitely miss it. I know the mainstream media has a prickly relationship with us humble bloggers (yet somehow "journalists" maintaining a blog is a-okay and totally different). As critical as I am about the media, we're inevitably dependent on them to do what us bloggers do. At least blogs with a certain standard do, and I'd like to think we're one of them.
That being said, when I read this article about a potential three-way trade between the Kings, Blackhawks and the Senators in the Ottawa Sun, I had to wonder how the MSM still had the gumption to look down on bloggers when one considers the fact that this "hot rumour in NHL cirlces" was brought to my attention last week by Connie from A Queen Among Kings who saw it on a Kings fansite that stated the rumour originated from Hockeybuzz.
I have to admit, Hockeybuzz doesn't incite as much wrath and anger in me as it does some other bloggers because I never read it. I've never seen it as a legitimate news source, even if it does have real "professional" reporters and yes, that is solely because of their resident "anonymous" blogger. If you can't post under your real name, then I'm sorry, I won't see you as credible or legitimate because that strikes me as you've got something to hide. And yes, that's exactly why on this blog I don't post under a real or full name because I don't expect or want readers to think this is a legitimate news outlet.
As for the rumour, I know the summer sucks and is full of slow news days, but come on. I know the Los Angeles Kings are a bit desperate but for a team that's building for the future, do you really think they'll be likely to ship somebody as important to the franchise as Anze Kopitar for a maddeningly inconsistent goaltender and an underachieving defenseman? And I know the Senators don't exactly have a solid goaltending duo, but how can you possibly justify trading Martin Gerber, who might be inconsistent for Nikolai Khabibulin, who is more expensive, even LESS consistent and injury-prone? Bryan Murray isn't one to shy away from big trades, but he's not one to make trades that make no sense.
That being said, if it happens I will eat my words and issue a full apology. And possibly hide in a protective bunker for a couple of weeks because obviously something is wrong with the world if it does.
Cross-posted on HLOG
Labels: chicago blackhawks, los angeles kings, media, ottawa sun, ranting, rants, ray emery, rumours, stupidity
Before you leave for your awesome new job I'd LOVE to read a response to this post by Mike Toth:
http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/blogs/2008/07/16/toth_emery_racism/
I am frankly stunned by the suggestion that it's racist to not give Emery a third or fourth chance (he already got his chances in Binghampton and Ottawa) when he has huge discipline problems (kind of a big deal in hockey) and, despite an assertion that he doesn't have a drug problem, according to any number of stories [none of which are necessarily true but are enough to make a GM wonder] does use cocaine.
PPP, I say I won't talk about Ray Emery anymore and now you give me an article that gives me no choice but to respond? ;P
I will say that Toth does have a point about the racism question in the NHL but racism exists in the world so it's bound to exist in the league. That being said, I don't believe at all it had anything to do with Emery not landing another job in the league. He's excusing Emery showing up late to practice by saying all goalies hate practice? Hockey more than any other sport is a team sport and you need to be there with your team. Frankly, using the Iverson example was poor too since if I recall correctly, Iverson wasn't given a free pass on that.
I did sort of have to chuckle at this: "Many black people have their own distinct culture..." right because you have to be black to like flashy clothes and hip-hop?
This is turning into another rant...thanks a lot!
Good reading your blog, as always.
Now I'm not in Ottawa, but I don't doubt that there is a "hint" of racism involved in the treatment of Emery. Most white people will happily deal with black people that don't make them uncomfortable, but all too often it's a different situation when the black person doesn't seem courteous / white enough or whatever. Look at the general attitudes towards rap music as compared to that towards death metal. That old Southern saying about not having a problem with blacks but "not liking niggers" is despicable, but it defines the mindset of a lot of people, IMO.
Btw, when I visited Ottawa just over a year ago, the rumors were much stronger wrt "that other player" than they were with Ray, and yet "that other player" has had a much better month than Ray.
Finally, I would be absolutely shocked if the Kings dealt Kopitar. Seriously, with Bernier, Ersberg, and if need be, Rowat and Zatkoff, the team's future isn't that bad in nets. No way would the fans put up with dealing Kopitar without getting some serious superstar talent in return.
To be fair "that other player" didn't regress as much in play as Emery did and combined with that, he didn't have the same distracting behaviour as Emery demonstrated. If the rumours are true, then it didn't effect his contribution as a team member. If it had something to do with his play on ice then yes, I agree it was unfair. But I'm of the opinion that that other player got more money than he deserved this summer.