He was at Mario Lemieux's charity golf tournament in Pittsburgh, and went on a curse-filled tirade regarding everything from the lockout to the nature of the game.
Being a Flyer fan, one thing I know for sure. Jeremy says what's on his mind, and not being able to do that the last year has most likely been driving him a bit crazy.
Can you really argue any of the points he made as not being valid?
I actually enjoy his antics and like that fact that he just says whatever is on his mind without sugar-coating anything. Brett Hull's the same way except Hall's more whiny.
<< <i> Can you really argue any of the points he made as not being valid? >>
I don't care whether or not his points are valid...hell, he may very well be right on every single point.
But a charity golf tournament? That's where he feels he should get on his soapbox, taking the focus and limelight away from the foundation that should be the emphasis? Just so he can complain about his paycheck getting smaller?
I wasn't thrilled with the last paragraph, either.
For the most part, though, hockey players are not c**ky like athletes in other pro sports, and I believe they do care about the game.
My belief is that they stuck by some some very poor advice from that idiot Goodenow. >>
I might have bought the notion that hockey players were more love-of-the-game type guys than athletes in other pro sports about 15 years ago, but no longer. That the rank-and-file followed Goodenow over a cliff is indicative, to me at least, that their priorities are with their portfolios and pocketbooks and not with the fans or the game itself.
The candor of guys like Roenick and Hull can be refreshing, but JR can kiss my ass on this one.
With no cable TV contract and a minor national contract TV, hockey is going to be down for a while. Plus the current product is unwatchable for casual fans like me. Dump the puck, chase it, clear the puck, repeat. I might as well watch soccer. I agree with JR's suggestions for changes except for goalie pads. The goalie pads are making average goalies into superstars, especially during playoffs.
The labor issue may have been the final blow, but let's face it, hockey was on its way down long before.
If Hockey couldn't sell or get a big TV contract when Gretzky and Lemieux where at the top of their games then what makes you think that a league filled with a bunch of foreign players that nobody can pronounce their names is going to sell? I am not going to watch a game on Saturday afternoon at 3:00 unless there is 2 feet of snow on the ground! The NHL hurt themselves in or around 1984 when it had a really good shot at selling their product!Gretzky at his peak and the next 5 or 6 years sees Roy,Yzerman,Lafontaine,Bourque and Lemieux just having stat friendly seasons!They let the clutching and grabbing grow out of control to where an above avg. defenceman who was big and could skate half way decent all of the suddan became a stud!The bottom line is keep most all the rules the same just widen the ice so that speed,skill,skating and conditioning is the game again!Guys like Bure,Selanne,Kariya will become super stars again !Speed is what the game is all about and the big lumbering defenceman will be replaced with skating,puck handling that can make long passes type defenceman! Would be a much more friendly game to watch and follow! Does anybody really care about how many PIM's Tie Domi has? No guys like that that can't score or pass will be replaced by guys that can! After all the NHL has a spot for these guys its called the minors he wouldn't even sniff the NHL if it wasn't for his fighting or lack of fighting ability! So I am a general manager and I have to reserve 3 million in salary for a guy that can fight? I would rather pay a third line made up of speedsters that can handle the puck wear down defences and score a million a piece. But I can't because the league is filled with goons and as much as a handful of fans likes the fighting it is not really needed! I would like them to take it out of the game and make suspensions for fighting tougher there is no need for it and it just weighs down the payroll with unskilled athletes! Name one other sport that has to have a guy that has no skill what so ever on the roster?Guys that can play will play guys that just sit on the bench all game waiting for his few minutes of ice time to pick a fight because your losing is not the game!I also think that the NHL should get more visable in the city's they are not going to get the cash poor family's to put their kids in hockey when they can't afford it! MO
It would have been one thing for him to call a press conference away from the fund raiser and express his frustrations with the labor talks.
For him to spout off and take attention away from the event was selfish and self-serving.
The worst part of his whole tirade? Calling those who think that hockey players are overpaid as 'jealous'.
Come on JR...grow up and shut your mouth. If you think that the people think that you're spoiled now, how do you think they feel when you call them 'jealous'?
Ridiculous.
Oh, as far as the goalie pads, who cares....they need to open up the rinks, make them bigger, make the game faster. Goalie pads wouldn't matter then.
The NHL's new Poster Child PR Man for putting current and prospective fans in the seats!
The NBA is facing a lockout - gave this a lot of thought about how much money they make and how much a seat costs - the cost of a hot dog and coke....and came to a simple revelation:
Never has so much been given to so few at the expense of those with the least. How much is entertainment really worth?
The NHL is in disarray. Another slap in the face of Canadians and ice hockey fans everywhere.
"It's hard to be religious when certain people are never incinerated by bolts of lightning." - Calvin "Why waste time learning, when ignorance is instantaneous?" - Hobbes
Thanx Ax I was thinking about the resolution - my bad on the syntax - the seats are already thru the roof here in San Antonio - and just imagine if your workers came to you tomorrow and said: "we want 60% of the gross! Afterall, where would you be without us workers." There is no business model that makes any sense to me?
I'm seriously thinking of watching all my events from the house! Now everyone is a millionaire in sports and I'm the one paying 4 bucks for a 79 cent hot dog!!!
<< <i>``We don't want you at the rink, we don't want you in the stadium, we don't want you to watch hockey,'' he said Saturday at the Mario Lemieux Celebrity Invitational in suburban Pittsburgh. >>
What a great PR move! Hardly anyone in the US cares much about hockey anyway, and now you want to alienate your few remaining fans? If there was no more pro hockey anymore, would there be that many folks upset at this point?
<< <i>``We don't want you at the rink, we don't want you in the stadium, we don't want you to watch hockey,'' he said Saturday at the Mario Lemieux Celebrity Invitational in suburban Pittsburgh. >>
What a great PR move! Hardly anyone in the US cares much about hockey anyway, and now you want to alienate your few remaining fans? If there was no more pro hockey anymore, would there be that many folks upset at this point? >>
I know why he's upset...and it's rare that you get someone actually venting his honest opinion.
His valid and credible points he made at the beginning however got completely obliterated by him calling those who complain about player salaries as 'jealous' and that line ct posted.
Now he's saying his comments have been taken out of context...out of context? I heard the whole ramble, and they were definitely not taken out of context.
Make the goal bigger, increase the space behind the net. Although some of the goalies pads are a little bit gawdy don't mess with a man's protection. If you disagree then go stand in front of a hot piece of rubber going 90 mph. You'll change your mind really quick. I play in the pipes for a rec league on Sunday nights and i still come home bruised every night and these shots come from beer bellied old men! Keep in mind im a rail compared to an overstuffed Giguere.
I really hope they reestablish the SHOOTOUT. We have it hear in the Central Hockey League and it's so exciting! Better than a tie and a real test for a couple of exhausted goalies. Ben
Comments
Classy move.
Can you really argue any of the points he made as not being valid?
Very selfish and classless move. This guy needs a reality check, not a bigger paycheck.
Have a great day...Rob..
I wasn't thrilled with the last paragraph, either.
For the most part, though, hockey players are not c**ky like athletes in other pro sports, and I believe they do care about the game.
My belief is that they stuck by some some very poor advice from that idiot Goodenow.
<< <i>
Can you really argue any of the points he made as not being valid? >>
I don't care whether or not his points are valid...hell, he may very well be right on every single point.
But a charity golf tournament? That's where he feels he should get on his soapbox, taking the focus and limelight away from the foundation that should be the emphasis? Just so he can complain about his paycheck getting smaller?
Yeah, smart move.
<< <i>Rob:
I wasn't thrilled with the last paragraph, either.
For the most part, though, hockey players are not c**ky like athletes in other pro sports, and I believe they do care about the game.
My belief is that they stuck by some some very poor advice from that idiot Goodenow. >>
I might have bought the notion that hockey players were more love-of-the-game type guys than athletes in other pro sports about 15 years ago, but no longer. That the rank-and-file followed Goodenow over a cliff is indicative, to me at least, that their priorities are with their portfolios and pocketbooks and not with the fans or the game itself.
The candor of guys like Roenick and Hull can be refreshing, but JR can kiss my ass on this one.
God bless Darian Hatcher.
The labor issue may have been the final blow, but let's face it, hockey was on its way down long before.
MO
ON ITS WAY TO NEWPORT BEACH, CA 92658
For him to spout off and take attention away from the event was selfish and self-serving.
The worst part of his whole tirade? Calling those who think that hockey players are overpaid as 'jealous'.
Come on JR...grow up and shut your mouth. If you think that the people think that you're spoiled now, how do you think they feel when you call them 'jealous'?
Ridiculous.
Oh, as far as the goalie pads, who cares....they need to open up the rinks, make them bigger, make the game faster. Goalie pads wouldn't matter then.
The NBA is facing a lockout - gave this a lot of thought about how much money they make and how much a seat costs - the cost of a hot dog and coke....and came to a simple revelation:
Never has so much been given to so few at the expense of those with the least. How much is entertainment really worth?
mike
"It's hard to be religious when certain people are never incinerated by bolts of lightning."
- Calvin
"Why waste time learning, when ignorance is instantaneous?"
- Hobbes
<< <i>The NBA is facing a lockout... >>
Mike, didn't you hear? The NBA and NBAPA came to an agreement.
<< <i>Hmmpf... I guess I read that wrong.
No he wrote 'the nba is facing a lockout' but from the context, it looks like he meant to say 'was'.
I was thinking about the resolution - my bad on the syntax - the seats are already thru the roof here in San Antonio - and just imagine if your workers came to you tomorrow and said: "we want 60% of the gross! Afterall, where would you be without us workers." There is no business model that makes any sense to me?
I'm seriously thinking of watching all my events from the house! Now everyone is a millionaire in sports and I'm the one paying 4 bucks for a 79 cent hot dog!!!
Sorry for the rant
mike
<< <i>``We don't want you at the rink, we don't want you in the stadium, we don't want you to watch hockey,'' he said Saturday at the Mario Lemieux Celebrity Invitational in suburban Pittsburgh. >>
What a great PR move! Hardly anyone in the US cares much about hockey anyway, and now you want to alienate your few remaining fans? If there was no more pro hockey anymore, would there be that many folks upset at this point?
<< <i>
<< <i>``We don't want you at the rink, we don't want you in the stadium, we don't want you to watch hockey,'' he said Saturday at the Mario Lemieux Celebrity Invitational in suburban Pittsburgh. >>
What a great PR move! Hardly anyone in the US cares much about hockey anyway, and now you want to alienate your few remaining fans? If there was no more pro hockey anymore, would there be that many folks upset at this point? >>
I know why he's upset...and it's rare that you get someone actually venting his honest opinion.
His valid and credible points he made at the beginning however got completely obliterated by him calling those who complain about player salaries as 'jealous' and that line ct posted.
Now he's saying his comments have been taken out of context...out of context? I heard the whole ramble, and they were definitely not taken out of context.
J.R. upset at media over coverage of weekend rant
I play in the pipes for a rec league on Sunday nights and i still come home bruised every night and these shots come from beer bellied old men! Keep in mind im a rail compared to an overstuffed Giguere.
I really hope they reestablish the SHOOTOUT. We have it hear in the Central Hockey League and it's so exciting! Better than a tie and a real test for a couple of exhausted goalies.
Ben