Well, I’m here after a long day of work and that was filled with all sorts of emotions - none of them good - toward the team I’ve cheered for nearly 45 years. I commend and respect Stang for his response and courage of his conviction on this. I have not talked to a single fan of the team who thinks this was a good hire. I am angry, disappointed, bewildered, sad and more disallusioned then ever over the ills of pro sports (betting, fleecing taxpayers for hundreds of millions to the benefit of billionaires and in many cases a toxic bro culture that lacks accountability].
If I could just isolate this as a hockey hire I would be here saying I didn’t like it. It seems like the wrong hire based in his track record. If only that was the problem.
The fact the org was this arrogant, and this tone deaf to the reaction that came out when this started to leak is just a head scratcher. How, how can this have been the best path? Unfathomable.
I feel for the players. They are now being asked about this by their families. Mcdavid gets married on Saturday and this news comes out. The media will ask them about it when camps start, and in no way should they have to deal with this. This could prove to be an issue for the team and the margins between winning and losing are razor thin.
The only potential mitigating factor for me, is the words of Sheldon Kennedy. It’s helpful, I respect him. I don’t think Bowman should never work again, but this shouldn’t have been the first opportunity he got, I’m mad at the team for placing fans in this situation.
What am I going to do? I don’t know and I suspect some of you will judge me harshly for not having the conviction of Stang today.I respect and understand that but I need to think about this for longer than a few hours, but there’s a real chance I fall into his camp and this is it for me.
Today, and only today and on this issue E=NG.
|