Theo Fleury: Why Johnny Gaudreau has it easier

[Chill Cosby]

Originally Posted by Arya Stark

Nobody is mocking him. He was over weight and out of shape in a lot of his playing years. He was also a drug abusing drunk who would have a hard time playing in today's NHL which was ironic since he thinks Gaudreau can't play in his era.

Listen, you have an axe to grind and that's great:

Originally Posted by Arya Stark

And an over weight, out of shape, drug abusing drunk Theo Fleury would have a hard time succeeding in today's game.

Originally Posted by Arya Stark

Theo was a drunk drug abusing fat over weight player...

Got it. He was a fat addict. Why don't you bring up how suicidal he was? How he was raped? Why aren't you saying "Well a suicidal rape victim would have a hard time succeeding in today's game."? Why not bring that up in your criticism of Theo? I mean, that's truth. And that's what you claim to be all about, truth. So bring it up.

Attack the idea and the words, not the man's demons.

Originally Posted by Arya Stark

What I've learned by the Theo defenders is that if someone says something truthful he should be applauded no matter how hurtful it may be.

Interesting. Is taking a shot at someone for addiction problems not hurtful? Are you not seeking approval for your "truths," not matter how hurtful?

What I'm saying, is that like a lot of other people here, you can show respect to what he's been through and talk about what he says and how he acts. Not drudging up his history of addiction in order to take cheap shots at him. There's nothing wrong with saying he's a pompous jackass, or an egomaniac, or that he needs to keep his mouth shut and not make everything about him, but as soon as you take a shot at him for his problems with addiction, you're over.

As I said, mocking him for being an addict considering the reason he became one is embarrassing, and playing the "truth" card doesn't make it less so. It just comes off as petty and sad.

Originally Posted by Arya Stark

It's called class.

It certainly is.

[jlh2640]

Get off theo's back everyone. He had some very nice things to say about Jonny in the herald last week.

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally Posted by jlh2640

Get off theo's back everyone. He had some very nice things to say about Jonny in the herald last week.

That's true, and he must have just been getting warmed up, because this week he was downright effusive when talking about another hockey player -- himself!

[killer_carlson]

A lot of inappropriate personal shots at Theo in this thread. That is disappointing

[taco.vidal]

The game of hockey, like many things in life, changes over time.
If Fleury wants to compare eras of the game, then go ahead. But don't say that someone has it easier than you did. Gaudreau can only play in the era in which he is living as Fleury could only play in his. Theo, its not Johnny Hockey's fault that you were born too early and didn't have it easy.

[Stay Golden]

Johnny likely would have suffered a few cross checks to the face, ribs and the back. Several slashes every game to the arms/wrists.
If he could play though that like Fleury did he would make it. Visors were not nearly as common as they are today and they didn't have those oversized face shields.
That era in hockey was much different than today. Gaudreau would have to endure his fair share of that.
However Johnny is so slippery he would have played with his head on a swivel just like he does now. Fleury also was a #### disturber and mouthy, Johnny is not so #13 would not have as large of a target on his back like Fleury did.
Gaudreau always is moving and he thinks he realizes it is a game of survival for him he keeps moving they can't hit what they can't catch and it keeps him in better playmaking opportunities.
To roast Fleury is unjust nobody on 'this" board could do what he could "nobody"!
Fleury was an idol for thousands of kids around the NHL not just Flames fans.
Johnny gives every small kid hope Fleury had the same impact you should respect that true fact.

[lvsteven]

Originally Posted by Arya Stark

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/t...small-players/

Be warned this is one of those annoying links that automatically start a video.

“There’s only one Theo Fleury,” says the one Theo Fleury, when asked about the Flames’ new diminutive talent. “He has less challenges now than I ever did. I was carrying 250-pound defencemen on my back night after night because of the hooking and holding.”

“I love the era I played in. I think I played in the greatest era of talent in the history of the game,” says Fleury, a point-a-game player through 1,084 games. “I was considered one of those guys who had incredible talent, incredible ability. But a guy like Johnny Gaudreau can play in the NHL right now. He couldn’t play in the era that I played in, unless he changed his style of game.”


Sometimes Fleury needs a filter and needs to realize how arrogant he sounds when he talks even if what he says is true.

I really love fleury but what a jerkoff set of comments. Honestly, the game is bigger now than ever. There are far more kids playing in the United States.

This to me, makes it actually harder... On top of this, more Europeans are training and playing physical.

So there goes your stupid comments about the style of the game. The physical conditioning of a nineteen year old now is far better than it was in 1987...

Would anyone even care in the fleury era who won the hobey baker? Would anyone care? No, they cared about guys in the QMJHL or the OHL.. and remember grapes and his hate on the Europeans that did it hit back then...

How many shots did the fleury era block? I could rant on more and more but why.

If he wants to represent the franchise, he isn't doing any favors by shooting his mouth against a guy they can build around.

Jealousy is a nasty thing...no one wears it well.

[JiriHrdina]

Originally Posted by Stay Golden

To roast Fleury is unjust nobody on 'this" board could do what he could "nobody"!
.

So? What does this have to do with anything?

[Arya Stark]

Originally Posted by Chill Cosby

Listen, you have an axe to grind and that's great:





Got it. He was a fat addict. Why don't you bring up how suicidal he was? How he was raped? Why aren't you saying "Well a suicidal rape victim would have a hard time succeeding in today's game."? Why not bring that up in your criticism of Theo? I mean, that's truth. And that's what you claim to be all about, truth. So bring it up.

Attack the idea and the words, not the man's demons.



Interesting. Is taking a shot at someone for addiction problems not hurtful? Are you not seeking approval for your "truths," not matter how hurtful?

What I'm saying, is that like a lot of other people here, you can show respect to what he's been through and talk about what he says and how he acts. Not drudging up his history of addiction in order to take cheap shots at him. There's nothing wrong with saying he's a pompous jackass, or an egomaniac, or that he needs to keep his mouth shut and not make everything about him, but as soon as you take a shot at him for his problems with addiction, you're over.

As I said, mocking him for being an addict considering the reason he became one is embarrassing, and playing the "truth" card doesn't make it less so. It just comes off as petty and sad.



It certainly is.

Jesus reading comprehension fail once again. All this is verbal diarrhea.

Nothing you claim I did, I actually did. Stop making things up.

So who said he should snort another line? Or was this another lie you made up for your flawed argument? Get a grip, nobody is mocking him. Fleury was a great player who overcame a lot of demons and I literally cried when he left the Flames.

If you couldn't understand what I meant by my comments was that he could not play in today's NHL and that's the truth. If you haven't noticed people in the thread were letting him off the hook because it was the "truth". Well the "truth" is that he was a drug abusing drunk who was out of shape and over weight in a lot of his playing years.

Once again, the truth doesn't give someone the right to be a d-bag and Fleury can be a major d-bag. It's all about him, nobody ever gets credit. HE was a great player. HE doesn't get enough credit for being so great (he literally said this). HE carried 250 pound defenceman on his back and HE is one of a kind which all could very well be true but arrogance is not a great trait and I will call him out on it.

Please actually read and understand or don't reply with more nonsense that are straight out lies.

[CliffFletcher]

In an NHL where 95 per cent of players speak in empty cliches and platitudes, I find it refreshing when a player or former player is candid. You're kidding yourself if you think every player is as selfless as his public comments make him seem to be. These are incredibly ambitious and competitive people. I prefer that the ego and criticisms are expressed openly. Fleury's belief that younger players couldn't hack the era he played is is very commonly held by other players. They're just not as candid about saying so as he is. So fault Fleury for being undiplomatic. But you're pretty naive if you think Lemieux, Sakic, Yzerman, etc. don't feel the same way. Just as Lafleur, Bossy, Clarke, etc feel the same about their era.

And he is right that Gaudreau could not play his game in that era. The rule changes (or rather, enforcement of the rules) have really opened the game up. There's no disputing that. We cheer that players like Kane and Gaudreau can play the way they do today. But the corollary is that they simply wouldn't have been as effective playing 15 years ago.

The fitness and training thing is a red herring. Yes, today's players are fitter than the players 20 years ago. Because that's what it takes to play in the NHL today, and every aspiring player knows that by the time he's 14. If that's what it took to get to the NHL in 1989, then the players back then would have been far more dedicated to fitness.

[Zarley]

Fleury's a good guy. Not a surprise that he would say this though.

He has a point, but some things are better left unsaid. Anyone that was a Flames Fan in the 90s should know that Theo has no filter.

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

But you're pretty naive if you think Lemieux, Sakic, Yzerman, etc. don't feel the same way. Just as Lafleur, Bossy, Clarke, etc feel the same about their era.

Joe Sakic had a 100 point season in the "era" that is happening right now. I doubt he thought it was easy, though that might just be my own naivete.

And not everyone is so blinded by their own ego that they, by default, believe that the game was so much harder "back in my day".

[DownhillGoat]

Originally Posted by T@T

Theo, get off the sauce and close your mouth.

You know he's been sober for what, 9 years now?

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by kunkstyle

You know he's been sober for what, 9 years now?

Not important when CP'ers need to get their shots in about his past that overcame. I hate when Theo Fleuy's brought up on CP. He's a really great person in real life, and true survivor, and what he was able to accomplish in the game with what he went through is simply unbelievable.

It's just the way he's always been in regards to speaking about himself. It's a defense mechanism. When you're sexually abused you have your complete self worth taken away, and one of the reasons he's still here today was building up this perception of himself, to always be telling himself that he's great and that he can be the best. It came off as cockiness, but it was necessary, it was the persona he created to have a life and succeed.

Not that half this message board could understand that or forgive him for it, but just something to think about when judging others. You judge him at the same level as the average person with a decent upbringing and yeah, you're going to think he's a piece of ****, who can't keep his mouth shut or make everything about him.

Bah who cares, probably wasted words anyways. He's a great person, though, if more of you could meet him and chat with him and not just hear and read stuff and then pass judgment, you'd know.

[killer_carlson]

He should have his jersey retired for almost being point per game while on the 1997-1998 team, which is the franchise worst for talent in my opinion.

http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/l...000431998.html

[jayswin]

Actually I'm glad this thread exists because I just learned he has a new book coming out and will check it out.

[blender]

Originally Posted by Arya Stark

drug abusing drunk

Ok, this is enough. You've crossed the line by making this comment too many times.

Use a #####ing hyphen; it's drug-abusing drunk, if you must.

[Street Pharmacist]

This thread proves there's people far worse than theo out there

[T@T]

Originally Posted by kunkstyle

You know he's been sober for what, 9 years now?

*crickets*

[Chill Cosby]

Originally Posted by flameswin

Not important when CP'ers need to get their shots in about his past that overcame. I hate when Theo Fleuy's brought up on CP. He's a really great person in real life, and true survivor, and what he was able to accomplish in the game with what he went through is simply unbelievable.

It's just the way he's always been in regards to speaking about himself. It's a defense mechanism. When you're sexually abused you have your complete self worth taken away, and one of the reasons he's still here today was building up this perception of himself, to always be telling himself that he's great and that he can be the best. It came off as cockiness, but it was necessary, it was the persona he created to have a life and succeed.

Not that half this message board could understand that or forgive him for it, but just something to think about when judging others. You judge him at the same level as the average person with a decent upbringing and yeah, you're going to think he's a piece of ****, who can't keep his mouth shut or make everything about him.

Bah who cares, probably wasted words anyways. He's a great person, though, if more of you could meet him and chat with him and not just hear and read stuff and then pass judgment, you'd know.

Kudos to you, man. Truer words...
One or two people could certainly take a lesson in class from this. Some people are just designed for hate.

He's a man who has a lot of faults and a leaves a lot to be desired, but if you take the time to understand him (and especially if you're lucky enough to have spent time with him) you get him. It's not about the sound clips. He's a survivor. A fighter. He's experienced more bad than most of us could ever even imagine and he's still here. He's one of the greats, even if some hate him for the way he's dealt with his own tragedies.