[News] Brian Burke at the Prime Time Sports Management conference

[sureLoss]

Burke is co-chair of the annual Prime Time Sports Management conference, which brings front-office executives, academics, media and students together to discuss challenges facing the business of sport.

http://www.thestar.com/sports/2013/1..._olympics.html

The biggest challenge currently facing Burke is helping to field a roster of players who can improve on the U.S. hockey team’s 2010 Olympic silver medal.



“If the United States just takes the 20 best players and shows up in Sochi we’re going to have a real hard time beating Canada and a real hard time beating Russia. Russia is going to be very difficult on home soil,” said Burke, director of player personnel for the U.S. team.

At conference sessions before his keynote address, Burke lived up to his fiery reputation with an opinion on just about everything:



Twitter: “I don’t get social media. I understand why it works for other people but I think it’s stupid, mainly because of my age. I tweet but I have a woman do it for me so I can never get mad at someone in the media and tweet that this guy is a jerk or I’m going to smack him. They’re my tweets, it’s my stuff but it’s filtered. That’s what I’d like to do with some of our players sometimes.”

Fan access: “The fans want to get in the dressing room. It’s the last place we want them. This is an endless battle between the suits and the talent guys.”

Staying low-key: “If I take a stroll in the Bell Centre in Montreal, I’m likely to get punched by somebody or have food thrown at me.”

Maple Leafs brand: “(It’s) one of the strongest brands on the planet and I used to tell our players if we went and sat on a stone wall in a village in South America, the first thing that would come into view in terms of team insignia would be a t-shirt or hat that said New York Yankees, Dallas Cowboys, Boston Celtics, Manchester United or the Toronto Maple Leafs. It’s a global brand.”

Didn't quote it but discusses his lawsuit against the internet posters.

Also discusses his no hazing policy:
http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/b...hazing-policy/

“We already have a no-hazing policy,” said Burke, who was hired by the Flames in September. “I mean when I was a rookie in the American (Hockey) League, I got shaved, I got initiated and all that stuff. I’ve seen that happen to a lot of guys and I thought it was really stupid at the time. So we’ve never allowed hazing on any of my teams, even when I was an assistant GM back in ’87 with Pat Quinn (in Vancouver).


“No rookie initiations, no shaving, no physical abuse whatsoever. One of the forms of abuse (elsewhere) is to make the rookies (pay) a huge tab for a rookie dinner, where it costs them 15 to 20 grand. We have a cap of $5,000 on the rookie dinner. No rookie can pay more than $5,000. There’s no physical abuse, no racial abuse, no homophobic abuse. So I’m not worried about having that situation on our team.”

“I have gotten right in their face and cursed at them and said, ’You better stop worrying about what this (opponent) is going to do to you and you better start worrying about what I might do to you if you don’t get going here,“’ he said.
“Now is that bullying in the middle of the game when you think a guy is losing courage and you’re trying to buck him up? Is that bullying? To me it’s not.”

[jayswin]

I expect this thread to contain zero comments on things Brian Burke said.

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by flameswin

I expect this thread to contain zero comments on things Brian Burke said.

You've done a great job starting things off.

When Burke was GM in Vancouver he taught occasionally at UBC Law.

While I never attended any of the lectures myself, I'm sure they were very fascinating and insightful.

He's a person I would really enjoy spending several hours with on a weekly basis in an academic/knowledge transmission session.

One of those people you hope to meet in a good mood during a layover at the airport bar.

Thought this part of the article was especially interesting:

Fan access: “The fans want to get in the dressing room. It’s the last place we want them. This is an endless battle between the suits and the talent guys.”

Reminds me of (Undrafted) James Harrison in Hard Knocks:

"I don't feel they deserve to be here," Harrison told Joe Reedy of The Cincinnati Enquirer on Monday. "They did nothing to be here, other than want to be here. They didn't put no blood, sweat and tears into none of this. All these men in here, they did that. They (the cameras) did nothing. No one deserves to see this, to come inside of this unless you're a part of this. That's why."1

I don't think the fans have any place in the room, and I think it's why there was such outrage at the Botchford comment and the public reaction (Lupul: I will never talk to that guy again.) and likely similar private response. Social media is a dangerous thing to professional athletes, who already lack substantial anonymity. Good on the organizations that are vigilant in protecting players from themselves. Such a fine line to between access and exploitation.

[GGG]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

You've done a great job starting things off.

When Burke was GM in Vancouver he taught occasionally at UBC Law.

While I never attended any of the lectures myself, I'm sure they were very fascinating and insightful.

He's a person I would really enjoy spending several hours with on a weekly basis in an academic/knowledge transmission session.

One of those people you hope to meet in a good mood during a layover at the airport bar.

Thought this part of the article was especially interesting:

Reminds me of (Undrafted) James Harrison in Hard Knocks:



I don't think the fans have any place in the room, and I think it's why there was such outrage at the Botchford comment and the public reaction (Lupul: I will never talk to that guy again.) and likely similar private response. Social media is a dangerous thing to professional athletes, who already lack substantial anonymity. Good on the organizations that are vigilant in protecting players from themselves. Such a fine line to between access and exploitation.

I would love if the dressing room was more openly reported. In exchange I would agree to never judge a player based on of the record locker room comments.

[Yoho]

Originally Posted by GGG

I would love if the dressing room was more openly reported. In exchange I would agree to never judge a player based on of the record locker room comments.

Lol..I seriously doubt that, and even if you didn't most else would

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by GGG

I would love if the dressing room was more openly reported. In exchange I would agree to never judge a player based on of the record locker room comments.

I've similarly long maintained that I would pay an exorbitant amount of money and sign a waiver on litigating anything I saw and heard on a 'raw' audio/video broadcast of the game.

That blissful spring of 02, full of free love during the CBC union strike in Quebec. High quality, playoff hockey without commentary or absurd intermission segments.

Those were the days.

[Righteous1]

Dammit their go my hopes of a Flames version of behind the b/24ch type show

[Joborule]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

I've similarly long maintained that I would pay an exorbitant amount of money and sign a waiver on litigating anything I saw and heard on a 'raw' audio/video broadcast of the game.

That blissful spring of 02, full of free love during the CBC union strike in Quebec. High quality, playoff hockey without commentary or absurd intermission segments.

Those were the days.

Makes you wonder if there would be a market for this type of viewer? It'll give them the experience of watching the game live at home. Some people may be willing to pay for that.

[Table 5]

Is it just me or is Brian Burke anywhere but in Calgary? I know he's got a lot of prior commitments, but Im not really sure what the Flames are paying for at the moment.

[JoelOtto29]

Originally Posted by Table 5

Is it just me or is Brian Burke anywhere but in Calgary? I know he's got a lot of prior commitments, but Im not really sure what the Flames are paying for at the moment.

[albertGQ]

Originally Posted by GGG

I would love if the dressing room was more openly reported. In exchange I would agree to never judge a player based on of the record locker room comments.

Joe Thornton doesn't believe you.

[CaptainYooh]

Originally Posted by Table 5

Is it just me or is Brian Burke anywhere but in Calgary? ...

I've heard him speak at the Real Estate Forum a couple of weeks ago. He was giving a luncheon presentation on leadership. This was his first official speaking engagement in Calgary, we were told. He was talking about "ten things he does as a leader" etc. Extremely strong opinions, half of them inflammatory to the point of ridiculous (e.g. "I show up at work at 6 am and leave at midnight sometimes. I expect everyone else at the organization to do the same."). Spoke about hiring principles - how he waived the interview for Trevor Linden after Linden had refused to show up for it due to having to help his family with cattle branding. Stuff like that.

No matter what one thinks of Burke, he is a VERY entertaining speaker, for sure. This guy is all heart. I can see how people that like him and are close to him would love him to death.

[saillias]

Originally Posted by CaptainYooh

(e.g. "I show up at work at 6 am and leave at midnight sometimes. I expect everyone else at the organization to do the same.").

Going way OT here but this is a mentality that can die off any day in my books... You can tell what country Burke is from that's for sure, not Canada.

[Bootsy]

Originally Posted by saillias

Going way OT here but this is a mentality that can die off any day in my books... You can tell what country Burke is from that's for sure, not Canada.

Last I checked Alberta is still part of Canada and that mentality is still prevelant here.

[GGG]

Originally Posted by albertGQ

Joe Thornton doesn't believe you.

Thats my point. People suck, i thought Joe was awsome and hilarious. I want more of that instead of robo speak. The problem is every little thing gets disected. We should laugh and move on. Then we would be allowed to have nice things.

[Machiavelli]

Originally Posted by GGG

Thats my point. People suck, i thought Joe was awsome and hilarious. I want more of that instead of robo speak. The problem is every little thing gets disected. We should laugh and move on. Then we would be allowed to have nice things.

It's hockey culture, and the reason why hockey players give the worst interviews in all of sports - cliché-riddled responses don't raise any eyebrows.

Thornton's comment wouldn't be given a second thought if it came out of the mouth of an NBA or NFL player.

[FlameZilla]

Originally Posted by Table 5

Is it just me or is Brian Burke anywhere but in Calgary? I know he's got a lot of prior commitments, but Im not really sure what the Flames are paying for at the moment.

A guy with contacts in business & sports all over North America is invaluable as President of Hockey Ops for the Flames. I would hope he's trying to promote the Flames 'brand' with new & improved corporate deals & relations. I would also hope he's using his contacts to work out which teams are likely to be willing to part with good assets that would improve the Flames. Would you rather he hang out in Calgary & pester people over the phone?

[habernac]

“No rookie initiations, no shaving, no physical abuse whatsoever. One of the forms of abuse (elsewhere) is to make the rookies (pay) a huge tab for a rookie dinner, where it costs them 15 to 20 grand. We have a cap of $5,000 on the rookie dinner. No rookie can pay more than $5,000. There’s no physical abuse, no racial abuse, no homophobic abuse. So I’m not worried about having that situation on our team.”

This I like. I've always thought that stuff was bull Let's have our young guys concentrating on being better pros, not worrying about what some immature vet wants them to do.

[troutman]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

When Burke was GM in Vancouver he taught occasionally at UBC Law.

I took that seminar when I was there. At the time, Pat Quinn was supposed to be the guest speaker, but he was too busy, and always sent Burke. He is exactly like he is on TV, as he is in person.

It was a Sports/Entertainment Law course. Burke came 2-3 times, Goodenow came once, Tiger Williams too. Half the seminars were on entertainment law, so we had speakers like Bryan Adams's manager. I wrote a term paper on the CRTC and CanCon.

[saillias]

Originally Posted by Bootsy

Last I checked Alberta is still part of Canada and that mentality is still prevelant here.

Yes don't get me wrong, I know it well. Anyone in Calgary working for an American oil & gas corp knows it.