Players Tribune: "A guy like me" - John Scott

[GirlySports]

is there a good humanitarian guy in the league we can vote for next year? I want the league to say THAT guy isn't good enough to be there.

[Phanuthier]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

is there a good humanitarian guy in the league we can vote for next year? I want the league to say THAT guy isn't good enough to be there.

Mason Raymond?

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

is there a good humanitarian guy in the league we can vote for next year? I want the league to say THAT guy isn't good enough to be there.

There's PK... but that defeats the purpose.

Maybe we stuff the ballot box with Drouin votes?

[Galakanokis]

In all honesty I am going to tune into this all star game just to see Scott. And no, it will not be to laugh at him, that thought never once crossed my mind. I would love to see his teammates make him do the rookie lap alone when they come out on the ice, can just imagine the smile on his face.

Gotta have some fun and it sounds like that's what he is doing.

[hockey.modern]

Chris Nichols @NicholsOnHockey

John Scott says Pavelski and Burns told him, 'Go to the net. Keep your stick on the ice. We'll find you. We'll get you a couple.'

[Red Menace]

let's all remember what a hero john Scott is the next time he goes head hunting.

The focus should be what he does on the ice (which is awful), and not what a good guy he might be off the ice....

[kerriffic]

Darren Dreger @darrendreger
Gary Bettman spoke with John Scott last night in an effort to clear the air.

[MarkGio]

Originally Posted by Red Menace

let's all remember what a hero john Scott is the next time he goes head hunting.

The focus should be what he does on the ice (which is awful), and not what a good guy he might be off the ice....

What?!

You have your priorities twisted. Scott is a human first, hockey player second. The focus should be what great guy he is off the ice, not what he does on the ice

[MarkGio]

Originally Posted by kerriffic

Darren Dreger @darrendreger
Gary Bettman spoke with John Scott last night in an effort to clear the air.

Damage control. Why wait until last night?

[JiriHrdina]

Originally Posted by MarkGio

Damage control. Why wait until last night?

I suspect people would find fault with whatever Bettman did.

[Daryei]

Originally Posted by Red Menace

The funniest part is that John Scott actually thinks he is one of the best 700 players on the planet.

Not what I read...he said that he paid his price to be included in the voting - by being an active NHL'er. Who cares if he's not as good as other AHL'ers, KHL'ers, CHL'ers?

He (was/is) an active player in the NHL -- one of 700, and thus qualifies for the vote.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by kerriffic

Darren Dreger @darrendreger
Gary Bettman spoke with John Scott last night in an effort to clear the air.

Well thats probably a good call. I doubt he had his hands in this but smoothing things over seems prudent.

[cam_wmh]

Originally Posted by JiriHrdina

I suspect people would find fault with whatever Bettman did.

Perhaps, but there are also those whom can look at it critically.

I'm indifferent to Bettman. I understand the demands of his role, but the PR management of this All Star Fan Vote, and then the subsequent damage control have been executed by an incompetent laggard.

Bettman is the ultimate face behind the NHL brand, but did he drive this campaign that affected Scott? Uncertain.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by JiriHrdina

I suspect people would find fault with whatever Bettman did.

Probably. But at the same time, Bettman couldn't have been unaware of the Scott situation. Reaching out only after the league has (once again) been embarrassed publicly is an attempt at damage control more than any legitimate desire to smooth things over with a player.

[MarkGio]

Originally Posted by JiriHrdina

I suspect people would find fault with whatever Bettman did.

I don't even know if Bettman is involved at all. But why "clear the air" on behalf of someone else? I certainly wouldn't apologize for someone else's actions, even as a primary stakeholder.

Is it convenient to damage control after the Players tribute and after all the media attention Scott is getting? Sure it is. Meanwhile, if I wanted to clear the air, I would've done it after the man got traded. It's not this whole situation was an instant event. There's been many hours after the trade and before the all star weekend to clear the air.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by MarkGio

I don't even know if Bettman is involved at all. But why "clear the air" on behalf of someone else? I certainly wouldn't apologize for someone else's actions, even as a primary stakeholder.

Is it convenient to damage control after the Players tribute and after all the media attention Scott is getting? Sure it is. Meanwhile, if I wanted to clear the air, I would've done it after the man got traded. It's not this whole situation was an instant event. There's been many hours after the trade and before the all star weekend to clear the air.

Really? It makes perfect sense. Sometimes thats the boss' job.

Smooth over screwups. Your manager has to do it for you and his manager has to do it for him. Its part of the deal.

[Jaybo]

To my mind, this is 100% on the NHL - not the fans who voted for Scott, not the media, not Redditors nor anyone else.

The NHL allows a fan vote so they should live with the results. If people brigade the vote to pick someone who's eligible but not "deserving", guess what? That's been happening as long as the Internet has had polls. Some are binding, some aren't (ever see the final list of who gets voted for each year in Time's "Person of the Year" poll? Ever see it match who actually gets picked?)

Plus, it's supposed to be a fun event. So why suck all the fun out of it, even if it's mischievous fun?

Anyhow, not having done anything to preemptively prevent this (how about limiting each team to 3-5 names on the ballot and no write-ins?), they should've embraced it and turned it into a way to promote the game and the players (basically what's happened anyhow because of their ham-fisted meddling.)

Oh, and I said it's 100% on the NHL but Arizona and Montreal appear complicit and I would be very happy if neither made the playoffs this year as punishment from the hockey gods.

[MarkGio]

Originally Posted by Locke

Really? It makes perfect sense. Sometimes thats the boss' job.

Smooth over screwups. Your manager has to do it for you and his manager has to do it for him. Its part of the deal.

Remember, this person was trying to leverage a Scott's family against him to acheive something for league interest. If I'm Scott, Bettman apologizing on behalf of someone else is insulting. I would want to hear it from the source, not his slimy messenger boy. And if I was Bettman, I wouldn't want to be the face of defending such nasty things said. I would demand that my employee apologizes for their own actions otherwise they would lose their job.

Now, if it's a customer vs. employee who's not good with words, that I understand. Mind you, if one of my salesmen told a customer if they don't buy a new TV that they're letting their family down, I would fire that salesman and clear the air by telling that customer that I've fired the salesman.

[GirlySports]

today Bettman said

"And he's more than welcome to be here," Bettman said. "We're happy he's here. The fans spoke, and we're happy to reflect their will."

That should have been said the day Scott was named captain. The NHL would have looked really good.

[Fire of the Phoenix]

Originally Posted by MarkGio

What?!

You have your priorities twisted. Scott is a human first, hockey player second. The focus should be what great guy he is off the ice, not what he does on the ice

Would you apply the same logic to Todd Bertuzzi, Marty McSorley, Luke Gazdic, Ryan Kesler, Kevin Bieksa or Alex Burrows? I'm thinking probably not.

I imagine the tone of the "Scott Chronicles" would be quite different on this board if our daring hero was replaced with a Canuck or an Oiler instead. I doubt anyone would be defending Burrows if he was voted in as a joke, even if he was sent down to the minors, voted the greatest dad ever and gave all his money to charity while his wife was pregnant with triplets. I'm pretty sure none of that would matter and 99% of the focus would be on how much of a DB Burrows is.

This sideshow reminds me of a reality television show or WWE more than it does of hockey. I miss the days when things like this didn't dominate headlines day after day after day after day... This story feels like it's been going on for months at this point.