Saddledome Event Recap - Brian Burke State of the Union

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Gaudfather

Yeah Francis was implying that Wideman doesn't really pay attention in practice, does not seem interested in learning GG's systems etc. Francis sounds like he really has a hate on for Wideman.

Francis was the one who first got the "incident" going as an issue. During the game no one really noticed, Ball and Hrudey didn't t think much of it. Between periods Francis went on and on about it. Not that it wouldn't have caught the leagues attention anyway, but he was seriously pushing it. And he's apparently a friend of the linesman.

[powderjunkie]

Hot Takes.

I'll give a hot take of my own: Eric Francis is a pathetic wiener that exists only for hate click-bait.

Actually, that is probably closer to simple statement of fact than hot take.

[trublmaker]

Originally Posted by ssjshmo

I personally believe Wills over Francis any day. Wills sees the team all the time, where Francis has a history of pushing his own agendas and biases because he reports for a tabloid/says stuff to get attention, clicks, etc.

Wideman probably told francis to get stuffed before

[edn88]

I kind of tune Francis out, but everyone once in a while he says something that reminds me that he is just a hack. Ie. not knowing that Kulak was not available for call up this afternoon when he was talking to Kerr.

[GioforPM]

I have no info that he was reporter in the OP. But it just sounds so much like him.

[dieHARDflameZ]

During the luncheon and question period with Burke, someone point blank asked him about "his favourite local media reporter Eric Francis..." and shockingly he said most of the time Eric gets things right.

He also followed that up by saying we're lucky here in Calgary because for the most part the local media tries to get things right where back in Toronto, they just make #### up.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by dieHARDflameZ

During the luncheon and question period with Burke, someone point blank asked him about "his favourite local media reporter Eric Francis..." and shockingly he said most of the time Eric gets things right.

He also followed that up by saying we're lucky here in Calgary because for the most part the local media tries to get things right where back in Toronto, they just make #### up.

Most times most reporters get things right. Big deal. Francis has agendas that he pushes.

[browna]

All said, setting the bar at the standard of TO media, is pretty low. These are the guys that are calling the parents of injured players for status updates, and given all the competition there, guys do make things up into something more than they are, just to be noticed.

Unlike the former GM, the current GM, and the President of Hockey operations, as was the case with D. Sutter, keep their media message very tight and dull...so rumors and innuendo within the organization have literally no basis for any reporter to go off on a tangent with.

[Classic_Sniper]

I caught a portion of the segment with Rob Kerr and I think he said something like during practice, Dennis Wideman didn't appear to be too interested in the drills that were being being conducted at the time.

Not surprisingly really from my standpoint, a jaded veteran player who's in his contract year and is being healthy scratched game after game only to watch his team go undefeated without him in the lineup. He obviously feels unappreciated and bitter as he probably won't be receiving much interest from the rest of the league now.

It's equivalent to the guy at your work who knows his contract is ending without a renewal and now he's decided to mail it in everyday and go for long coffee breaks and become the most unproductive and irritable employee in yor department.

[FireGilbert]

What comes to mind when hearing about Wideman sitting in the press box for the rest of his contract:

[dieHARDflameZ]

Originally Posted by Classic_Sniper

I caught a portion of the segment with Rob Kerr and I think he said something like during practice, Dennis Wideman didn't appear to be too interested in the drills that were being being conducted at the time.

Not surprisingly really from my standpoint, a jaded veteran player who's in his contract year and is being healthy scratched game after game only to watch his team go undefeated without him in the lineup. He obviously feels unappreciated and bitter as he probably won't be receiving much interest from the rest of the league now.

It's equivalent to the guy at your work who knows his contract is ending without a renewal and now he's decided to mail it in everyday and go for long coffee breaks and become the most unproductive and irritable employee in yor department.

I was at the practice on Tuesday and what Francis said is 100% accurate. Wideman was coasting out there, zero purpose to anything he did.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by dieHARDflameZ

I was at the practice on Tuesday and what Kerr said is 100% accurate. Wideman was coasting out there, zero purpose to anything he did.

Kerr didn't say it. It was Francis, on Kerr's show.

[dieHARDflameZ]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Kerr didn't say it. It was Francis, on Kerr's show.

Ah gotcha. To be honest, he's not wrong when it comes to that comment.

[GullFoss]

Originally Posted by dieHARDflameZ

I was at the practice on Tuesday and what Francis said is 100% accurate. Wideman was coasting out there, zero purpose to anything he did.

In all fairness to Wideman, while practice might seem like best indicator of effort and engagement at first glance, its probably not. Things we don't see include the timing, duration, focus and intensity of Wideman's off-ice workouts.

Much of what we dont see could explain a few weak practices. For example, - a custom off-ice regeim to remain prepared might limit Wideman's intensity at practice.

I've been one of the largest critics of Wideman's game, but its hard to imagine that he would be dumb or self-centered enough to not be working hard off the ice given the possibility of an extended playoff run and his upcoming UFA status.

And as much as I haven't liked him in a top-4 role this season, I am ECSTATIC that he's our #7 defenseman. Injuries to defensemen played a role in our 2004 loss to Tampa and our 2009 loss to Chicago.

[JiriHrdina]

I think that's letting him off the hook. Practice hard and with focus and you will play well. Going through the motions doesn't earn you anythjng

[Hammertime]

"I'm supposed to be the franchise player and we in here talkin bout practice?"

[GioforPM]

I agree that he should be practicing hard. If he's not, that's no good. But Wills said he is. A lot of this is in the eye of the beholder IMO. Some guys look more like they are giving it more, even when the effort is equal. And Wideman is old and slow, so he's not going to look like, say, Lazar or Bennett.

It would be interesting to see if there was a difference between his practice now, when he's getting into the lineup, and a few days ago, when he was not in anyone's plans.

[hixxes]

Has Wills ever said anything negative about the Flames and the players?

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by hixxes

Has Wills ever said anything negative about the Flames and the players?

Doubt it. But he went out of his way to say this.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by hixxes

Has Wills ever said anything negative about the Flames and the players?

Not that I have ever heard. I am sure he knows where his job security is.


That being said, I don't have a memory of Peter Maher every really holding a player's feet to the fire.