[News] UPD: Coyotes renounce the rights to draft pick Mitchell Miller

[CF84]

This is only speculation, but I'm guessing that the Coyotes had asked Miller to apologize in person after this all blew up and were met with refusal. I believe and hope that Miller was given an opportunity to do the right thing yesterday, but had too much pride for a real apology done in person.

That is most likely the moment the Coyotes cut ties with him. It would have been stupid and irresponsible not to speak with Miller one last time while offering a final choice.

In making a tough road for others, Miller has created his own difficult road to walk.

I am also not defending the Coyotes for picking Miller.

[powderjunkie]

Originally Posted by Beatle17

I guess he got cancelled, so now who is everyone going to go after? The scout who watched him play, the guy who suggested they draft him, or why don't they just attack so his ####ty parents lose their jobs and livelihood too?

I believe the term you are looking for is consequenced.

[Doctorfever]

Originally Posted by Beatle17

Post 422. Talking about a person losing their job because they drafted the kid. When does it stop? What the kid did was terrible when he was younger (8-14). Nobody knows if he made steps to get better and has learned PART of his lesson (not apologizing is the part he still needs to learn). The cancel culture is becoming terrible, if you don't like something anyone said then attack. (not saying you are, but in general). Then dig deeper to get the next in line, that is MY point.

And don't tell me to "work harder". You don't know me and if questioning things make a person wrong, then we are all in trouble.

If you are talking about my post, to me it’s quite simple, if my job is to look into something, and I didn’t do it properly, I would be worried about losing my job. It’s as simple as me not doing my job the way I should have.
I did not say anyone should get fired.
My stance from the start is that I don’t think he should have been drafted in the first place.

To me, the biggest tipping point in the story was when is came to light that at 16 years old he continued to torment the other kid. And the fact that he never showed that he was sorry for his actions (to the victim).

[Yamer]

Originally Posted by CF84

This is only speculation, but I'm guessing that the Coyotes had asked Miller to apologize in person after this all blew up and were met with refusal. I believe and hope that Miller was given an opportunity to do the right thing yesterday, but had too much pride for a real apology done in person.

That is most likely the moment the Coyotes cut ties with him. It would have been stupid and irresponsible not to speak with Miller one last time while offering a final choice.

In making a tough road for others, Miller has created his own difficult road to walk.

I am also not defending the Coyotes for picking Miller.

I thought I recalled reading somewhere that the Coyotes were planning to work with Miller on an anti-bullying initiative/campaign. If that is true I wonder what fell apart.

[Hot_Flatus]

I've only skimmed headlines on this, so maybe I'm missing something here, but why is this the crux of the issue? There is a list of despicable, fully grown adult athletes far too long to recall that includes, racists, abusers, rapists, petty criminals and even murderers.

Many of these athletes have been given far more chances than they deserve by fans and pro leagues alike. Why stop here with someone who was not even an adult at the time, when the entire pro sports community could be purged as well?

[devo22]

Originally Posted by Hot_Flatus

I've only skimmed headlines on this, so maybe I'm missing something here, but why is this the crux of the issue? There is a list of despicable, fully grown adult athletes far too long to recall that includes, racists, abusers, rapists, petty criminals and even murderers.

Many of these athletes have been given far more chances than they deserve by fans and pro leagues alike. Why stop here with someone who was not even an adult at the time, when the entire pro sports community could be purged as well?

so everybody should just give guys like Miller a pass because there's other athletes with questionable backgrounds out there? Shouldn't we strive for improvement in that regard? If we turn a blind eye because he's just one more, nothing will ever change.

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by Hot_Flatus

I've only skimmed headlines on this, so maybe I'm missing something here, but why is this the crux of the issue? There is a list of despicable, fully grown adult athletes far too long to recall that includes, racists, abusers, rapists, petty criminals and even murderers.

It's far easier to make a scapegoat of one person who is not in a position of power. Throw one piece of meat to the mob, and by the time they've finished tearing it to shreds, they'll get bored and move on to some other issue.

G. K. Chesterton had an apt analogy. Suppose, he said, somebody wanted to paint the whole world blue. If he only painted one blade of grass blue every day, he would get on very slowly. But if he got up every morning with a new favourite colour, he would not get on at all.

Internet mobs include a lot of people who get off on righteous anger and vicarious grievance, but haven't got the gumption or the staying power to work on one problem as long as it takes to solve it. The slogans change every few months, but the underlying pathologies remain.

[OldDutch]

I think this all could have been avoided.

Call the family and apologize.

Call the media do an interview where you tell them you apologized, and are committing to counselling and training.

Doesn't seem like that happened at all.

[TheIronMaiden]

Originally Posted by Hot_Flatus

I've only skimmed headlines on this, so maybe I'm missing something here, but why is this the crux of the issue? There is a list of despicable, fully grown adult athletes far too long to recall that includes, racists, abusers, rapists, petty criminals and even murderers.

Many of these athletes have been given far more chances than they deserve by fans and pro leagues alike. Why stop here with someone who was not even an adult at the time, when the entire pro sports community could be purged as well?

This kid hasn't made anyone any money yet. In fact he has likely cost the team some money. Maybe this is a cynical take.

[Hot_Flatus]

Originally Posted by devo22

so everybody should just give guys like Miller a pass because there's other athletes with questionable backgrounds out there? Shouldn't we strive for improvement in that regard? If we turn a blind eye because he's just one more, nothing will ever change.

This take is something else, and quite frankly doesn't even deserve a response based on the fact you're calling me out for things I've actually just said should be done

The point is that a blind eye has been turned on athlete conduct for decades and there is no indication that anyone else is on the list to be brought into question. Why stop here?

[devo22]

Originally Posted by Hot_Flatus

The point is that a blind eye has been turned on athlete conduct for decades and there is no indication that anyone else is on the list to be brought into question. Why stop here?

sorry, completely misread your post my bad.

[Monahammer]

Originally Posted by Hot_Flatus

This take is something else, and quite frankly doesn't even deserve a response based on the fact you're calling me out for things I've actually just said should be done

The point is that a blind eye has been turned on athlete conduct for decades and there is no indication that anyone else is on the list to be brought into question. Why stop here?

What you're calling for is a witch hunt to be honest. I think we have seen a steady progression towards this sort of expectation for pro-athletes and others in the public realm. As incidents like this come to light, the new standard is used in dealing with the incident and the fall out. I am not saying it's right that these people who've done verifiably bad things are out there profiting on fame, but I think it's reasonable to expect that should bad behavior continue that the new standard be applied and their lives subsequently come crashing down around them.

[CSharp]

I really wish the kid would've provided a sincere apologies for what he did as a 14-year old and move on with his life as a better person. I also think that the Arizona Coyotes is a first class organization that have given this kid tons of chances to turn things around. It's really too bad for Mitchell Miller, but let's see in 4 to 6 years if he has matured and thought things out and move forward to be a better person in society or if he stays the same as he is now. Frankly, I feel bad more for the Coyote organization that for Miller and his family.

[Cecil Terwilliger]

Originally Posted by OldDutch

I think this all could have been avoided.

Call the family and apologize.

Call the media do an interview where you tell them you apologized, and are committing to counselling and training.

Doesn't seem like that happened at all.

I don’t see any scenario where this helps move the needle in any significant way.

The lack of an apology is like the empty netter when already up 4-2 with 10s left in the 3rd. The fate of this one was sealed and the result never in doubt well before that. All it did was add an exclamation mark in the headline.

[Jason14h]

The reality is the heat the team took isn’t worth it for a 4th round pick

Sure would be interesting To see if this happens if this was a top prospect

[Oling_Roachinen]

Originally Posted by Hot_Flatus

This take is something else, and quite frankly doesn't even deserve a response based on the fact you're calling me out for things I've actually just said should be done

The point is that a blind eye has been turned on athlete conduct for decades and there is no indication that anyone else is on the list to be brought into question. Why stop here?

First, the Coyotes franchise is a private organization. We can't look at this as a collective, especially if some of your examples are from other sports. If some athlete in a different organization is welcomed by that organization today despite being a remorseless racist, that should not have a barring on the Coyotes doing the right thing.

Second, we're in the midst of a huge societal change happening. The Hockey Diversity Alliance was created June 2020 because of this change. Last month the NHL committed to taking action against racism and formed the Executive Inclusion Council. Xavier Gutierrez, the CEO and president of the Coyotes, joined them less than a month before drafting the racist. The very first action the Coyotes did after their CEO joined an anti-racism task force was draft a racist. You should be able to see why people have an issue with that and why the Coyotes felt the need to rectify the situation.

So if you want to start pointing to current Coyote players that are known racists, fair enough, those would be a fair comparison. But things are changing, it's not hypocritical to take action today against racist players just because they didn't 20 years, or even last year.

Also, because you seem to not want to inform yourself of the situation, the smoking gun is this adult's refusal to apologize in person and lying about the situation. Other people making a mistake, whatever it may be, and being remorseful, making amends, and changing, and being granted a second chance are not in the same category as this guy.

[sureLoss]

https://www.azcentral.com/story/spor...er/6073962002/

Meyer-Crothers on Thursday said he took no joy in seeing Miller cut.

"It's unfortunate. I'm sad it had to come down to it. I wish none of this had happened," Meyer-Crothers said in a phone interview. "There's nothing to be happy about. He's a good player, and deserves to be in the NHL."

Isaiah Meyer-Crothers said all he ever wanted was an apology from Miller. He noted that had Miller not bullied him and tricked him into licking candy that Miller and another teen had placed in a urinal, his former classmate would still be a NHL draft pick.

Gutierrez and General Manager Bill Armstrong, who was not involved in drafting Miller, called Joni Meyer-Crothers on Thursday to apologize prior to cutting ties with the player.

"They just said they wanted to apologize and they said they didn't do their due diligence and wanted to know if there was anything they could do for our family," she said. "I said, 'No.' There is nothing they can do. … They said it was no excuse and they messed up."

Joni Meyer-Crothers said she was sick to her stomach when she found out Miller was cut, but he still has not personally apologized to her son or family.

"It's a very sad situation all the way around," she said. "And now we are getting threats from hockey families in Sylvania."

[MRCboicgy]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

https://www.azcentral.com/story/spor...er/6073962002/

Joni Meyer-Crothers said she was sick to her stomach when she found out Miller was cut, but he still has not personally apologized to her son or family.

"It's a very sad situation all the way around," she said. "And now we are getting threats from hockey families in Sylvania."

Oh FFS...

[PaperBagger'14]

Originally Posted by Hot_Flatus

This take is something else, and quite frankly doesn't even deserve a response based on the fact you're calling me out for things I've actually just said should be done

The point is that a blind eye has been turned on athlete conduct for decades and there is no indication that anyone else is on the list to be brought into question. Why stop here?

I mean, not an athlete, but the Bill Peters situation shares a lot of commonality where your past racist acts come back to bite you in the ass.

I'd even say Peters actions weren't anywhere near as severe as Millers, as it wasn't done to a mentally challenged child and certainly not for the same length of time.

[TheScorpion]

Them getting threatened by other hockey families doesn't surprise me in the least.