Greetings and salutations everyone and welcome to another blog here on BlueCollarBlueShirts.com. As you can tell by the title and headline photo of this blog, this will be a different blog than usual.
If I’ve said it once on this site, I’ve said it a trillion times – “I’m sick about talking about two topics. Those two topics are whatever Tony DeAngelo is doing on social media and politics.” Unfortunately, this blog marks the second consecutive week where I’m forced to talk about a topic that I hate to talk about on this site.
Before continuing on here, keep this in mind – what happened with the NHL on Thursday, August 27th, is a NEWS story. This isn’t some minor story that you can sweep under the rug, you know, just like how the “Hockey Diversity Alliance” does with the deaths of Cannon Hinnant, David Dorn or the latest black-on-black murder victims of Chicago. (For those who don’t know, the “Hockey Diversity Alliance” consists of players such as Matt Dumba, Evander Kane, Akim Aliu and other black hockey players, from both America & Canada.)
Oh and for what it’s worth, the “Hockey Diversity Alliance” also has no issue with Nazem Kadri, of the Colorado Avalanche, being a devout Muslim, a religion that is extremely prejudiced against women and homosexuals. But hey, why let the truth get in the way of the mission of the HDA?
I also wonder how the HDA, who has followed the NBA’s lead in advocating the postponement of games, feels about the NBA’s Montrezl Harrell, you know, the black player who called a white player a “bitch ass white boy?” (You can read the full story here: https://www.tmz.com/2020/08/24/montrezl-harrell-apologizes-luka-doncic-bitch-ass-white-boy-comment-nba/) Just like any other story that doesn’t fit the liberal agenda, this story has been quickly buried and forgotten faster than you can say Cannon Hinnant.
One last thing here on Kadri and the “Hockey Diversity Alliance”, before getting into everything else that I want to talk about tonight. If the “Hockey Diversity Alliance” promotes DIVERSITY (after all, the word “diversity” is on the marquee here) how is a religion that promotes death on homosexuals and violence (including of the sexual nature) on women, okay to the HDA? Where’s that good old fake outrage that these liberal pandering groups are known for?
Again, I personally don’t care about what religion Kadri practices. It doesn’t effect my life. I’m just pointing out the hypocrisy here. It just seems when it comes to all of these liberal politics and social media grand-standings, facts are often ignored.
Moving forward here, for people who hate politics and just want hockey related talk, here are my last few blogs, in case you missed them:
BCBS For 8/27: A Plea For NY Ranger Fans To Stop The Lafreniere & Rumor Mill Mongering Madness, Silly Offer Sheet Ideas Concerning Anthony Cirelli/TBL, Why Lafreniere Will Be A Ranger & History of NYR Offer Sheets, Tony DeAngelo’s “Watch Your Tone” Podcast In-Depth Recap with Brendan Lemieux; Lemieux Wants to Remain with NYR & TDA on Social Media, Player Addresses, NYR Facebook Groups, The Damn Islanders, NHL Playoff Thoughts & More
BCBS For 8/23: Complete NHL Stanley Cup First Round Recaps & Thoughts; Cream Rising to the Top, In-Depth Round Two Previews & Series Predictions, The Two Likely Favorites For the Stanley Cup Final, MAF vs Lehner VGK Controversy, Mike Milbury Puts His Shoe In His Mouth Again & Gets Cancelled Over It, Kratvsov Says “Not Nyet” to NYR & Why That’s Okay, Latest NY Rangers Notes & More
BCBS For 8/20: The Saga of Tony DeAngelo on Social Media Continues; Challenges A Twitter Troll To a Fight, (And That’s Just One of Three TDA Twitter Stories From This Week), Why Tony DeAngelo Needs To Stay Away From Social Media Right Now, In-Depth “Watch Your Tone” Podcast Recap; TDA Comments On His Future with NYR, Politics Ruining Sports & Athletes Who Are “Openly Republican”, Latest on Lafreniere, See Ya Carolina, NHL Teams Moving On To The Second Round; What It Means For NYR & More
BCBS For 8/18: One Week Anniversary of the Lafreniere Ping-Pong Ball & Why He Will Be a New York Ranger, Lundqvist to Frolunda Rumors Heating Up, Lias “The Bust” Andersson Talks NYR, Possible Chris Drury Departure, NYR Lame-Stream Media, NHL & NBCSN Doing a Tremendous Job; Staff Working 13+ Hour Days, Mike Milbury vs Tuukka Rask and Why Neither Man is Wrong, Stanley Cup Playoffs First Round Thoughts & More
BCBS For 8/13: Alexis Lafreniere Will Be A New York Ranger; Don’t Listen To The BS Trade Scenarios, Lafreniere Scouting Report, Ron Duguay’s “Up in the Blue Seats” Season 1 Finale Podcast Recap, BSU, Advice For Tony DeAngelo, JD’s Huge Interview, Lundqvist Going/Georgiev Staying, Mike Milbury Louses Up Again, Carolina Loss & I Still Can’t Believe NYR Won the 2020 Draft Lottery!
I know what I’m about to say is stuff I’ve said in the past, but this site continues to get new eyeballs, so it’s worth repeating – any time any website, author, commentator, podcaster, person on social media or whoever; talks politics, they automatically turn off half of their audience. Fortunately for yours truly, this blog is a passion project. After all, the credo here has always been “10,000 words, no ads, one click.” I don’t have to worry about advertisers here! I have my own money. I also know that most of my readers align with me politically, which may also be an age thing too. (Younger people tend to be liberal, but as you get older, and have money in your pocket, you tend to be more conservative.)
As I look at the media reaction to the big story in the sports world today, I do have to wonder – how many of these media members are either going along with the program or just biting their lip, in fear of being canceled or having their advertisers pull their dollars from them? Need a NY Ranger example here? Just go back to my blog on Henrik Lundqvist and his support of NYPD, a blog which you can read here: https://bluecollarblueshirts.com/71520/
In that story above, and the subsequent updates after that blog posting from July 15th, I made mention how NOT ONE member of the NYR lame-stream media, picked up or covered Lundqvist’s charitable donations on behalf of the NYPD. You see, talking about this story would be “dirty politics” and “bad business.” However, to these same members of the liberal NYR lame-stream media, Jacob Trouba tweeting out “BLM” was a heroic feat, a simple tweet that garnered a bunch of ink and filled up a ton of white monitor space for these writers. As I’ve said in the past, and as I’ll say again here, if you cover one side of a story, you have to cover all sides of a story. Or at least that’s the way true journalism and reporting used to work. Now in 2020? Biased agenda politics is the new norm. SAD!
I’ve mentioned tonight’s big story already without telling you exactly what the story is. By now, I figure you know what’s going on. For those living under a rock, the short of the story is the following. On Wednesday, August 26th, the NBA, and their players, canceled all of their playoff games, as an immediate reaction to the Jacob Blake story. 24 hours later, the statuses of these games changed from “canceled” to “postponed”, as the NBA now plans on resuming their season. The catalyst for all of this was Lebron James, who for all intents and purposes, is the “King” of the NBA. He moves the needle in that league, a league that has had failing TV ratings since their return, which may or may not be due to all the political messages the NBA is currently promoting.
(For what’s it’s worth, NHL playoff TV ratings have hit new highs during this pandemic. It should be interesting to see where these ratings will be at, come next week. If you’re a hardcore hockey fan like me, I think you will return. The only thing that can turn me off is another NHL lockout, as previous lockouts soured me on the NHL in the past.
However, when it comes to the NHL postponing games over political issues, I’m not so sure if every fan will return to watching these playoff games. That would be unfortunate for the NHL, as they produce the lowest TV ratings of all the major sports in America. You know what they say here – “when you go woke, you go broke!”
Also worth thinking about here? The liberal agenda is usually pushed by younger people and the media, two sects that do not spend much money on the NHL product. I mean, just think about something as simple as the NHL package. Younger fans know how to illegally stream games. Older fans will pay for the NHL Network & those services. Now just use M$G as an example here. How many young fans do you see in attendance? Most Ranger fans inside of M$G tend to be 35 years of age or older; fans who predominately don’t subscribe to liberal politics.)
Once the NBA postponed their games, the liberal whiny cretins on social media then publicly pressured the NHL to cancel their upcoming games. The NHL did not cancel or postpone their games on Wednesday. However, the NHL did go on to postpone all of their Thursday and Friday games, which is why I’m writing this manifesto.
In what was truly sickening, the NBA announced their postponement plans during Game 2 of the Islanders/Flyers game, which took place on Wednesday afternoon. In other words, no one on the Islanders or Flyers knew about what was going on in the NBA, while playing their game.
Despite the Flyers & Islanders playing an overtime game, a game the Flyers ultimately won in overtime, the first questions from the liberal media were questions related to the NBA. AGAIN – these two teams were playing at the time of when the NBA made their announcement. These two teams didn’t know what was going on. Rather than asking these two teams about the overtime game they had, a game that evened up their series, the media was more focused on liberal politics, rather than what took place on the playing surface. That’s a common problem here in 2020. Politics trumps the actual events of what happens on the playing surface.
When the NBA announced that they were taking the night off, several MLB teams followed suit. The WNBA also postponed their games, but really, who gives a shit about the WNBA?
And if you think my comments regarding the WNBA are “insert -ist or -ism” here, I don’t care. If you’re one of these woke people offended about people saying no one cares about the WNBA, then you better be able to name one or more WNBA players too. Let’s talk truth here – I would bet that 99.9% of the sports watching public can’t name one current WNBA player, much less name two or more teams in the WNBA. I would also bet that 99.9% of this same sports watching public, couldn’t even tell you who won the WNBA championship last season either.
(And as mentioned on past blogs, for whatever reason, women team sports don’t draw money or TV ratings. Individual women sports do. The most famous female athletes in the world today, all play individual sports, whether it’s golf or tennis. Even women MMA fighters and women wrestlers draw more money, are better known and garner more TV ratings than female athletes from team sports.
In the history of women team sports, there’s never been a female that has matched the fame or drew as much money, as a Ronda Rousey, a Serena Williams or a Becky Lynch. The only female from team sports, that even comes close to the fame levels achieved of the individual female sports athletes of today, would be Lisa Leslie, and that’s a name from 20 years ago.)
For the purpose of this blog, it’s my mission to just keep everything I say related to hockey; although I do have to talk about the NBA a bit here, since the NBA is the genesis of what the NHL did on Thursday. After this rant on the NBA, I’ll soon return my comments to the world of the NHL.
In the attempt of full disclosure here, the only two sports I watch and follow religiously are hockey and MMA. I haven’t watched the NBA for years, and it’s not because of political reasons. I just don’t like what the game has turned into. It’s not a product of basketball that I enjoy. I grew up with and enjoyed the NBA when you had real rivalries, physical play, fundamentals, boxing out, setting screens and team play. Today’s NBA has none of that. I just can’t get into the five vs five three point contests that the NBA has evolved into. (Would Reggie Miller be a big deal in today’s NBA?) I also hate how free agency has turned the NBA into a two or three team league, with the rest of the teams having no shot at winning a championship. In short, I’m just not a fan of the style of the NBA today, despite being a big fan of the NBA years ago.
Speaking of the NBA from years ago, let’s tie something in with this rant.
In the early stages of this pandemic, and with the world of sports on a time-out, ESPN pushed up their Michael Jordan “The Last Dance” documentary. The documentary, originally scheduled to air after the NBA Finals in June; instead aired through April and May of 2020, with everyone home. In turn, “The Last Dance” was a ratings bonanza. While it was most likely that “The Last Dance” would’ve been a hit anyway, no matter when it aired, the fact of the matter is that due to the timing and the interest in Michael Jordan, the documentary was the highest rated documentary in ESPN history. This is also an ESPN that has produced countless of documentaries in the past, including documentaries produced through their “30 For 30” series.
Just like any other sports fan, and due to the fact that I loved watching Michael Jordan and those Bulls teams back in the 1990’s, I eagerly watched all ten episodes of “The Last Dance”. (I don’t know about you guys, but during the height of Jordan’s run in the NBA, WGN was a station featured on Cablevision in NY, which was the station that covered Chicago sports. In addition, as MJ’s popularity skyrocketed, his games were always featured on NBC too. I never missed a game during this era.)
While watching “The Last Dance”, it brought me back to my days as a teenager and all of those great NBA rivalries and games. I know every generation has a bias to athletes, music, movies or whatever else from their younger years, so maybe I’m guilty of this too when I say this – when it comes to the NBA, nothing was better than the late 1980’s, and all the way through to 1998, when Jordan retired. And let’s not forget the epic Dream Team of 1992 here either, the greatest basketball team ever assembled. What followed after Jordan’s final retirement from the Bulls, were multiple series fixed by referee Tim Donaghy and a free agency system that allowed players to dictate which teams would win championships.
What you didn’t see in “The Last Dance?” A 24/7 cycle of politics infused into the documentary. While race was brought up in the documentary, as part of the story, the story was always about Michael Jordan and the NBA.
With interest in the NBA at a high level, as a result of “The Last Dance”, when the NBA returned to play, it was a never-ending cycle of politics. There are “Black Lives Matters” banners plastered all over the arena. Players have political messages on the backs of their jerseys, which to me, as someone who barely watches the NBA, is confusing when trying to figure out which player is who. I mean, if you’re just a casual fan, each play comes off as “Black Lives Matter passes to White People Suck Ass and All Cops Are Bastards with the block! All Cops Are Bastards with the outlet pass to Defund the Police! Defund the Police shoots a 50′ three pointer! Off the rim and Pigs in a Blanket slams home the rebound! YES!”
While yes, I’m exaggerating for effect here, the fact of the matter is that if you want a divide between sports and politics, the NBA isn’t for you right now.
When the NBA resumed play, they allowed politics to be the talk of their return – not the actual stuff on the court taking precedence. What’s lost on many people, is the phrase as old as the invention of sports – “people use sports as an escape from the real world.” Watching sports, is just like watching an Adam Sandler movie or a pro wrestling event – it is a mindless 2-3 hour escape from reality. Your real problems sink to the back of your mind. You’re focused on what you’re watching. When you turn off the clicker, you go back to reality.
I mean truly think about this, and I know I’ve said this on past blogs too. Has anyone ever gone to a sporting event, and when the home team does something good, whether it’s a touchdown, a game winning basket, a walk off home-run or an overtime goal, when you’re caught up in that emotion, have you ever asked people sitting around you, “what are your thoughts on politics?” HELL NO. When your team does something good, you’re slapping hand skin, at least prior to this pandemic.
When you attend a live sporting event and your team makes a great play, you get caught up into it. You’re standing. You’re cheering with strangers. You’re slapping hands. You’re giving out fist-bumps. You’re all in unison. In that moment, you don’t care about who the President is. You don’t care about any political, religion or sexual issue. All you care about, is the color of the uniform of the team you’re rooting on. The NBA got away from all of that during their return.
I bring this up, because what happened next for the NBA? The NBA, which has dominated TV ratings more than any other sporting league sans the NFL (and the NFL’s ratings are only high because of gambling/fantasy football, as gambling & fantasy football attracts all demographics and ages) saw their TV ratings plummet. In fact, NBA playoff ratings, despite a large majority of the population stuck at home, are the worst they’ve ever been in years. Think about that.
With the world clamoring for the return of sports, people tuned out of the NBA. What’s the difference between now and any other season? While yes, we’re living in a pandemic, the fact of the matter is that people are home more now than ever. NBA TV ratings should be sky high. The only other difference now, as opposed to past years, is all the political stuff that litters these broadcasts, like the damage in the streets caused by looters in Democrat cities.
What did I say earlier in this blog? When you talk politics, you’re guaranteed to turn off half of your audience. That’s what the NBA did. For all the liberal agendas pushed and for all the BLM Marxist messages for the woke people on social media, NBA playoff ratings have tanked in 2020. That is a fact that can’t be disputed.
If anything is to be learnt here? Once the liberal agenda is met, liberals tune out and move on to their next topic. They don’t stay with a program, issue or sports league, once they are satisfied. These people are about tearing down and not about building up.
In a 24 hour time span, the NBA went from rumors of having the remainder of their season canceled, to just postponing two nights of games. (And that’s what the NHL is doing now, postponing two nights worth of games. If the NBA postponed three nights worth of games, the NHL would’ve matched that pandering.)
The NHL, who didn’t cancel any games on Wednesday, had liberal lunatics now pounding on their front door. Despite the NHL playing their full slate of games on Wednesday, games which were played after the NBA’s postponement, the NHL decided to kowtow to cancel culture and have now postponed all games that were scheduled for Thursday and Friday.
While it was rumored earlier in the day, (Thursday, 8/27) it took an hour before puck drop of the scheduled Islanders/Flyers game, for the NHL to make the following announcement on NHL.com:
The NHL announced the four Stanley Cup Playoff games scheduled for Thursday and Friday have been postponed after the players on the eight remaining teams decided not to play as a form of protest against systemic racism and police brutality.
“After much discussion, NHL players believe that the best course of action would be to take a step back and not play tonight’s and tomorrow’s games as scheduled,” the NHL and NHL Players’ Association said in a statement. “The NHL supports the players’ decision and will reschedule those four games beginning Saturday and adjust the remainder of the Second Round schedule accordingly.”
The two games Thursday were Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Second Round between the Philadelphia Flyers and New York Islanders, scheduled for 7 p.m. ET at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, and Game 3 of the Western Conference Second Round between the Vegas Golden Knights and Vancouver Canucks, scheduled for 9:45 p.m. ET at Rogers Place in Edmonton.
The two games Friday were Game 4 of the East Second Round between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Boston Bruins, scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET in Toronto, the East hub city, and Game 4 of the West Second Round between the Colorado Avalanche and Dallas Stars, scheduled for 10 p.m. ET in Edmonton, the West hub city.
Players from each of the four remaining Eastern Conference teams in the playoffs held a joint video news conference in Toronto, and players from the four remaining Western Conference teams did the same in Edmonton, with all the other players from the Golden Knights, Canucks, Stars and Avalanche standing behind them.
“I think this is a big enough statement just all these guys sticking together,” Avalanche forward Nazem Kadri said. “I’ve got so much more respect for every single player in this league by doing something like this, and obviously systemic racism, we can use these next couple days to further educate ourselves for the betterment of society. It’s something that needed to be done, and I think hockey is a team sport and team game and every single one of these guys are on the same page and stand with each other.”
The NHL postponements came after all three NBA playoff games scheduled to be played near Orlando, Florida, on Wednesday were postponed, a decision spurred by the police shooting Sunday of Jacob Blake, a Black man, in Kenosha, Wisconsin. The WNBA also postponed its three scheduled games Wednesday and Thursday in Bradenton, Florida. There were postponements in Major League Baseball each day and in Major League Soccer on Wednesday. Several NFL teams canceled practice Thursday.
The NBA announced Thursday it is hoping to resume its playoffs either Friday or Saturday.
Golden Knights forward Ryan Reaves, who is Black and played an integral role in the conversations among the players in both hub cities, noted an important difference between the NHL players and those in the other sports.
“I think if you look around this room, there’s a lot of white athletes in here, and I think that’s the statement that’s being made right now,” Reaves said. “It’s great that the NBA did this and the MLB and the WNBA. They have a lot of Black players in those leagues. But for all these athletes in here just to take a stand and say, ‘You know what? We see the problem too and we stand behind you,’ I’d go to war with these guys. I hate their guts on the ice, but I couldn’t be more proud of these guys. This statement that they’ve made today is something that’s going to last.”
Reaves, Golden Knights goalie Robin Lehner and Stars forwards Tyler Seguin and Jason Dickinson lined up next to each other and knelt during the United States and Canada national anthems prior to the Stanley Cup Qualifiers round-robin game between Vegas and Dallas in Edmonton on Aug. 3 as a show of support for the fight against racism and for social justice.
Dickinson viewed the players deciding not to play Thursday and Friday as another important step in that process.
“We can keep using our words, keep trying to get the message, but it comes down to action,” Dickinson said. “We have to start doing more.”
The NHL players said they hope taking two days off from playing can show that they are united against racism and also spark further conversations among fans on the subject.
“You know, these days need to be used in the right manner,” Bruins captain Zdeno Chara said. “Obviously, we need to step back, reflect a little bit, just to take a little moment to realize what’s going on. Obviously, there is a problem in the States and there is obviously the right reason to kind of why all the major sports are doing what they’re doing right now, to kind of make sure that we all realize that there needs to be change. And obviously it starts with the conversations and acts, that are going to be very important to follow.”
The NHL played its three games scheduled for Wednesday: a 3 p.m. ET game between the Islanders and Flyers; an 8 p.m. ET game between the Lightning and Bruins; and a 10:30 p.m. ET game between the Avalanche and Stars.
“Black and Brown communities continue to face real, painful experiences. The NHL and NHLPA recognize that much work remains to be done before we can play an appropriate role in a discussion centered on diversity, inclusion and social justice,” the NHL and NHLPA said. “We understand that the tragedies involving Jacob Blake, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and others require us to recognize this moment. We pledge to work to use our sport to influence positive change in society.
“In this moment, the NHLPA and NHL are committed to working to foster more inclusive and welcoming environments within our arenas, offices and beyond.”
Though there was some brief discussion among players who played in the evening games Wednesday about whether to postpone those games, they decided to play and had a broader discussion Thursday among all the players still participating in the playoffs.
“As we discussed today with other teams, there are many more guys who could be sitting up here and delivering this message who were in the conversation today,” Lightning defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk said. “By no means do we view ourselves as a face of this. We want every NHLer to become the face of this movement. That’s the most important thing. This isn’t just one guy, this is everyone getting behind this and everyone knowing it’s a full, 100 percent commitment.”
Forward JT Brown, the first NHL player to engage in a social justice protest at a game when he raised his first in the air during the U.S. national anthem as a member of the Lightning three years ago, said the postponement of these games shows that players are unified in combating inequality and racism.
“Personally, I think it’s a good sign to see the players coming together and show unity to fight for social justice,” said Brown, who played for the Minnesota Wild’s American Hockey League affiliate in Iowa in 2019-20. “I’m sure teams had to talk to each other to come to this conclusion, and it wasn’t just one person on each team deciding this. I think, as a whole, it’s a good step going forward that they were able to come to one decision and unify as the rest of the teams that are still there (in the hub cities).”
At the same time as the NHL announcement, the NHL Players Association made this statement:
NEW YORK/TORONTO (Aug. 27, 2020) After much discussion, NHL Players believe that the best course of action would be to take a step back and not play tonight’s and tomorrow’s games as scheduled. The NHL supports the Players’ decision and will reschedule those four games beginning Saturday and adjust the remainder of the Second Round schedule accordingly.
Black and Brown communities continue to face real, painful experiences. The NHL and NHLPA recognize that much work remains to be done before we can play an appropriate role in a discussion centered on diversity, inclusion and social justice.
We understand that the tragedies involving Jacob Blake, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and others require us to recognize this moment. We pledge to work to use our sport to influence positive change in society.
The NHLPA and NHL are committed to working to foster more inclusive and welcoming environments within our arenas, offices and beyond.
I have a couple of facts here to bring to the light, before motoring on:
— The postponement of Wednesday’s & Thursday’s games, was a decision solely made by the NHL players. Gary Bettman, nor the NHL, pushed for this to happen. They just facilitated the decision made by the players.
— This reaction by the players and the league, and all of the liberal media reaction to boot, were reactions to what the NBA did. If the NBA never walked out of work, the NHL would’ve continued their games. In fact, NHLers from Wednesday had no issue with playing. Even Anson Carter, on the NBC Sports Network, in comments made on Wednesday night, had no problems with the NHL continuing to play either:
Anson Carter hit the nail on the head regarding protests and league postponements. pic.twitter.com/Jw4xqrnnil
— drizzy (@slimeman_) August 27, 2020
The saddest thing about all of this? The cancel culture cucks forced NBC and the NHL to remove Mike Milbury for the remainder of the playoffs, in a story that I covered last week on this site. It would’ve been interesting to hear his take, especially since he wasn’t a fan of Tuukka Rask going home to support his family during a family emergency.
And while on Milbury here, like any other name in sports who finds themselves in hot water, the cancel culture liberal media will always find a new target in this 24/7 hour news cycle of looking to be offended. However, when it comes to this current story, of the NHL postponing games – well I think this story will have longer legs here. After all, the NHL is canceling 48 hours worth of games here. That said, I think by the time the NHL Conference Finals start, all of this will be forgotten, just like how the HDA, the NBA, the NHL and the NHLPA have all forgotten the names of Brock Beck, Cannon Hinnant and David Dorn.
When I look at this Rangers statement above, all I have to say here, is “what’s accomplished by this statement?” Are the Rangers going back to the bubble to join the NHLers that aren’t going to show up to work? What ACTION will the Rangers take right now? To me, this statement is just a platitude and as worthless as saying “thoughts and prayers”. It’s an empty statement, a statement designed to be a fly swatter from these blood-sucking liberal bugs. The Rangers learned their lesson last time, when they were slow to the call, when they didn’t want to release a statement burying the NYPD. They learned their lesson from June – they don’t want the heat or the liberal pitch-fork mafia after them.
When the NHL and NHLPA made their statements, the “Hockey Diversity Alliance”, who as mentioned, has no problems with Muslims killing homosexuals or degrading women, said the following:
Right after the HDA made their statement, Akim Aliu, who was pretty much a nobody until he went down the Colin Kaepernick route, made appearances all over the place. As I’ve said on past blogs, NO ONE EVER BRINGS UP TREVOR DALEY’S story. For more on Daley, and how his story predated Aliu’s story, thus debunking Aliu’s story that the NHL and hockey accepts racism, check out: https://bluecollarblueshirts.com/12419/
If you’ve been following my social media accounts and/or this blog, ever since the NHL returned, you know that I was completely ecstatic that the NHL returned. I’ve been watching every playoff game. I’m immersed in it. I think the NHL has done a fantastic job. I think the commentators have done a great job. I think NBC has done an excellent job. I think the players have really shown up. If you get anything out of this paragraph it’s this – the NHL’s return has been done to perfection and this may be the highest mark of Bettman’s legacy. While it doesn’t erase past Bettman follies – the NHL playoffs in 2020 have done a tremendous job of making you forget past pains.
If you know me, or really, if you can tell by the tone of this blog (I might have to rename this site to “Right Wing Rangers” after this particular blog!) I’m not happy about the NHL and their players sitting out of games. I think it’s the wrong message to send. For all the talk about the NHL wanting to draw younger fans, what does this message tell young fans? To skip school? To run away from problems? You can’t make a moment when you run to the sidelines. This may be overboard here, but what if Jackie Robinson gave up and didn’t play and fight the system?
In addition, in a minor point here, before getting to the meaty stuff, this also extends the time that these players will endure in the two NHL bubbles. All I’ve heard prior to this, AND RIGHTFULLY AND UNDERSTANDABLY SO, is how these players miss their families. By putting the playoffs on pause for two days (the NHL will return on Saturday, with Thursday & Friday games being the only games postponed) the players will spend 48 extra hours in the bubble. For the players, and for the young kids of these players, this is just lost family time. For anyone with young kids, or who had young kids, you know how precious these hours are.
And really, while I get the pandering gesture and all the liberal hoopla, what happens next for the players in the bubble? It’s not like they can go out to the streets and try to make difference. Instead, the NHL and their players will sit in a hotel room playing ping-pong and poker, as they “cure” and end racism; that is if you believe racism exists in hockey.
To me, I think every GM and team owner in this league, will sign any player, regardless of color or what they believe in, if that player betters the team. I know this sounds like junior high school shit, but I don’t see groups of white people asking for more white players in the NBA or for more white running backs or wide receivers in the NFL. Again, I know I have talked about this stuff already on past blogs. I just know from site traffic, I’m getting new eyeballs here, so I want to cover everything.
In short, CLIMATE and CULTURE, and not RACISM and HATE, is what determines the racial make-up of the NHL. Canada and Europe is largely white and mostly cold. A lot of Canadians & Europeans grow up playing hockey. It’s the national sport. For American urban communities with low income housing, it’s cheaper to give a kid a $10 basketball and show them a park. Hockey is expensive, from the gear, to the ice-time, to the traveling to get noticed/scouted.
When it comes to the lack of black players in the NHL, this isn’t an issue of race, it’s an issue of economics. When it comes to the NBA being mostly black and the NHL being mostly white, that too is an issue of economics, culture and climate. (And baseball is mostly made up of Latino ballplayers, because of the warm climate across Latin America. And if you think race, and not culture is the issue here, where are all the black, white and brown people in sumo wrestling?)
To close up on this one particular point, as I’ve said in the past, if you want to grow hockey in the black community, black players and black alumni must be willing to donate TIME, in addition to money, to black youth hockey programs. You can throw all the bucks you want for rinks and equipment. However, you need people to be there to coach these teams and grow these kids into hockey players. Just like any other kid who has dreams, when a kid sees someone like them successful at a career, it drives and aspires them. You need the guys from the HDA, if they really want to see their message fulfilled, to give their time to youth groups. Money isn’t the only answer. For hockey to grow in the black community, TIME, not social media, is what will work grow and expand the game to new faces.
If I’ve learned anything in these last few hours, it’s that liberalism spreads faster than Covid-19. I’m not going to recap everything I saw, as it would take 76786789 hours to so, but everywhere you go on social media, you see the liberal media and social justice warrior fans celebrating the postponements of these games, as if it was America storming the beaches of Normandy. Then again, I’m sure liberals are offended somehow about America winning World War II too!
My biggest takeaway about the NHL, and other leagues postponing games, is that this now opens a Pandora’s Box of a precedent and issues. With the NHL, and other leagues postponing games over social and political issues, this begs the question of “when do we postpone a game next?” I’ll also add here, in the effort of fairness, that it is much easier to cancel games with no fans in the arenas, than it would be under normal pre-pandemic conditions. Teams and leagues aren’t losing any ticket or concessions monies here. Teams aren’t throwing off the plans of fans here. All teams are doing right now, is pissing off people who wanted to watch these games on TV.
And since I was asked this by a few people – there’s no Father Finking way that any advertiser speaks out against this. They don’t want their heads on the liberal cancel culture chopping block. In fact, I would expect advertisers to speak up, in support of these postponed games. I can see it now, “BUD LIGHT AND DRAFT KINGS STAND ARM-IN-ARM AS PLAYERS DECIDE NOT TO WORK. ‘MURRICA”.
I also have to get this jab in too – with the NBA and NHL both postponing games on Thursday, isn’t it ironic that with nothing else on TV, that it opened up more eyeballs and an audience for Trump’s speech at the RNC on Thursday night? Poetic justice anyone? If these games had been played, fans would’ve been watching those games. Instead, I can guarantee you, that fans who would’ve watched the games, had they taken place, turned on Trump on Thursday night.
Before getting into the impact of these postponed games, we have to talk about what started this – the Jacob Blake story. I’m not a news reporter, so do your own research on Blake. The short of it is that he was shot seven times by cops, as cops responded to a domestic dispute in Kenosha, Wisconsin. As usual, without the full investigation being released, people, including athletes, quickly rushed to judgment.
Omitted in all of these statements and protests regarding Jacob Blake, is that Jacob Blake, like George Floyd, was a career criminal. While Floyd only settled for putting a gun on a pregnant woman, Blake decided to put his hands on a kid. Here’s what the liberal media and athletes aren’t talking about or showing you:
No matter how you lean politically, can we talk the truth here? George Floyd, nor Jacob Blake, are heroes or martyrs here. They are not Martin Luther King Jr. Both deserved to rot in prison. (And to be clear here, I think officer Derek Chauvin was 100% in the wrong, despite Floyd being a career criminal and hopped up on smack at the time of his death. Trust me, police officers around the world aren’t Chauvin fans either. Chauvin, due to his cockiness and ignorance, put a stain on the shield. Chauvin also made cops across America a target, something that no police officer wants.)
The complete details of the Blake investigation aren’t available yet. All we know is that he has a long criminal and violent history and had a weapon on him (knife) when he was shot. If there’s any saving grace here, he did not die. He can tell his tale and the cops can’t be charged with homicide, unlike Chauvin. (Again, we don’t know the full details here. We saw the complete video of the Chauvin murder of Floyd and it is fairly obvious that Chauvin was 100% in the wrong.)
Now this is where this all becomes muddy and hypocritical to me. These sports leagues are making a hero out of Blake, a guy that TOUCHED KIDS and has a long rap sheet? That’s where we draw the line? What about this kid:
Earlier this month, five-year old Cannon Hinnant was murdered by Darrius Sessoms, a black man, in North Carolina. You can read the full story of this callous and heinous murder here: https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/08/14/cannon-hinnant-killing/
No one from the NHL and NBA has said anything about this murder. There are no protests about a black person murdering someone, just like how the NBA & NHL have ignored the murder of Officer David Dorn, a story which you can read here: https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/08/us/st-louis-man-arrested-shooting-retired-police-officer-david-dorn/index.html
Why is it that the leftist mob will make a hero out of a kid toucher, but will ignore the murders of an innocent child and an innocent police officer, with the latter being an officer killed after a “Black Lives Matter”, burn, loot and murder brigade?
You see what I mean about the Pandora’s Box that these sports leagues have now opened? You just can’t make a hero or protest about a career criminal, then ignore other major stories in the world, especially when BLM people kills a cop. Isn’t this common sense? Am I really being unreasonable here?
Why is there no justice for Cannon? Why are there no screams of justice for Dorn? These are two stories with investigations fully completed. Why are there screams of justice for a career criminal, who touched a kid; especially during a time where the investigation hasn’t been completed yet? Liberals – they never let facts get in the way of whatever garbage they are pushing!
With the NHL in Canada at the time of their postponement announcement, do you know whose name is also pushed under the rug? Brock Cameron Beck, a murder victim of a Hamilton, Ontario suburb.
On July 27th, I talked about the murder of Brock Cameron Beck here: https://bluecollarblueshirts.com/72720/
Outside of Ron Duguay, not one member of the NYR lame-stream media reported on this murder. However, the NYR lame-stream media of today, are currently crying crocodile tears for Jacob Blake.
And full disclosure here, the sexual assault committed by Jacob Blake on a minor bothers me a lot, considering I’m an uncle of four young kids, four young kids that I love very much. I’m sure you fellow parents, uncles, aunts or whoever, can all relate with me here. Touching a kid is the ultimate no-no in life. That’s why when these pedophiles go to prison, they have the biggest targets on their back, and rightfully so. (And want to know something truly sick? Liberals are now trying to classify pedophiles as something normal. FATHER FINKING DISGUSTING!)
In an update on the Brock Beck story, his killer has not been found. There’s also no NHLer calling for the solving of this murder.
As I talked about in my initial story on Brock Beck, with Barry Beck living in Hong Kong, China, he couldn’t get into Canada right away. In fact, he missed his own son’s funeral, due to the pandemic. However, Barry Beck is now in Canada, as he tries to put the pieces together.
On August 19th, Barry Beck wrote the following:
Day 20:
I’ve now had a chance to spend some time in the farming community and small town of Binbrook, Ontario. It’s a quiet town but that all changed in the early hours of July 26th when our son Brock was viciously stabbed to death.
I went to the house and driveway where our son was killed and slowly breathed in the air. For minutes I waited for some kind of imagery to flash through my mind, the incident, faces, anything at all.
The police are still investigating but as a father I did my own investigation. I managed to talk with neighbours and most who attended the house party that night. I listened to all the facts. I now have the borders of the puzzle together but inserting the other pieces has been difficult.
In an investigation with the information you have there are many theories that come into play.
You start ruling them out one by one. With no witnesses you must keep pushing but that has its limits. You find yourself back at the beginning but now with a lot more info.My friends know me as someone who will not stop until there is accountability and justice is served. To be honest down deep I would like nothing more than to be alone in a room with the killers and inflict my own form of justice.
I think most would understand.Becoming physical would only put me behind bars and that means less time for the detectives to do their work. This would only hinder the investigation and disrespect my sons legacy.
I had a very productive meeting with police today. I feel the pressure to solve the case because the waiting can tear you up. The police are actively hunting the attackers as this is their profession. We trust them and must work together for results.
We need help from the residents of Binbrook and the surrounding Hamilton areas to come forward with any information to Detectives Steve Bereziuk and David Brewster of the Hamilton Major Crime unit. 905-546- 4067
In the meantime my good friend Marie Horn from New York has asked to start a gofundme page on behalf of our son. I am grateful for her never wavering support through the years.
We believe a substantial reward may lead to the arrest and conviction of the assailants still at large. There are many who have sent their condolences and prayers and we feel so fortunate to have you all with us.
We would be blessed to have you now as part of the team that brought down the killers.
Thank you to all that have supported our families. We are currently understanding the depths of despair and the courage that it takes to overcome these senseless tragedies. We are now part of this group.
God bless my saviour Jesus Christ.
Barry Beck and family
There’s also a GoFundMe for Brock Beck, with money going to funeral costs, the investigation and other expenses. You can donate here: https://gf.me/u/ysi4qq
For whatever reason, the liberal media hasn’t talked about this story much. Go figure. RIP Brock Beck.
Away from the postponements of games, if you even have an opinion that’s not of the liberal variety, you will have people trying to take you down. On Tuesday, Logan Couture of the Sharks wrote about how he was sucker-punched for speaking up for Donald Trump. Hours later, fearing he would be “Cancel Coutured”, Couture released an apology! AN APOLOGY FOR BEING PHYSICALLY ATTACKED!
Brian Urlacher, formerly of the Chicago Bears, wrote the statement depicted above. In turn, the Bears released a statement denouncing him! If Urlacher said “PISS ON COP CARS”, the Bears would be giving him a halo!
As mentioned earlier, when asked about the liberal politics taking over sports, Flyers coach AV said:
“I really have no idea what’s going on in the outside world. I’m working 20 hours a day. I guess I’m a hockey nerd and that’s what I’m doing right now.”
People want AV canceled now.
Here’s the problem – for all the talk about wanting open dialogue, a two-way street of free thought and ideas, the second someone doesn’t have a liberal opinion, they are considered to be worse than Adolf Hitler. Cancel Culture doesn’t sleep for anyone.
How can anyone have a civil debate about politics, social justice issues or anything else from that realm, when if you don’t agree with a liberal, you’re either physically attacked or have a smear campaign put out against you?
While the notion of people from different backgrounds and political backgrounds having a civil discourse sounds great and could help erase a divide, liberals won’t let this happen. It’s their way or the cancel culture highway.
I don’t even consider myself a Republican. I sure as hell am not a liberal. However, I’ve never seen Republicans burn, loot and murder in America. I don’t see Republicans doing the cancel culture stuff. I didn’t see Republicans go bat-shit crazy when Obama was elected twice. I didn’t see Republicans trying to take down people for having ideas that were different than theirs.
Sanity needs to prevail here. For people to come to a common ground, people from both sides of the fence, must talk to each other civilly. Anything else is just a waste of time.
To have a talk that will help both sides see an issue, liberals must learn to listen, rather than shut-out and shout at people who don’t agree with them. Looting, rioting and cancel culture doesn’t help their cause – it just furthers the divide.
Here’s a novel idea. If these athletes and liberals want change, how about this ground-breaking concept – “Don’t Commit Crimes!” Furthermore, if you commit crimes, don’t resist arrest! Is this so hard to embrace?
After all, how many of you readers have been pulled over for speeding, rolling through a stop sign, blowing a light or whatever while driving? Have any of you gone bat-shit crazy about it? No! You just say “Father Fink” under your breath and accept whatever ticket you may get.
This goes back to having a civil conversation among people with different ideas. No one is advocating for police brutality. And really think about it, do you think police officers, who already have a tough and unenviable job, want any of this crap? NO! They just want to do their job, have no drama and go home safe to their families. No officer goes into work saying, “how can I make the papers today?”
It’s also worth mentioning, that none of these incidents would’ve never happened if one, a crime wasn’t committed and two, if the perpetrator wasn’t resisting arrest. I know, facts are tough for liberals to digest.
As I start to wind down on this blog that feels like a “State of the Union” address, I wonder where all the positivity and good vibes from sports fans went, after 9/11? 9/11, for many of us, was the most tragic event that any of us have ever lived through. In the aftermath of 9/11, everyone united together, no matter how anyone felt on sports or politics. Perhaps a common enemy allowed that to happen, in international terrorism. Instead, now here in 2020, domestic terrorists are hailed as heroes by some.
This kind of goes back to what I said about Rudy Giuliani on a past blog. I see all these liberals going off on Rudy on a daily basis. It’s like everyone forgot how Rudy helped patch NYC together and moved NYC back into the right direction after the cowardly events of 9/11. It’s the same for the cops right now too. Everyone used to say “NEVER FORGET”, in regards to the first responders (which include cops) but it seems that in 2020, liberals have a severe case of dementia.
Police officers used to be heroes. Strong politicians used to be heroes. Instead, the NHL are now postponing games over a career criminal, who again, TOUCHED A MINOR SEXUALLY, in 2020. What happened in the last 19 years?
I guess some of the blame goes to social media, the biggest advocate of cancel culture. It’s why Trump won the 2016 election easily. Despite the polls saying Clinton would win handily, Trump came out on top. What pollsters didn’t know, but what most Trump supporters knew, was that Trump supporters weren’t going to publicly admit to their support of Trump, as a result of fear of the liberal cancel culture backlash. I’m sure after reading this blog, liberals will now go after me. Whatever, I feel my message is more important than whatever crap twenty-year old somethings, who live with their Republican parents, will say about me.
As I wrap-up here, the NHL, after this pathetic attempt of liberal pandering, will return on Saturday. The new schedule hasn’t been released yet. However, you have to wonder, what happens the next time a major story hits the news? What’s worth postponing games for now? And if you don’t postpone a game the next time a major story hits, is that considered callous and <GASP> UNWOKE?
A dangerous precedent was set here my friends. Now, whenever something happens, the talk of the town won’t be what’s going on the playing surface, it will be should these leagues cancel a game over it? All I can tell you is this – if a little white kid is murdered by a black man (RIP Cannon Hinnant) all of these leagues will ignore that story.
If you haven’t already, subscribe to this blog for the next update:
I hope this is the last time I talk politics on these blogs. I rather be talking hockey. Sadly, I think this is the start of politics worming their way into sports full-time, and not the end of it.
As always here, thanks for reading and…
LET’S GO RANGERS!
NYR WILL DRAFT LAFRENIERE!
MAKE YOUR MONEY DEANGELO!
Sean McCaffrey
BULLSMC@aol.com
@NYCTHEMIC on Tweeter and on Parler
Narrative = Devoted family man and father of 6 stops to heroically “break up a fight” then police arrive for no apparent reason and inexplicably shoot him in the back, again for no reason, while he is merely getting into his car.
Reality….he was there breaking up a fight between his “baby mama” and one of his other “baby mamas”…..so much for devoted family man although I suppose you could make the argument that a man with numerous families is an even more devoted “family man” than a man with just the one!…..as he was not supposed to be there in the first place due to a previous “restraining order” for “domestic abuse” by one of the “baby mamas” one of the them calls the police….the police arrive and he immediately starts fighting and wrestling with 3 of the cops on the scene, probably because as happens so often in cases like this where suspects or police are shot, he has warrants outstanding against him, is on his way to jail and simply does not want to go…..the guy is tased but somehow slips the taser and escapes the wrestling match…..(he does have a good “ground game” apparently so lets give him that)… and he gets up and heads towards the car……police at this point have guns drawn and are demanding he stop, he ignores them and attempts to get into the car or to go for a weapon inside so he is unsurprisingly shot by the no doubt nervous cop following him……how the hell is the cop supposed to know what the guy is doing and who would not think the guy was going for a weapon considering the build up to all of this?
The guy also has a history of carrying a concealed weapon (gun) threatening people in a bar with that gun and fighting with the police when he was being arrested for those threats along with, serial domestic abuse, a 3rd degree sexual assault charge filed by a “relative” and the like……the last time the police arrested him they had to sick the K9 on him to take him in,….good boy!…. possibly the K9 was unavailable or not on duty this time around
Not really a role model or any reason to cancel games, make a fuss over or burn cities to the ground over, in my opinion.
I would not do what this guy did because I would EXPECT to be shot for it if I did.
The worst is how people jumped on this guy’s cause, without knowing the full details and without the investigation report being released. 14 people shot and 4 killed in Chicago today – GAME ON!
One thing about these featured noble “activists” that you always notice is that they always seem to make personal bank on their noble causes.
Kaepernick took it to the bank and Akim Aliu is making personal bank too now, no?
In my opinion Aliu revealed himself as a complete fraud when he started implying in interviews that he was on his way to a 20 goal season in his rookie year after scoring 2 fluke goals and an assist in his first 2 games, so basically assuming a decent number of assist’s we are talking a Calder Trophy and even a possible Norris Trophy to go along with it for his rookie season as a defenseman with Calgary! The implication also was that this was all taken away from him by a racist white coach. Then I look at his Hockey DB entry and see Aliu never did shit and never put up anything near 20 goals on any of the nearly 20 different teams he had a cup of coffee with in the 8 or 10 different mens leagues he played in around the world….not even in the ECHL!…This guy was destined to be a career minor leauger because he wasn’t any frigging good and he can do his song and dance about how his NHL career was derailed by a white coach and racism with activist reporters who wouldn’t know a hockey stick from a golf club but are eager to lap up any bullshit story just so long as it goes along with their white man bad narrative but nobody that knows anything about hockey should buy into a word he says……does he do the same song and dance about all the great things he was going to do in the NHL with Dumba and Trouba and Kane? No player would project a few games performance out for an entire season and to do it to make a case against a coach and the league itself for racism is so incredibly dishonest it is beyond contempt.
Dumba, Trouba, Kane, J Toews and the like can bob their heads going along with this clown Aliu but they would have to be really blind not to see how Aliu’s statements not only make a mockery of the game, the league and the work it takes to get to the NHL but also makes a mockery of their career’s and accomplishments as well………Aliu did not get to the NHL because he wasn’t good enough to get there!
The guy is a total BS artist and his sad sack story about the coach using the N word to criticize his rap and hip hop music in the locker room and how traumatizing it all was for him to hear, this when rap and hip hop use the N word in every other lyric I found completely bogus as well…….but it got the job done didn’t it?
The guy is just a bitter career minor leaguer who could not make the cut so he became a contrived grievance mongering race grifter instead….and it works.
https://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=89808
Meanwhile Mackenzie Skapski is extrapolating his 2 NHL games out to a full season and wondering when his Vezina and Hart trophies will arrive!!!
2014-15 New York Rangers NHL 2 0 0 119 1 0 1 0.50 2 0 0 44 0.978
https://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=137665
It’s funny how the Daley/Beezer story, which set a precedent, is never brought up with the Aliu story.
Another lost point, in particular with NHL vs NBA, NHL has what, a 20% American player population? The league is dominated by Canadians, Europeans and Russians. There’s no racism in the NHL. Any team would hire any player, of any indentifying trait, if that GM thought that player would help them win.
Only two colors matter in hockey – silver (color of the Cup) and green (cash).
OK this is funny……..Aliu complaining about his lack of PP and PK time in his 2 games with Calgary and this guy actually said these things…….and we are supposed to take Aliu, Dumba, Trouba, Toews and all the rest of these panderers and race baiters seriously?
Akim Aliu
“Look at the numbers. I was on pace for 20 goals in my first pro season and I wasn’t getting any power-play or penalty-kill time. Zero special teams,” Aliu told TSN. “I feel like this ruined my career before it started. I don’t think that can be disputed. Then you get sent down to the ECHL, then traded to another organization and it’s an uphill climb from there.”
Aliu thinks he was not getting enough PK and PP time after just 2 pro games……..I mean you could not make this shit up
Shit otherwise Aliu likely would have had 35 goals and both the Norris in his rookie year!!
…….stupid fucking white racist Calgary coaches!!!…..right?
In Aliu’s rookie year Gabriel Landeskog won the Calder with 22 goals and 30 assists and he was a LW…….if Akim scored 20 goals as a rookie D Man that year with even a moderate number of assist’s he would almost have to been a lock for the Calder….except for the inherent racism of the NHL of course, no?…..but its all fantasy because Aliu never put up 20 goals anywhere and never could at the mens level in any league on any team…….and he frigging KNOWS it unless he is a pathological narcissist and actually believes his own hype which I am thinking maybe he is and maybe actually does
I did not look up who won the Norris that year because why bother, I am sure you get the idea.
This isn’t me being bitter,” Aliu said. “I sat on this a really, really long time. It broke my heart. I think it made my career go downhill before it started. This isn’t to the degree of [Colin] Kaepernick by any means, but if you play the race card, it’s most likely the end of your career”…….no in fact it is just the beginning of a new career in Kap’s case and the very beginning of ANY career in Aliu’s case, no?
I said it from day one, Aliu wants that CK money. He quickly got a payday from the NHL out of this and is being compensated now from other parties as well.
Let Aliu or Dumba, Trouba, Toews et all name us long time hockey fans just one single exceptional black player that was ignored in the draft….any draft……. and did not get a shot at the NHL………..and this in a league where even the midget league players which in US terms would be our Little League baseball leagues are so heavily followed by scouts that people in Canada knew Orr, Gretzky, Mario, Crosby, Mcdavid would be phenomenas at 12 years old……….name just one black player like that……..just one……..or just one that should have made it but did not………does not have to be a superstar
I seem to recall Phil Esposito saying that when Gretzky was like 12 his father told him…….this kid will break all your records………….and Gretzky did………..this is how close they follow the junior leagues and the draft in Canada
Just one black player from juniors that people in Canada say……..gee ya know…….why didn’t that guy get a shot at the NHL, I could never understand that?
You know what bugs me Sean?………its not this bitter scrub Aliu getting on a soap box and going blah blah blah about a Hall of Fame career denied………its these other guys like Dumba, Trouba, Kane, J Toews and many other pro NHL’ers going along with Aliu’s grievance mongering race hustling kaching pay me sucker bullshit…….if you see my meaning
Dumba seems to be setting himself up for a future after his playing days. I would like to now how he’s oppressed. If they want more black hockey players in the league, it starts at the youth level. Time must be invested there.
I would hate to be one of these sports talking heads trying to navigate any of these subjects because you would be setting yourself up for a cancellation just by deviating a milliliter from the party line.
Need the networks and head of corporations to take a stand against this crap.
Keep it cool Barry Beck., you are not in charge of this life……….no need for 2 tragedies
I can’t imagine what he’s going through.
I so agree with this blog, this is ridiculous and like you say sad for hockey to bow to this crap. These thugs deserve what they get and the liberals and media trying to destroy everything positive and we need to fight back but so many are afraid it will hurt them monetarily but I do believe more and more people are seeing the real truth and enough already. Again thank you for always telling the facts, it is so appreciated.
Thank you Barbara. 14 people shot and four dead in Chicago so far today. Game on!
Get woke, go broke.
The logic here is so uncommon on Ranger’s websites, I hesitated to read the comments.i had to skip all hockey podcasts for a few days.
It is still surprising how people become so misinformed.
Hopefully the NHL is done with this idiocy and learn from this mistake.
Just check out the source of the comments. Most of the pro liberal stuff comes from people who are 23 or younger, people who don’t understand how the world works.