"especially since owner Geoff Molson has made it clear being bilingual is a priority when hiring a head coach or general manager."
This from a Gazette article regarding Joel Bouchard. I get that Quebec wants to protect it's french identity but this is just losing thinking if it's your priority over winning. Would Geoff hire in-their-prime hockey people like Frank Selke Jr. and Toe Blake or Sam Pollack and Scotty Bowman? Doubtful, becaause of his fear of separatist backlash. Keep digging that foxhole deeper Geoff. Pretty soon your hockey team will be the laughing stock of the league, if they aren't already.
I've asked this before and I would ask it again. Does the average Francophone fan actually give a rat's ass whether management speak French? Or is it 100% media driven? How much of it is actually politically motivated by separatists? And is it separatist fans or the media once again?
My best guess would say that a family living in Lac-Saint-Louis or in Shawinigan or in L'Ascension that are die hard Habs fans really don't give a lick whether management Parlez-Vous. The media, who are the real culprits here, have the ability to translate the message to the fans without losing context. Would they? No, the current climate would have them handing pitchforks to those fans because a francophone player either isn't drafted by the anglo GM or given enough minutes by the anglo coach. I've lost my train of thought and have to go.
it's a bit of both. You know, Québecois pride is tied up with hockey, the need to be Maitres chez nous is there in the national psyche... It's a french province, french is the official language of work for all of us here, so we're all used to it. The great people brought in from outside who don't know a lick of french become cannon fodder - American born captains exempted, fine, but not the head coach or GM. They need to meet the Bob Gainey / Ken Dryden test of working french, like the rest of us anglophone stiffs.
So essentially, if a guy like Gallant with amazing bona-fides comes into the role and learns enough french within a couple of months to answer a handful of questions in a media scrum, he's off the hook for being anglo. If he can't even say "Bonjour, ça va?" after a year in the job, he's obviously being disrespectful and it proves a tin ear within the management that is about as excusable as "Let them eat cake"
As y'all know I've commented many times about this, so a slight refresh and some fresher thoughts.
So, me, born in Quebec, left before the age of 1 to Ontario, lived in Central area for 20 years, surrounded by the hateful anglo CBC/leafools whilst I cheered many a Cup-winning Habs team.
Moved to Ottawa for almost 10 years, pre-Sens. Hull was 100% Habs friendly.
Then and still in Outaouais, now I'd say the area is still 75% Habs-friendly.
Once a true Habs fan, always a Habs fan and by extension/blood a leaf hater through and through.
More to the point, post the Nordicks departure, the CH has had to (re)carry the Quebecois load. I was born in Quebec, now live in Quebec but have always been a French-Canadian. Country first. Geoff et al need to cater to their province but I think they over-think it and hurt themselves and us by extension. Those that supported the Diques were almost all pure laine and displayed it daily. Most of them haven't changed, except to tone down to accept a paycheque. These wads are hypocrites. Molson et al. need to see through this. It won't happen until the Diques come back. I don't think the French factor should affect the team as much as it does. The French media irks me almost as much as the SFU. There is a big portion that should be labelled FSFU. These wads hate Canada, simple as that. I've said as much since 1976 and the ruinous Séparatiste movement. I can't think of too many businesses that permit the media to force their hand. To me it makes no sense whatsoever to not take the best mng't/coach/player/etc, regardless of language. I have no issues with some of the Habs line-up featuring some hometown boys, so long as they perform. I can't handle non-hometown boys being ripped mainly because they aren't 'd'ici'. The reverse applies. I don't think Molson has the balls to make a non-French decision, say vote on a new GM, make the result 51-49% for the Anglo dude. Won't happen. Worse, I don't think the better ones will put their name in the hat. Imagine an Yzerman, say he is available, does he come 'here'. I wish. FWIW, taxes are another issue but not solely Habs-related.
All said, having a team that is part of a culture is a great and rare thing. Having a championship winning team, well that is something else.
Well put moeman! I agree GM may be over-compensating, which is a result of hand-wringing worry over past injustices by our anglo forefathers to the (then ghettoized) francophone population. I think that goes hand in hand with BBB and his gang over-thinking the need to find québecois-de-souche players and support staff - as if the moronic creed of the l'Antichabre gang was the litmus test for every decision. Too often it seems they are playing to the RDS mind-set, and seeing things only through their blinders.
RIP Ms. Kidder, I always knew the Hollerado video Juliette would be just the appropriate thing on the day we celebrate her life, and well lived too, just as envisioned in the video.
And now, RIP Tom Wolfe, of whom William F. Buckley Jr. said: “He is probably the most skillful writer in America — I mean by that he can do more things with words than anyone else.”
Looks like the Peg have a series on their hands. The Golden Showers are a stream on never ending movement. If this team can pass that well what does it say about our team?
They set a course and were heading somewhere. Then they started second-guessing themselves about the players they had wisely chosen; but it was the coaches and support staff they should've been second-guessing instead. Live and ...learn?
I honestly wonder sometimes why Trevor Timmins sticks around. He's hit more homers than fouls I'm sure. Bargainbin keeps cutting the feet out from under him trying to establish the "french identity" that moeman was talking about above. This gm has single-handedly de-constructed this team like nobody's business. As long as Geoff lets him run the show the Habs are going nowhere. Hopefully Mr. Molson will pull the pin after another losing season.
I often wonder if TT is hoping that he might be on Molson's mind as a potential replacement at this point? I assume he is bilingual, having worked for the Habs for 15 years or so. He's gotta think if the leaf chose Dumbass as GM, I've gotta have a shot soon...
Hey guys, really appreciate the insight from a couple of gentlemen living in the heart of Habdom. I get and appreciate the sentiment of wanting to keep the Francophone culture and I get how much the diehard Habs fans from Quebec idolize the team. But I will never fully understand why winning can't be disconnected from language. Maybe it's because I'm a white anglo male, so perhaps there's an oppression factor I'm not getting. But I can tell you this without a doubt - if Molson hired a GM that only speaks French, a coach that only speaks Russian and players that speak about 7 languages other than English and they win hockey games and can challenge for the cup, this guy right here...he's one happy Habs fan. As it stands right now, he's rather listless and discontent. How can those fans that have been Habs fans for generations not look at this team and feel the same way?
I will never fully understand why winning can't be disconnected from language.
Answer: cultural ego! As in, there is nothing we are better at / there is no one better than us / smarter than us at hockey. Obviously, the best among us is gonna get it done and win the Cup. To admit that might not be the case would deflate (some - not most) and all of Quebec would be shamed by acknowledging it.
...or something. moeman has a better read on it than me, admittedly.
Put another way: some (french mediots particularly) can't fathom that the two are possibly incongruous. Rocket Richard! Lafleur! Savard! Roadrunner! Pocket Rocket! Plante!
You see why a guy like Mario Lemieux happily ignores the whole hoopla and builds his hockey empire in Pittsburgh?
Interesting ideas. However, why would/did players like Lecavalier, Briere et al do their best to stay away from Montreal (at least until they had no choice)? I've often felt the majority of Quebecers (the political elite at least) have this air of superiority and never believed they were truly part of Canada. Coming from Down East I guess the same could be said of the CotU. Regardless, if what Scott said is true about this cultural ego thing then hockey in Quebec is doomed if they can't see past their own noses. I would like to point out to those people the best hockey player IN THE WORLD comes from Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia. MacKinnon and the douchebag in Boston are pretty good as well. The last leaf to win a scoring championship eons ago was from New Brunswick and the guy coaching Vegas is from PEI. RDS and their ilk better get over themselves.
Moeman's post above is more to-the-point. I hope I didn't paint with too broad a brush. Assholes are usually louder than the quiet multitude. The real problem is if Molson is playing to those assholes, and not common sense. In the end, it's just a fucking pro sports franchise. I like this site because no matter what happens, we have fun with it and keep that in perspective. So GYFHG
Moving onto more important issues...Sara Orlesky is super cute with her hair in a ponytail...and I think she has more integrity than the majority of the tsn mediots. I might exclude Lebrun and another 1 or 2 at most.
Joel Bouchard named head coach of the rocket. I don't know anything about him except he is french and Coached Blainville...and I love Blainville...very close to my delinquent youth heart is Blainville...
The guy has a great track record coaching the Canadian juniours and in the Q for the past three years or so. I remember him being the smart one on RDS broadcasts as a colour guy breaking down plays and such. He has a superior hockey mind. Good move!
With the hiring of Joel Bouchard the Habs have killed two birds with one stone, solidifying the francophone identity and having bargainbin and jabba's replacements at the ready.
BBB sees the writing on the wall and has no other avenue than to start hiring good people in the hopes they help right his yawing ship. So Lucky and (Butch?) are great starts but the roster needs major work if we're going to compete with the likes of the 4 remaining teams. Hope he's been practicing trades on his PS4 because he has a big hole to dig out of and no eMTy or DDD to use as a step stool.
The problem I have with Vegas winning is that greasy smirk we'll see on Bettmans face as he takes credit for putting the franchise and expansion rules in place.
Really, Vegas winning would be kinda shady about how it was all set up and may set a precedent the other major leagues wouldn't like. I am suspicious of the whole thing ... like the br00nz Cup win in 2011 the whole fucking thing reeks of buttman stank. He is the greasiest little fuck there is.
It's mid-May and my interest in hockey is rapidly waning. I'll try to watch the Memorial Cup because of the Acadie-Bathurst Titan ... congrats to Bathurst, N.B. btw on winning the President's Cup, keeping the trophy in New Brunswick for a second consecutive year.
RIP. I had that comic once upon a time.
ReplyDelete"especially since owner Geoff Molson has made it clear being bilingual is a priority when hiring a head coach or general manager."
ReplyDeleteThis from a Gazette article regarding Joel Bouchard. I get that Quebec wants to protect it's french identity but this is just losing thinking if it's your priority over winning. Would Geoff hire in-their-prime hockey people like Frank Selke Jr. and Toe Blake or Sam Pollack and Scotty Bowman? Doubtful, becaause of his fear of separatist backlash. Keep digging that foxhole deeper Geoff. Pretty soon your hockey team will be the laughing stock of the league, if they aren't already.
I've asked this before and I would ask it again. Does the average Francophone fan actually give a rat's ass whether management speak French? Or is it 100% media driven? How much of it is actually politically motivated by separatists? And is it separatist fans or the media once again?
ReplyDeleteMy best guess would say that a family living in Lac-Saint-Louis or in Shawinigan or in L'Ascension that are die hard Habs fans really don't give a lick whether management Parlez-Vous. The media, who are the real culprits here, have the ability to translate the message to the fans without losing context. Would they? No, the current climate would have them handing pitchforks to those fans because a francophone player either isn't drafted by the anglo GM or given enough minutes by the anglo coach. I've lost my train of thought and have to go.
Bah, this issue p's me off.
it's a bit of both. You know, Québecois pride is tied up with hockey, the need to be Maitres chez nous is there in the national psyche... It's a french province, french is the official language of work for all of us here, so we're all used to it. The great people brought in from outside who don't know a lick of french become cannon fodder - American born captains exempted, fine, but not the head coach or GM. They need to meet the Bob Gainey / Ken Dryden test of working french, like the rest of us anglophone stiffs.
DeleteSo essentially, if a guy like Gallant with amazing bona-fides comes into the role and learns enough french within a couple of months to answer a handful of questions in a media scrum, he's off the hook for being anglo. If he can't even say "Bonjour, ça va?" after a year in the job, he's obviously being disrespectful and it proves a tin ear within the management that is about as excusable as "Let them eat cake"
Thank you for the response SiM.
DeleteAs y'all know I've commented many times about this, so a slight refresh and some fresher thoughts.
DeleteSo, me, born in Quebec, left before the age of 1 to Ontario, lived in Central area for 20 years, surrounded by the hateful anglo CBC/leafools whilst I cheered many a Cup-winning Habs team.
Moved to Ottawa for almost 10 years, pre-Sens. Hull was 100% Habs friendly.
Then and still in Outaouais, now I'd say the area is still 75% Habs-friendly.
Once a true Habs fan, always a Habs fan and by extension/blood a leaf hater through and through.
More to the point, post the Nordicks departure, the CH has had to (re)carry the Quebecois load. I was born in Quebec, now live in Quebec but have always been a French-Canadian. Country first. Geoff et al need to cater to their province but I think they over-think it and hurt themselves and us by extension. Those that supported the Diques were almost all pure laine and displayed it daily. Most of them haven't changed, except to tone down to accept a paycheque. These wads are hypocrites. Molson et al. need to see through this. It won't happen until the Diques come back. I don't think the French factor should affect the team as much as it does. The French media irks me almost as much as the SFU. There is a big portion that should be labelled FSFU. These wads hate Canada, simple as that. I've said as much since 1976 and the ruinous Séparatiste movement. I can't think of too many businesses that permit the media to force their hand. To me it makes no sense whatsoever to not take the best mng't/coach/player/etc, regardless of language. I have no issues with some of the Habs line-up featuring some hometown boys, so long as they perform. I can't handle non-hometown boys being ripped mainly because they aren't 'd'ici'. The reverse applies. I don't think Molson has the balls to make a non-French decision, say vote on a new GM, make the result 51-49% for the Anglo dude. Won't happen. Worse, I don't think the better ones will put their name in the hat. Imagine an Yzerman, say he is available, does he come 'here'. I wish. FWIW, taxes are another issue but not solely Habs-related.
All said, having a team that is part of a culture is a great and rare thing. Having a championship winning team, well that is something else.
Well put moeman! I agree GM may be over-compensating, which is a result of hand-wringing worry over past injustices by our anglo forefathers to the (then ghettoized) francophone population. I think that goes hand in hand with BBB and his gang over-thinking the need to find québecois-de-souche players and support staff - as if the moronic creed of the l'Antichabre gang was the litmus test for every decision. Too often it seems they are playing to the RDS mind-set, and seeing things only through their blinders.
DeleteRIP Margo Kidder, and fuck Google and all the Fangs. I try an sign in and they want me to change all my settings to know me better than I know myself.
ReplyDeleteFYI-- Joe Shuster, co-creator of Superman was Canadian. He moved to Cleveland at a young age.
ReplyDeleteRIP Ms. Kidder, I always knew the Hollerado video Juliette would be just the appropriate thing on the day we celebrate her life, and well lived too, just as envisioned in the video.
ReplyDeleteAnd now, RIP Tom Wolfe, of whom William F. Buckley Jr. said: “He is probably the most skillful writer in America — I mean by that he can do more things with words than anyone else.”
ReplyDeleteRIP. The Right Stuff was a great read... and movie as well.
DeleteI read electric kool aid and the one about Atlanta. RIP, he was very very good.
DeleteBonfire of the Vanities is a great read, the movie sucked.
DeleteLooks like the Peg have a series on their hands. The Golden Showers are a stream on never ending movement. If this team can pass that well what does it say about our team?
ReplyDeleteLego, PFK, DSP all gone to soon.
They set a course and were heading somewhere. Then they started second-guessing themselves about the players they had wisely chosen; but it was the coaches and support staff they should've been second-guessing instead. Live and ...learn?
DeleteWell said SiM...well said!
DeleteI honestly wonder sometimes why Trevor Timmins sticks around. He's hit more homers than fouls I'm sure. Bargainbin keeps cutting the feet out from under him trying to establish the "french identity" that moeman was talking about above. This gm has single-handedly de-constructed this team like nobody's business. As long as Geoff lets him run the show the Habs are going nowhere. Hopefully Mr. Molson will pull the pin after another losing season.
DeleteI often wonder if TT is hoping that he might be on Molson's mind as a potential replacement at this point? I assume he is bilingual, having worked for the Habs for 15 years or so. He's gotta think if the leaf chose Dumbass as GM, I've gotta have a shot soon...
DeleteGreat thread St. Pad.
ReplyDeleteMargot was a fabulous femme, smart, gorgeous and fun.
Hey guys, really appreciate the insight from a couple of gentlemen living in the heart of Habdom. I get and appreciate the sentiment of wanting to keep the Francophone culture and I get how much the diehard Habs fans from Quebec idolize the team. But I will never fully understand why winning can't be disconnected from language. Maybe it's because I'm a white anglo male, so perhaps there's an oppression factor I'm not getting. But I can tell you this without a doubt - if Molson hired a GM that only speaks French, a coach that only speaks Russian and players that speak about 7 languages other than English and they win hockey games and can challenge for the cup, this guy right here...he's one happy Habs fan. As it stands right now, he's rather listless and discontent. How can those fans that have been Habs fans for generations not look at this team and feel the same way?
ReplyDeleteI will never fully understand why winning can't be disconnected from language.
DeleteAnswer: cultural ego! As in, there is nothing we are better at / there is no one better than us / smarter than us at hockey. Obviously, the best among us is gonna get it done and win the Cup. To admit that might not be the case would deflate (some - not most) and all of Quebec would be shamed by acknowledging it.
...or something. moeman has a better read on it than me, admittedly.
Put another way: some (french mediots particularly) can't fathom that the two are possibly incongruous. Rocket Richard! Lafleur! Savard! Roadrunner! Pocket Rocket! Plante!
DeleteYou see why a guy like Mario Lemieux happily ignores the whole hoopla and builds his hockey empire in Pittsburgh?
Interesting ideas. However, why would/did players like Lecavalier, Briere et al do their best to stay away from Montreal (at least until they had no choice)? I've often felt the majority of Quebecers (the political elite at least) have this air of superiority and never believed they were truly part of Canada. Coming from Down East I guess the same could be said of the CotU. Regardless, if what Scott said is true about this cultural ego thing then hockey in Quebec is doomed if they can't see past their own noses. I would like to point out to those people the best hockey player IN THE WORLD comes from Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia. MacKinnon and the douchebag in Boston are pretty good as well. The last leaf to win a scoring championship eons ago was from New Brunswick and the guy coaching Vegas is from PEI. RDS and their ilk better get over themselves.
DeleteMoeman's post above is more to-the-point. I hope I didn't paint with too broad a brush. Assholes are usually louder than the quiet multitude. The real problem is if Molson is playing to those assholes, and not common sense. In the end, it's just a fucking pro sports franchise. I like this site because no matter what happens, we have fun with it and keep that in perspective. So GYFHG
DeleteMoving onto more important issues...Sara Orlesky is super cute with her hair in a ponytail...and I think she has more integrity than the majority of the tsn mediots. I might exclude Lebrun and another 1 or 2 at most.
ReplyDeleteI concur
ReplyDeleteI don't watch the toronto sports network but she might cause a change bin that
Go habs
Joel Bouchard named head coach of the rocket. I don't know anything about him except he is french and Coached Blainville...and I love Blainville...very close to my delinquent youth heart is Blainville...
ReplyDeleteThe guy has a great track record coaching the Canadian juniours and in the Q for the past three years or so. I remember him being the smart one on RDS broadcasts as a colour guy breaking down plays and such. He has a superior hockey mind. Good move!
DeleteWith the hiring of Joel Bouchard the Habs have killed two birds with one stone, solidifying the francophone identity and having bargainbin and jabba's replacements at the ready.
ReplyDeleteBBB sees the writing on the wall and has no other avenue than to start hiring good people in the hopes they help right his yawing ship. So Lucky and (Butch?) are great starts but the roster needs major work if we're going to compete with the likes of the 4 remaining teams. Hope he's been practicing trades on his PS4 because he has a big hole to dig out of and no eMTy or DDD to use as a step stool.
ReplyDeleteK3X was right about the Golden Showers. I still CHeer for the peg but admire the stream.
ReplyDeleteAs I've said Peg and Caps for my pool but it's hard not to cheer for Gallant, Fleury and the K-niggets.
DeleteThe problem I have with Vegas winning is that greasy smirk we'll see on Bettmans face as he takes credit for putting the franchise and expansion rules in place.
ReplyDeleteReally, Vegas winning would be kinda shady about how it was all set up and may set a precedent the other major leagues wouldn't like. I am suspicious of the whole thing ... like the br00nz Cup win in 2011 the whole fucking thing reeks of buttman stank. He is the greasiest little fuck there is.
DeleteIt's mid-May and my interest in hockey is rapidly waning. I'll try to watch the Memorial Cup because of the Acadie-Bathurst Titan ... congrats to Bathurst, N.B. btw on winning the President's Cup, keeping the trophy in New Brunswick for a second consecutive year.
ReplyDeleteSo, it appears Geoff Molson is "guiding" bergevin through the "rebuild" ... trying to give the fans hope. Gulp.
ReplyDeleteNot helping...
Interesting no GM for Laval. No need to have a GM in waiting in Montreal.
DeleteLets hope TFS is inspired by the performance in the nets of the stream and bolts.
> https://fourhockeyfans.blogspot.ca/2018/05/supersexy-friday.html
ReplyDelete