Stop the Presses...?

An interesting argument's brewing on social media right now thanks to a comment by Mark Spector of Sportsnet who derided guys who admit to feeling media pressure, suggesting they should be traded because you can't win with them. Mentally weak was him assessment...as some would suggest his take was. But nonetheless, I get that the press needs to be honest (insert fake news joke here) and I'm certainly not advocating that every article has to be glowing (unlike some leaders...) by any means. However, it does beg the question where's the line between honest criticism and negativity for the sake of it?

We need only take a look at the fans and media's reaction in this country when things aren't going well to see how ugly it can get. If you listened to Sens Twitter right now you'd think they were 0-22. Edmonton's down one day, up the next and Montreal is well, Montreal. Vincent Lecavalier won a cup in Tampa Bay and was one of the best players of his generation. He also made it known he had no desire to leave for Montreal because of the pressure that comes with playing in that market. He was called out by some because of this but I'd never characterise him as mentally weak. Joe Thornton has spoken on many occasions about his love for playing in California. How you can go to practise in shorts and walk around town without being recognised...presumably in his pre-Grizzly Adams days. Hockey players generally aren't much for the spotlight and when all that light is negative it makes it even harder to deal with.

We're all accountable in our line of work and holding these players to such a level isn't the issue as I see it. It's how easy it is to belittle them for faltering under this intense pressure while not having to deal with it yourself. Unlike a writer if they get negative feedback players can't just hit the block button and hide behind their laptop thinking themselves beyond reproach. It's easy to criticise (fun too!) especially when you're as established as many of the prominent hockey pundits here in Canada are. Lets face it, short of a Hollywood-esque scandal these guys aren't going anywhere. That type of security leads to comfort which can lead to arrogance when it comes to your approach in covering the team. You see fault and you start to feel that you know more than the guys on the ice or upstairs, that your insight is flawless. If you write a lousy article or a take someone disagrees with you may get hammered on social media but it doesn't impact your life in anywhere near as serious a  manner. You are so unwavering in your belief, right or wrong, that you don't care. You're up their on your pedestal scoffing at anyone who dares to disagree. That's not the case in the NHL.

One of my favourite lines the last few years was from the Blue Jays John Donaldson when discussing the team's slump. He said "this isn't the try league, it's the get it done league". One could hardly sum up professional sports any better. Now, I'm not gonna feel too terrible for a bunch of multi-millionaires who play a game they love for a living, but I can see where they're coming from given this expectation. When you get paid what they do you're expected to perform. Period. That's definitely not unreasonable, few things are in fact more reasonable, so being criticised for not carrying your weight is, as Taylor Hall pointed out, not unfair. Its all part of the business. But if all people write about is the negativity and feed into that downward spiral, how is one not affected? It becomes a slippery slope that snowballs rapidly. Hall, refreshingly, pointed out the human side of the game and speaking, far as I know, as a human being, it'd definitely be something that's hard to drown out. Hall had personal success in spite of it, but to write guys off because their confidence is shaken when all they see is trade rumours in the paper everyday or constant articles detailing how it's their fault the team is failing, it's not easy at all. That's not say these things shouldn't be written about, facts are facts, but its how they're presented that matters. Thees are grown men and we need not treat them with kid gloves, but what would you do when people see you and start giving you a hard time at the mall or grocery store? When you're being made to feel that you're letting an entire community down? Easy to say "they know what they signed up for!" not so easy to brush aside.

That's not to say it's easy to write, believe me, particularity with the ever evolving media market. However, these columnists don't have to live with the same type of burden those they cover do, so they can fire shot after shot with little recourse. If a player doesn't succeed it can mean a demotion, a trade, a family being up rooted. It's not writers kids at school hearing about it. It's rarely their job on the line. All a difficult part of the industry, and one that players and coaches inevitably have to deal with. It's a part of why they get paid so well. But to say that it doesn't affect you is asinine. Look at the results when guys have moved on. Taylor Hall, who to be fair always put up solid numbers, continues to in New Jersey and Jordan Eberle has been revitalised on Long Island. A fresh start can make a world of difference because mentally they're in a better place. Why have people avoided coming to the Maple Leafs over the years? Because they don't want to shoulder that burden. It's why guys who have won there are so revered and why those like Jonathan Drouin who speak about embracing the challenge in Montreal are praised by the media.

I see why hockey writers are so quick to defend their craft, and why both sides of this argument elicit valid points. No GM, owner, coach or player should be able to avoid answering the tough questions when they aren't meeting expectations, like anyone else. Without honest writing to look at what the team is doing, and holding them to a certain level of accountability, it does a disservice to fans and its why great writers are so respected. That said, there's an art to tactfully and honestly assessing people. Often the truth hurts and we should never be afraid to speak it. I'm not all about participation ribbons and avoiding pointing out the facts because someones feeling may be hurt. Such is life. However, there's a line there somewhere where it can become personal. Just ask Jason Spezza who got tired of being the whipping boy here in Ottawa and asked to be traded because of it.The fans turned on him, much of it fuelled by the press, and he had enough. A genuine critique is a necessary part of the business but when you see things like this start to happen, is it time to take a harder look at how they're covered? Some may laugh this off, suggesting players are soft, overly sensitive and indulged. Some well may be, after all these are elite athletes one generally assumes aren't lacking for confidence. That said even the greats face self doubt at times and if you're constantly living in a negative head space, escape is a welcomed relief. Why do you think so many have turned to sports psychologists? It's simple to fire off an angry column or tweet, but do we really understand the ramifications of what they're going through? We all face pressure at our jobs and worry about providing for loved ones, (like I said I don't feel too bad for a bunch of rich guys) but imagine if on top of that you had your name scrawled across the paper everyday demanding you be fired. If every decision you made was analysed to death. Not something most of us are equipped to deal with. In this click bait, 24/7 press world, columns and headlines everywhere often focus on the negative because we as a society seem to feed into it. Lets face it, its often more fun to read and write when you can take a funny shot at someone rather than deliver a puff piece lauding their success like some sycophantic fan. And to be fair to those of us who do endeavour to write, if all we ever did was gush about how great things were we'd be equally (and rightfully) lambasted.

What can we gleam from all this? Well, like most things in life there's a happy medium somewhere. Like any good night out, you gotta know when to say enough. Writers, be critical, be honest, be fair but most importantly be respectful. Players, remember what got you here in the first place and accept honest criticism like we all have to face in the workplace. Be a lot easier for us all.

Catch 14: What to do with Jordan Eberle

Ah, how one yearns for the good old days. Hero of the World Juniors, a western kid picked in the first round by a Canadian franchise. A highly touted prospect with tons of potential...Such was the life of Jordan Eberle.

He burst onto the national scene with a bang. A clutch perform for his country. Scoring a big goal against the Russian is essentially the Canadian version of being knighted. His much anticipated arrival in Oil country started off with a highlight reel goal against the arch rival Calgary Flames. Life was good. He was going to be part of the rebuild. A cornerstone of an impressive young core that would bring respectability and success back to the 'City of Champions'. I mean technically that's still true but...

As the years have gone by that potential hasn't manifested itself. That success? Only now coming about because of a generational talent and roster overhaul. The glimpses, the flashes in the pan only made the inconsistency that much more frustrating. Kept die hard fans mutter 'if he could just...'

And lets face it. It can't be easy. His name's been floated in trade rumours for years, every deadline day, every off season. The Oilers needed blueline help and he was the one that was thought to be shipped off to get it. He seems to be the poster boy for all their failures, the reason why the team hadn't taken that net step, and now that they have the reason they may not go further. This is reminiscent of Jason Spezza being run out of town in Ottawa. Though to be fair Spezza put up much better numbers. The Oilers were deemed all season to be a one man team, the Connor McDavid show. Given the special talent he is, it's not exactly unfair to hype him up, but other guy needed to step up if this team was going to have success and be taken seriously. Their depth was questioned by many and a lot of that had to do with the lack of production from Eberle.

Eberle has found himself demoted of late, many suggesting he be scratched outright, publicly called out by his coach, demanded more of by fans and the organisation. Part of playing the NHL? Definitely. Does knowing that make it any easier? If I knew I'd actually have to be in the league, so, I can only guess no and we'll go from there.

This is where the Catch 22 comes in. It's not as if he forgot how to play hockey overnight, or stopped caring. The skills that got him to this level didn't suddenly abandon him. He showed flashes of them here and there but consistency eluded him. The age old dilemma to wondering, to quote Blue Rodeo, I want to know where my confidence went. This is the issue. He needs playing time to get going, and get his confidence back but his play hasn't exactly warranted that trust. The fact that he has several years left on this contract and a cap of 6 million per don't exactly make his deal all that palatable if he can't start producing. IN the end the fact is it's got to be up to him to snap out of this, as teams aren't exactly going to be throwing prospects of value at them. They may be stuck and so all you can do is let him play his way out of it. Or wait out the next two years and remember those fleeting glimpses of magic fondly...