Monday, January 26, 2009
Critiquing the Critics: SI's Michael Farber & Friends
Abstract: These asshats are supposed to be promoting the game, yet instead of featuring what was going well during the weekend, they were badmouthing the game, the skills, Detroit, and every iota of minutia they possibly could have. And it pissed me off. It's one thing to take the league to task, when they deserve it (like suspensions), but this is supposed to be a showcase, not a "let's all jump on the NHL is a terrible league" bandwagon.
I promise, later. If you care. You don't, I know, but I like to think you do.
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Alright, this is Farber's article. Yeah, Michael "Look I am a stupid asshole who covers, but apparently hates, the NHL" Farber.
Now he starts off saying that many players declined to play. We all know that no, Hossa, Zetterberg, et al, didn't say no, they made other plans. Other plans? Hossa's filming a commercial, things like that. They didn't stick their collective noses at the system, when they found out they weren't selected by the NHL competition committee, they made vacation plans, makin' money plans, or resting plans. His implication that they just didn't want to go? Wrong.
And he takes them to task for suspending those Wings. I think they're asses should've been suspended. This is an event for the fans, and corporate ass kissers, to see the best of the best. These pansies faked (?), feigned (?), claimed that they had injuries and passed. Datsyuk and Lidstrom deserved to sit. It should be an honor to join your compatriots in Montreal, not a burden. Hell, winning another car should be incentive enough. Hell, I'd get a whole bunch of sticks signed and sell that shit on eBay. Genius. Farber? He pisses and moans that the NHL choose policy over common sense, well, no shit Farber. Why one game against the effing Blue Jackets is seemingly more important than the showcase of NHL Superstars is far beyond me, stupid mainstream media.
Of course, the NHL can't emulate basketball because hockey, like football, can turn farcical without intensity. So, Groundhog Day starts again.
This straight pisses me off. The NHL is heads and shoulders above the NBA. Listening to Savvy while he was mic'd up, now that guy sounds like a gracious, funny guy.
Can we compare the two? Who would you rather have a beer with? Yeah, I thought so. Farber, don't ever, ever, ever, mention the farce that is the NBA in the same context as the NHL. How can any average middle-American relate to any player the NBA?
What's the difference between the NBA game and NHL game? No defense, all offense, showcasing the offensive talents of the players in the game. Care to compare Malkin's trick goal to say Dwight Howard's "superman" dunk? Seems like it's a helluva lot harder to skate, position yourself, make a sick move, and then beat the goalie than jumping in the air. Maybe that's just me, but Farber saying the NBA all-star game is better is ludicrous.
Now we all know the NHL has its problems, we all know the All-Star weekend should be tweaked a bit. But why does it have to mean anything? What really pisses me off about the SI bit is there is only a single article, posted today at Noon, which praises the game for what it was. Every single article prior to the game actually occuring, badmouthed it. With the NHL "struggling" in this economy, why is the mainstream hockey media knocking the game during its most visible time frame, when it should be pimping it to its hundreds of thousands of readers? It's just plain bad form to badmouth the game that feeds your family, its bad form to knock the game that you supposedly cover.
See these are real articles, enjoying the weekend for what it is, a fan showcase. Farber, you seem to like pissing me off.
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