People, without fail, will always neglect the role the team plays with players like Raffi Torres. Three years ago, I as much as anyone, wanted the man shot into the sun. But when he first went to the Sharks he did get better and I gave him credit for it. Take note of how this happened immediately after a large shakeup in Sharks management. Take similar note to how Matt Cooke did get better until he went to Minnesota.
If the team is going to play them as goons, they are going to be goons. It’s not that difficult of a concept. If they are going to get better, than the responsibility to make that happen falls on the organization. Take for example Matt Cooke. They worked with him to whatever extent was necessary and it paid off. When he went to the Wild, it fell apart because they decided they wanted from him was his old self.
I am not going to defend Torres, but I am going to point out that every single time this issue comes up no one is willing to speak out about the culture that allows it to happen at both the team and league levels. It’s not going to stop until that culture changes, and example-making suspensions are as effective at doing so as the TSA is to making airplanes safe.
Also, if you’re the type of person who just waits for a certain player to make a mistake so you can be outraged and holier-than-thou, you are part of the problem.
If the team is going to play them as goons, they are going to be goons. It’s not that difficult of a concept. If they are going to get better, than the responsibility to make that happen falls on the organization. Take for example Matt Cooke. They worked with him to whatever extent was necessary and it paid off. When he went to the Wild, it fell apart because they decided they wanted from him was his old self.
I am not going to defend Torres, but I am going to point out that every single time this issue comes up no one is willing to speak out about the culture that allows it to happen at both the team and league levels. It’s not going to stop until that culture changes, and example-making suspensions are as effective at doing so as the TSA is to making airplanes safe.
Also, if you’re the type of person who just waits for a certain player to make a mistake so you can be outraged and holier-than-thou, you are part of the problem.
No comments:
Post a Comment