Already Enough

OTTAWA--It's not entirely clear whether some fool did indeed yell "Wade Belak" as Zdeno Chara and Joffrey Lupul were deciding on a defenceman to pick Thursday night at the NHL all-star draft.

Videos making the rounds on social media seem to suggest that was indeed the case. Those inside the audiorium at the Casino du Lac Leamy in Gatineau - remember, all mainstream media are not permitted inside the actual studio because it is a TSN event -  said they didn't hear it.

So let's say it may have happened, but either way let's not make it representative of the entire audience that night, although it wasn't anything close to the type of crowd that might attend the NHL awards. Or the draft. This was a more like a pro wrestling crowd, except with a lot fewer women (none?).

The Maple Leafs at the event - Lupul, Phil Kessel and Dion Phaneuf - were the designated heels and bore the brunt of the crowd's animosity, which surprised no one. What did surprise some was how the fans, or some of them, got carried away, turning the air a bit blue and a bit ugly.

Sure, boo if you want. But it is an all-star game, and by most accounts, these folks went too far. It wasn't fun. It was negative and certainly didn't promote the game. Very small town.

TSN worked extremely hard to overcome that and the fact the draft itself was rather home hum. God Bless James Duthie and his tireless efforts to drum up humour and conversation. They mic'd everyone, but the only noteworthy line they got was from Patrick Kane commenting on the "unbelievable" charms of a young lady working onstage.

But it didn't pack the punch of the first year, and while the players association might like it (why?) there's already a belief this draft concept might be history after only two tries.

There wasn't one notable selection, and what you saw was Daniel Alfredsson picking his pals and countrymen and Zdeno Chara avoiding Vancouver Canucks and both making sure no veteran players were embarrassed like Kessel was last year.

The final pick of Jamie Benn over Logan Couture? Could only have mattered to the Benn and Couture families.

So it's time to tinker again. My idea would be to pick captains and assistants two or three weeks before the game, then hold a TV draft on which they can pick anyone they want for their all-star team, perhaps with a limit of two teammates. Now THAT would be interesting, and actually be a gauge on how NHLers value other players.

Bring 'em together two weeks later in the all-star city and you might have a process with legs.

But who knows. This thing has been changed more than Brett Favre's mind. It just took a step down into the gutter Thursday in Gatineau.

 

 

Comments

[steelyman]

Being a Leaf fan living in Ottawa I am geting used to the classless comments & coverage of the Leafs, You are right Damion very small town The only players that are worthy in Sens land are the Sens , they boo Crosby they boo Ovie. I have observed the jumbotron in Scotia Bank place showing Leafs Suck , well that takes the cake. Rivalry is good , Battle of Ont sure thing. But Sens fans & media really should get some metal help.

[P Newton]

To D Something. Not sure why u addressed that to me. I am not a fan of Alfredson either or any other player who won't sign an autograph. To Sensi-Bill who said the Belak comment was made up. How do u know? Were u there? Do u know for a fact it wasn't said? If not, which I'm sure is the case, don't say it like its fact. To Steelyman I agree completely. If the big screen at the ACC said Senators suck I would be disgusted and I am a Leaf fan. Perhaps all this talk about Ottawa having a small town mentality is true. Criticizing Damion for saying the behaviour of some fans was boorish? Maybe it isn't the fact that the Toronto media refers to Toronto as the centre of the hockey universe that irritates Sens fans but that they know Ottawa isn't.

[theobknox]

Ottawa fans are classless. Same with Vancouver. All other Canadian cities have great fans but those two are the worst. They have such a "small man" syndrome that they can't get over it and just support their team, they have to attack others. It's not surprising at all that someone would have disrespected Belak from that group. Get some therapy and rejoin the real world, it's enough to like your own team. You don't have to feel threatened and insignificant.

[Jim Jack]

I found the whole thing quite embarrassing as a Canadian. In an event that is supposed to showcase the best talent in the best league of the greatest game what place was there for this type of drunken buffoonery? Look, boo all you want to at an actual game where you are expected to show your favouritism and support for your team to win. That is not just fair but adds to the atmosphere and excitement. But at an awards event (which is what the all-star weekend is)? I sincerely hope nothing like this ever happens again and the best way to make sure is keep the event away from idiots in Ottawa. Shameful!

[Jamie Lavier]

i wouldn't criticise the toronto media considering what you guys have. Team 1200 has to be the biggest joke running. Lloyd to York " jam packed show today for you today. We have the water boy for the Carleton Ravens water polo team. The NHL power hour with Hockey expert Bruce Garrioch , who by the way also does the " Where to Eat in Ottawa" program, Jason York , the vocabulary expert , "You mean it's not pronounced SEG-A-MENT", and Dave 'the voice " Schreiber, " I wish they would turn one of my stupid preplanned quips into a T-SHIRT like Joe Bowens "holy Makinaw" and after the power hour we will ramble on to kill time until we repeat the first half of our JAM PACKED SHOW. Don't even get me started on the other jokes that carry the leafs little brothers team. Any city that has to beg and plead to vote for captain classless to make the all star game is low budget.

[Mapleloaf]

Fans in many cities, including Winnipeg where I live, boo the other team's best players when they touch the puck. Fans boo players who come back to play against their team after being traded, even though the player had no control over that. Fans chant goalie's names, even when they are standing on their heads. I find all of it tiresome, like trained sheep following on cue, but there are far worse things.

As a Leaf's fan, I agree that booing Alfredson for something that happened in the distant past is silly. Ottawa fans continually booing and yelling out as Lupal was selecting players was equally silly. Threatening players who make mistakes in big games (NFL) and yelling out Wade Belak's name, if this happened isn't silly - it's base, degrading, and classless. There's a difference!

[Conn Smythe]

As a Leaf fan, it didn't really bother me about the booing. The Wade Belak comment, if it is indeed true, is downright disgusting, but to me, not representative of Sens fans. I actual like the format of the draft, to be honest. Does it make great tv? Probably not - but it works for me as a fan of the NHL. Please don't change the format again - yes, it is the All - Star game, yes, their is no hitting, yes, no one really cares, but so what? From what I saw yesterday, it seemed like the fans in Ottawa were enjoying it.

[LeafsDoNotSuck]

Agree. Ottawa has no class.

[LeafsDoNotSuck]

The relentless promoting of Alfredsson E. Neuman was ridiculous. He's a joke. That hit on Tucker is still one of the dirtiest plays of all time. Please go away.

[tiredofbabies]

It's a game people. Get over it. To slam the people of Ottawa because they booed the Leafs is even more obsurd than the one's doing the booing. I didn't hear them booing anyone other than the Leafs. I used to live in Ottawa and found the people to be genuine and fair which is a heck of alot more than what I can say for Toronto. I've gone to games in Toronto and their boring. Bunch of stuffed shirts filling the seats with business prospects. From what I saw, it was all in good fun. A good healthy competitive night of teasing and fun..Pull up your big boy socks and suck it up.. It's part of the game and all in good fun. If your going to be a Leafs fan get thicker and quite the crying.

[coxizgai]

Does anyone have proof that a senators fan did yell out Belak? In watching the the draft there were a lot of people wearing different jerseys. There were a lot of habs, bruins, flyers fans out there, non of which would have an issue bashing the leafs. Unless there is a video proving the senators fans are the only ones booing the leafs or yelling out Belak (RIP), then leaf fans and media a like need to layoff on Ottawa.

[Craig Gagnon]

Are any of you serious? Aside from the Belak comment who cares about the crowd?

There will be debates about who has the best fans too, and Toronto, and Ottawa fans will be furious when they find out the Crazies in Philly make all our games look like Tea Parties, so why gripe about a few boo's now?

Listen, maybe some of you are fly by night Hockey fans, if so, so be it, it's ok by me. You have to learn a bit about the game though, and one thing you need to understand is that one of the most fun parts of being a fan is the rivalries. Without them there is no interest, and with no interest comes no game.

So Boo away Ottawa, it's your time to shine, but the Blue and White will come a visiting soon enough and even up the score!!

Till then..... Go Leafs Go.

[Gary]

here's a better idea for the NHL All Star game

scrap this annoying tiresome borefest that is just an interuption to the season.

NOBODY gives a flying rats a$$ about this game anyway

[Cluck Kent]

How small town? So you're equating rudeness and incivility to people from small towns? Well, perhaps you haven't spent anytime in a small town. I grew up in a small town but spent most of my adult life here in the big smoke and you know what? The city has everything that a small town has only a lot more of it.

[Adroc]

If my team's captain got booed in his own building every time a certain team came to town, I'd be pretty bitter and try to find outlets to return the favour too.

[L K]

Answer me, this, Damien - can you say, with certainty, that had the draft taken place in Toronto instead of Ottawa, that Leafs fans would have been full of decorum and restraint when a Sens player was on stage? I doubt it.

I, personally, liked the chirping. Lupul clearly took it in stride and even joked about it. I'd rather hear chirpring and excitement from hockey fans (of all teams - there was a great diversity in jerseys when the cameras scanned the crowd) than the polite clapping of a crowd full of seat-fillers.

[Neil B]

I don't think that the booing, etc. was that big a deal.

I think that the biggest reason that fans (such as me) don't put any stock in the ASG is because it's nothing but a pond-match for millionaires. Something I think would get people's attention would be if they played the game for the captain's designated charity (after costs, of course; unless TSN would pony up for charity as well). 60/40 split of gross profits, with a nice big novelty cheque presented by the winning team's captains at centre ice at the end of the event.

And maybe, just maybe, we'd see an actual hockey game before the presentation.

[Stevo]

We only boo them because they boo us. When they boo us, it's disgusting. When we boo them, it's deserved. I once heard about a time when one of them did something that proves why they should all be booed. We would never do such a thing. And if we did, it's only because of something they did first, even if it happened second.

[SSDD]

If the game were in Toronto, Leaf fans would jeer @ Ottawa selections just as much, it is part of the culture of sport. There was one moron in the crowd who made an extremely tasteless remark. Every team in the league has a moron or two in their fan base. The person who yelled this is no more indicative of the Senators fan base than the morons who rioted are of the Canuck fan base. As a Leaf fan I hope that Kessel, Lupal & Phanueff do something on the ice this Saturday night to stifle booing & send the Sens fans home crying. That would be the ultimate answer.