Women's Hockey Team Booz-Up

[SirJosephPorter]

Haley Wickenheiser said, as part of her apology, that no one
on the team 'smokes'. So there is a good message to all of
the young people right there, and because of the level
of sport they play, I am not a bit surprised, I would not
have thought any of them smoked, as it would seriously
affect their level of play.

I quite agree, talloola. That is what I said at the very beginning (2nd or 3rd post in the thread) of the thread. Athletes smoking? What were they thinking.

So when they say that they don’t smoke, I believe them. However, one again has to see how it will look to the teenagers. They only hear that the players have been smoking cigars. Now, whether cigars or cigarettes is irrelevant, the operative word here is smoking. That gives teenagers the message that smoking is cool.

Anyway, now that they have apologized, it has undone at least part of the damage. An apology was very much called for.

So, the arguement that they are not setting a good example
for young people doesn't quite fit in this situation.
Young people are not stupid, (well, if they smoke they are)
and I'm sure they know about cigars and inhaling.

Young people are not stupid but at that age they are very impressionable, and especially susceptible to people they idolize. Indeed, that is how fashion trends begin. They see their idol, their icon wear this or that and they also start wearing it. The same goes for smoking.

Even though I still disagree with them doing what they did
out on the ice, in view of reporters, I do not disagree
with their 'right' to celebrate in the dressing room and
have a blast.

I support that right too, as long as it is done in private (especially the smoking part).

 

[SirJosephPorter]

No.

When I played rec. hockey, we always had beer and pop for after the games. Admittedly our level of competition wasn't any near professional/Olympic but we always has a cold one, sometimes with the guys from the other team, sometimes with the refs, sometimes just our team.

You were not role models, wulfie, what you did was irrelevant. These people are role models to millions of Canadians. What they do has a profound influence on the teenagers everywhere.

Technically, in doing that we broke the law just like the women did, just like millions of people do in both countries, every time they walk down the street to a neighbour's with a drink in hand on holidays (be it Canada Day, the 4th of July or any other reason to celebrate or enjoy a beverage with others).

Again, i don't think anybody would care much what you did or did not do.

If it offends your sensibilities so bad, write the BC Solicitor General aand demand they be given the $25 ticket.

Legality is not the issue here. I don't think anybody wants to prosecute them, even if it was technically illegal. The issue here is ethics, responsibility, what examples they are setting to the teenagers all over Canada.

 

[SirJosephPorter]

Well, the reaction I generated by saying that, in my opinion, it was poor sportsmanship seems to mostly consist of calling me names that refer to feces.
Thanks for the welcome by the way. I've been all over many other Canadian sites during my absence and I think I have a knowledge of Canadian opinion on many matters (excluding affairs that are totally internal to Canada) that few non-Canadians would have. Given a topic, I could accurately predict the opinion. This is based entirely on reading news and posts on the Internet. I've never met a Canadian so that can be criticized however seen fit. What I have no way of knowing, however, is whether Canadians actually believe what they post or not.
I'm saying this as an observation made in good faith:
Canadian public opinion , and to a degree even foreign policy, seems to be shaped in large part by 1) A sense of inferiority and 2) a dislike of all things American to the extent that it's bigotry.

I'm just grateful I wasn't in Canada as a known American during the Billy Bob Thorton incident.

Basically human nature is the same everywhere, Ranchhand. We tend to idolize the athletes, in the eyes of many athletes can do no wrong.

But to be fair, Americans are no different. I remember when Mike Tyson was convicted of rape, there were plenty of apologists for him (one reaction was, “what was she doing in his hotel room at 1 o’clock at night? She probably asked for it”).

Indeed, that leads to the downfall of some athletes. Athletes like Mike Tyson start believing that they are above the law, when they see the adulating reaction of their fans. That leads them to do bizarre, crazy things and get into trouble with the law.

The reaction you see here is no different, we tend to idolize our athletes, same as you do yours. They can do no wrong, in the eyes of many.

 

[JLM]

Quite so, Spade. And I notice those who think that the conduct of the team was reprehensible are lying low. They put in an appearance once and then shut up.

It doesn’t bother me though (and to critter’s credit, it doesn’t bother him either). I like to visit the thread from time to time, stir things up and watch the mud fly.

Well, let us see what we can stir up now.

You should really get checked for Alzheimers, there was only TWO of you right from the start that thought the team's behaviour was reprehensible and possibly two or three more who thought it was unwise or unprofessional until they saw the humour in the situation. S.J. if you can't be intelligent about the subject at least try being honest. How many people does it take to tell you you are WRONG before you get the message? If you persist with this nonsense I'm going to start a new thread entitled Pro S.J. and Anti S.J. and then you'll get the picture......................:lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:

 

[SirJosephPorter]

I am very proud of our Canadian womens hockey team for winning the gold. Yes, they should not have celebrated by drinking in public but they just won their country a gold medal, they probably were so excited they didnt think of the repercussion of their actions. I don't think people should be so hard on them!!

I quite agree. They did something wrong, apologized for them, it is over. Let us move on. My problems is the many posters here defending that behavior. They evidently seem to think that since the athletes won the gold medal, they can do nothing wrong. This attitude is not helpful, not even to the athletes (some of them really start believing that they are above the law).

 

[gerryh]

ummmmm....no.... he will take it as a compliment and a reinforcement that what he is doing is right.

 

[El Barto]

Yup , the ocean is pretty deep , they haven't found the bottom yet , nor will we with Sir Jo Prude here .
Nice troll admittance btw lol

 

[SirJosephPorter]

You should really get checked for Alzheimers, there was only TWO of you right from the start that thought the team's behaviour was reprehensible and possibly two or three more who thought it was unwise or unprofessional until they saw the humour in the situation. S.J. if you can't be intelligent about the subject at least try being honest. How many people does it take to tell you you are WRONG before you get the message? If you persist with this nonsense I'm going to start a new thread entitled Pro S.J. and Anti S.J. and then you'll get the picture......................:lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:

Sorry JLM, but somebody telling me I am wrong has no effect on me whatsoever. I like to look at the evidence. And in this case I am not wrong, the players apologized. No amount of posters saying I am wrong makes me wrong.

And yes, there have been posters here who posted one post condemning the behavior and then disappeared, they didn't want to face all the piling on (I won't name any manes, but Spade is one example, I can mention him, since he mentioned piling on).

For that matter, you haven't seen the original poster make an appearance, have you? Most of those who think the behavior was wrong were probably intimidated into silence (except me and critter, of course, only moderators can silence me, nobody else).

 

[Colpy]

Yup , the ocean is pretty deep , they haven't found the bottom yet , nor will we with Sir Jo Prude here .
Nice troll admittance btw lol

Yeah I caught that! A confessed troll....doesn't even realize what a poor example he is setting for the newbie members... (sigh)

lol

 

[JLM]

Sorry JLM, but somebody telling me I am wrong has no effect on me whatsoever. I like to look at the evidence. And in this case I am not wrong, the players apologized. No amount of posters saying I am wrong makes me wrong.

And yes, there have been posters here who posted one post condemning the behavior and then disappeared, they didn't want to face all the piling on (I won't name any manes, but Spade is one example, I can mention him, since he mentioned piling on).

For that matter, you haven't seen the original poster make an appearance, have you? Most of those who think the behavior was wrong were probably intimidated into silence (except me and critter, of course, only moderators can silence me, nobody else).

I saw Spade's original 6 point message, it was fairly sensible and low key- more an admonishment than a condemnation and certainly he never used the word "reprehensible", so there is no point in prevaricating, S.J. We all know what we read.

 

[Risus]

Young people are not stupid but at that age they are very impressionable, and especially susceptible to people they idolize. Indeed, that is how fashion trends begin. They see their idol, their icon wear this or that and they also start wearing it. The same goes for smoking.




I support that right too, as long as it is done in private (especially the smoking part).

If young people are impressionable, then they are stupid..

Most of the smoking done in this country is in the public. (outside office buildings, etc)

Why don't you just admit that you are a prude, admit defeat and get a life.

 

[El Barto]

If young people are impressionable, then they are stupid..

Most of the smoking done in this country is in the public. (outside office buildings, etc)

Why don't you just admit that you are a prude, admit defeat and get a life.

Don't ask the impossible !!!!8O

 

[Ron in Regina]

 

[gerryh]

don't you dare shut this thread down...that's what that son of a bitch is aiming for.

 

[SirJosephPorter]

I saw Spade's original 6 point message, it was fairly sensible and low key- more an admonishment than a condemnation and certainly he never used the word "reprehensible", so there is no point in prevaricating, S.J. We all know what we read.

Let us not discuss what Spade said, JLM, I am sure he is quite capable of speaking for himself. You read his post your way, I will read it my way.

But I agree with him that there has been plenty of piling on here, and I maintain that many of those who disagree with the behavior posted one post and then shut up, not wanting to face the piling on.

As to me, well I thrive on piling on.

 

[El Barto]

Ron Honestly , there's nothing new to add to this thread . Its just the prudes to thick headed to get it. You should of closed this thread long ago . Save yourself the headache. Even SirPrude admitted he came back to stirr the pot .

 

[El Barto]

Someones Mom is a dog??? 8O
woof

 

[Ron in Regina]

 

[SirJosephPorter]

If young people are impressionable, then they are stupid..

Most of the smoking done in this country is in the public. (outside office buildings, etc)

Why don't you just admit that you are a prude, admit defeat and get a life.

Admit defeat? Ha! I must be defeated first before I will admit defeat. And in this case the players apologized, that really tells us more than anything else, more than anybody's opinion if what they did was right or wrong.

 

[El Barto]

Ron , get the hand puppets LOL