The whole story: What Jeremy Roenick REALLY said

[Hasbro]

In Roenick’s case, I think it might be stable fees for the wife’s horsey habit.

His wife shoots up?

 

[BigE]

If you're a real fan why would you care if they're spoiled? I watch hockey, unless they are directly affrecting my income or tax expenses I could care less. It's more about being jealous, which once again, Roenick is right about. There isn't one person on this message board who would say "You know what, I'll take a 95% paycut because I don't want people to think I'm spoiled." Please.

There isn't one person on this board that makes $8 million a year to play a game. A life of luxury at $8 million is still a life luxury at $4 million.

Bottom line is that until April 15th, the players hadn't given this lockout even 50% of their full effort. Until Linden and Gartner picked up the reigns, nothing was done and nothing was EVER going to get done.

The players are spoiled because they've forgotten why they're here, how they've made and will make their living, and what it is to be a REAL hockey player. Any person who questions my loyalty to the game of hockey needs a firm plant if you ask me because THAT is true ignorance, arrogance and absurdity.

JR believes that because he plays the game at it's highest level, he's entitled to it more than anyone else. I've got news for him, he can kiss my ass! I'd bring out the violin and tell you my whole life story and how hockey has been one of the very few bright spots but fortunately for you and me both, JR stole it to play in the background of his little rant the other evening.

Give me a good god-damned break!

 

[I in the Eye]

Well I say good for them. If you want to tell fans to kiss your ass, do it.

hehe... I agree...

And from my brief skim over his comments, he wasn't telling all fans to kiss his ass... Just the ones who call the lockout the players fault... Just the ones who call the players spoiled...

Fair enough, IMO... He's entitled to voice his opinion, just like the fans are entitled to voice theirs... The majority of fans have been telling the players to kiss their ass for months... Really, how can it not be expected for some players to rebuttal this with 'oh ya... well if I can kiss your ass... you can kiss my ass as well'... Some people subscribe to the philosophy 'I don't give a damn about any ol' man, who doesn't give a damn about me'... and that's not a totally unreasonable philosophy, IMO...

Personally, I think Roenick is a turkey... But I don't think that this type of response is unexpected... Behind closed doors, I think it's reasonable to assume the players are quietly talking amongst themselves that the fans can go screw themselves... Right or wrong, the majority of fans went against the players... Really, right or wrong, how can it not be expected that the players will have negative thoughts (and some turn those thoughts into negative words) towards the fans? It's human nature...

No big deal, IMO... People argue all the time... Time heals all wounds...

 

[HockeyCritter]

HockeyCritter
In Roenick’s case, I think it might be stable fees for the wife’s horsey habit.

His wife shoots up?

Not sure if you’re being serious or not ---- but the answer is no. She’s an equestrian (or was).

 

[Levitate]

The players are spoiled because they've forgotten why they're here, how they've made and will make their living, and what it is to be a REAL hockey player.

complete CRAP. whatever the players faults may be, they've put more into hockey than the vast vast majority of this board. they're not "real" hockey players because they make money at what they do? give me a goddam break.

even if they "make too much money" they still put more of their time and energy and livelyhood into the sport than anyone else...that's part of what makes them pros

 

[AM]

sure...

I'll take 1 Roenick or 1 Barkley over 50 of the smooth, slick, pre-packaged A-Rod's and Tiger Woods any day of the week. Nothing he said was incorrect. If every athlete was as passionate about his JOB, and that is what it is....a job.......sports would be a better product.

FYI...Dan Patrick will interview JR live on SportsCenter tonite.

at least you know where hes coming from...

But its not a good place, any leech that kills its host cant be considered successfull.

 

[GirardIsStupid]

I side with GKJ on this issue. Roenick was made out by the media to be an angry player with one agenda...telling the fans off when this clearly wasn't the case. His main message conveyed feelings of regret and sympathy towards the fans. While he didn't choose his words as carefully as he should have (and displayed some immaturity), he was clearly provoked which prompted that negative reaction to the fans who wouldn't show any forgiveness towards the players despite how much they have conceded. Why didn't TSN, ESPN or Sportsnet make sure this message got through??? They should be ashamed!

I, too, have been victimized by the media (but on a much smaller scale with no profanities being used). The media has a habit of using quotes and videos to tell a story they want the public to believe. Many times, they create inaccurate perceptions contrary to what's really going on.

 

[CarlRacki]

Well you can look at it this way: The NHL is getting some publicity. And any publicity is good publicity at this point.

Are you kidding? This is the worst kind of publicity. Better that no one talk about the NHL than JR portray NHL players like this. Telling fans - any kind of fan - that they're unwanted is about as assinine as it comes. Telling fans (you know, the people who make his lifestyle possible) to kiss his behind is the action of a spoiled, arrogant punk.

I'm a Flyers fan and a Roenick fan (well maybe not so much the latter anymore). I lived in Chicago when JR was coming up with the Hawks and ran into him a few times out on the town. He was always decent and even friendly with people who approached him.

All that said, these comments are simply unforgivable and those of you trying to explain them away, rationalize them or minimize the damage they do to the league and hockey players in general are sadly out of touch with reality. Here's what the average person knows of hockey based on the last two years: 1) Players violently attack one another with sucker punches from behind, breaking one another's necks in the process, 2) They don't play the game too often because owners and players are too busy greedily trying to get their share of a shrinking pie and 3) Star players say fans are unwanted and can kiss their a--es.
Yet it's ESPN's fault the ratings are down, right? Certainly none of these negative images that drive potential fans away in droves can be the fault of the players and owners? No, it's the evil media. Well, blame the media if it makes you feel better, but last I checked the media didn't make Todd Bertuzzi act like a criminal, it didn't make Mike Modano talk about his poodle's food bill and it certainly didn't make Roenick act like a 16-year-old who just learned he can't borrow dad's car for the night.

 

[shakes]

Just out of curiosity, how much do you have to make to lose your right to free speech and have an opinion on something? Don't think he has cornered the market on arrogance... quite a few posters here have got it going pretty good as well.

 

[CarlRacki]

Just out of curiosity, how much do you have to make to lose your right to free speech and have an opinion on something? Don't think he has cornered the market on arrogance... quite a few posters here have got it going pretty good as well.

Typically inane comment from someone who doesn't understand what the right to free speech means.
Last I checked, nobody is saying JR doesn't have a right to say what he said. He's not being arrested for it, no is any government imposing a gag order on him.
But simply because he can say it doesn't mean he should say it. And it certainly doesn't mean he's immune from criticism for saying it.

 

[SwisshockeyAcademy]

I've never liked JR...UNTIL NOW. Kudos to him for telling it like it is. It's really about time athletes dropped all the politically correct talk in interviews. Hockey players in particular are trained to deliver the same stock answers over and over again, and anyone who deviates from the accepted norm (Roenick, Hull, Kovalchuk, etc.) gets blasted. Well I say good for them. If you want to tell fans to kiss your ass, do it.

Not many sports other than wrestling desire having their players/entertainers tell the paying public to kiss their ass. I am not sure why but most leagues frown on it.

 

[Epsilon]

Not many sports other than wrestling desire having their players/entertainers tell the paying public to kiss their ass. I am not sure why but most leagues frown on it.

Personally I think for every person that this would drive away, at least one more will come to the game to boo JR and tell him to kiss their ass. The number of anti-JR signs at arenas is going to be huge.

JR should come out before the game and cut a 20 minute wrestling-style heel promo where he rips the fans and the other team. He can start referring to himself as "The Game" like HHH.

 

[Timmy]

He can start referring to himself as "The Game" like HHH.

The NHLPA have been saying that for 246 days now...

 

[CarlRacki]

Personally I think for every person that this would drive away, at least one more will come to the game to boo JR and tell him to kiss their ass. The number of anti-JR signs at arenas is going to be huge.

JR should come out before the game and cut a 20 minute wrestling-style heel promo where he rips the fans and the other team. He can start referring to himself as "The Game" like HHH.

Yes, fans will flock by the thousands and pay $50+ apiece for the privilege of booing Jeremy Roenick. Money well spent, indeed.

 

[Mothra]

Personally I think for every person that this would drive away, at least one more will come to the game to boo JR and tell him to kiss their ass. The number of anti-JR signs at arenas is going to be huge.

I hope you are kidding.....this is hockey, I dont know if it will drive fans away....but I can assure you that it wont bring in any new fans, at least not in the states. The count on the number of people that will say "hey...isnt that the guy/team/sport where the player said the fans can kiss his ass....lets go" will be at zero

 

[Hasbro]

Not sure if you’re being serious or not ---- but the answer is no. She’s an equestrian (or was).

Oh ok.

In that case he's probably just bitter about living off horse meat and selling glue to survive.

 

[Bring Back Bucky]

J.R. needs to embrace the "WWBD?" mantra.. I believe that if he were more like fantastic wha commissioner Mr. Hull, only smart things would come out of his mouth. If he wants to catch on in the fantastic new pro loop when we take the ice this fall, I suggest he attend sensitivity classes..

 

[saskhab]

I personally think that Roenick is, at best, trying to "take one for the team", that team being the NHLPA. He's making himself the target of the fan's anger, rather than the whole lot of them. Fans will boo him at rinks, and at least show passion about something rather than the disinterest that has eneveloped so many hockey fans about this lockout.

Again, I'm saying "at best". At worst, he's the one misdirecting his anger about the whole thing to the fans now.

 

[KOVALEV10*]

This is too funny. What J.R. said is his opinion. Who the hell gives a rats ass about what J.R. thinks or sais? If you're not jealous of Roenick or if you dont hate Roenick then I cant see how this could bother anybody. I doubt any fans will not come to the games because of one stupid remark from one single player. It's not like Gary Bettman or Bob Goodenow is telling people not to come to the games. I like J.R. as a matter of fact although I might not agree with him all that much but I like the way he is. He isn't afraid to state his mind unlike more then 3/4 of the players.

 

[GSC2k2*]

This is too funny. What J.R. said is his opinion. Who the hell gives a rats ass about what J.R. thinks or sais? If you're not jealous of Roenick or if you dont hate Roenick then I cant see how this could bother anybody. I doubt any fans will not come to the games because of one stupid remark from one single player. It's not like Gary Bettman or Bob Goodenow is telling people not to come to the games. I like J.R. as a matter of fact although I might not agree with him all that much but I like the way he is. He isn't afraid to state his mind unlike more then 3/4 of the players.

Speak his mind??!? Too funny!!!! Roenick is a giant phony, even more so than most players. Don't confuse addlemindedness with honesty. Roenick lied even in that same press conference.

 

[mmbt]

I personally think that Roenick is, at best, trying to "take one for the team", that team being the NHLPA. He's making himself the target of the fan's anger, rather than the whole lot of them. Fans will boo him at rinks, and at least show passion about something rather than the disinterest that has eneveloped so many hockey fans about this lockout.

Again, I'm saying "at best". At worst, he's the one misdirecting his anger about the whole thing to the fans now.

I think it's pretty much "at worst." The truth is, both the players and owners should be pledging everlasting gratitude to ANY fan that loves the game enough to come back after all the garbage they put us all through. They should all be saying you fans can blame whoever you want, so long as you please please come back.

 

[shakes]

Typically inane comment from someone who doesn't understand what the right to free speech means.
Last I checked, nobody is saying JR doesn't have a right to say what he said. He's not being arrested for it, no is any government imposing a gag order on him.
But simply because he can say it doesn't mean he should say it. And it certainly doesn't mean he's immune from criticism for saying it.

Don't think he has cornered the market on arrogance... quite a few posters here have got it going pretty good as well.

.

 

[mzon]

I, too, have been victimized by the media (but on a much smaller scale with no profanities being used). The media has a habit of using quotes and videos to tell a story they want the public to believe. Many times, they create inaccurate perceptions contrary to what's really going on.

Dan Patrick interviewed this ******* last night on SportsCenter. At no point did JR apologize or even offer an explanation for what he said. He kept talking about how much he loved hockey and the fans and how passionate of a person he is. He also said that hockey need to reconnect with the fans and get back on the ice ASAP, but as D. Patrick pointed out, none of that is newsworthy. Every player says the exact same thing. What was newsworthy is that he told the fans to kiss his ass. I am not sure why people think ESPN or anyone else has an agenda when it comes to the NHL.

 

[Jarqui]

The Courier Post & the Philly Inquirer reported apologies but they were half hearted while Roenick was trying to cover it over with the "out of context" smoke.

When the original stories broke, they were headlining Roenick saying the NHLPA were getting a worse deal than in February. At the bottom of the article was the "kiss my ass quote". The "jealous/don't come to the games" quote wasn't even in the original articles (see the first Sportsnet article for example).

So the media didn't seem to lead with the anti-fan rant at the outset. The original videos were also quite lengthy covering much of what Roenick had to say and didn't focus on his anti-fan remarks.

It seemed, rightly or wrongly, that when the fans started to read the article/see the video and reacted to the "kiss my ass" quote within the context of all the other things Roenick said as presented in the original articles and videos that the media shifted it's focus more to the fan insulting remarks. The media then went back and updated the articles/video for more of the fan insulting material and focused more on that.

Roenick knows how the media works and he delivered very quotable material bringing this on himself. From what I've seen of the media, he has been fairly treated.

 

[Bob Clarke Fan Club]

If you're a real fan why would you care if they're spoiled? I watch hockey, unless they are directly affrecting my income or tax expenses I could care less. It's more about being jealous, which once again, Roenick is right about. There isn't one person on this message board who would say "You know what, I'll take a 95% paycut because I don't want people to think I'm spoiled." Please.

It's about thinking you're bigger than the game itself GKJ. I care because players like JR took a game away from me that I was watching far before he came into the League. Then he has the sack to tell fans to kiss his ass? There isn't any defense for it, it's just outright arrogance and stupidity. I know the players knew what they were giving up by not accepting owners demands for a cap but seriously, who in their right mind thought the players would win this thing. It should have been damage control from JR, try to win back the fans...he definately lost one in me. He'd be a much better player if they just taped his mouth shut...and I'm as big a Flyer's fan as there is. The fans lost a season, they have a reason to be pissed...live with it JR.