News Article: Bullying and Backstabbing: The Ottawa Senators are Pro-Sports' Biggest Mess

[hawthy]

https://amp.theguardian.com/sport/2018/nov/13/ottawa-senators-nhl-problems-ice-hockey?__twitter_impression=true&fbclid=IwAR3ZQL-1e4cnEUGIBElnvGYsccUMnj-Fbl9TovO8smQJCPxhIQPktpRzlEo

....most dysfunctional team in professional sports.

....the response of the Senators’ owner, Eugene Melnyk, was dismal.

Over the last few months, in the aftermath of a disastrous season, fans are growing weary of an organization that, in many ways, seems to have separated itself from its fans and its city. Sometimes, it feels as though the team is barely even real, but rather an unending and bizarre dream.

....even the team’s former captain, Daniel Alfredsson, had joined the anti-Melnyk bandwagon. “We hope we get a new owner,”....

Anyway, I won't quote the whole article. Have a read. I'm not including quotes to obscure the context; just a few excerpts that jumped out. The article isn't revolutionary to what we already know, but it's certainly damning. The only thing I would correct about the snippets above is "over the last few months" part, which sort of downplays the extent to which things have been sideways, organizationally.

Strange times.

Click to read more...

 

[stempniaksen]

#FakeNews

 

[Flamingo]

The Sens are getting attention from The Guardian???

 

[PeterSidorkiewicz]

The opening title sums it up nicely.

"A beloved NHL franchise has drifted away from its fans and into another reality as the team’s owner has alienated fans"

 

[Engineer]

and now the media is taking direct shots.

How long will the NHL let this go on?

 

[Do Make Say Think]

and now the media is taking direct shots.

How long will the NHL let this go on?

The Sens don't really matter so I don't think the BoG really cares.

 

[Fandlauer]

The disaster has spread across the pond!

 

[BonkTastic]

Colin Horgan is about to get a digital visit from a couple of Ukrainian hackers.

 

[PoutineSp00nZ]

Figured this would happen when the Sens didn't allow Warren on the plane. Shots fired.

Surprised its the Guardian and not something local.

 

[supsens]

So two players have women drama, and Duch has no class. How blown out of proportion is all this.

 

[FolignoQuantumLeap]

Colin Horgan is about to get a digital visit from a couple of Ukrainian hackers.

Many stock photo twitter users with several digits at the end of their name are about to condemn the Guardian.

 

[DrEasy]

Oh but this is negative! Why do you have to be so negative? Be positive! You must have psychological issues if you're negative!

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

Many stock photo twitter users with several digits at the end of their name are about to condemn the Guardian.

While propping up Melnyk... Its not enough to condemn the media, .. without reminding everyone what kind of "outstanding" human being Melnyk is.. He saved the franchise.

 

[FolignoQuantumLeap]

While propping up Melnyk... Its not enough to condemn the media, .. without reminding everyone what kind of "outstanding" human being Melnyk is.. He saved the franchise.

Oh right, I forgot that part.

 

[coladin]

The Sens are getting attention from The Guardian???

Not really. He is a , surprise surprise, former Ottawa Citizen writer.

I mean, yeah, old news and all. A lot of it makes the players look worse than management. This is just the Citizen and its allies firing back, as the media can only do.

 

[Ice-Tray]

Interesting to see a British 'Newspaper' picking up this story. It actually kind of bodes well for NHL hockey if the the Brits are starting to tune into domestic drama. EDIT: Of course he's an ex Ottawa Citizen guy.... Jesus, we can all at least agree this deserves a scoff no?

The following snippet should be all you need to know about the quality of the 'article'. I mean some in here will absolutely love it, for obvious reasons, but some will see it for what it is; an introductory tabloid piece meant to inflame and sensationalize what really is a bunch of local off ice hockey drama.

"While the team can’t be blamed for how its players – and their families – behave in public, the response of the Senators’ owner, Eugene Melnyk, was dismal. In September, Melnyk appeared in a pre-season lookahead interview. Melnyk opined that “right now, we’re kind of in the dumpster;” mentioned Karlsson’s name exactly never; and, as if to remind fans of his overall detachment, wore a Sens jersey that was two seasons out of date. Two days later, Karlsson was traded to the San Jose Sharks. He appeared unable to explain the reasoning behind the trade. “I don’t think that I’ve ever, in my wildest imagination, ever thought that I would leave this place,” he told reporters."

I mean, that right there is a paragraph saying exactly nothing, and the conclusions and omissions are laughable. Not even angry OC reporters would write something so silly.

This doesn't even encapsulate the issues that fans have at all, even haters should hate this article.

 

[branch]

Many stock photo twitter users with several digits at the end of their name are about to condemn the Guardian.

Definitely not people with ties to the organization doing that come on man... #SensRising #6AssetsInMostImportantTradeInRebuild

 

[BonkTastic]

I mean, that right there is a paragraph saying exactly nothing, and the conclusions and omissions are laughable. Not even angry OC reporters would write something so silly.

It's a survey article for an audience that presumably only tertially follows the NHL, a league for a sport that gets little to no press in the U.K.

Put yourself in the shoes of someone who barely follows the sport. In that context, the article does what is supposed to do.

We aren't the target audience, here.

 

[DaveMatthew]

It's fine!!! It's just a small group of not-real-fans who are complaining!

This team is a joke right now. It's okay to admit it if you're a Sens fan. Sometimes it happens. I'm sure some of you are Bills fans as well and can relate!

 

[Ice-Tray]

It's a survey article for an audience that presumably only tertially follows the NHL, a league for a sport that gets little to no press in the U.K.

Put yourself in the shoes of someone who barely follows the sport. In that context, the article does what is supposed to do.

We aren't the target audience, here.

Exactly, it's juicy, it's loud, it's trashy, and it has Uber! Not to mention he gets to defend his old colleagues in the process.

It also lacks much in terms of legitimacy, but you bait the hook with what the fish are biting as they say...

As I said, at least some Brits are following the Sens now

 

[Engineer]

Exactly, it's juicy, it's loud, it's trashy, and it has Uber! Not to mention he gets to defend his old colleagues in the process.

It also lacks much in terms of legitimacy, but you bait the hook with what the fish are biting as they say...

As I said, at least some Brits are following the Sens now

Dude, you are trying way too hard.

 

[Spirit of 67]

Interesting to see a British 'Newspaper' picking up this story. It actually kind of bodes well for NHL hockey if the the Brits are starting to tune into domestic drama. EDIT: Of course he's an ex Ottawa Citizen guy.... Jesus, we can all at least agree this deserves a scoff no?

The following snippet should be all you need to know about the quality of the 'article'. I mean some in here will absolutely love it, for obvious reasons, but some will see it for what it is; an introductory tabloid piece meant to inflame and sensationalize what really is a bunch of local off ice hockey drama.

"While the team can’t be blamed for how its players – and their families – behave in public, the response of the Senators’ owner, Eugene Melnyk, was dismal. In September, Melnyk appeared in a pre-season lookahead interview. Melnyk opined that “right now, we’re kind of in the dumpster;” mentioned Karlsson’s name exactly never; and, as if to remind fans of his overall detachment, wore a Sens jersey that was two seasons out of date. Two days later, Karlsson was traded to the San Jose Sharks. He appeared unable to explain the reasoning behind the trade. “I don’t think that I’ve ever, in my wildest imagination, ever thought that I would leave this place,” he told reporters."

I mean, that right there is a paragraph saying exactly nothing, and the conclusions and omissions are laughable. Not even angry OC reporters would write something so silly.

This doesn't even encapsulate the issues that fans have at all, even haters should hate this article.

OMG, please tell me Gene really didn't wear a jersey that was 2 years out of date! My God!!

 

[BonkTastic]

It also lacks much in terms of legitimacy

How so?

 

[Ice-Tray]

It's fine!!! It's just a small group of not-real-fans who are complaining!

This team is a joke right now. It's okay to admit it if you're a Sens fan. Sometimes it happens. I'm sure some of you are Bills fans as well and can relate!

Now you're finally getting it

I'm really enjoying the product on the ice right now, are you not? Not everyone has to be a fan of the Ottawa Senators Owner and Management Team....

I definitely laugh at 'when it rains it pours' right now for sure, I mean how can you not laugh at it all. However the team is surprisingly good, we have a couple players that are amongst the most exciting rookies in the entire league, and the future is rosy in terms of prospects and picks.

I dunno, I come for the hockey, the off ice drama is add-on...

 

[Ice-Tray]

How so?

Did you really read the article, just the paragraph I posted is comical in terms of presenting information, let alone checking the bias at the door.

Like I said, some will be just fine with it, personably poorly crafted pot shots at the team, for the sake of it, don't push the needle with me. I can't even enjoy the writing for Christ's sake!