Taken from her article in the Gazette.
What’s her main mandate in her new job with the Canadiens?
“I don’t want the media to be the enemy anymore. I think we can work together … I know we can and I’m going to work on that. This city needs heroes. I want people to know the players better. They’re not only numbers, they’re not only statistics, they’re human beings. Players are not afraid now to talk about their problems, what they’re going through, their struggles, and it’s important that they show they’re human beings. I want people to realize that it’s not normal they get criticized the way they do. Sometimes it goes overboard, especially on social media.”
Yeah no. If anything, we need to get away from hero worship of pro athletes, not double down on it. They are human and like all humans they have failings. Once you elevate them into heroes you're setting them up for a fall.
What the city needs aren't heroes but talented hockey players coached and managed by competent people. I don't want to know the players better and if I were a player I wouldn't want the general public knowing anything about me away from the rink. Players mean nothing to me outside of what they can produce on the ice. I don't care that Victor Mete was a nice guy. He was a garbage hockey player and that's all he'll ever be to me. I don't know him and I don't want to. All I care about are results. Focus on trying to win games and leave the human interest stories alone. I only care about them at all while they're wearing a Habs uniform. Once they are no longer doing that, they are dead to me.
Chantal's job will be much easier when she can spend her time talking about how well the team is playing instead of having to make excuses on behalf of players and management for why it isn't. There is not a single problem in the world of pro sports that can't be solved by winning. So the only mandate that any team, from the owner down to the peanut vendors, should have is to win.
And the only conversations that Chantal should be having with the media are the kind that focus on what the team is doing to try to win hockey games.
