Speculation: Erik Cole thinking about retirement?

[Myron Gaines*]

Oh wow, this thread has turned nasty.

 

[Alexdaman]

That's some grade A petty jealousy right there.

"Man, I can't wait till he goes bankrupt so he comes crawling back. That'll show him!"

Is this a recurring fantasy for you?

No, I'm just stating the fact that we have in front of us a fully grown men whining about the fact that instead of making 4M$ next year he'll making a 100K$ or 200K$ less and that's just enough for throwing the towel and that the money is just not there to keep playing.

I loved Erik's energy last year he was one of the only good points about the last season. But he's only 34yrs old and we're going into a shortened 48 games season, now he's saying he wants to retire cause of the PA's deal wasn't good enough?

w.t.f is that? it's outright nonsensical 'I don't know the value of money' talk.

I said by what means will retiring better his situation?

If he came out saying I want to retire cause I want to concentrate of my kids and other things in life, that's ok... But he didn't!

he said that the new CBA deal just isn't enough for him, so I say alright retire I hope you'll one day know the value of money.

 

[NotProkofievian]

No, I'm just stating the fact that we have in front of us a fully grown men whining about the fact that instead of making 4M$ next year he'll making a 100K$ or 200K$ less and that's just enough for throwing the towel and that the money is just not there to keep playing.

I loved Erik's energy last year he was one of the only good points about the last season. But he's only 34yrs old and we're going into a shortened 48 games season, now he's saying he wants to retire cause of the PA's deal wasn't good enough?

See, here's what I don't get: how does the fact that these players are rich change what is and is not reasonable for them to do in relation to their salary and careers? Why do you expect players to act differently than you would? Have you ever had your salary reduced? I'm just wondering.

w.t.f is that? it's outright nonsensical 'I don't know the value of money' talk.

I said by what means will retiring better his situation?

If he came out saying I want to retire cause I want to concentrate of my kids and other things in life, that's ok... But he didn't!

he said that the new CBA deal just isn't enough for him, so I say alright retire I hope you'll one day know the value of money.

Well, first of all, he did say he enjoyed being around his family and it would factor into his decision. But beyond that the standards you are placing on him are ridiculous. He's not even allowed to have an opinion on the quality of the deal that the NHLPA signed which saw the players give ubiquitously without being criticized.

It sounds like distilled belly-aching to me. "They make 80 times the per capita GDP, and they're whining. I hope one day they learn the value of money." Are they supposed to feel guilty about that? Am I supposed to feel guilty about having a superior career path to many people? Should I behave differently in salary negotiations? Am I not allowed to defend my bottom line?

 

[MCDAVIDISH]

NOOOOOO I just picked him in a hockey draft!

 

[Alexdaman]

See, here's what I don't get: how does the fact that these players are rich change what is and is not reasonable for them to do in relation to their salary and careers? Why do you expect players to act differently than you would? Have you ever had your salary reduced? I'm just wondering.



Well, first of all, he did say he enjoyed being around his family and it would factor into his decision. But beyond that the standards you are placing on him are ridiculous. He's not even allowed to have an opinion on the quality of the deal that the NHLPA signed which saw the players give ubiquitously without being criticized.

It sounds like distilled belly-aching to me. "They make 80 times the per capita GDP, and they're whining. I hope one day they learn the value of money." Are they supposed to feel guilty about that? Am I supposed to feel guilty about having a superior career path to many people? Should I behave differently in salary negotiations? Am I not allowed to defend my bottom line?

When did I say he should feel guilty about it, you're putting words I haven't written and in no way reflected my opinion. I'm saying that there's no way for anyone to think that the money is not right enough to keep playing, and that in a world where in one year you make the amount of $ of let's say a doctor would be making by working for 30yrs, that making a case about money does not make sense.

Sure he can criticize all he wants, but he's making it about money. I just don't see him making more money doing something else, he actually said I'm going to see if the financial conditions will be good enough to keep playing, he's going to be making 4M$ next year take out 7% and that's 3.72M$ a year. How can that not be enough?

You're accusing me of hating on him because he's rich, I wouldn't be watching hockey if I actually hated people for being rich. I'm I not able to express my opinion on a valid argument based on crystal-clear facts?

 

[Maffew]

At the end of the day, even if he retires on a sour note in order to be more involved in his daughter's life, who can crap on that?

 

[Born in 1909]

Wow... lots of complaining going down already.

Puck hasn't even dropped.

 

[flarwick]

Wow... lots of complaining going down already.

Puck hasn't even dropped.

Seriously. And shouldn't you guys be more concerned that PK Subban isn't even close to re-signing yet?!?

 

[Kimota]

It goes with the player. Cole is all heart and soul on the ice but remember the first year he signed with us, how he seemed disinterested at the beginning of the season until Martin got mad and pretty much asked him to get his butt moving by putting him on the fourth line? It woke him up and since then he became a dynamo. Cole is just bitter about the Lockout. I'm confident Therrien will straight him out.

 

[Poulet Kostopoulos]

I haven't read all the comments so maybe I won't make any friends by saying this:

There was a comment by a RDS reader saying that Hamrlik loves hockey more than Cole. I agree with that statement.

(Assuming what's reported in the media is true of course.)

 

[lynx]

Trade him for anything, what a ********. How can you cheer for this guy now, take your "Puck Gary" hat and go back to Carolina

 

[BenchBrawl]

If Cole retires , it is actually a fantastic contract we gave him in retrospective.Part of the contract was gambling on his last two years and giving him a lot of money despite his eventual age.If he does quit , we'll have profit from his two years where he was still under 35.I'm not sure exactly why people are so upset?

It is his personal life , his 13 years old (or so) daughter might have some problem here , you never know what is going on in the family.All kind of ****.If his wife and daughter aren't happy for some reasons or he thinks his daughter will turn out better at another school in another city , it might be best for his own private life to quit if the money isn't a problem.

People are so defensive it's unbelievable.This is nothing personal against the Montreal Canadiens.Why exactly should a man sacrifice his private life to play for the Montreal Canadiens? If he's willing to sacrifice 8 million then maybe these private issues are truly important to him , and I don't understand why people can't respect that.It seems the habs fans think the players owe them everything.It's his life , respect this.Can we say he didn't give his all when he was on the ice?! He scored 35 goals ffs.Be grateful.

 

[Cole Caulifield]

If Cole retires , it is actually a fantastic contract we gave him in retrospective.Part of the contract was gambling on his last two years and giving him a lot of money despite his eventual age.If he does quit , we'll have profit from his two years where he was still under 35.I'm not sure exactly why people are so upset?

It is his personal life , his 13 years old (or so) daughter might have some problem here , you never know what is going on in the family.All kind of ****.If his wife and daughter aren't happy for some reasons or he thinks his daughter will turn out better at another school in another city , it might be best for his own private life to quit if the money isn't a problem.

People are so defensive it's unbelievable.This is nothing personal against the Montreal Canadiens.Why exactly should a man sacrifice his private life to play for the Montreal Canadiens? If he's willing to sacrifice 8 million then maybe these private issues are truly important to him , and I don't understand why people can't respect that.It seems the habs fans think the players owe them everything.It's his life , respect this.Can we say he didn't give his all when he was on the ice?! He scored 35 goals ffs.Be grateful.

You are missing the point entirely.

He said he thinks everyone should quit after reading the CBA. He also said it was a sacrifice to play here, and that schools were crap.

Now, he can have whatever opinion he wants to have. But if it's Pejorative Slured stuff like that, he should keep it to himself and not create controversy needlessly. Also no middle class people want to hear about how this terrible CBA will make him a slave. After a long lockout like this these type of comments are insulting at best.

It's this little thing called common sense which he apparently lacks in even the smallest of amounts.

 

[BenchBrawl]

You are missing the point entirely.

He said he thinks everyone should quit after reading the CBA. He also said it was a sacrifice to play here, and that schools were crap.

Now, he can have whatever opinion he wants to have. But if it's Pejorative Slured stuff like that, he should keep it to himself and not create controversy needlessly. Also no middle class people want to hear about how this terrible CBA will make him a slave. After a long lockout like this these type of comments are insulting at best.

It's this little thing called common sense which he apparently lacks in even the smallest of amounts.

I'm sorry but I think it's you that is missing the point.First of all he never said ''the schools are crap here''.Preferring to send his daughter to schools in her hometown when she is entering highschool (which is probably the most crucial moment in someone's life path , I could talk about it for hours) isn't the same as saying the schools are crap.I remember when I was 12 years old , one thing I wouldn't have wanted is definitely that my father brought me to another city when I'm chilling with my friends and building my personality and life during puberty.Those are sacrifices.

Of course he had 4 millions per year to console himself , but maybe the money wasn't as much consolations to his family , and a unhappy family could lead you to reconsider things.No matter how much money you make moving your family that include teenagers to a new town is a sacrifice.Money can't buy everything , and you know Erik Cole is an old player , he already has a lot of money , so his quality of life won't necessarily step up that much with the last 8 millions in the bank.Maybe it would truly be preferable for his family to stay at home on a long-term level.If he thinks it's best for his daughter why should he sacrifice and gamble this? To play for the Montreal Canadiens? I'm sorry but the Montreal Canadiens would finish 2nd to my family and I'm a Montreal guy.He isn't.

It seems he didn't appreciate the new deal , so with what I already said if he lose more money on top of it , the choice is beginning to make more and more sense in his mind.I'm fine with it , he gave us good hockey.

 

[habsfanatics*]

I'm sorry but I think it's you that is missing the point.First of all he never said ''the schools are crap here''.Preferring to send his daughter to schools in her hometown when she is entering highschool (which is probably the most crucial moment in someone's life path , I could talk about it for hours) isn't the same as saying the schools are crap.I remember when I was 12 years old , one thing I wouldn't have wanted is definitely that my father brought me to another city when I'm chilling with my friends and building my personality and life during puberty.Those are sacrifices.

Of course he had 4 millions per year to console himself , but maybe the money wasn't as much consolations to his family , and a unhappy family could lead you to reconsider things.No matter how much money you make moving your family that include teenagers to a new town is a sacrifice.Money can't buy everything , and you know Erik Cole is an old player , he already has a lot of money , so his quality of life won't necessarily step up that much with the last 8 millions in the bank.Maybe it would truly be preferable for his family to stay at home on a long-term level.If he thinks it's best for his daughter why should he sacrifice and gamble this? To play for the Montreal Canadiens? I'm sorry but the Montreal Canadiens would finish 2nd to my family and I'm a Montreal guy.He isn't.

It seems he didn't appreciate the new deal , so with what I already said if he lose more money on top of it , the choice is beginning to make more and more sense in his mind.I'm fine with it , he gave us good hockey.

I've got a question for you. Do you think he is considering retiring or blowing hot air?

If he wants to retire, that's fine, he has every right to, for all the reasons you mentioned above, but, if he is just running his mouth, like he did towards Roman Hamrlik, then he needs to ****.

There is a time and a place for everything, you don't come out days before camp and whine about negotiations and how they impacted you financially and decide now that you will think about retiring next year. He's planning on playing this year at least, he has never indicated anything to suggest he isn't. Those conversations should be reserved for him and management in private and at the end of the year as he is already committed to playing this season.

I can't imagine what the reaction would be if Cammy or one of the other scape goats from last year had have voiced similar Pejorative Slured comments, they would of been stoned to death.

As a professional athlete you should act in a manner that is professional and in the best interest of both yourself and those who write your cheques.

 

[Pedro McGuire*]

Gahh....Just when I though we had a really good warrior in EC....I can't believe this guy whining about being a millionaire to play a game. He doesn't know how good he has it.

If he is going to be a little ***** about playing a game for a living I would rather he just retire now than give us a half ass Gomez style season.

 

[Cole Caulifield]

I'm sorry but I think it's you that is missing the point.First of all he never said ''the schools are crap here''.Preferring to send his daughter to schools in her hometown when she is entering highschool (which is probably the most crucial moment in someone's life path , I could talk about it for hours) isn't the same as saying the schools are crap.I remember when I was 12 years old , one thing I wouldn't have wanted is definitely that my father brought me to another city when I'm chilling with my friends and building my personality and life during puberty.Those are sacrifices.

Of course he had 4 millions per year to console himself , but maybe the money wasn't as much consolations to his family , and a unhappy family could lead you to reconsider things.No matter how much money you make moving your family that include teenagers to a new town is a sacrifice.Money can't buy everything , and you know Erik Cole is an old player , he already has a lot of money , so his quality of life won't necessarily step up that much with the last 8 millions in the bank.Maybe it would truly be preferable for his family to stay at home on a long-term level.If he thinks it's best for his daughter why should he sacrifice and gamble this? To play for the Montreal Canadiens? I'm sorry but the Montreal Canadiens would finish 2nd to my family and I'm a Montreal guy.He isn't.

It seems he didn't appreciate the new deal , so with what I already said if he lose more money on top of it , the choice is beginning to make more and more sense in his mind.I'm fine with it , he gave us good hockey.

What you don't understand is that it's not the fact Cole would not be finishing his contract, it's that he feels the need to whine about the CBA now and use it as a reason to possibly retire.

He didn't simply say I loved being with my family and WILL retire.

He whined about the CBA and said he is thinking about it. I don't think he needs to involve fans and medias in his mood swings right before camp a year in advance of doing it. I just don't see what purpose this served. Common sense.

 

[Roulin]

I've been reading Robert Creamer's Baseball In '41, a fantastic book, for anyone who was ever a baseball fan. This thread reminds me a lot of the Ted Williams "nuts to this baseball, I'd sooner be a fireman" story.

 

[BenchBrawl]

I've got a question for you. Do you think he is considering retiring or blowing hot air?

If he wants to retire, that's fine, he has every right to, for all the reasons you mentioned above, but, if he is just running his mouth, like he did towards Roman Hamrlik, then he needs to ****.

There is a time and a place for everything, you don't come out days before camp and whine about negotiations and how they impacted you financially and decide now that you will think about retiring next year. He's planning on playing this year at least, he has never indicated anything to suggest he isn't. Those conversations should be reserved for him and management in private and at the end of the year as he is already committed to playing this season.

I can't imagine what the reaction would be if Cammy or one of the other scape goats from last year had have voiced similar Pejorative Slured comments, they would of been stoned to death.

As a professional athlete you should act in a manner that is professional and in the best interest of both yourself and those who write your cheques.

Sure , the timing isn't the greatest , but I can't stand the ridiculous expectations the fans have about the players as far as off-ice behavior goes.These aren't politicians , they are guys that are mostly highschool drop-outs who happens to be good at putting pucks in nets.People have a lot of expectations they wouldn't be able to meet themselves , and while people don't make millions , the players don't make millions for their political skills either.They win millions to put pucks in the net , and Erik Cole did it 35 times last year.

Could he simply have think about it in private? Sure.Are those comments bad enough to deserve the kind of reactions you would expect from a bunch of hysterical schoolgirls? No.

Because let's not lie to ourselves , what I see in this thread is very similar to how a schoolgirl would react to anything that piss her off.How about a little emotionnal control?

Of course Cole's behavior isn't the most sympathetic at the moment , but reacting that strongly to it is juvenile at best.

 

[BLONG7]

I think this is one of those times, when a guy like Cole should have kept his thoughts to himself...

If he is so concerned about family, and nothing wrong with that, then why didn't he just sign a series of 1 yr contracts instead of a 4 yr deal?

The PA and it's memebers don't seem to get the concept of escrow?

 

[Cole Caulifield]

...
Could he simply have think about it in private? Sure.Are those comments bad enough to deserve the kind of reactions you would expect from a bunch of hysterical schoolgirls? No.
...
Of course Cole's behavior isn't the most sympathetic at the moment , but reacting that strongly to it is juvenile at best.

You're the one reading too much into things. People think what he said was dumb and that he lacked common sense. They don't know Cole personally and they're on the internet. You're the one calling people you are actually interacting with schoolgirls. Who's truly getting sensitive here?

 

[BenchBrawl]

You're the one reading too much into things. People think what he said was dumb and that he lacked common sense. They don't know Cole personally and they're on the internet. You're the one calling people you are actually interacting with schoolgirls. Who's truly getting sensitive here?

Not me.

You guys can do what you want.It's all fine.But you'll keep getting disappointed with 98% of the players that will play for MTL because very few of them will ever meet your unreasonable expectations.Jean Béliveau doesn't come every 2 years.

 

[PunkinDrublic*]

You're the one reading too much into things. People think what he said was dumb and that he lacked common sense. They don't know Cole personally and they're on the internet. You're the one calling people you are actually interacting with schoolgirls. Who's truly getting sensitive here?

Exactly, and 99% of the negative respondants haven't had children yet and are clueless to the difference of life at home with your kids and being on the road forever !!

Plus there is NOT a chance that it's RDS starting crap. I heard what he said, but under what context ( the only clip we hear is the part of him deciding at the end of the season over and over again ) and maybe he was having a bad day !

 

[BenchBrawl]

Exactly, and 99% of the negative respondants haven't had children yet and are clueless to the difference of life at home with your kids and being on the road forever !!

Plus there is NOT a chance that it's RDS starting crap. I heard what he said, but under what context ( the only clip we hear is the part of him deciding at the end of the season over and over again ) and maybe he was having a bad day !

In fact , you seems to agree with me , not him.

lol.

 

[coolasprICE]

i'd like to read the part where he mentions the schools are crap - anyone have a link or can direct paste a quote?