TSN: Feschuck

[Loosie]

Are you suggesting that he ignore the comments/stories then?

He could have done some investigative reporting and dug a bit deeper, but they're comments made about an impression from a personal standpoint. There's no much factual checking he could have done to validate the story.....

I'm suggesting he could have given it more context.

"Ron Wilson today said you are uncoachable, do you agree with that?"

You heard Phil's initial response right? "What a weird questions to ask. I don't think I am" So actually gave an answer, but then Feshcuk pressed and insinuated it was Kessel's fault that Carlyle was fired.

 

[hullsy47]

What are the sources of the negative comments? An ex-coach who hasn't coched since being fired by the Leafs. An ex-executive (Watters) that wasn't even around the organization when Phill came in, and a third party observer from a coache's seminar where Spott supposedly said something about Kessel not liking his suggestions. Really strong sources there eh?

plus the hundreds of others who have said things about phil ....lets face it too much press for a guy who hasnt one jack ,kessel is kessel lets hope horachek isnt hired as a babysitter .but in the end all this crap is squarely on nonis ,parading around telling everyone he assembled a dynasty that 2 coaches that together won almost a 1000 games alot in this milleniun,. couldnt get to even backcheck ......

 

[81Leafs50]

"I don't make it my business to get in confrontations with athletes," said Feschuk.

YES HE DOES!!!! BIGGEST ****** IN TORONTO!!!

 

[mashedpotato]

I'm suggesting he could have given it more context.

"Ron Wilson today said you are uncoachable, do you agree with that?"

You heard Phil's initial response right? "What a weird questions to ask. I don't think I am" So actually gave an answer, but then Feshcuk pressed and insinuated it was Kessel's fault that Carlyle was fired.

That's valid. More context? Sure he could have and should've provided some.

 

[Kessley Snipes*]

It started already at the draft with the comments from Jack Johnson and Jack Skille combined with his poor performance from the combine (tests and interviews). Then he clashed with his coach in Boston, Chara is quoted saying they tried their hardest to include Kessel and get him to work harder but they failed. Recchi said he wanted to resign with Boston because 99% of the players in that room really wanted to win, at the time every one knew the 1% who did not care for winning was Kessel. There is a lot of stuff about Kessels attitude and lack of compete that predates him ending up in Toronto. That the rumours and drama around him continued here should really not be a surprise. Phil is a controversial athlete with the way he acts and the character or lack there of he have.

Therein lies the problem once again. Players with less skill get a free pass because they are perceived as being good in the room and are friendly to the media. Hell if Ron Wilson had half the media savvy of Randy Carlyle, he may still be coaching. It's not a secret that the guys who are good with the media are immune from criticism and last a lot longer without having to answer for poor play.

 

[johnny_rudeboy]

Therein lies the problem once again. Players with less skill get a free pass because they are perceived as being good in the room and are friendly to the media. Hell if Ron Wilson had half the media savvy of Randy Carlyle, he may still be coaching. It's not a secret that the guys who are good with the media are immune from criticism and last a lot longer without having to answer for poor play.

No, players with less skill are out of a job if they dont work hard or buy in to what the coach say. Kessel is so skilled he can float for 90% of the time he is on the ice, dont listen to the coaches, do things his way and never worry about not playing. He knows that his skill are so rare that there will always be an organisation willing to make him rich to get some of what he is offering.

 

[TheTotalPackage]

If Feschuk's goal was to light a fire under Kessel's butt because of his recent play then this might just have done that by antagonizing him.

Feschuck poking the Bear might be Leafs Nation gain in the big picture of making Kessel angry.

There was absolutely no intent by Feschuk to light a fire under Kessel's butt. It was simply par for the course from this d-bag. His personality thrives on stuff like this. The more the team is in the dumps, the better it suits him.

It's unfortunate the Toronto media is filled with a bunch of a-holes as opposed to people who are objective and respectful.

 

[yubbers]

Get rid of Kessel for that Rudy kid

Straight up!

 

[sniper81]

"I don't make it my business to get in confrontations with athletes," said Feschuk.

YES HE DOES!!!! BIGGEST ****** IN TORONTO!!!

Typical Feschuk. If we all ignore him, eventually he will go away. I can't respect anyone that would call a players mother at their own home. I honestly can't believe people are defending Feschuk, kessel affiliations aside, Feschuk is a scum bag.

 

[Daisy Jane]

That's valid. More context? Sure he could have and should've provided some.

that's what i said yesterday, but i'll try to expand on this today

the spirit of the question wasn't wrong. Kessel will have had five + 1 coaches in his career

Issues with Julien [whch can be supported of part of the reason why he wanted out]
Issues with Wilson [allegedly]
Issues with Carlyle [allegedly]
*Issues with Spott [allegedly - as people keep saying, Spott has never once denied anything that he said in Feschuck's story].
<<<we'll see with Horacheck>>>
New Coach [where'll we'll have to see]

so asking the player the spirit of "are you uncoachable" isn't wrong when given all the whispers, the comments, and the whole like.

Where Feschuck was wrong - was how it was framed. it wasn't conducive to anything more than trying to provoke an argument, because if it wasn't the case, that question would have been asked to prompt a thoughtful answer. He shouldn't have pushed it the way he did, I think that wasn't right.

Where Kessel was wrong, I feel was how he answered. while I have empathy for the fact that he's a socially awkward person - you chose to come to Toronto. (his words), and then after five years decided he wanted to stay here for eight, and the president of the organzization says he wants all players to be available to the media. Go to a Toastmasters or something, ask Bozak to come up with several generic phrases that is as dumb and clicheish or whatever. Take three seconds to collect your breath before you go postal (for how the question was phrased) and you are too - in the wrong.

there were several ways Phil could have answered that question in a way where that he could have killed the conversation, and he didn't have to explode the way he did. I can see why he did, but.. (shrug)

Today, he was asked about Wilson's comments, and the one comment that i think sums everything up was "Sometimes I go cold out there, so does everyone else in the league, what do you expect me to do out there?" which is the crux of this entire whole debate.

Some people are okay that all he does out there is get his 80 points.

Some people want to see him apply himself more because if he could be better if he applied then "Yzerman/Hull" to his game. (not saying he has to go Selke out there, but just even a modicum more defensively)

Some people just can't even, with him - because of everything in his game since before he was drafted.. People don't like his attitude now.

Do I feel that Phil can help the Leafs win. yes. Do I think that Phil can help us win the cup - yes -if we make a massive amount of moves (which will be crap-tacularly hard) OR we do a Carolina/Calgary/Edmonton/Anaheim 1.0 and Cinderella their way into the Finals.

DO i think think Phil is the 'best' player? Yes.
Do I think he's the right player? Right now, no. (and there is a LONG list of people I put up there too). I state this all the time

The best player for this team may not be theright player for this team. Sooner or later people are going to have to accept this and decisions have to be made. (shrug). teams have to do this all the time, and I dont understand why if this comes up here it's "NO! it CAN'T be Phil"

 

[share]

I think that Phil and the Leafs should part ways. Phil should ask for a trade and demand that it be to a team in the East and preferably in the Atlantic division. I think that he is a much better player than what the media and the fan base has him painted to be so now it is time for him to show it with another team..Looking at and reading about just how much Toronto fans and media think about him maybe Nonis can get a second round pick and a B prospect + for him and then sit back and relax knowing that he is gone..Yes it is time to part ways and allow him to go play with a team like the Habs..

 

[TML1]

I know it was years ago but getting picked last in the all star game should tell you that he's pretty much an idiot and generally disliked by his peers?

 

[yubbers]

I know it was years ago but getting picked last in the all star game should tell you that he's pretty much an idiot and generally disliked by his peers?

Well that settles that

 

[achtungbaby]

"Phil, there are suggestions that you drown children in your spare time, care to comment?"

Yep, totally the same thing. Looks like someone else is "pulling a Phil".

 

[TheKingSlayer]

I think that Phil and the Leafs should part ways. Phil should ask for a trade and demand that it be to a team in the East and preferably in the Atlantic division. I think that he is a much better player than what the media and the fan base has him painted to be so now it is time for him to show it with another team..Looking at and reading about just how much Toronto fans and media think about him maybe Nonis can get a second round pick and a B prospect + for him and then sit back and relax knowing that he is gone..Yes it is time to part ways and allow him to go play with a team like the Habs..

Yeah, geez if only we can dump Phil for a 2nd and a prospect

If that is the best we can get, which it isn't, then he is much more valuable to us as a player - cap space be damned.

 

[Mr Lahey]

Journalist generally won't wait to get a story when they're standing in the room with the article himself.

I think you're taking this to a personal level. Calling anyone a POS is unnecessary; the guy's doing his job.

Asking loaded questions based on hearsay is not a part of his job. On TSN, Feschuk even stated something along the lines of, "I know what I did was against what we're taught in journalism school..."

Feschuk is just another 'journalist' who relies on sensationalism because he has little actual talent in reporting. That's why he tries to take the "controversial" route all the time.

 

[Swayze*]

Feschuk is a dork

 

[kihei]

If Feschuk's goal was to light a fire under Kessel's butt because of his recent play then this might just have done that by antagonizing him.

Feschuck poking the Bear might be Leafs Nation gain in the big picture of making Kessel angry.

I don't think good journalists try to light fires for home teams, nor should they. I do think Feschuk's manner and question was a premeditated attempt to poke the bear, and I seriously doubt good journalists behave like that either. Feschuk looks like the jerk in this scenario to me.

 

[The CyNick]

What are the sources of the negative comments? An ex-coach who hasn't coched since being fired by the Leafs. An ex-executive (Watters) that wasn't even around the organization when Phill came in, and a third party observer from a coache's seminar where Spott supposedly said something about Kessel not liking his suggestions. Really strong sources there eh?

There's a lot of smoke over the hill, could be a fire, maybe we should investigate. meh it's probably nothing, no point of checking into it.

 

[The CyNick]

I don't think good journalists try to light fires for home teams, nor should they. I do think Feschuk's manner and question was a premeditated attempt to poke the bear, and I seriously doubt good journalists behave like that either. Feschuk looks like the jerk in this scenario to me.

Jeff O'Neill put it best when he said when you ask that type of question you're not going to get a good answer. so if you ate really trying to get an answer you're wasting your time.

That said, when a former head coach and others say the same thing, a good reporter should dig to see if it's true. Fes just went to the source. Most people wouldn't do that. i don't think he's a hero or a ****** for doing it.

The issue for us as fans of the team is is it true. seems to me like it is. which is concerning.

 

[leaffaninvancouver]

Tabloid journalism doesn't belong in sports, at the end of the day no one should care what Kessel thinks and only care about his play on the ice.

I don't mind personal pieces and sometimes seeing beyond the game can really be interesting but unless it's an article on said player it has no business being a soundbite, these are athletes and we cut up their statements like they're a politician.

 

[The CyNick]

I wonder if you would ever call a player a POS to their face.

"Hey Phil! You don't backcheck like a winger should and I think you eat too much...YOU POS!"

Keyboard warrior.

i wouldn't call him a POS, because i have no idea if he is.

I would tell him i think he's a terrible defensive hockey player to his face. What's he going to do? Call me a name and laugh? Nooooooo.

 

[The CyNick]

So it's Phil's job to be a 2 way centre now as well?

So far under the list of things Phil Kessel is responsible for I have:

General Manager: roster building
Head Coaching: defensive strategy
2 Way Centre

how about just battle a dman on the wall for the puck. that's literally every wingers job. He should do it. He could do it. He doesn't.

Got another one. How about contribute to being on a line that doesn't give up more than they score? i know it's beyond the realm of wheel and snipe, but a lot of players do it nowadays. Would be nice if he did too.

 

[eddieO]

The dumbest part of this entire thing is Kessel DOES answer. He says "I don't think so. I play." Even though Feschuk asked him that moronic question that didn't deserve a response (except for rightfully so, calling him an idiot).

I think more people should watch the full version of the video, where trash TMZ writer Feschuk follows him all the way out to pester him with more questions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LvpY3i-UcCg

 

[htpwn]

Don't know if it has been mentioned, but Tim and Sid just pointed out that Feschuk's question actually came before Wilson's interview.

... which makes it all the more ridiculous.