Confirmed with Link: Garret Sparks Suspended Indefinitely For Violating Team Policy

[Pocket Hercules]

What does this even mean?

Meaning that making kneejerk reactions and handing down a severe punishment on one issue but burying your head in the sand over a similar issue just to appease to the dainty sensitive types online makes Leafs management a bunch of hypocrites.

 

[Hurt]

Meaning that making kneejerk reactions and handing down a severe punishment on one issue but burying your head in the sand over a similar issue just to appease to the dainty sensitive types online makes Leafs management a bunch of hypocrites.

You're backtracking and avoiding the question. And your example and this post couldn't be further from being related to each other.

 

[Bullseye]

Meaning that making kneejerk reactions and handing down a severe punishment on one issue but burying your head in the sand over a similar issue just to appease to the dainty sensitive types online makes Leafs management a bunch of hypocrites.

Face palm. This makes no sense. Just my opinion.

 

[Pocket Hercules]

You're backtracking and avoiding the question. And your example and this post couldn't be further from being related to each other.

I meant just because someone works in HR or is a C-Level exec, doesn't necessarily mean you need to walk on eggshells around them with every issue that comes up. Issues like this should be examined from all viewpoints before coming to a decision...not a rush to judgement just to keep the ****heads at bay like Simmons, Cox etc (who don't really care about the disable person...just the story) off of their backs.

 

[Canada4Gold]

Indefinitely is a little harsh, yeah it looks bad despite Garrett doing the right thing, probably the wrong way. So they probably got to do something to appease the crowd, but fine him, or suspend him 1 game./ Indefinitely is too much IMO.

 

[Pocket Hercules]

Face palm. This makes no sense. Just my opinion.

Great...thanks.

 

[Daisy Jane]

unless - this isn't why he got suspended.

 

[BrianE]

So decking a linesman into the boards (Flames Dman last season) is really not that bad? but running your mouth??

Must be more to it, makes no sense.

 

[Hurt]

I meant just because someone works in HR or is a C-Level exec, doesn't necessarily mean you need to walk on eggshells around them with every issue that comes up. Issues like this should be examined from all viewpoints before coming to a decision...not a rush to judgement just to keep the ****heads at bay like Simmons, Cox etc (who don't really care about the disable person...just the story) off of their backs.

You're making a lot of assumptions in your posts in this thread. What he did was clearly against most if not all professional organizations' 'code of conduct'. As a professional athlete employed by one of the most watched organizations in hockey, you have to behave in a way while in the public eye that is acceptable and not break that code of conduct. Sparks clearly didn't, no matter what the reasoning behind it is. Thus, suspension.

There were far better ways to deal with the situation and he unfortunately chose one of the worst ones.

 

[BertCorbeau]

So decking a linesman into the boards (Flames Dman last season) is really not that bad? but running your mouth??

Must be more to it, makes no sense.

The team is suspending Sparks, not the league

 

[hockeywiz542]

“[garret] was sent home for some team policy reasons when we were on the road trip there [in new york],†keefe said after saturday’s 4-1 win over the utica comets. “i’m familiar with the circumstances, but we’re not going to comment any further from there. Management handled the situation.â€

the maple leafs released a statement saying they were aware of the incident and that it had been addressed directly with sparks.

The suspension stems from an incident that came to light on november 22.

according to users in a facebook goalie group for which sparks is an administrator, members of the forum were mocking a disabled person and sparks came to that person’s defence by asking one of those in the forum where he lived and writing, “i want to go to open hockey with you, drag you out to center ice and beat you into a [expletive] pulp until you can’t run that [expletive] little mouth of yours. God, you sound like a 13-year-old girl.â€

when another member reprimanded sparks for insulting women, he apologized and continued, “girls don’t even whine as much as this guy does.â€

keefe said there is no timetable for the goalie’s return. His status will be reevaluated by the team in the next week. sparks could not be reached for comment.

 

[Keato]

unless - this isn't why he got suspended.

Entirely possible. I could see the 'threat' being the reason, but I wouldn't be surprised if we're just harping on the Facebook post because it's visible to us.

 

[chatty4756]

His heart was in the right place, he was coming to the aid of a disabled person that more then one person was insulting and mocking. Did he go about it the right way? nope and his comments were definitely out of line. what gets me in all this is because its a public figure playing for a pro team, its a big story but wheres the backlash to these people who were mocking a disabled person. I commend sparks for at least trying to do the right thing

 

[Hurt]

His heart was in the right place, he was coming to the aid of a disabled person that more then one person was insulting and mocking. Did he go about it the right way? nope and his comments were definitely out of line. what gets me in all this is because its a public figure playing for a pro team, its a big story but wheres the backlash to these people who were mocking a disabled person. I commend sparks for at least trying to do the right thing

It's not because he's a public figure, it's because he did it in a public forum.

 

[Pocket Hercules]

You're making a lot of assumptions in your posts in this thread. What he did was clearly against most if not all professional organizations' 'code of conduct'. As a professional athlete employed by one of the most watched organizations in hockey, you have to behave in a way that is acceptable and not break that code of conduct. Sparks clearly didn't, no matter what the reasoning behind it is. Thus, suspension.

There were far better ways to deal with the situation and he unfortunately chose one of the worst ones.

It just strange that Leafs management decided to give him this severe punishment when all he was doing was sticking up for someone who doesn't have the ability to do so. Yes, he went a little overboard with the words that he used to the moron in question, but it also seems that there was little to no context given to this incident when deciding on the length of punishment. I just think this issue deserves alot more consideration then flat out condemning the guy over some half assed expose that some pear shaped neckbeard working for the Toronto Sun decided to do solely to get him in trouble.

 

[Daisy Jane]

Entirely possible. I could see the 'threat' being the reason, but I wouldn't be surprised if we're just harping on the Facebook post because it's visible to us.

yeah.

i mean - if we play the odds, and it is. I don't have a problem with it, and if people want to play the social justice warrior/PC thing - that's fine, you'd be wrong but whatever. You don't get an "attaboy" for defending someone with violence and being defamatory as a member of an organization.

Just because the person he was defending was disabled doesn't give him a mulligan.


I don't mind that it's "too much." because
A: we don't know what the leafs policy is about this
B: the Leafs had people deal with crap like this before. (does anyone remember Lupul threatening that guy and how they can deal with it like real men outside/ and crap like that?)

There is an image that the Leafs want to portray, and Sparks violated it. again, we can't say we want people to be accountable - but then get mad when we don't like the accountability being deployed.

 

[chatty4756]

It's not because he's a public figure, it's because he did it in a public forum.

yes he did it in a public forum but my point is, that if you or me had said what he said then its not a story. its that hes a public figure in a public forum

 

[CDP]

I don't get why people are throwing out this isn't fair. There's a level of conduct you adhere to. If this was why he got suspended - then sure, he did something good in defending someone. But he - as a member as the Leafs organization didn't act appropriately.

Again - I find it so weird how people want the players to be held accountable - but when the Leafs do it it's always "well that's not fair that's too hard".

This.

Regardless of his intentions, you can't just curse and threaten people online as a professional athlete and expect no repercussions. It's not about 'appeasing sensitive PC types' or whatever. There's a level of conduct you're expected to adhere to.

 

[burpsalot]

Dumb suspension, if anything suspend him 1 game.

Indefinitely??? That's just too much

Indefinitely means, we might be dropping Enroth, or we want to see the public reaction first or we want to see if Bibeau stinks out the place again.

Seriously though, somewhat expected. Lou hates the social media stuff, so if a player says something he shouldn't be saying, here's the result.

I support Sparks here, but if I was an agent or a parent, my advise would be, stay off the social media ****. It's not worth it.

 

[HOCKEYGOON]

This is ridiculous as the flack Rielly caught a few years ago

Everyone's a snowflake these days

 

[Anthrax442]

LoL for THAT? Sounds more like the Leafs were just looking for an excuse to get rid of him.

 

[Hockey Talker29]

Seems like they just want to demote Enroth and sign Ramo.

Ridiculous to suspend him. Make him issue a public apology. Move on.

 

[TML Dynasty]

Hopefully the 'indefinite' is just a PR move til story dies down and he gets in again. I think there should be some understanding as to why he did it but certainly some games off due to policy violation.

 

[Hurt]

yes he did it in a public forum but my point is, that if you or me had said what he said then its not a story. its that hes a public figure in a public forum

If it reflects poorly on the organization, sure there could be. Remember that guy who said some obscene stuff to the reporter on Live TV and the energy company fired him? Sure, he came back a few months later but they did it anyways.

 

[AuraSphere]

This is dumb... he should not have been suspended. This is just encouraging bullying... Sparks is getting punished for standing up for disabled people?

Great idea suspending someone standing up against bullying