Hockey writer who predicted Gretzky to flop

[unknown33]

I'm searching for a video where two guys discuss Gretzky and one of them claims that he won't make it in the NHL long term.
I think it took place after Gretzky's rookie season.

It was posted around here quite often, I'm sure someone knows what I'm looking for.

Click to read more...

 

[JackSlater]

You're looking for Dick Beddoes.

 

[Theokritos]

 

[Filthy Dangles]

You're looking for Dick Beddoes.

Had to have just been a troll with a hot take trying to get some airtime no?

 

[bobholly39]

this guy sounds like a heel wrestler cutting a promo

 

[Fantomas]

Beddoes is the same guy who predicted that the Soviets wouldn't win a game at the 1972 Summit Series. 10 years later he thinks Shepelev is the best player in the world.

But I wouldn't take this too seriously. He's being Stephen A. Smith before Stephen A. Smith -- just giving the folks at home some entertaining banter.

 

[The Panther]

I love this interview. It's so Canadian! Beddoes is just having some fun, no harm.

The interview was around Jan.22nd, 1982 (in Gretzky's third NHL season).

 

[JackSlater]

Had to have just been a troll with a hot take trying to get some airtime no?

Yes, but he does a great job and cuts a good promo.

 

[crobro]

Stan Fischler

 

[The Panther]

Stan Fischler

Now, there was an idiot.

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

Beddoes is the same guy who predicted that the Soviets wouldn't win a game at the 1972 Summit Series. 10 years later he thinks Shepelev is the best player in the world.

But I wouldn't take this too seriously. He's being Stephen A. Smith before Stephen A. Smith -- just giving the folks at home some entertaining banter.

To be fair, almost everyone was predicting the Soviets wouldn't win a game in 1972.

 

[Iron Mike Sharpe]

Had to have just been a troll with a hot take trying to get some airtime no?

Nope. Beddoes had been one of the top sports columnists for the Globe & Mail since the early 60s. By this point, he had moved into TV & was head of sports at CHCH Hamilton, which was essentially "Canada's Superstation" a la WTBS in the US in the 80s because it was carried on so many cable networks across the country. He had his own TV show for most of the 80s, did commentary on Leafs games on CHCH and also produced Don Cherry's Grapevine for CHCH. His curmudgeonly personality & flashy dress were a definite influence on Don Cherry. He was given a forum on The Journal on CBC national news with Barbra Frum to be the counterpoint to Peter Gzowski because he commanded so much respect in the Canadian hockey world at the time.

 

[wetcoast]

Beddoes is the same guy who predicted that the Soviets wouldn't win a game at the 1972 Summit Series. 10 years later he thinks Shepelev is the best player in the world.

But I wouldn't take this too seriously. He's being Stephen A. Smith before Stephen A. Smith -- just giving the folks at home some entertaining banter.

Hey Stephen A. smith is a great listen, although truth be told I haven't heard him for over 5 years now......

 

[Big Phil]

Couldn't stand Beddoes. Actually, I strongly dislike the Stephen A. Smith or Skip Bayless types of the world. If you have what should be the best job in the world covering sports the last thing you should be doing is purposely making shocking statements that you can't back up or don't even agree with necessarily yourself. There are a lot of people like us who would kill to have those jobs. Guys like this make a mockery of it. Give me the Bob McKenzie-style analyst. He doesn't have to be flashy, just smart, well read, understands the game and actually has good insight.

Beddoes did eventually come around to Gretzky, but by 1982 the only ones who hadn't were those that resented him. Oh sure, there was still the "weak kneed wimps" comments about the Oilers as a team and whether or not they could win, but the ship had sailed on the critics of Gretzky not being who he was by now. Beddoes makes him sound like he's a fraud and this is a month after Gretzky scores 50 in 39. By then it was obvious he was "scary good" at a level we'd never seen.

 

[c9777666]

All those great Soviet players of that eraand yet he mentioned sang the praises of Shepelev.

Tretiak, KLM Line, Fetisov, Kasatonov, Boris Mikhailov..... Shepelev?

I mean, seriously, who was that guy? If you're gonna say one of those Soviet players is the best hockey player, at least pick one of the elite ones.

 

[VanIslander]

Hey Stephen A. smith is a great listen, although truth be told I haven't heard him for over 5 years now......

Omg.

I began following the NFL intensely in 2018 after many years away, and Smith is clearly the biggest BLOWHARD around, and strike two and three are the fact that his "takes" are often crudely obvious AND yet eventually wrong. Shannon Sharpe is at the opposite end of the spectrum among blowhards: usually right and insightful.

 

[Jets4Life]

Couldn't stand Beddoes. Actually, I strongly dislike the Stephen A. Smith or Skip Bayless types of the world. If you have what should be the best job in the world covering sports the last thing you should be doing is purposely making shocking statements that you can't back up or don't even agree with necessarily yourself. There are a lot of people like us who would kill to have those jobs. Guys like this make a mockery of it. Give me the Bob McKenzie-style analyst. He doesn't have to be flashy, just smart, well read, understands the game and actually has good insight.

Beddoes did eventually come around to Gretzky, but by 1982 the only ones who hadn't were those that resented him. Oh sure, there was still the "weak kneed wimps" comments about the Oilers as a team and whether or not they could win, but the ship had sailed on the critics of Gretzky not being who he was by now. Beddoes makes him sound like he's a fraud and this is a month after Gretzky scores 50 in 39. By then it was obvious he was "scary good" at a level we'd never seen.

The only knock on Gretzky going into 1984, was some critics believed at the time that he could never win "the big games" after the Oilers failed to win the cu the previous two seasons. That all changed when Gretzky hoisted the cup. It was pretty much unanimous after the 84 cup win,that Gretzky was the greatest hockey player in the World, and by the 87 Canada Cup, the Greatest of all time.

 

[VanIslander]

I predicted Gretzky would flop - AS a coach!

How do you translate your innate ability to decide what to do in a microsecond into a speech players could understand?!

It is as absurd as Hasek becoming a goalie coach.

 

[wetcoast]

Omg.

I began following the NFL intensely in 2018 after many years away, and Smith is clearly the biggest BLOWHARD around, and strike two and three are the fact that his "takes" are often crudely obvious AND yet eventually wrong. Shannon Sharpe is at the opposite end of the spectrum among blowhards: usually right and insightful.

Maybe I was listening to a different Stephen A Smith on early morning radio feed in Vancouver back in the day.

He was a fresh interesting change form Jim Rome and the clones from LA.

Like I said I havent heard him in quite a while.

 

[Tarantula]

Maybe I was listening to a different Stephen A Smith on early morning radio feed in Vancouver back in the day.

He was a fresh interesting change form Jim Rome and the clones from LA.

Like I said I havent heard him in quite a while.

I can't recall who, but a media guy pointed out that SA Smith was very different prior to his current program, was not bombastic as he is now.

I am old enough but missed Beddoes. CHCH for some reason would not come in via attenae back on the day. Whenever I hear of him I always think of the skit on Second City where J Flaherty spoofs him. The classic line "Looks like I'm buying playoff tickets in... PHILADELPHIA!".

Killion I believe had some good posts on Mr. Beddoes, think there was a separate thread for DB.

 

[Bondurant]

this guy sounds like a heel wrestler cutting a promo

"Hairy legged hockey player".

This video is amazing. Beddoes does have the airs of a heel manager.

 

[wetcoast]

I can't recall who, but a media guy pointed out that SA Smith was very different prior to his current program, was not bombastic as he is now.

I am old enough but missed Beddoes. CHCH for some reason would not come in via attenae back on the day. Whenever I hear of him I always think of the skit on Second City where J Flaherty spoofs him. The classic line "Looks like I'm buying playoff tickets in... PHILADELPHIA!".

Killion I believe had some good posts on Mr. Beddoes, think there was a separate thread for DB.

I'll have to dig into SA Smith some more as for Beddoes I guess the Vancouver media didn't carry him and as a Canuck fan and kid I hated the Oilers as they were like the Dynasty Habs.

The Canucks being lesser than mortals never had a chance against gods like the Habs or Gretzky led Oilers.

Turns out it was the same Stephen A. Smith and it was his ESPN show and I remember his takes about basketball which seems to be more his forte than the NFL, at least according to a another poster ehre, I really don;t know because I don't often watch the NFL.

 

[Big Phil]

All those great Soviet players of that eraand yet he mentioned sang the praises of Shepelev.

Tretiak, KLM Line, Fetisov, Kasatonov, Boris Mikhailov..... Shepelev?

I mean, seriously, who was that guy? If you're gonna say one of those Soviet players is the best hockey player, at least pick one of the elite ones.

My only guess is because Shepelev had that hat trick in the final game of the 1981 Canada Cup. He did look great that game but yeah he wasn't the best Soviet. I mean, the guy didn't even get THAT part right.

The only knock on Gretzky going into 1984, was some critics believed at the time that he could never win "the big games" after the Oilers failed to win the cu the previous two seasons. That all changed when Gretzky hoisted the cup. It was pretty much unanimous after the 84 cup win,that Gretzky was the greatest hockey player in the World, and by the 87 Canada Cup, the Greatest of all time.

Exactly, that was about it. It was more like "Sure they can score, but can they WIN?" This is why the Islanders to this day seem to resent the Oilers and Gretzky. They were winning 4 Cups in a row when Gretzky was re-writing the record book. But honestly, it was so obvious this team was going to win eventually. Glen Sather once said famously that you really can't listen to what the media says about your hockey team, because that's when you are in trouble.

 

[Staniowski]

All those great Soviet players of that eraand yet he mentioned sang the praises of Shepelev.

Tretiak, KLM Line, Fetisov, Kasatonov, Boris Mikhailov..... Shepelev?

I mean, seriously, who was that guy? If you're gonna say one of those Soviet players is the best hockey player, at least pick one of the elite ones.

Yes, Big Phil is correct, Beddoes mentioned Shepelev because of Canada Cup '81 of a few months before. Shepelev scored 2 goals and 1 assist against Czechoslovakia in the semis and then his famous hat-trick against Canada in the 8 - 1 slaughter in the finals.

Shepelev was a good player in the late 70s and especially early 80s but of course he was never the best Soviet player, he was just one of the good players that gave that era's Soviets a lot of depth.

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

The only knock on Gretzky going into 1984, was some critics believed at the time that he could never win "the big games" after the Oilers failed to win the cu the previous two seasons. That all changed when Gretzky hoisted the cup. It was pretty much unanimous after the 84 cup win,that Gretzky was the greatest hockey player in the World, and by the 87 Canada Cup, the Greatest of all time.

Right on the button.

Except for the last 5 words.