Horvat: “Yeah, that's definitely a no-go on the road. No more Fortnite.”
- Thread starter TomasHertlsRooster
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Very different example but in all honesty, it doesn't bother me and most young people are capable of multitasking. Phones are a part of our lives. Its just different for us.
This example is still different though, a better example would be "are we not going out to dinner to play video games".
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Why is it ridiculous? You make it sound like teams are saying, "It's ok to stay up all night long at a bar, but you can't be caught playing any videos games..." There's no one GM saying its ok to go and do that.
And anybody trying to compare it to not stopping them from being productive with work is out of their mind. Do you put the controller down and then immediately go to an intense work out, on and off the ice where you can't half ass it anytime you want? Then come back and go play a meaningful high pace game later? Despite what people want to believe, sleep is very important for a professional hockey player.
Is the punishment too stern? Maybe.
robertmac43
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Okay yeah I agree with these were closer than I thought.
100 percent you put the phone away.
Agree! I think balancing both is the issue, these kids are spending "too much" time gaming and its easier to eliminate it than to try to control it.
It's probably far easier to identify a guy with a drinking problem and attempt to sort that out on an individual level than it is to correct the behavior of a group of guys that game too much. Hence why it likely makes sense to implement a blanket protocol for issues related to video games and not do the same with alcohol.
It is absurdly easy to lose track of time while playing a game with Fortnite's format. Ten games in Fortnite, if a team or player aren't absolutely terrible, will run you 3-5 hours. This type of marathoning behavior is both encouraged and rewarded. Athletes have less time than most to squeeze in their gaming. I imagine most clubs have easily monitored soft or hard curfews on being out of the hotel on the road, but without teams assigning nannies, there's probably not the same level of control over guys staying in their rooms and gaming.
3-5 hours may not seem like a ton of time at first, but when you consider how quickly time turns over between games for flights, practices and whatever else gets squeezed into the schedule, it's a considerable chunk of time. Most of us regular Joes only really have to worry about waking up, making sure we don't stink and eating breakfast.
robertmac43
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This is an issue if it is going on every single night. But is it that bad to dip out on a team dinner every now and again?
The time/place of it is downtime and in the hotel. Players are under no obligation to go out for "social" things. Instead of playing cards like they did in the old days they play video games.
This really is an example of a bad team trying to find a solution and blaming it on video games. The good teams have players gaming and it isn't causing any problems. I quite frankly is a lazy excuse.
Mr Jiggyfly
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- Jan 29, 2004
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Am I the only one thinking these guys will just play Fortnite on their phones or tablets? Not bringing the console doesn’t mean much.
Guys will be disappearing into the bathroom for three hours and their teammates will think they fell into the toilet...
Guys will be disappearing into the bathroom for three hours and their teammates will think they fell into the toilet...
To each their own I guess. Imagine what they would say about our lives, punching a clock, carrying a lunchpail to work.
Maybe poker/cards is a good analogy. I admit I have much to learn about modern gaming. I do think it would be quite the shame that these young men are missing out on the lives that they could have as athletes/celebrities to gaming.
You are assuming that players need to sleep before games. It just isn't a one size fits all solution. For example, I can't sleep during the day at all. I just feel disgusting afterwards. Not all guys take a pre-game nap, but they all have a pregame routine and I don't see how playing some xbox in between hurts that.
And I'm willing to bet that a lot of people who play video games balance a bunch of other life things they have to do at the same time.
Beau Knows
Registered User
Seems like an overreaction. People can get addicted to almost anything, even something positive like working out can become a problem for some people.
Video games are pretty much designed to be addicting though, so it's certainly an issue to keep an eye on for these teams. But I think the right approach is to try to help these kids when these issues arise instead of just banning one of their hobbies.
Video games are pretty much designed to be addicting though, so it's certainly an issue to keep an eye on for these teams. But I think the right approach is to try to help these kids when these issues arise instead of just banning one of their hobbies.
I just think it is different though. I don't think players necessarily want the attention, but if they do they can get it in many different ways.
For example, just take a look at Marner's last instagram post. 26k likes and 300+ comments in an hour. That is a lot of fame and attention at his finger tips. He can go on social media (which I do think is a bad thing) and get all of that fame.
I'm glad we agree on social media at least. I think we're in a very unique time right now where we are embracing everything that technology has to offer without realizing that too much isn't a good thing. Social media/attention whoring isn't healthy behaviour, IMO.
Most certainly a generation gap between us my man but enjoyed the conversation.
I would agree.
If players are going to all obligated team things I think it is fine. There are issues about curfew, but that will/has always be an issue.
There for sure can be issues, and I am sure some players do have issues. But I think that management/coaching staffs can just look at it and make it a lazy excuse. There should be checks put into place to ensure that anything over the top isn't happening, but Babcock actually had a quote on Toronto radio today about some sort of topic (might have been this). I believe one of his daughters said to him "the players don't need another Dad", which is true. They are adults and they will do what they want to do.
robertmac43
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Overall moderation is key with this kind of thing. An outright ban does not seem like the right idea, teaching these young adults about time management seems like the better route.
Yes I would agree 100% that social media is an issue. It really can be a toxic environment and I really have become aware just how negative a lot of it can be. I personally have added a Chrome extension to "Remove politics from Facebook", which just does what it says. Even on twitter I have muted words so they don't show up on my feed. If someone constantly posts negative things or a lot of controversy on any of my social medias it just results in a 30 day mute. Its beautiful and I find that my time online has been a lot more positive.
I can't imagine what a professional athlete sees. They probably see all the standard junk that us normal people would see with the real scary stuff for them being the personal comments they get every second they are on the ice. I can't imagine how horrible it is to read after you make a bad play.
glovesave_35
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I was expecting this to be the reaction. The thing is, booze probably does more to break down social barriers and bring people together than video games. I also don't think guys are regularly getting blasted on the road. While it may be hard to only play Fortnite or whatever for just a couple hours.
thats not the point.Gaming is a very good way to disconnect, rest and it's realy good for the brain and and eye reflex. (Of course not game until 3am everynigth) i 100% like my player to be gaming than in the clubs or bar.
robertmac43
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For real though! I remember reading through Gardiner's insta after game 7 last year and feeling so bad for the guy. Everything he had ever posted was filled with negative comments about every aspect of his life.
Bourdon
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- Mar 20, 2007
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Something lost in all this is that this was a decision made by the PLAYERS. Not the organization.
Canucks players put in video game ban on the road
Canucks players put in video game ban on the road
Volica
Papa Shango
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Loving seeing the kids on the forum kind of come out on this thread.
I understand this, and I really think more NHL teams, and more importantly CHL teams will follow suit. Video games are addictive. I've spent entire Saturday's messing around on my Xbox before. Unlike Drug and Alcohol problems, I truly doubt there's many teams that have connections to Video Game rehab centres and specialists they can help their kids with.
Really it's about getting one more distraction off the road, keeping in mind, this is the FIRST generation of players who would have grown up with video games in their life AND have network connectivity at the palm of their hands throughout their formative years. These men are paid handsomely to play a game, the people who write their contracts and sign their cheques have a duty to stakeholders to have a certain level of profitability and success. If it means telling kids they can't stay up until 5am playing Fortnite, then that's what it is kids.
I understand this, and I really think more NHL teams, and more importantly CHL teams will follow suit. Video games are addictive. I've spent entire Saturday's messing around on my Xbox before. Unlike Drug and Alcohol problems, I truly doubt there's many teams that have connections to Video Game rehab centres and specialists they can help their kids with.
Really it's about getting one more distraction off the road, keeping in mind, this is the FIRST generation of players who would have grown up with video games in their life AND have network connectivity at the palm of their hands throughout their formative years. These men are paid handsomely to play a game, the people who write their contracts and sign their cheques have a duty to stakeholders to have a certain level of profitability and success. If it means telling kids they can't stay up until 5am playing Fortnite, then that's what it is kids.
Another thing that doesn't seem to be discussed is this:
With video games, distance isn't really an issue. Guys can still play with the guys they played junior with, guys they went to school with, guys they played minor hockey with and even guys on other teams.
An example from my own life, my best friend growing up went a completely different path from me. By college/university time, he went to college to be a diesel mechanic and I went to university for accounting. During this time we didn't really keep up much at all, just too much focus on different things. In the last year we started playing Xbox together for the first time in years and since then we have gone golfing and hang out since then. Basically talk a couple times a week now with xbox compared to not seeing each other for a good part of 4 years.
Video games should definitely not be viewed as an antisocial thing.
With video games, distance isn't really an issue. Guys can still play with the guys they played junior with, guys they went to school with, guys they played minor hockey with and even guys on other teams.
An example from my own life, my best friend growing up went a completely different path from me. By college/university time, he went to college to be a diesel mechanic and I went to university for accounting. During this time we didn't really keep up much at all, just too much focus on different things. In the last year we started playing Xbox together for the first time in years and since then we have gone golfing and hang out since then. Basically talk a couple times a week now with xbox compared to not seeing each other for a good part of 4 years.
Video games should definitely not be viewed as an antisocial thing.
