Speculation: Is John Weisbrod Sneaking his Way to Becoming the Head of Hockey Operations in the Summer of 2020

[Motte and Bailey]

Early this Morning. Jason Botchford in the his new Athletties

confirmed it was Weisbroud who went to Aquilini to axe Linden, I would be watching my back if I was Benning

The Athletties: The Alien touch, the speech, the shotgun and...

I’m highly skeptical of this account. Seems like Botchford fishing for more Athletic subscriptions and using this as bait.

 

[Melvin]

While Iain Macinsmithers writes puff pieces from Jim Benning's lap, Botchford continues to bring the goods.

His account today that ownership grew weary of linden constantly threatening to quit lines up with Elliote Friedman's report over a year ago that linden was considering stepping down as well as previous accounts of him threatening to quit if Benning didn't get an extension.

Doesn't seem like linden was ever really into it and knew he was just a figurehead.

 

[krutovsdonut]

Early this Morning. Jason Botchford in the his new Athletties

confirmed it was Weisbroud who went to Aquilini to axe Linden, I would be watching my back if I was Benning

The Athletties: The Alien touch, the speech, the shotgun and...

i am speculating botchford believes management cost him his job and so is all in on attacking them. i do not know if this is true. this is a rare instance where even if my speculation is true and they did get him fired i would in that hypothetical scenario have no sympathy. in my uninformed internet opinion he apparently has an obvious unpleasant agenda and, in my uninformed internet opinion, has a long history of apparently manipulating and selecting facts and apparently peddling rumours in a manner that could have them mistaken as facts so as to present arguments to support it. now he potentially lacks a strong editorial process to reign him in so, on past performance, i am concerned we may possibly even see him reporting facts that are no such thing, although this is of course simply speculation.

in my opinion, we will see if he can find a niche market of haters to read his stuff or he immolates himself, but that's just my opinion.

to reiterate, this is all my opinion. whether or not botchford is in fact reporting accurate facts and rumours has not been personally investigated by me to the point of certainty, so you should take these statements as someone venting an off the cuff opinion on the internet rather than an avowal of any true facts as to the honesty or accuracy of botchford.

 

[NoShowWilly]

i am pretty sure botchford believes management cost him his job and so is all in on attacking them. this is a rare instance where even if they did get him fired i have no sympathy. he has an obvious unpleasant agenda and a long history of manipulating facts and peddling rumours as facts to support it. now he lacks a strong editorial process to reign him in so, on past performance, you can expect to see him reporting facts that are no such thing.

we will see if he can find a niche market of haters to read his stuff or he immolates himself.

What? Jason botchford didn't lose his job.

 

[Nuckles]

Early this Morning. Jason Botchford in the his new Athletties

confirmed it was Weisbroud who went to Aquilini to axe Linden, I would be watching my back if I was Benning

The Athletties: The Alien touch, the speech, the shotgun and...

The Canucks ownership group felt it needed to move from Linden partly because his threats to quit were ongoing and pervasive. There was a sense he wasn’t in hockey for the long haul and people questioned how invested he was.

“Look at Jim, if he leaves this job he’ll get another in hockey the next day. He’s committed to the sport. He’s in. No one knows what Trevor will do next, but most don’t think he’ll be back in the NHL anytime soon.”

People also said too often Linden was “making it about himself.”

In other words, from their point of view, Linden had a “me above the team” approach and it was permeating the organization’s culture and having a toxic effect in several areas of the operation.

As far as his plan, this is what I was told:
“He didn’t have one. Essentially, it was ‘Do nothing and let the chips fall where they may.'”

And Benning prevented Weisbrod from being fired in 2017. f***.

 

[krutovsdonut]

What? Jason botchford didn't lose his job.

he does not write for the province anymore. from this i deduce they no longer employ him.

 

[Melvin]

i am speculating botchford believes management cost him his job and so is and so is all in on attacking them. this is a rare instance where even if they did get him fired i have no sympathy. he has an obvious unpleasant agenda and a long history of manipulating facts and peddling rumours as facts to support it. now he lacks a strong editorial process to reign him in so, on past performance, you can expect to see him reporting facts that are no such thing.

we will see if he can find a niche market of haters to read his stuff or he immolates himself.

Lol what?

Botchford didn't lose his job ans if he did it certainly wouldn't have anything to do with the Canucks. What a bizarre take, obviously inspired by some kind of bias.

Everything he said is easily corroborated, as I mentioned in my post.

 

[krutovsdonut]

Lol what?

Botchford didn't lose his job ans if he did it certainly wouldn't have anything to do with the Canucks. What a bizarre take, obviously inspired by some kind of bias.

inspired by reading his stuff. i do not like it.

if he still has his job can someone explain to me this headline.

Former Province reporter Jason Botchford joins The Athletic

 

[Melvin]

inspired by reading his stuff. i do not like it.

if he still has his job can someone explain to me this headline.

Former Province reporter Jason Botchford joins The Athletic

He left the province to join the athletic. That's not the same thing as "losing his job."

You may not have noticed but a LOT of writers have been leaving their old school Jobs for the athletic, including some really big names.

 

[krutovsdonut]

It's fine that you don't like him but no reason to be libellous. Just say you don't like his style and leave it at that.

He left the province to join the athletic. That's not the same thing as "losing his job."

ok, i thought he was laid off from a well paying salaried job at the province and has picked up a part time gig at the athletic being paid by the word to backfill it. my bad. he was lured away to the athletic.

not my intention to be libellous. but expressing negative opinion of his writing, but i will go back and edit posts to be sure this is not misunderstood.

 

[krutovsdonut]

my post has been edited. i would appreciate it if those quoting my post could edit it too. not looking to have a libel argument with botchford.

 

[RobertKron]

Oh hey, look, Krutov is wrong and keeps insisting upon the thing that has been shown to be wrong. The sun has risen. The sun will set.

 

[JT Milker]

my post has been edited. i would appreciate it if those quoting my post could edit it too. not looking to have a libel argument with botchford.

He’s not going to sue an anonymous poster on a small message board community over whether he left his previous job or was fired, you have nothing to worry about

 

[Hollywood Burrows]

ok, i thought he was laid off from a well paying salaried job at the province and has picked up a part time gig at the athletic being paid by the word to backfill it. my bad.

what a very stupid thing to believe. are you feeling okay?

 

[Melvin]

I don't read any of his pieces as "attacking" and I don't really see any change in tone from his work at the province and his work now.

He's reporting what he heard about the linden situation and actually gives both sides of it. Moreover, everything he said lines up with a lot of things we have heard from various other reporters, as I said. Friedman reported over a year ago that linden was considering stepping down, which linden denied.

 

[krutovsdonut]

Oh hey, look, Krutov is wrong and keeps insisting upon the thing that has been shown to be wrong. The sun has risen. The sun will set.

it's just my opinion, man.

 

[krutovsdonut]

what a very stupid thing to believe. are you feeling okay?

interesting how many regular longtime negative posters here are chiming in immediately with avowed certainty as to the reason botchford is no longer at the province. one wonders where they might acquire such certainty when the public explanation resembles exactly the kind of story they would immediately reject if put forward by, say, canucks management, to explain a move that superficially looks like a major demotion. it's almost as if a lot of really caustic negative posters here have personal ties to botchford. but that would be speculation.

 

[Melvin]

interesting how many regular longtime negative posters here are chiming in immediately with avowed certainty as to the reason botchford is no longer at the province. one wonders where they might acquire such certainty when the public explanation resembles exactly the kind of story they would immediately reject if put forward by, say, canucks management, to explain a move that superficially looks like a major demotion. it's almost as if a lot of really caustic negative posters here have personal ties to botchford. but that would be speculation.

Dude, have you been living under a rock? The athletic has like 50% of the relevant sportswriters in North America. In what way is it a "major demotion?" newspapers are f***ing dead my man. The province is as likely as not to be out of business in five years.

I would say your bizarre need to make up stories about him and fling baseless accusations at us shows you are the one who has some sort of odd personal stake, if anything.

 

[y2kcanucks]

i am speculating botchford believes management cost him his job and so is all in on attacking them. i do not know if this is true. this is a rare instance where even if my speculation is true and they did get him fired i would in that hypothetical scenario have no sympathy. in my uninformed internet opinion he apparently has an obvious unpleasant agenda and, in my uninformed internet opinion, has a long history of apparently manipulating and selecting facts and apparently peddling rumours in a manner that could have them mistaken as facts so as to present arguments to support it. now he potentially lacks a strong editorial process to reign him in so, on past performance, i am concerned we may possibly even see him reporting facts that are no such thing, although this is of course simply speculation.

in my opinion, we will see if he can find a niche market of haters to read his stuff or he immolates himself, but that's just my opinion.

to reiterate, this is all my opinion. whether or not botchford is in fact reporting accurate facts and rumours has not been personally investigated by me to the point of certainty, so you should take these statements as someone venting an off the cuff opinion on the internet rather than an avowal of any true facts as to the honesty or accuracy of botchford.

That's not speculation, that's just flat out being wrong. And you're using this to create your own narrative based on misinformation. Stop making things up. Discussions will be a lot easier if we're all discussing things that are real and factual, as opposed to whatever narrative you decide to conjure up that fits your own perspective.

 

[krutovsdonut]

Dude, have you been living under a rock? The athletic has like 50% of the relevant sportswriters in North America. In what way is it a "major demotion?" newspapers are ****ing dead my man. The province is as likely as not to be out of business in five years.

I would say your bizarre need to make up stories about him and fling baseless accusations at us shows you are the one who has some sort of odd personal stake, if anything.

apparently living under a rock. i remain skeptical that an internet startup company offered botchford enough money and security to leave the province voluntarily after many years without a push. i don't really care what reporters say about how the athletic is throwing dought at newsprint journalists. in my experience, one area where they as a group are prone to particularly lie is about themselves in a self-serving manner. but that's just my opinion.

and as for "bizarre need" and "baseless accusations" i continually find it weird how selective the skepticism filter is here for many posters in accepting reported facts depending on the slant of those facts. that you can guys pretend to feel moral outrage over my baseless accusations i find faintly charming, given what passes for facts in the management thread.

 

[rypper]

Botchford asked for a buyout from post media and they refused to give him one. Then he asked for a raise and they refused that as well. So he quit on his own accord, took some time, and then joined the athletic. (As well as spots on 1040.)

All of that is public knowledge if you pay any attention to canucks social media, It's not some conspiracy theory.

 

[krutovsdonut]

That's not speculation, that's just flat out being wrong. And you're using this to create your own narrative based on misinformation. Stop making things up. Discussions will be a lot easier if we're all discussing things that are real and factual, as opposed to whatever narrative you decide to conjure up that fits your own perspective.

actually, you and i have debated the accuracy of botchford articles before. the hamhuis trade article comes to mind. i don't recall you changing my mind at all, so i stand by my opinion.

that you are in here with your blustering black and white universe for all things, should tell these other guys they have overstepped.

 

[Melvin]

apparently living under a rock. i remain skeptical that an internet startup company offered botchford enough money and security to leave the province voluntarily after many years without a push. i don't really care what reporters say about how the athletic is throwing dought at newsprint journalists. in my experience, one area where they as a group are prone to particularly lie is about themselves in a self-serving manner. but that's just my opinion.

and as for "bizarre need" and "baseless accusations" i continually find it weird how selective the skepticism filter is here for many posters in accepting reported facts depending on the slant of those facts. that you can guys pretend to feel moral outrage over my baseless accusations i find faintly charming, given what passes for facts in the management thread.

OK sure. Your take is that he left a dying business to join a juggernaut that has been scooping up the biggest sportswriters in the country and he is so bitter about it that he's acting out by writing the exact same content for the athletic that he did at the province with the exact same tone, which therefore invalidates everything he says.

And this, in your mind, is the take that makes the most sense and is least likely to be skewed by some kind of odd personal connection. Whatever you say my man!

At no point have I ever referenced anything he has actually said about the situation (which is extremely little,) so your charge that I'm not applying skepticism to his story is without any basis because I never referenced his story. I am simply applying common sense and logic.

I will continue to enjoy the quotes he posts from players and his detailed breakdown of plays with videos while you continue to make up stories from under your rock.

 

[tantalum]

Clearly how much Botchford makes then and now is unknown. However, there is a recent Slate article that delves into this startup.

How Long Can the Athletic Grow Like a Tech Disruptor if It Reads Like Every Other Sports Page?

Enter the Athletic, which promised readers “quality journalism with no ads” and “unique content from top writers.” The company’s business model requires it hire the most popular writers on any given beat in order to attract paid subscribers in volume. With those high-profile writers come hefty salaries. Interviews with more than a dozen people who were offered jobs at the Athletic revealed the salary for beat writers tends to start at about $70,000 a year not including subscriber bonuses, depending on various factors including market size and experience, with many in the six figures. (The Athletic declined to comment on salaries.) Everyone interviewed stated they were offered significant raises over their newspaper salaries.

In my experience start ups have always paid more than the standard because they need to attract people away from more secure employers.

 

[y2kcanucks]

actually, you and i have debated the accuracy of botchford articles before. the hamhuis trade article comes to mind. i don't recall you changing my mind at all, so i stand by my opinion.

that you are in here with your blustering black and white universe for all things, should tell these other guys they have overstepped.

That you continue to make things up to support your own opinion is laughable. Check out the Patcast Episode 1 of this season. This entire thing played out publicly, yet you think you can just make things up to suit your own narrative? Get out of here with that bs.