Jagr shows true colours!

[NFITO]

for the many of you here who are jumping to conclusions thinking they know Jagr's every motivation, here are some links for you that show that Jagr was considering Russia long before he signed in Czech:

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=1775978

"There's a big chance I might be going to Moscow," Jagr said, naming Dynamo Moscow and the famed CSKA club as his likely teams.


Asked if he had a deal in place, Jagr said: "Yeah. It might be the best league in the world besides the NHL."

that article was written April 5th!

here's another one:

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/4669783/

seems like he made up his mind back on April 5th that he wanted to play in Russia.

come on people... get real here!!! not every motivation is strictly about greed... we're seeing it all like that because of the circumstances here.. players vs. owners in a labour war so it's easy to paint everything black and white about money, but realistically people's motivations aren't always that predictable.

 

[NFITO]

Huge difference. Canadian & American fans get to see their stars on a regular basis. The fans in Europe only get to watch their leagues develop talent before they're shipped off to North America at the earliest opportunity to make the NHL. They don't have the luxury of going to games or the extensive tv coverage we enjoy.
Circumstances are finally such that superstars could go back to their homelands, the countries that made them, cheering them on when they were little and give back. Are you telling me you honestly don't see the difference between this and Sakic going to play for the local Burnaby team?

no I don't.... because I don't feel that players like Jagr really owe anything back - especially at the time that Jagr was brought up in the old Czechoslovakia...

many of these players didn't have luxuries growing up... even Canadian kids playing hockey sacrificed a lot to play the game, so why should there be a sense of having to give back??

Jagr IMO owes nothing to his country... what he does give back - by playing in world Cups and international tourneys is enough! In the end he's not a Czech before he's a hockey player and a person... what he chooses to do is his perrogative.

I don't understand how anyone should criticise a player for what he decides to do right now... seriously how many of you give back to your communities because of the lives you've gotten?? You don't make millions like Jagr, but do you still give back relative to what you've made?

in the end Jagr, Sakic and all the others are professional hockey players... they want to do what they do best for the few years they have left that they can still do this, and like all the young Euros coming to NA to play in the best league in the world, guys like Jagr have still earned the right to play in whatever league they can right now.

If I was in Jagr's situation I would probably do the same... maybe my motivation is different (although we really don't know what Jagr's motivation is at all!!), but I see nothing wrong with what he's doing.

I grew up in Vancouver.. I'm working in Toronto now because it gives me the best opportunity to make a living here... I could probably still make a decent living in Vancouver, but I chose to come here... I dont' feel I need to give anything back to the community I was raised in, I simply want to live and enjoy the best life that I can in this world.

For Jagr it's going to what he feels is the best league he can play in right now... he speaks Russian, and seems like enjoy being there... I really don't see at all what's wrong with that.

And no it's no different than Sakic not playing in Burnaby... if he really wanted to give back to his community, he could have worked this lockout in Burnaby teaching kids hockey - there isn't a hockey program in NA that would turn him down for wanting to do that!! but he doesn't feel he has to give back to Burnaby, and I don't really blame him... just like Jagr - they're looking out for what they want, and there's nothing wrong with that.... simply human nature to do so.

Since when did everyone on this board become saints?? I hope you all are giving back to your communities and are active in charities and volunteer work... it's easy to sit there and say others should, but you're being hypocrits if you expect them to, and yet you're not even giving up a day a year, or 5% of what you make to show that you are ready to give back as well.

 

[membleypeg]

I don't understand how anyone should criticise a player for what he decides to do right now... seriously how many of you give back to your communities because of the lives you've gotten?? You don't make millions like Jagr, but do you still give back relative to what you've made?

Since when did everyone on this board become saints?? I hope you all are giving back to your communities and are active in charities and volunteer work... it's easy to sit there and say others should, but you're being hypocrits if you expect them to, and yet you're not even giving up a day a year, or 5% of what you make to show that you are ready to give back as well.

I don't think that giving back to a community is as uncommon as you presume, especially in the small town communities that dot this and every other country. I personnally coach hockey and tutor students (for free) in the subject of my expertise. I know of many coaches (through CAHA meetings) who reiterate at these meetings the need to give back to the kids, just like the sacrifices in recreational time that were given by our past coaches. Most of us do more than watch hockey and make comments from our lazy boy recliners.

The vast majority of us have never played hockey in the NHL, and most of us will never make the many millions of dollars that NHL hockey players make however, don't forget who gave these stars their start in the game and who cultivated the players love of this sport. It all starts with the parents and the coaches, who give generously of their time, and often moreso monetarily than could be expected.

It really bites to see NHL hockey players griping about their livlihood. These players are coddled and put on a pedestal in todays society. At the end of the day, make no mistake, these guys are just playing a game. I will never understand how hockey has priced itself out of the market (mainly due to these salaries) of the blue collar worker. Too bad, because it is mainly the blue collar worker who works at the grass roots, and provides the training to develop this resource.

Some do give back to the communities that have treated them like royalty, and I applaud those that do. I will never understand however, how these same athletes (Trevor Linden is as good an example as any) feel they a need to milk every last dollar they can out of the system, or withhold their services (there would not be a lockout if the players would acknowledge cost certainty of this business). I personnally hope that this group of players, and this union, continue to be villified by the public until they reach a reasonable settlement.

 

[Steve L*]

It appears you don't get a lot of things. Regardless of what you say, I just plain don't believe that you would turn down 2 million dollars on principle. Stoop as low? Geez.. he didn't kill someone for hire. He changed his mind about playing for his home team to play in the Russian League for what may or may not have been about the money. Ain't you a drama queen.

Way to avoid answering the question.

If I had earned $50m+ then I wouldnt give a flying $^£* about money because I would already have enough to last me the rest of my life, why is that so hard for you to understand? Why is it so hard for you to understand that its important to give back when you can?

Its pretty obvious from your postings that you care about noone apart from yourself.