Just finished watching "Junior," a documentary on Baie-Comeau's 2005/06 season. You can watch the full length film on the National Film Board's website here:
http://www.nfb.ca/film/Junior_en
Be warned that the focus is purely on off-ice stuff, not the on-ice product, and there's no voiceovers. Also, there are subtitles since it's obviously in french. It's (IMO) not as entertaining as, say, HBO's 24/7, but an interesting documentary none-the-less, especially for QMJHL fans.
I have a few open questions:
1) For people involved in some way in the QMJHL, or the CHL in general, do you think this is a biased or balanced depiction of a Baie-Comeau season? The team seems like a very depressing/awful environment to me
2) Again, for CHL "insiders," do you think this would be a common atmosphere with a lot of CHL teams, or only select teams with rough coaches/management and/or generally poor on ice performances?
3) For everyone (not just CHL insiders), did watching this movie change your opinion on whether or not it's "right" for high end prospects to dictate where they'll play (top CHL prospects often "Lindros" their way out of playing for undesirable teams and force trades to more desirable teams). If this is really how life is on teams like Baie-Comeau, would you blame prospects for forcing their way off such teams and into an environment they like better?
(as far as I can tell there was an old thread or two on HF about this movie, but little discussion)
http://www.nfb.ca/film/Junior_en
Be warned that the focus is purely on off-ice stuff, not the on-ice product, and there's no voiceovers. Also, there are subtitles since it's obviously in french. It's (IMO) not as entertaining as, say, HBO's 24/7, but an interesting documentary none-the-less, especially for QMJHL fans.
I have a few open questions:
1) For people involved in some way in the QMJHL, or the CHL in general, do you think this is a biased or balanced depiction of a Baie-Comeau season? The team seems like a very depressing/awful environment to me
2) Again, for CHL "insiders," do you think this would be a common atmosphere with a lot of CHL teams, or only select teams with rough coaches/management and/or generally poor on ice performances?
3) For everyone (not just CHL insiders), did watching this movie change your opinion on whether or not it's "right" for high end prospects to dictate where they'll play (top CHL prospects often "Lindros" their way out of playing for undesirable teams and force trades to more desirable teams). If this is really how life is on teams like Baie-Comeau, would you blame prospects for forcing their way off such teams and into an environment they like better?
(as far as I can tell there was an old thread or two on HF about this movie, but little discussion)