News Article: Season on the edge

[kenfury]

http://www.bizjournals.com/buffalo/print-edition/2013/10/04/season-on-the-edge.html?ana=sm_buff_ucp3&b=1380797858^12912902&page=all

A few things I found interesting

In fact, Regier said Buffalo’s love for its team is so well-known in hockey circles that one free agent told him he didn’t want to play for the Sabres because then he couldn’t be anonymous away from the rink.
“I don’t want a player like that on the team,” he said. “I want players who want to be part of Buffalo.”

“English needs to be the common language,” Regier said.

“The Toronto Marriott is the center of NHL scouting, but I think the HarborCenter can do the same thing on the U.S. side,” he said. “I see it as making Buffalo the center of hockey in the U.S. And for me, it will be a lot easier to bring players into this community.”

Click to read more...

 

[Push Dr Tracksuit]

http://www.bizjournals.com/buffalo/print-edition/2013/10/04/season-on-the-edge.html?ana=sm_buff_ucp3&b=1380797858^12912902&page=all

A few things I found interesting

I dont want a hockey player that doesn't fit in this city

the other 2 things I find kinda meh, every player that comes to the NHL learns to speak English along the way, we knew Terry wanted to turn Buffalo into the US hockey capitol.

 

[haseoke39]

Interesting. I could care less if a player is reticent to get the celebrity treatment. "Being a part of your community" is about being a good neighbor and participating in community events on behalf of the Sabres now and then. It doesn't include getting stopped in the grocery store, the mall, getting hollered at for bad play while you're in line at the movies. I totally understand the sentiment.

 

[joshjull]

I thought the English comment needed context.

To promote team bonding, both Regier and Rolston insist that in the locker room and at Sabres-related activities, English is the only language to be spoken. Indeed, the 2013-14 team has a more international mix than years past, with North American players mixing with European and Russian skaters.

“English needs to be the common language,” Regier said.

And to the OP, thanks for this. It was a good read.

 

[sba]

So Regier kicked the tires on Nathan Horton

 

[haseoke39]

I'm actually not wild about the English requirement. For folks who aren't good with English, it just serves to keep them quiet. If they have countrymen they can bond with more easily while they learn the language, why would you prohibit that?

 

[Afino]

Montreal gets away with it.

 

[Jacob582]

I'm actually not wild about the English requirement. For folks who aren't good with English, it just serves to keep them quiet. If they have countrymen they can bond with more easily while they learn the language, why would you prohibit that?

They can, and do.... "away from the office".

I recall the story of my colleague who told his country-folk (younger/new co-workers) that they need to use English while working. He was in a mentor role as he had been in the U.S. for 10 years at that point. Using this as an example, the English only for the Sabres shouldn't just come from Regier and Rolston.... it should also be the vets (like Tallinder) who mentor the rookies as to how they conduct themselves as part of the team.

 

[Kublakhan]

I'm actually not wild about the English requirement. For folks who aren't good with English, it just serves to keep them quiet. If they have countrymen they can bond with more easily while they learn the language, why would you prohibit that?

you would think these kids that have one wish in life is to play in the NHL and win a cup, away from the rink English and maybe French would be very high on the lists to learn..

 

[haseoke39]

They can, and do.... "away from the office".

I recall the story of my colleague who told his country-folk (younger/new co-workers) that they need to use English while working. He was in a mentor role. Using this as an example, the English only for the Sabres shouldn't just come from Regier and Rolston.... it should be the vets (like Tallinder) who mentor the rookies as to how they conduct themselves as part of the team.

Assuming they hang out away from the rink.

If it was something that came organically from the players, that would be fine. But a top-down rule that works to make sure some people can't communicate is unnecessary.

It doesn't make you a bad teammate to speak a language you were raised with. It makes you normal.

 

[Paxon]

you would think these kids that have one wish in life is to play in the NHL and win a cup, away from the rink English and maybe French would be very high on the lists to learn..

Most of them take English in school I imagine. Swedish students, for example, take English when they're maybe 15. As most of us can attest to, though, learning a language in school doesn't lead to much conversational ability until you're actually frequently using it in conversation.

 

[haseoke39]

you would think these kids that have one wish in life is to play in the NHL and win a cup, away from the rink English and maybe French would be very high on the lists to learn..

Why would you be learning English while you're playing in Russia or Finland? Who would you even speak to?

 

[Paxon]

Why would you be learning English while you're playing in Russia or Finland? Who would you even speak to?

Because their goal is to play in the NHL, and pretty much every school system makes students learn a foreign language anyhow.

 

[Jim Bob]

Assuming they hang out away from the rink.

If it was something that came organically from the players, that would be fine. But a top-down rule that works to make sure some people can't communicate is unnecessary.

It doesn't make you a bad teammate to speak a language you were raised with. It makes you normal.

I think it's the opposite.

If Grigorenko didn't know a word of English, how is he going to effectively communicate with his RW in Flynn?

Sure, it's a bit of throw them in the deep end of the pool thing, but it will help break up the cliques a bit and it will help communication on the ice.

 

[haseoke39]

Because their goal is to play in the NHL, and pretty much every school system makes students learn a foreign language anyhow.

Well, maybe you're right, but it doesn't matter. The question is are they able to communicate, not should they be.

 

[haseoke39]

I think it's the opposite.

If Grigorenko didn't know a word of English, how is he going to effectively communicate with his RW in Flynn?

Sure, it's a bit of throw them in the deep end of the pool thing, but it will help break up the cliques a bit and it will help communication on the ice.

That depends on whether you think he's going to learn English faster because of the rule. But learning his new language is something a player will do every minute he's awake, because away from the rink that's all he's surrounded by. I doubt that him speaking a little of his native language while he's in the locker room would really slow down that learning process.

 

[Paxon]

Well, maybe you're right, but it doesn't matter. The question is are they able to communicate, not should they be.

Fair enough. It seems these days the Euros who play one year in juniors are able to get it down pretty well by draft time. It still seems to take time for many Eastern European players who don't.

I don't think the rule is necessary, at any rate, but it doesn't bother me.

 

[Namejs]

Most of them take English in school I imagine. Swedish students, for example, take English when they're maybe 15. As most of us can attest to, though, learning a language in school doesn't lead to much conversational ability until you're actually frequently using it in conversation.

Pretty sure they're teaching English in Sweden from the 1st grade. The overwhelming majority of people from the Northern part of Europe (Scandinavia, the Baltics, Benelux + German-speaking countries) are capable of holding a conversation in English.

American and British films aren't even dubbed on TV here, so English generally isn't a problem.

It's typically a problem for players from Russia, Belarus, etc.

Having said that, being able to speak in your native language is always more convenient, the communication will always be more efficient. So I don't really understand why should they force it on the players.

 

[French Connection]

http://www.bizjournals.com/buffalo/print-edition/2013/10/04/season-on-the-edge.html?ana=sm_buff_ucp3&b=1380797858^12912902&page=all

A few things I found interesting

You would NEVER NEVER get away with this type of rule in the real working world by telling people they can speak. Wow! I don't believe I am reading about it in this day and age.

 

[Sabretooth]

Assuming they hang out away from the rink.

If it was something that came organically from the players, that would be fine. But a top-down rule that works to make sure some people can't communicate is unnecessary.

It doesn't make you a bad teammate to speak a language you were raised with. It makes you normal.

You're interpreting the quote the wrong way. Its intended to make sure you don't have the russians in one corner of the locker room talking in russian and the fins in the other corner talking in finnish and the french canadien players talking in french in another corner and etc. Its to make sure everyone communicates together in a language everyone can understand and there is no segregation due to language barriers. Team unity and all that. You only learn a new language by actually using it, afterall.

Why would you be learning English while you're playing in Russia or Finland? Who would you even speak to?

In a lot of other countries, kids grow up in school learning english. I visited St. Petersburg when I was in college and the group I was with came across a group of young russian kids late teens early 20's who struck up a conversation with us in English. They tried to convince us they were from Liverpool, which was hilarious with the strong Russian accent. We talked a bit, and later our guide informed us that all students learn English and most are eager to practice the language whenever they can.

 

[Jacob582]

It's about bonding and communicating as a team. It's challenging if you are not using the same language.

 

[Jacob582]

You would NEVER NEVER get away with this type of rule in the real working world by telling people they can speak. Wow! I don't believe I am reading about it in this day and age.

That's right. Because "teams" in an office environment use English.

"•Circumstances in which an English-only rule may be justified include:..... cooperative work assignments in which the English-only rule is needed to promote efficiency." (U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission )

 

[haseoke39]

You're interpreting the quote the wrong way. Its intended to make sure you don't have the russians in one corner of the locker room talking in russian and the fins in the other corner talking in finnish and the french canadien players talking in french in another corner and etc. Its to make sure everyone communicates together in a language everyone can understand and there is no segregation due to language barriers. Team unity and all that. You only learn a new language by actually using it, afterall.



In a lot of other countries, kids grow up in school learning english. I visited St. Petersburg when I was in college and the group I was with came across a group of young russian kids late teens early 20's who struck up a conversation with us in English. They tried to convince us they were from Liverpool, which was hilarious with the strong Russian accent. We talked a bit, and later our guide informed us that all students learn English and most are eager to practice the language whenever they can.

The difference between whether the rule is inclusionary or exclusionary depends on the particular players you have and their language skills. If players are able to speak well enough, it works like you've described. If they actually can't, though, it doesn't.

Malkin in his first couple years in the league is a perfect example of a guy who really couldn't, and being able to converse with Gonchar was something that (it was widely reported) helped him get acclimated.

I don't know the variety of language skills or lack thereof on the team, I'm just pointing out that this is a concern of mine. And I will say, if I was playing in Russia and the team prohibited me from speaking to a fellow American on the team in English, I would be very frustrated and resentful of the order.

 

[Kublakhan]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I remember way back when Alexander Mogilny defected from the USSR he did not speak two words of English..It did not seem to effect his play Not a very good interview though lol..

 

[French Connection]

The difference between whether the rule is inclusionary or exclusionary depends on the particular players you have and their language skills. If players are able to speak well enough, it works like you've described. If they actually can't, though, it doesn't.

Malkin in his first couple years in the league is a perfect example of a guy who really couldn't, and being able to converse with Gonchar was something that (it was widely reported) helped him get acclimated.

I don't know the variety of language skills or lack thereof on the team, I'm just pointing out that this is a concern of mine. And I will say, if I was playing in Russia and the team prohibited me from speaking to a fellow American on the team in English, I would be very frustrated and resentful of the order.

This!

People here do not and will not think outside of the box and place themselves in another person's shoes or a situation as you described. I understand the rationale, but you can not do it in this country!