TSN: Sparks - All I’ve wanted is a fair opportunity

[Commander Clueless]

Yeah I don't like crapping on guys who have left, and I liked Sparks despite the lackluster performance last year.....but seriously? "Fair opportunity to make the team out of camp?"

He had that in Toronto and more.


Many a player has had just cause to chastise the Leafs for their treatment, but I don't think Sparks is one of them.


I must be reading too much into it....

 

[Squiffy]

Bit harsh from Sparks huh? What the hell fair chance did he not get, more than fair, did everything he could with the Marlies, got a shot despite not earning it in preseason based on fair. Sorry bud, didn’t work out, best of luck, but not fair? Pfft

 

[Joey Hoser]

Bit harsh from Sparks huh? What the hell fair chance did he not get, more than fair, did everything he could with the Marlies, got a shot despite not earning it in preseason based on fair. Sorry bud, didn’t work out, best of luck, but not fair? Pfft

He didn't say that he didn't get a fair opportunity with the Leafs. Now he has a better opportunity to play with Vegas than he does with the Leafs, so what he said makes sense.

 

[flying v 604]

What a complete imbecile and nincompoop.

I find it funny going back and reading his thread. 90% ofvthe same people bashing him were saying he was elite. Someone brought up Demko sayingvhe was better, and the poster was just flamed. I look forward to going back and reading the lily thread after he bombs in the NHL. If he ever makes it.

 

[Its not your fault]

I find it funny going back and reading his thread. 90% ofvthe same people bashing him were saying he was elite. Someone brought up Demko sayingvhe was better, and the poster was just flamed. I look forward to going back and reading the lily thread after he bombs in the NHL. If he ever makes it.

I'm careful to put my vote of confidence down on a player so I am hopfully for Lily but I've never made all work claims on him. I was supportive to how Sparks got the job the right thinking was down in letting the older back up go. You have to expect internal growth at some point. To say he was treated on fairly is an albatross as he never had to worry about any real compitition ever coming into the pipeline he moved up as he continued to win at each level. He wasn't up for the task. It's all good because he should be happy he was traded and not shuffled to back up in minors.

 

[JayfromNB1219]

As the ****ing new guy you don't ****ing call out vet's, especially when those vet's are Patrick Marleau, JT and Hainsey. What the hell was he thinking?

ummm...if the vets are shting the bed I see no problem calling them out...what because he's a rookie he can't have an opinion...now should he have aired it in the room instead of in the media...that's a conversation we can have...but to say he didn't have a "right" to call them out is absurd...everyone needs to be accountable to EVERYONE else that's how a team works...vets don't get special immunity if they are stinking the joint out because they've been in the league longer...if anything them being there longer is more of a reason to get on them...they know exactly what is expected day in and day out and there is no excuse not to live up to it with the crazy amount of money these guys make...

I am no fan of Sparks and I am glad to see him gone...but thats because he is a terrible goalie not because he actually had the guts to speak up

 

[Mr Hockey]

ummm...if the vets are shting the bed I see no problem calling them out...what because he's a rookie he can't have an opinion...now should he have aired it in the room instead of in the media...that's a conversation we can have...but to say he didn't have a "right" to call them out is absurd...everyone needs to be accountable to EVERYONE else that's how a team works...vets don't get special immunity if they are stinking the joint out because they've been in the league longer...if anything them being there longer is more of a reason to get on them...they know exactly what is expected day in and day out and there is no excuse not to live up to it with the crazy amount of money these guys make...

I am no fan of Sparks and I am glad to see him gone...but thats because he is a terrible goalie not because he actually had the guts to speak up

look at it this way, it's like the new part time 20 year old kid at your work and he proceeds to call everyone that's been there for years lazy in his first week on the job ...

 

[Menzinger]

Yeah I don't like crapping on guys who have left, and I liked Sparks despite the lackluster performance last year.....but seriously? "Fair opportunity to make the team out of camp?"

He had that in Toronto and more.


Many a player has had just cause to chastise the Leafs for their treatment, but I don't think Sparks is one of them.


I must be reading too much into it....

You are.

Hes talking about the coming training camp not reflecting on past experience. Problem with the internet is we get snippets of info and over analyze the hell out of it

 

[JayfromNB1219]

look at it this way, it's like the new part time 20 year old kid at your work and he proceeds to call everyone that's been there for years lazy in his first week on the job ...

I can see what you are saying...but when that happened they were shting the bed hard...I hear and understand the idea of "know your place in the hierarchy (played competitive hockey myself and have been in situations similar to this minus the attention something like this draws from major media)
but I have always sided on the idea that if you're on the team and you're practicing and playing when called on you can and have a right to speak up if you see something that is going wrong...as much as it might bruise an ego or two...don't like the commentary...play better

I do hear you though

 

[Mr Hockey]

I can see what you are saying...but when that happened they were shting the bed hard...I hear and understand the idea of "know your place in the hierarchy (played competitive hockey myself and have been in situations similar to this minus the attention something like this draws from major media)
but I have always sided on the idea that if you're on the team and you're practicing and playing when called on you can and have a right to speak up if you see something that is going wrong...as much as it might bruise an ego or two...don't like the commentary...play better

I do hear you though

odds are, the veterans/leaders/coaches have spoken up about the poor effort in the dressing room and during team meetings, Sparks was way out of line and most likely panicked during the interview and said the wrong thing and im sure he apologized to the team also.

 

[JayfromNB1219]

odds are, the veterans/leaders/coaches have spoken up about the poor effort in the dressing room and during team meetings, Sparks was way out of line and most likely panicked during the interview and said the wrong thing and im sure he apologized to the team also.

I can agree with your line of thinking on this one

 

[I am Canadian]

I'm sure the media has taken this out of proportion. If he was talking about Fall 2019, sure he wouldn't have a good chance to make it with the Leafs.

He should have started by thanking the organization however, he seems unstable honestly.

 

[Squiffy]

He didn't say that he didn't get a fair opportunity with the Leafs. Now he has a better opportunity to play with Vegas than he does with the Leafs, so what he said makes sense.

I guess, when you start with “all I want is a fair chance” you’re kinda saying I didn’t have a fair chance otherwise. Granted that is probably true when he spoke it, he wasn’t getting the Leaf job this year. But just saying, Leafs didn’t do him wrong.

 

[Leafs87]

Sparks got outplayed in preseason and he shit the bed multiple times during the season. I genuinely feel we would of had home ice in the playoffs had we had a decent back up.

Move along

 

[Brown Dog]

You are.

Hes talking about the coming training camp not reflecting on past experience. Problem with the internet is we get snippets of info and over analyze the hell out of it

"All I’ve wanted is a fair opportunity..."

He didn't say "all I want;" he said "all I've wanted." Maybe he didn't mean it that way, but the tense he chose suggests he didn't feel he always got a fair chance in Toronto and didn't expect one going forward.