The Sun: Steve Simmons on "Driving players out of town"

[Gabriel426]

Think Dangle said it best before the Century game against the Canes, we are Leafs fans, we only care what happened in the last game.

Maybe I am buying into too much Babcock but I do believe that he tries to take all the blame whenever the Leafs struggles, and give credits to the players when they win. None of the Leafs acts like a primadonna in interviews, to some extend, all Leafs interviews is really boring, it is like standard answers. The only diff is Kadri.
Anyhow, point is, guys like Simmons, Cox and others are a dying breed, and are surviving with click bait article like Babcock hates Matthews....as long as we don't click on it, retweet it, they will be gone.
As for Kyperous, pretty much everyone on sportsnet is a tool. Didn't he say something like Leafs should trade Marner a few months back.

 

[WTFMAN99]

I won't click it.

 

[Duke Silver]

Stop. linking. Steve. Simmons. articles.

Stop. reading. Steve. Simmons.

Period. The guy is a turd.

 

[pcruz]

Toronto fans: Matthews should get more ice time
Toronto Media: Babcock Lost Matthews, There was No Trust Anymore



Simmons is foolish for suggesting the media is innocent. Don't forget the absolute garbage that came out about Kadri during his initial years. Kessel and the hot dogs. Reimer's health (directly contacting his mom).

Toronto has the most trash media in all of hockey. Straight up embarrassing.

Sadly, these clowns repeat themselves long enough that people who are now in the former group, end up joining that latter.

Heck even in the salute gate Days they wer above 500 and in a playoff spot when the media rode them like crazy and dummy fans were throwing jerseys

Just out of curiosity, how many people noticed that the Leafs players didn't "salute" the crowd that night before hearing about it in the media - be it print, television, radio or social media.
Also, what does it mean when the players lift up their sticks after a home game? Did they win because of the crowd? Do they lose because of the crowd?
If it's just a simple acknowledgement, then shouldn't they lift up their sticks after all 41 home games?

I'm baffled over the outrage stemming from this one incident.

yup Kessel would have led Toronto to multiple cups if it wasn't for the media keeping him down

and i still remember how we were first in the standings and yet our toxic fan base was throwing jerseys and waffles

You're right.
Hypotheticals will win you your argument here.
In reality, Kessel has not only been a significant factor in back to back Stanley Cups, he was also likely jobbed for the Conn Smythe for one of those runs.
It's also possible that the "cancer in the room" who is "the worst player in the league" might win a 3rd consecutive cup after posting his best season (92 pts) in his 3rd year in Pittsburgh. Remember how Kessel's body was finished prior to him being traded? Remember how he'd be nothing more than a 50-60 point guy whose body would fall off a cliff?

You're the people that Simmons writes for.

Dwell on that.

 

[Legion34]

yup Kessel would have led Toronto to multiple cups if it wasn't for the media keeping him down

and i still remember how we were first in the standings and yet our toxic fan base was throwing jerseys and waffles

Do you remember when our team broke records and took a cup favorite to 7 and people threatened the life of a player. Just like last time when it was all Burke’s fault?
Who’s fault it is it now? We got the rebuild. And it has went perfectly. And we are still whining and threatening and angry. And the media is STILL picking fights. Just like i told you.


Honestly. How many times do you have to be proven wrong before you admit it. The media reads here. Simmons just proved it. The fans fuel the media and cause issues and limit the amount that players want to play here.

Try it. Say. I was wrong. It’s not hard.

 

[Nineteen67]

> Mentions MSNBC and CNN
> Fails to mention FOX “News”

Lol ok there.

That was just an example. Could have mentioned quite a few. But when your talking just news broadcast, those two don’t even try.

 

[Bluelines]

Sure Steve, keep your head up your ass and believe the media is full of angels you dumb arrogant prick.

He's far from dumb, he understands perfectly well what he has to do to stay relevant. Which is be abrasive for the sake of being abrasive. It gets clicks, which gets him paid.

If anything he is transparently purposeful in the subject matter he chooses.

 

[hoglund]

Heck even in the salute gate Days they wer above 500 and in a playoff spot when the media rode them like crazy and dummy fans were throwing jerseys

Yeah, the salute gate was a story fabricated my the media on a slow news day and the fans fell for it hook line and sinker .

 

[sxvnert]

From his latest column:

Simmons is a troll that has led all campaigns against players for decades.

 

[ottomaddox]

simmons "phil eats hotdogs". I felt reporters made it personal with phil. Look at him now. Thriving in pittsburgh and winning cups. I stopped watching TSN/sportsnet, listening to leafs radio, and reading articles years ago. I don't know what feschuk, simmons and those chuckleheads on overdrive have been up too the last couple years but during phils time they went after him and I won't forget it. A winning team is not good press. They want the leafs to fail.

No one will ever buy a newspaper that says: "leafs win the cup".

 

[ShaneFalco]

Sure Steve, keep your head up your ass and believe the media is full of angels you dumb arrogant prick.

This should be framed

 

[ottomaddox]

I believe Simmons wrote an article on how the leafs would win the cup "just a matter of time".

Poor guy get no love from those with short memories.

 

[Legion34]

I believe Simmons wrote an article on how the leafs would win the cup "just a matter of time".

Poor guy get no love from those with short memories.

Yep. Because that is what the fans were saying and would sell. Now it’s. “Auston matthews disappearing act”.

If you are a fan you have seen this over and over

 

[7even]

Yep. Because that is what the fans were saying and would sell. Now it’s. “Auston matthews disappearing act”.

If you are a fan you have seen this over and over

Steve Simmons' position on anything is whatever can be hyperbolized that morning.

 

[daveleaf]

I will say this. Who cares what this reporter says? Perhaps the worst reporter this city has ever had, period!

That being said, everyone of the players that were listed left for various situations and only a couple were forced out of town and that was Kessel and Murphy.

Murphy was forced because of inept coaching in, Murphy. Kessel I am not sad to see leave on any level. Gilmour was a casualty of the team inploding, Sundin chose to finish out the last year of his career elsewhere, same with Salming. Sittler was in part to the Ballard, Imlach saga and we all know well what happened there and the same for MacDonald.

Every franchise has these same issues. Montreal with Muller, Desjardin, Leclair, Chelios,..........this list can go on forever. Calgary with Gilmour, Roberts decided to finish or restart his career elsewhere.....let's not even get started here.

Best thing to do, is not read what reporters are saying. They are all full of **** and just make up headlines to get traffic and sell papers.

 

[ShaneFalco]

Simmons is right up there with Wilner

 

[Bluelines]

No one will ever buy a newspaper that says: "leafs win the cup".

If you look at the last 50 years, that statement is factually true.

 

[selltrade]

biggest Hack around

 

[Tak7]

For all those who think that the media don’t read this forum and other fan base reactions and use them to cause controversy. This is perfect proof.

It is a main topic on this board all last week. And now steve Simmons just happens to write about it???? Coincidence? Come on

This will be 2013 all over again. Not because of the team but because of the fans and the media attacking the players.

Instead of just saying. “You know what, i made it personal with the players and have caused issues. I will work on actually providing real insigjt and content instead of TMZ click bait”. Nope..... it’s not my fault. The players love me......

What a joke

They don't read these boards.

99% of their fan interaction / pulse gauging, comes from Twitter.

I've also always felt the fan / media influence on players here has always been overblown.

 

[Legion34]

They don't read these boards.

99% of their fan interaction / pulse gauging, comes from Twitter.

I've also always felt the fan / media influence on players here has always been overblown.

I don’t think you have been paying attention.

They clearly do. McKenzie had an account. They use terms “own rental” they go on and on about trade rumours that were suggested here.
Why wouldn’t they? It’s the largest fan base website. Way easier than twitter.

Also have there been a bunch of fan reactions on twitter like Simmons is talking about? Because it is a topic here about 2 days before his post

 

[therealkoho]

From his latest column:

Simmons the guy who said Sundin has a career ending hip injury, couldn't skate anymore and the Leafs should just retire him, which started a whole lotta nonsense in LeaFland. Yeah good ol Steve started the Sundin is screwing the Leafs, by upholding his NTC....what a piece of garbage he is

btw Sundin went on to play 75, 74 for the Buds and 41 games for the Canucks

 

[therealkoho]

Toronto fans: Matthews should get more ice time
Toronto Media: Babcock Lost Matthews, There was No Trust Anymore



Simmons is foolish for suggesting the media is innocent. Don't forget the absolute garbage that came out about Kadri during his initial years. Kessel and the hot dogs. Reimer's health (directly contacting his mom).

Toronto has the most trash media in all of hockey. Straight up embarrassing.

the Reimer's Mom thing was Feschuk

 

[Tak7]

I don’t think you have been paying attention.

They clearly do. McKenzie had an account. They use terms “own rental” they go on and on about trade rumours that were suggested here.
Why wouldn’t they? It’s the largest fan base website. Way easier than twitter.

Also have there been a bunch of fan reactions on twitter like Simmons is talking about? Because it is a topic here about 2 days before his post

Have a hard time believing Bob McKenzie had an account here - if he did, it should be pretty obvious to find? Screenshots etc

Because the larger portion of the fanbase is on twitter, and it's instant access.

Oh, and because they've literally told me:

Sportsnet's Chris Johnston told me in response to his article about his day-in-the-life, that he uses twitter to keep the pulse of fans, especially in Toronto.

Jonas Siegel told me at the centennial classic in January last year, prior to The Athletic blowing up, that fan feedback comes from Twitter.

 

[hoglund]

Simmons is right up there with Wilner

These two are the opposite, Simmons is negative and Wilner is positive. Both can be considered bad because neither is objective.

 

[Clark4Ever]

This guy has a lot of nerve writing an article like this. He and Feschuk are the ring leaders of the venomous segment of the media in this city.