SUBBAN.....Why do opposing fans......

[Madevilz]

You know they'd wet their pants if PK was on their team.

 

[Adriatic]

I can understand being booed when visiting a rivalry building or because an incident happened in the past, but Subban gets booed by everyone and everywhere. I don't see Toews or Getzlaf getting booed in Long Island for example, but Subban gets booed even in an empty road building against a team he's never played before.

 

[Adriatic]

Crosby gets booed a lot that's all I can think of

I'll give you that he does get booed a lot but not to the extent of Subban. I watched a few pens games recently in Toronto, Edmonton, Calgary and he definitely wasn't getting booed every time he touched the puck.

 

[Andros777]

African American/canadian?

Off the top of my head I can only think of Simmonds and Evander Kane.
And Simmonds I know has frequently experienced racism.


The fact is, I think, that while strictly speaking Subban isn't the only black guy in the league, he's the only one in the league who has the potential to be legendary. He clearly desires to be great, and you know he believes he is worthy of the company of defencemen like Larry Robinson and Serge Savard etc. I for one think that is awesome.

He's black and he doesn't need anyone's charity or anyone to believe in him or build him up, he'll do all that himself. And I think people resent him for it. That's why we see this absurd standard applied to Subban, because it's the only basis by which people can cut him down.

The way he plays isn't polite or impolite. Intent to injure aside, "politeness" is a worthless way to judge an athlete. "Politeness" is something has-beens use as a standard when they're afraid to judge themselves on skill and talent. The "politeness" of those players on the 78' team was a cheerful afterthought, brought up after they'd dominated their opponents all through the regular season and the playoffs. In life that matters, not in a hockey game.

 

[Smokey Thompson]

I take pleasure in the fact that we have a player that is so good he gets booed.

 

[MrNasty]

They feel threatened. Hockey has always been a traditionalists sport that has historically been dominated by caucasion athletes. If you think about it, hockey is really the only one of the major sports that has few black people.

Subban is a very energetic, showy kind of guy. It is in his personality and it is a reason he so good at what he does. This type of attitude is not very common in the NHL but it is very common in other sports such as football and basketball. Sports that are dominated by mostly black athletes. I think many hockey fans (whether consciously or not) see the correlation and are worried that hockey will one day have a large proportion of high calibre black athletes and they feel threatened by that.

Don Cherry is an excellent example of a person with old attitudes. He chastises anyone who doesn't fit into his view of a true traditional hockey player and unfortuneately his views are listened to by millions of Canadians every week.

 

[MrNasty]

FYI,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_National_Hockey_League_players_of_black_African_descent

 

[Andros777]

Don Cherry is an excellent example of a person with old attitudes. He chastises anyone who doesn't fit into his view of a true traditional hockey player and unfortuneately his views are listened to by millions of Canadians every week.

In the past yes, but with respect to Subban Don Cherry has actually given both respect and credit. I think it began when Subban said he likes to watch tape of Bobby Orr, which probably went right to Don's heart...

I think there are worse culprits out there now. Like P.J. Stock who is all the worse because his veiled racist probably won't be interpreted consciously as racism by those who don't realize he's not a credible person...

 

[Stjonnypopo]

God do we always have to turn these debates about race? I find it takes so much credibility away from the argument, and it's not as if you can ever prove that that's why people dislike him.

It's far more likely that he gets booed because he's skilled, he chirps, and he can do some dirty plays.

And don't tell me I'm naive or something for playing down the race aspect of it. I think it exists but in hockey it's not nearly as big of a deal as some people would like to think.

 

[sheed36]

I know Subban plays on the edge and is a great talent, but why do fans, in many opposing venues, boo him when he carries the puck? I didn't like him at first b/c of his attitude, but he has grown up. Dude is fun to watch.

I've never understood this.. What exactly is Subban's perceived attitude? Go watch any Subban interview and in every one he comes off as a very humble and well spoken guy.. All the criticism Subban constantly gets from the media and fans is very unfair to him. Subban can speak for himself and he's quite good at it but I'd like to hear someone from Habs management or one of his teammates stick up and defend the guy for once.

 

[JayKing]

There are many black men playing in the nhl why is subban so special?

He's good, chirps, plays physical but doesn't fight and has had a few slewfoots. Subban is a pest and is also black. You don't hear Cooke, Neal or Marchand getting booed or not as much as Subban. Hell I don't think I've ever heard Marchand getting booed in Montreal. Only Lucic and Chara.

 

[Pavel_Bure]

Probably because he's black.

 

[Habs 4 Life]

We shouldn't complain much when it comes to booing since we do it to pretty much every team that comes in here to play us. We always target their star player

But I do think the Penguins fans is mostly because of an incident I don't remember if it was with Staal or Neal a few years ago

 

[417]

God do we always have to turn these debates about race? I find it takes so much credibility away from the argument, and it's not as if you can ever prove that that's why people dislike him.

It's far more likely that he gets booed because he's skilled, he chirps, and he can do some dirty plays.

And don't tell me I'm naive or something for playing down the race aspect of it. I think it exists but in hockey it's not nearly as big of a deal as some people would like to think.

Agreed..it's probably bigger than some would like to think

 

[Runner77]

That's what I'm talking about....why?

He's one of the few star players who doesn't mind getting physical and usually, taking on fierce, chippy battles with the other teams' best players.

Whenever you take it upon yourself to remove an opposition threat with physical contact as part of your arsenal, you're going to upset the sensibilities of some fans who work under the mistaken belief that star players should receive special treatment or should not be overly manhandled.

That, plus fans paroting what goes on in other rinks, as part of the type of 24-hour hockey coverage that is available almost anywhere.

 

[TieClark]

No not really..stop being silly.

And yes, the best players get booed in pretty much every city. Montreal and Ottawa both boo Phaneuf for no real reason other than he's Toronto's captain

 

[sheed36]

We shouldn't complain much when it comes to booing since we do it to pretty much every team that comes in here to play us. We always target their star player

But I do think the Penguins fans is mostly because of an incident I don't remember if it was with Staal or Neal a few years ago

I remember Subban accidentally stepping on Staal's foot which cut him requiring him to miss quite a few games. Pens fans were in an uproar and said it was a deliberate attempt to injure by Subban.

 

[Habs 4 Life]

I remember Subban accidentally stepping on Staal's foot which cut him requiring him to miss quite a few games. Pens fans were in an uproar and said it was a deliberate attempt to injure by Subban.

Pretty sure it was that and he has been booed since then. He wasn't booed prior to that incident when we played in Pittsburgh

 

[canadiancreed]

Same reason other good players wearing the wrong jersey get flack, they play for the wrong team.

 

[sheed36]

You're an absolute moron if you think Subban is being booed because he's black.

And yes, the best players get booed in pretty much every city. Montreal and Ottawa both boo Phaneuf for no real reason other than he's Toronto's captain

IMO there was no need for the name calling.

 

[417]

You're an absolute moron if you think Subban is being booed because he's black.

And yes, the best players get booed in pretty much every city. Montreal and Ottawa both boo Phaneuf for no real reason other than he's Toronto's captain

I don't recall Phaneuf being booed in Montreal, nevermind EVERY single NHL rink he plays in.

 

[Habs 4 Life]

I don't recall Phaneuf being booed in Montreal, nevermind EVERY single NHL rink he plays in.

He does get booed here, Ottawa and even in Boston now with their little rivalry going on since last year's playoffs

 

[sheed36]

Pretty sure it was that and he has been booed since then. He wasn't booed prior to that incident when we played in Pittsburgh

Wasn't there also a slewfoot incident between Subban and Neal? Subban slewfoots Neal and while falling Neal swings his stick hitting Subban in the head for which he was fined for highsticking? I think that was Neal?

 

[417]

Same reason other good players wearing the wrong jersey get flack, they play for the wrong team.

I know Zdeno Chara gets booed everytime he touches the puck in Montreal, for obvious reasons....I seem to recall Eric Lindros getting the same treatment in Montreal, again, for obvious reasons.

I can't think of anyone else who is constantly booed every time he touches the puck in Montreal, not Crosby, not Ovechkin.

So not sure I agree with this...

There are a multitude of reasons why Subban gets booed in EVERY arena...the reasons can vary from rink to rink and person to person.

 

[Habs 4 Life]

Wasn't there also a slewfoot incident between Subban and Neal? Subban slewfoots Neal and while falling Neal swings his stick hitting Subban in the head for which he was fined for highsticking? I think that was Neal?

That's why I couldn't remember which player it was but now that you say it it was an incident with both players. Ya Penguins fans have their reason that's for sure