Who are the worst people in Hockey history?

[Wetcoaster]

As for Ballard, if anyone wants to know more about this guy, look for the book "Pal Hal" - I forget who it's by, but I am sure you can get it on ebay for less than $5 including shipping. I did. It's an awesome read. It goes over, in chronological order, everything you knew and a lot more that you don't.

Written in 1989 by Dick Beddoes who was a Globe and Mail columnist for years.

BTW Beddoes is famous for his diet following Game 1 of the 1972 Canada/Russia. He boasted in his column:

“So make it Canada, 8 games to 0. If the Russians win one game, I will eat this column shredded at high noon in a bowl of borscht on the front steps of the Russian Embassy.â€

True to his word he chowed down in front of the Russian embassy in a feeding frenzy duly noted and photographed.

He then wrote:

“Canadian back bacon has gone rancid on the hogs. All the maple sugar has vanished down the trees to become bitter-root… The Rocky Mountains are mere pebbles beside the towering Urals. The Northern Lights are dimmer than a mole’s boudoir in a Siberian salt mine at midnight … Canada’s dish is crow.â€

 

[Blades 0f Steel]

Bobby Clarke for supporting Eagleson and ruining Eric

Eric Lindros for pouring beer over a woman, screwing over an entire franchise before setting foot in the league, allowing his family circus to herass sports stations and General Managers. Then topped it all off by shaming his team by blaming his injuries on the doctor.

 

[Sebastien Centomo]

Brian Shaw, owner of the Portland Winter Hawks.

http://www.allsports.com/ahl/phantoms/features/JohnKordic.html

It was also during these years when John was exposed to Brian Shaw, owner of the Portland Winter Hawks. Brian Shaw was known for making unwanted advances toward the players.

When Brian Shaw first came upon John, he recognized his scoring ability, but most of all, Shaw recognized that John was a young and timid kid that he could take easily advantage of, and reportedly, that's exactly what Shaw did. A friend of John's stated to the “Alberta Report” that Kordic told him Shaw said “he liked what he saw (on the ice), but he really liked what he saw in the shower.” Although Kordic never came out and said so, he frequently mentioned things that would suggest that Brian Shaw was abusing him. Brian Shaw allegedly abused players for 25 years until his death of AIDS-related cancer in 1993.

If it's true, it makes the John Kordic story even more sad.

 

[mooseOAK*]

Eric Lindros for pouring beer over a woman, screwing over an entire franchise before setting foot in the league, allowing his family circus to herass sports stations and General Managers. Then topped it all off by shaming his team by blaming his injuries on the doctor.

He managed to make Koo Koo Bananas famous, anyway.

 

[Blades 0f Steel]

For that matter, let's add Bonnie and Carl Lindros to that list. If only they themselves were concussed instead of their sons we wouldn't have had to endure them *****ing about Gretzky getting to bear the flag at the Olympics instead of Eric.

 

[Big Phil]

Eric Lindros for pouring beer over a woman, screwing over an entire franchise before setting foot in the league, allowing his family circus to herass sports stations and General Managers. Then topped it all off by shaming his team by blaming his injuries on the doctor.

He was a drunk 19 year old at the time, we dont know the whole story on that either.

 

[PRMan]

I was wondering when someone was going to mention Bruce McNall. Robbing banks to take LA to the finals is not really the way to do it.

Eric Lindros for pouring beer over a woman, screwing over an entire franchise before setting foot in the league, allowing his family circus to herass sports stations and General Managers. Then topped it all off by shaming his team by blaming his injuries on the doctor.

And after all of the hype, not even being the best player on his team (John LeClair).

 

[Big Phil]

And after all of the hype, not even being the best player on his team (John LeClair).

Woah! Lindros made Leclair! Before the trade that sent Leclair to Philly he was a 40 point man pretty much. He then turned into a 5 time all-star starting coincidentally in '95.

 

[arrbez]

And after all of the hype, not even being the best player on his team (John LeClair).

Is that a serious statement? Leclair was better than Lindros? Did you watch hockey in the 1990's?


Lindros is made out to be so much more of a villain than he actually was. So he refused to report to a team after he told them he wouldn't report and they chose him anyways, and then had a bitter public spat with fellow meathead Bobby Clark. Not the most gentlemanly guy of all time, but he doesn't belong anywhere near this thread.

 

[Melrose Munch]

Eric Lindros for pouring beer over a woman, screwing over an entire franchise before setting foot in the league, allowing his family circus to herass sports stations and General Managers. Then topped it all off by shaming his team by blaming his injuries on the doctor.

This cracks me up. An english player not wanting to play in a province that legally discriminates against the english. And it wasn't even the province, because he would have played for Montreal. He didn't want to play in a city that is one of the main players in trying to break up this great country we have. With the way they tax the hell out of you in Quebec and the threat it seems bi-yearly of seperation...does anyone really blame him.

I certainly don't

 

[Blades 0f Steel]

Yes. Yes I do blame him. See the posts about NHL players getting hosed until the past few decades, then both you and big E cry me a nice wet river. They call it a 'draft' for a reason, and playing anywhere in the NHL is a privilege.

In any event, arguing about Eric Lindros with someone named Eric Lindros is pointless. I'll say some things I don't mean, and you'll say some things you don't mean...then I have to take you dancing. No thanks.

 

[MXD]

Eric Lindros for pouring beer over a woman, screwing over an entire franchise before setting foot in the league, allowing his family circus to herass sports stations and General Managers. Then topped it all off by shaming his team by blaming his injuries on the doctor.

+1

And being pummeled by Elvis Stojiko a little while after.

 

[arrbez]

+1

And being pummeled by Elvis Stojiko a little while after.

I heard that was completely fabricated...although it would be funny as hell if it was true (which is probably why the rumour was created)

 

[Russ2582]

Eric Lindros and Ballard, IMO.

 

[Blades 0f Steel]

I heard that was completely fabricated...although it would be funny as hell if it was true (which is probably why the rumour was created)

They're friends, so it's a safe bet it's not true.

And isn't Dick Beddoes the guy that thought Gretzky was a flash in the pan in 83?

 

[seventieslord]

Is that a serious statement? Leclair was better than Lindros? Did you watch hockey in the 1990's?


Lindros is made out to be so much more of a villain than he actually was. So he refused to report to a team after he told them he wouldn't report and they chose him anyways, and then had a bitter public spat with fellow meathead Bobby Clark. Not the most gentlemanly guy of all time, but he doesn't belong anywhere near this thread.

Agreed.

And the only franshice he screwed over was Philadelphia, who traded Quebec about double what he was worth.

 

[Nalyd Psycho]

Yes. Yes I do blame him. See the posts about NHL players getting hosed until the past few decades, then both you and big E cry me a nice wet river. They call it a 'draft' for a reason, and playing anywhere in the NHL is a privilege.

The ironic thing is, if someone acted like Lindros when players were mistreated, he'd be viewed as a players rights pioneer.

Lindros is made out to be so much more of a villain than he actually was. So he refused to report to a team after he told them he wouldn't report and they chose him anyways, and then had a bitter public spat with fellow meathead Bobby Clark. Not the most gentlemanly guy of all time, but he doesn't belong anywhere near this thread.

Yeah, when that happened to the Vancouver Grizzlies, fans blamed Stu Jackson as much as they did Steve Francis. Francis was/is a spoiled child, but Jackson was just a moron for passing on players who were happy to play here.

 

[Canadarocks]

The ironic thing is, if someone acted like Lindros when players were mistreated, he'd be viewed as a players rights pioneer.

I was actually just thinking about a comparison between Lindros and Red Kelly. In the late fifties, Jack Adams became displeased with Red Kelly and traded him to the New York Rangers. Instead Kelly refused to report and ended up in Toronto instead. I know the circumstances are very different (for example, Kelly had played for many years in Detroit and was known for being classy) but I still think it's interesting that Red Kelly is generally seen as being brave for refusing to play for the team the NHL says he should. Or are the two not comparable at all?

 

[Nalyd Psycho]

I was actually just thinking about a comparison between Lindros and Red Kelly. In the late fifties, Jack Adams became displeased with Red Kelly and traded him to the New York Rangers. Instead Kelly refused to report and ended up in Toronto instead. I know the circumstances are very different (for example, Kelly had played for many years in Detroit and was known for being classy) but I still think it's interesting that Red Kelly is generally seen as being brave for refusing to play for the team the NHL says he should. Or are the two not comparable at all?

The context is wildly different, but the action basically the same.

 

[billbillbill]

And isn't Dick Beddoes the guy that thought Gretzky was a flash in the pan in 83?

http://archives.cbc.ca/IDCC-1-41-1093-6208/sports/gretzky/

 

[Hasbro]

Keith Tkachuk: USA hockey was probably at the peak of their talent winning the World Cup in 1996 how do they follow that victory up? Treating Nagano like it was South Padre. So instead of putting up a strong showwing and helping the sport, Tkachuk pretends he's Keith Moon. After that no World Cup for another six years.

Because of his party boy antics (and a few others) Tkachuk did irrevicable harm to US hockey and squandered so much talent.

 

[Blades 0f Steel]

http://archives.cbc.ca/IDCC-1-41-1093-6208/sports/gretzky/

haha, that's the vid I was thinking of. Thanks.

 

[Mr BLUEandWHITE]

I do not know why people have mentioned Bob Geedenow. He was the best thing the players association ever had. He did so many good things for the players it was incredible. Before him the union was a sad a pathetic organization and when he left was arguably the most successful organization in North America. If you are going to blame anyone for the lockouts do not blame Bob or the players blame the owners they took advantage of players for far too long and the players were just getting there fare share under Bob. He was a great man that did wonders for the NHLPA, if anything he is one of the greatest hockey people of all time.

I suggest that people read the following books....

MONEYPLAYERS - How Hockey's Greatest Stars Beat the NHL at it's Own Game - Bruce Dowbiggin

NET WORTH - Exploding the Myths of Pro Hockey - David Cruise & Alison Griffiths

two great books, a great history lesson on the NHL and a lot of behind the scene action.

For example - What Goodenow did for the players, Eagleson's role in hockey, how Ballard took control over the Leafs, many stories about Eddie Shack, Smythe, Norris, Wirtz etc. Two great reads I could not put them down, very interesting.

 

[Mr BLUEandWHITE]

Eric Lindros and Ballard, IMO.

insert Eric Lindros' dad.

 

[Nalyd Psycho]

I do not know why people have mentioned Bob Geedenow. He was the best thing the players association ever had. He did so many good things for the players it was incredible. Before him the union was a sad a pathetic organization and when he left was arguably the most successful organization in North America. If you are going to blame anyone for the lockouts do not blame Bob or the players blame the owners they took advantage of players for far too long and the players were just getting there fare share under Bob. He was a great man that did wonders for the NHLPA, if anything he is one of the greatest hockey people of all time.

Yup, it seems silly to fault Goodenow for being a damn good union rep. Yeah, he misjudged the owner's resolve, but guven how divided they were last time, can you blame him. Remember, a salary cap was possible back in '94, but the owners rejected it.