Media Thread
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hockeyfan1
New member
The Montreal Gazette's reporter Jack Todd on why Toronto is a 'haled' sports town, and what led to this...
For years, with the two franchises in different conferences, people in Montreal were relatively indifferent to the Leafs. They spent most of their energy hating Boston, and there wasn?t much left for Toronto.
Around the turn of the millennium, I spent a lot of time covering the Leafs in the playoffs. The Canadiens were struggling and Pat Quinn?s Leafs were pretty good. I didn?t mind: the blunt-spoken Quinn always gave good quote and the team was good, if not great.
So what changed? Basically this: People in high places in the Toronto media world (especially Sportsnet, TSN and the CBC) decided to stuff all the Toronto teams down our throats while ignoring, attacking or disrespecting other pro teams right across the country.
http://montrealgazette.com/sports/jack-todd-toronto-is-not-the-centre-of-canadas-sports-world
For years, with the two franchises in different conferences, people in Montreal were relatively indifferent to the Leafs. They spent most of their energy hating Boston, and there wasn?t much left for Toronto.
Around the turn of the millennium, I spent a lot of time covering the Leafs in the playoffs. The Canadiens were struggling and Pat Quinn?s Leafs were pretty good. I didn?t mind: the blunt-spoken Quinn always gave good quote and the team was good, if not great.
So what changed? Basically this: People in high places in the Toronto media world (especially Sportsnet, TSN and the CBC) decided to stuff all the Toronto teams down our throats while ignoring, attacking or disrespecting other pro teams right across the country.
http://montrealgazette.com/sports/jack-todd-toronto-is-not-the-centre-of-canadas-sports-world
WhatIfGodWasALeaf
Active member
hockeyfan1 said:
A guy in the comments section nailed it.
"Jim Hughson hates the Leafs - like, despises them. Craig Simpson hates them so much, he refused to have anything to do with them, as a player. Those two are employed for that very reason. Cherry went on an anti-JVR rant after the Emelin hit. The call on both hits was also remarkably biased in favor of the Canadiens. WIth the Martin hit, they claimed it was late by slowing the video down to 1/10th speed and then counting steamboats. In real time, it was less than a half second after the puck left his stick. With the Emelin hit, they wiped it aside as a non-issue, before Cherry ranted in favor of it. Not sure what you're talking about with any of these points. Most of what you wrote is just blatantly untrue. Maybe get your hearing checked or just take off the bleu, blanc et rouge blinders."
Kin
New member
I'm sorry but what is the point of posting that article? It has nothing to do with the Maple Leafs and is just a thinly updated sort of piece we used to read all the time about why the Leafs were always the National broadcast on Saturday nights even when they weren't very good. It's a cheap and transparent attempt to gin up outrage and clicks and I really think we should be savvier about these things than by pretending it's anything other than a wannabe hot take designed to rile people up.
That said, only slightly less ludicrous is the idea that the blandest sportscasters in the world are motivated by "hate" for any of the billion dollar entertainment conglomerates they cover. I especially like the idea that Craig Simpson's decision 30 years ago to not play for the Ballard-era Maple Leafs is being used not as evidence of remarkably good judgment on the part of a teenager but instead is proof of his lifelong vendetta towards an organization that's changed ownership/stadium/uniforms umpteen times since then.
That said, only slightly less ludicrous is the idea that the blandest sportscasters in the world are motivated by "hate" for any of the billion dollar entertainment conglomerates they cover. I especially like the idea that Craig Simpson's decision 30 years ago to not play for the Ballard-era Maple Leafs is being used not as evidence of remarkably good judgment on the part of a teenager but instead is proof of his lifelong vendetta towards an organization that's changed ownership/stadium/uniforms umpteen times since then.
Jack Todd also believes that the league rigged the draft lottery so Matthews would come here. So, yeah, I don't actually think it's unfair to call the guy a lunatic.
dappleganger
Active member
Thanks for posting the article. I now know never to read another Jack Todd article.
herman said:
They've basically become the home of talented Toronto-based sports writers who have been let go at their previous outlets: Eric Koreen, John Lott, David Alter, Sean Fitz-Gerald. It's a subscription-based model but given the people involved it's probably worth the money (I think it's like $3-4 a month).
Highlander
Active member
Good luck for Mirtle, I like his insights a great deal. Hopefully Cathel will write more about the Leafs, I really love his thining . A true sports genius.
ZBBM
Active member
I don't know if anyone here gets THN in hard copy. I do, but not so much for the writing (Ken Campbell, ugh) but for the design/layout/artwork. I don't know who their creative team is, but the visual impact of the magazine is miles ahead of the writing. The latest issue just landed in my mailbox today, and the cover is really quite good -- a drawing of McDavid and Matthews comic-superhero style. (They tout them as #1 & #2 on their list of 100 People of Power & Influence ... hmmm.)
Anyway, just thought I'd call this out. I've been impressed for some time by their type treatments & page layout, often very clever while not being fussy.
Anyway, just thought I'd call this out. I've been impressed for some time by their type treatments & page layout, often very clever while not being fussy.
herman
Well-known member
I am really really excited about this, and tempted to fork over the money:
http://www.tsn.ca/han-hopes-to-challenge-conventional-thinking-in-coaching-ranks-1.623971
You might remember Jack Han (@ml_han on Twitter) from this clip about the Leafs that Carlton posted earlier this year:
https://twitter.com/ml_han/status/792352493216956417
He has signed on with The Athletic TO as their (hockey) systems analyst, which means we'll be seeing more of his videos as they pertain to the Leafs. He is tracking some of the stats that don't usually make it to the box score.
https://twitter.com/ml_han/status/806702654449717248
http://www.tsn.ca/han-hopes-to-challenge-conventional-thinking-in-coaching-ranks-1.623971
You might remember Jack Han (@ml_han on Twitter) from this clip about the Leafs that Carlton posted earlier this year:
https://twitter.com/ml_han/status/792352493216956417
He has signed on with The Athletic TO as their (hockey) systems analyst, which means we'll be seeing more of his videos as they pertain to the Leafs. He is tracking some of the stats that don't usually make it to the box score.
https://twitter.com/ml_han/status/806702654449717248
Coco-puffs
New member
Zanzibar Buck-Buck McFate said:
Don't be fooled. You think it's "free", but creators are still trying to make a buck by bombarding you with ads.
Plus that's why there's so much CRAP on the internet. Click-bait garbage, fake news, outright falsehoods being spread.
Not that the information we got prior to the internet wasn't biased or filtered either. I guess you win some and you lose some.
[tweet]806962005202571264[/tweet]
www.twitter.com/blogesalming/status/806962005202571264
www.twitter.com/blogesalming/status/806962005202571264
