The Leafs Management vs NHL

[Kin]

Pictured: A distinct lack of profesionalism

 

[herman]

http://www.nj.com/devils/index.ssf/2015/02/gm_lou_lamoriello_and_devils_players_answer_your_q.html

11. Coming from a guy with a huge beard born on the 13th, my question should be fairly obvious: Why is no facial hair allowed and why is a No. 13 sweater not allowed to be worn? From diofan34

"The word is called tradition. That's the identity of the Devils organization. Those are part of the systemic points that have given us our identity, like our home and away jerseys. Whether you look at the Yankees or the old Montreal Canadiens and their identity, this is the identity of the Devils. I look at it as something the players, and hopefully the fans, take pride in."

Seems to be more about uniformity than facial hair exactly (Does anyone watch Brooklyn Nine-Nine?). So to that end, everyone can shave, but not everyone can grow a professional looking beard.

 

[Kin]

If I wanted to be a Devils fan I'd be a Devils fan. Maple Leafs tradition includes some sweet-ass moustaches:

 

[Frank E]

No.  I'd just like to see some accountability.  I think there is a bit of a difference between writing a negative piece about the performance of the team and writing an essay on how fat Phil Kessel is and how much he loves hot dogs.  I don't think the Leafs need to develop the Blue Jays media that fawns over them and is afraid to ask any tough questions but I think there could be a little more professionalism out of them.

Well, except you're clearly saying yes. You're saying the team should dole out access based whether or not they approve of what someone writes, you just think they should have a low bar to clear. That's not a path I'd want the team to go down as a fan.

As far as accountability...that's on fans. I didn't read any of the Kessel hot dog stuff. If people did, if the people who write the stuff you find objectionable have an audience, then your beef is really with the fanbase, not with the media.

I think there's some middle ground there though.  I mean, sure guys can write about whatever they want, but pandering to the lowest common denominator of fan is probably not the kind of stuff the Leafs want to encourage.

I like to think of it like the Leafs can dole out press passes to those that they choose to be worthy within reason...like Parliament Hill.

 

[Frank E]

If I wanted to be a Devils fan I'd be a Devils fan. Maple Leafs tradition includes some sweet-ass moustaches:

Two words:  Jamie Macoun. 

 

[Kin]

I think there's some middle ground there though.  I mean, sure guys can write about whatever they want, but pandering to the lowest common denominator of fan is probably not the kind of stuff the Leafs want to encourage.

And, likewise, I'm sure the NFL doesn't want to encourage reporters digging up all those pesky embarrassing stories that make them look bad.

 

[bustaheims]

Seems to be more about uniformity than facial hair exactly (Does anyone watch Brooklyn Nine-Nine?). So to that end, everyone can shave, but not everyone can grow a professional looking beard.

I guess it makes some sense from that perspective, but still . . . instead of no facial, have a standard for properly groomed facial hair/not just stubble. It's either fully-formed and maintained, or you go clean shaven.

 

[Kin]

Seems to be more about uniformity than facial hair exactly (Does anyone watch Brooklyn Nine-Nine?). So to that end, everyone can shave, but not everyone can grow a professional looking beard.

I guess it makes some sense from that perspective, but still . . . instead of no facial, have a standard for properly groomed facial hair/not just stubble. It's either fully-formed and maintained, or you go clean shaven.

Gosh, how many points would Doug Gilmour have scored if he'd managed to deal with that pesky stubble?

 

[herman]

Seems to be more about uniformity than facial hair exactly (Does anyone watch Brooklyn Nine-Nine?). So to that end, everyone can shave, but not everyone can grow a professional looking beard.

I guess it makes some sense from that perspective, but still . . . instead of no facial, have a standard for properly groomed facial hair/not just stubble. It's either fully-formed and maintained, or you go clean shaven.

Yeah that's how most people would do it and then no one would care. The policy sets them apart and goal was to get them to buy into a program with an air of exclusivity (like a cult!). It's dumb, but didn't seem to hurt the team (they can skate a bit faster with less facial hair mass and air resistance, I guess). Some players really do look better with the facial hair though (Winnik, Komarov).

For the Leafs today, it's an easy way for them to start ingratiating themselves with the bosses even before they hit the ice.

 

[Kin]

The policy sets them apart and goal was to get them to buy into a program with an air of exclusivity (like a cult!).

Cults aren't exclusive. They just require that the chumps buying the e-readings believe whatever they're told and are willing to suspend their critical thinking long enough to buy into magical thinking and...

Yes, so like a cult.

 

[ZBBM]

Seems to be more about uniformity than facial hair exactly (Does anyone watch Brooklyn Nine-Nine?). So to that end, everyone can shave, but not everyone can grow a professional looking beard.

I guess it makes some sense from that perspective, but still . . . instead of no facial, have a standard for properly groomed facial hair/not just stubble. It's either fully-formed and maintained, or you go clean shaven.

Or, Lou could drag himself out of the 19th century and acknowledge that a person's physical appearance has absolutely nothing to do with his/her job performance.

 

[Kin]

Or, Lou could drag himself out of the 19th century and acknowledge that a person's physical appearance has absolutely nothing to do with his/her job performance.

Thank you. I feel like I'm having a stroke. This "makes sense"? This is a sport that, when everyone wants to win the most, their players commit to looking as scruffy and poorly groomed as possible.

For almost a solid year we've heard about how everything was going to be data-driven and rational. No more of Carlyle's old ways of thinking. Now the team's being run by John Lithgow from Footloose all of a sudden and he's talking about he wants to BE LIKE THE CANADIENS.

 

[Tigger]

Seems to be more about uniformity than facial hair exactly (Does anyone watch Brooklyn Nine-Nine?). So to that end, everyone can shave, but not everyone can grow a professional looking beard.

I guess it makes some sense from that perspective, but still . . . instead of no facial, have a standard for properly groomed facial hair/not just stubble. It's either fully-formed and maintained, or you go clean shaven.

Or, Lou could drag himself out of the 19th century and acknowledge that a person's physical appearance has absolutely nothing to do with his/her job performance.

I dunno, it seems to be about buying in/toeing the line overall. I mean, the same could be said about playoff beards.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

Doesn't really matter to me one way or the other.  Plenty of employers expect a certain look when their employees are at work.  I don't think it matters one way or the other here, but doesn't rate very high on my give-a-crap meter.

 

[Kin]

I dunno, it seems to be about buying in/toeing the line overall. I mean, the same could be said about playoff beards.

Exactly. You can say the exact same thing about playoff beards. It doesn't matter. Every post season we get a mountain of incontrovertible evidence that players play hockey perfectly well regardless of their facial hair. Whether you grow a beard like a homeless Pirate like Scott Niedermayer or like a 9th grader who hasn't learned to shave yet like Sidney Crosby, their performance and the performance of their team is unchanged.

This is not a matter of playing into society's prejudices either, like maybe for a high profile lawyer you might impress a client less if you show up looking like a hungover Mall santa, hockey players actually don't get judged on things like this.

These are just rules for the sake of rules. It is the definition of unreasonable.

 

[Bonsixx]

Our only hope is the return of Tyler Flow-zak to rebel against this archaic system.

 

[Bullfrog]

I dunno, it seems to be about buying in/toeing the line overall. I mean, the same could be said about playoff beards.

Exactly. You can say the exact same thing about playoff beards. It doesn't matter. Every post season we get a mountain of incontrovertible evidence that players play hockey perfectly well regardless of their facial hair. Whether you grow a beard like a homeless Pirate like Scott Niedermayer or like a 9th grader who hasn't learned to shave yet like Sidney Crosby, their performance and the performance of their team is unchanged.

This is not a matter of playing into society's prejudices either, like maybe for a high profile lawyer you might impress a client less if you show up looking like a hungover Mall santa, hockey players actually don't get judged on things like this.

These are just rules for the sake of rules. It is the definition of unreasonable.

I can maybe get on board with "hey, trim that sucker up so you don't scare the kids at the hospital visit," and general guidelines on overall appearance, but I think any rule saying you have to shave is ridiculous.

My friend's boss makes him shave......but he has to wear a respirator and OH&S requires a tight-fit.

 

[WhatIfGodWasALeaf]

Bernier: The biggest thing is hard work, that's going to be the biggest difference.

Reporter: So have you not worked hard previously?

Bernier: You know the hard work is going to pay-off here, just committing to working.

Reporter: Yes and I'm asking you then, did you not work hard in previous years?

Bernier (puzzled/pissed off look on his face): I don't know how to answer that question.

 

[Zee]

Bernier: The biggest thing is hard work, that's going to be the biggest difference.

Reporter: So have you not worked hard previously?

Bernier: You know the hard work is going to pay-off here, just committing to working.

Reporter: Yes and I'm asking you then, did you not work hard in previous years?

Bernier (puzzled/pissed off look on his face): I don't know how to answer that question.

He should have added "I know who Nelson Mandela is now"

 

[herman]

Seems to be more about uniformity than facial hair exactly (Does anyone watch Brooklyn Nine-Nine?). So to that end, everyone can shave, but not everyone can grow a professional looking beard.

I guess it makes some sense from that perspective, but still . . . instead of no facial, have a standard for properly groomed facial hair/not just stubble. It's either fully-formed and maintained, or you go clean shaven.

Or, Lou could drag himself out of the 19th century and acknowledge that a person's physical appearance has absolutely nothing to do with his/her job performance.

It was the 18th century when facial hair fell out of fashion in the western world. Facial hair was quite popular again in the 19th century.