Leafs @ Sabres - Nov. 15th, 7:00pm - CBC, Fan 590

[TML fan]

But what you can't do, if you are going to take your 8 mil, is tell the machine that makes this vast overpayment possible (and I am talking about all such salaries, not just his) to go away.  Unless you're willing to tell the mailman who brings your paycheck "Get away from me," then you talk to the media, even if all you ever serve up is platitudes.

Well this is completely untrue.

Why? He's pretty much on the mark, IMO.

Because the idea that Phil Kessel talking to the media has any bearing on his financial situation, or that the health of the league is dependant on Phil Kessel, or any other player for that matter, being at the media's beck and call is preposterous.

I don't know about everyone else, but I pay money to watch Phil Kessel play hockey, not host Breakfast Television.

 

[mc]

Jonas Siegel ‏@jonasTSN1050 2m2 minutes ago
Kessel's exact reaction when asked for comment: "Get away from me."

If this happened in the NFL:

Marshawn Lynch doesn?t talk to reporters, risks $100,000 fine

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/11/16/marshawn-lynch-doesnt-talk-to-reporters-risks-100000-fine/

 

[TML fan]

He can afford it.

 

[Heroic Shrimp]

Jonas Siegel ‏@jonasTSN1050 2m2 minutes ago
Kessel's exact reaction when asked for comment: "Get away from me."

Perfect.

Perfect if you're 10 years old.

Perfect if you believe what you say to reporters matters whatsoever.

It's a part of the job.  Regardless of how dumb I think the press are, there is a time and place to walk out, and that is AFTER they start in with an inappropriate line of questioning.  I don't get to walk away from people at work because they are going to ask dumb questions or I'm annoyed at how I personally performed.  This part of Kessel has never been something I'm very fond of.  I can understand where he is coming from but it doesn't make it any less of a part of his responsibilities as a player and leader on this team.

Is he in breach of contract if he doesn't give a good quote to the media?  He was asked to comment and he commented.  Just because it wasn't what the media person wanted doesn't mean he's not doing his job.  I highly doubt anyone thinks giving token quotes to media after a game is part of Kessel's job, let alone a part that should hold any significance whatsoever.  Literally the only reason anyone talks about it is because of the media itself - it's incestuous. "Player doesn't give me good quote for my story, I rip player by attaching significance to it that I can't prove in any way."  Kessel's on record as being pissed that the media in the past spun a quote of his out of context - but they're allowed to continue to do that and Kessel has to talk to them or he's ripped for it.

It's ridiculous.  Doesn't matter how many points he scores apparently because feeding the media generic quotes is somehow super important.  The media need to reevaluate their lack of importance to wins and losses.

I would buy everybody in my family a Kessel jersey if, just once, he answered every single question in a media scrum with, "I am Groot".

 

[Redleaf]

Jonas Siegel ‏@jonasTSN1050 2m2 minutes ago
Kessel's exact reaction when asked for comment: "Get away from me."

Perfect.

Perfect if you're 10 years old.

Perfect if you believe what you say to reporters matters whatsoever.

It's a part of the job.  Regardless of how dumb I think the press are, there is a time and place to walk out, and that is AFTER they start in with an inappropriate line of questioning.  I don't get to walk away from people at work because they are going to ask dumb questions or I'm annoyed at how I personally performed.  This part of Kessel has never been something I'm very fond of.  I can understand where he is coming from but it doesn't make it any less of a part of his responsibilities as a player and leader on this team.

Is he in breach of contract if he doesn't give a good quote to the media?  He was asked to comment and he commented.  Just because it wasn't what the media person wanted doesn't mean he's not doing his job.  I highly doubt anyone thinks giving token quotes to media after a game is part of Kessel's job, let alone a part that should hold any significance whatsoever.  Literally the only reason anyone talks about it is because of the media itself - it's incestuous. "Player doesn't give me good quote for my story, I rip player by attaching significance to it that I can't prove in any way."  Kessel's on record as being pissed that the media in the past spun a quote of his out of context - but they're allowed to continue to do that and Kessel has to talk to them or he's ripped for it.

It's ridiculous.  Doesn't matter how many points he scores apparently because feeding the media generic quotes is somehow super important.  The media need to reevaluate their lack of importance to wins and losses.

I would buy everybody in my family a Kessel jersey if, just once, he answered every single question in a media scrum with, "I am Groot".

Would 'I am Phil' suffice?

 

[azzurri63]

For the past couple years or so, Phaneuf has skated like an injured player--he'll go entire shifts without really moving his feet. He is also routinely exposed not only by skilled opponents, but by his own lack of effort and hockey sense.  All too often, his game is positionally unsound. And don't get me started on his stone hands and generally neanderthalish physique and personality. He is the antithesis of a good captain.

I'd like to have him as a 3rd/4th defenceman playing limited minutes. But his current price-point is totally insane.

Bingo 100% correct. For those of you who defend him and state most of us don't understand hockey you need to wake up. He is not a top calibre defenseman the idiots running this team just pay him like one. The guy was voted the most overrated player by the players themselves. I guess the other players in the league that voted don't have a clue either. When he arrived from Calgary I didn't mind the trade because we really didn't give up anybody but what we're paying him now for salary and for another seven years is a joke. I agree with Strangelove if he was on the second pairing defenseman making maybe 4-5 million a year it wouldn't be too bad but seven years at 7 million per what a joke.

 

[Heroic Shrimp]

I would buy everybody in my family a Kessel jersey if, just once, he answered every single question in a media scrum with, "I am Groot".

Would 'I am Phil' suffice?

Hmm... too similar to what he usually says.

 

[Bullfrog]

Because the idea that Phil Kessel talking to the media has any bearing on his financial situation, or that the health of the league is dependant on Phil Kessel, or any other player for that matter, being at the media's beck and call is preposterous.

I don't know about everyone else, but I pay money to watch Phil Kessel play hockey, not host Breakfast Television.

Same here. Once the game is over, I change to another channel or go do something else. I rarely even watch intermission shows. I'm just interested in the game.

 

[ZBBM]

Why? He's pretty much on the mark, IMO.

It's not, because, it's largely the other way around - the entertainment factor that the likes of Kessel provide is why the sports reporters have jobs in the first place. It's the fact that people care about sports that leads to the rest of the media paying attention to it, not the other way around. Sure, teams make money from selling rights to things to the media, but the media makes even more money by having those rights. His presence pays for their paycheques more than their presence does for his. The Leafs could have their own channel for all the games and not having their players do a single interview or provide a single quote, and they'd still be rolling in cash. The ability to overpay Kessel isn't provided by the media, it's provided by the fans - who would still be there even if all the sports media in the world decided to ignore the Leafs. We're well past the days when teams like the Leafs needed media attention for people to know they existed and be willing to spend money on them.

You're seriously saying that if there were no media ? none ? there would still be big-time sports?  How in the world would you follow a team ... through word of mouth?

 

[ZBBM]

But what you can't do, if you are going to take your 8 mil, is tell the machine that makes this vast overpayment possible (and I am talking about all such salaries, not just his) to go away.  Unless you're willing to tell the mailman who brings your paycheck "Get away from me," then you talk to the media, even if all you ever serve up is platitudes.

Well this is completely untrue.

Why? He's pretty much on the mark, IMO.

Because the idea that Phil Kessel talking to the media has any bearing on his financial situation, or that the health of the league is dependant on Phil Kessel, or any other player for that matter, being at the media's beck and call is preposterous.

I don't know about everyone else, but I pay money to watch Phil Kessel play hockey, not host Breakfast Television.

Preposterous to you, maybe, but not to the NHL front office.  There's a reason why they have a rule that says all teams have to ? as in, not optional ? make the players available to the media.  All leagues do, I bet.

 

[Kin]

Because the idea that Phil Kessel talking to the media has any bearing on his financial situation, or that the health of the league is dependant on Phil Kessel, or any other player for that matter, being at the media's beck and call is preposterous.

I don't know about everyone else, but I pay money to watch Phil Kessel play hockey, not host Breakfast Television.

Same here. Once the game is over, I change to another channel or go do something else. I rarely even watch intermission shows. I'm just interested in the game.

Sure but let's not pretend that any of us here are intelligent or rational consumers when it comes to the Leafs. Most of us here, I think it's fair to say, have long ago decided that we're brand-loyal regardless of the quality of the product. Saying that Kessel's media presence doesn't impact us in our consumption makes us the equivalent of drunks saying they don't care much about beer ads.

I don't think anyone would say that Kessel would end up saying anything interesting or compelling. Just that the League wants him to and the admittedly laughable effort players give to that effect after the game is part of the job.

 

[TML fan]

Why? He's pretty much on the mark, IMO.

It's not, because, it's largely the other way around - the entertainment factor that the likes of Kessel provide is why the sports reporters have jobs in the first place. It's the fact that people care about sports that leads to the rest of the media paying attention to it, not the other way around. Sure, teams make money from selling rights to things to the media, but the media makes even more money by having those rights. His presence pays for their paycheques more than their presence does for his. The Leafs could have their own channel for all the games and not having their players do a single interview or provide a single quote, and they'd still be rolling in cash. The ability to overpay Kessel isn't provided by the media, it's provided by the fans - who would still be there even if all the sports media in the world decided to ignore the Leafs. We're well past the days when teams like the Leafs needed media attention for people to know they existed and be willing to spend money on them.

You're seriously saying that if there were no media ? none ? there would still be big-time sports?  How in the world would you follow a team ... through word of mouth?

I think he's saying if players didn't talk to reporters, people would still want to watch hockey, and that the league or the media outlets aren't going to throw away millions upon millions of dollars because they can't get a sound bite.

 

[Wendel's Fist]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0q4Ig-N5p60[/youtube]

Language Warning.

#Heart #Leadership #Captain #Kingstonboy

What's weird is Phaneuf has been a Leaf for almost as long as Gilmour now.

#notthesameimpact

 

[hockeyfan1]

What Kessel needs to understand is that the player with the largest contract on the team would naturally attract media scrutiny, a division be expected to utter a quote or two.

Take a look at Phaneuf.  No matter how drivel an answer, he's there to answer media questions.

There isn't much excuse for Kessel in regard.  Many top-paid players around the league -- Crosby, Ovechkin, Subban, etc. -- are almost always answering media questions, no matter how trivial the questions (& subsequent answers ) may be.

 

[lc9]

I wonder if anyone on this board would actually miss Phaneuf if we traded him.  Seriously ... does anyone here like him that much?

He is consistently one of the worst players on the ice.  The fact that he has that 7 year contract and is the captain of the team is exactly what is wrong with the leafs.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Preposterous to you, maybe, but not to the NHL front office.  There's a reason why they have a rule that says all teams have to ? as in, not optional ? make the players available to the media.  All leagues do, I bet.

The media might be important to the leagues success, but to say that it's basically the most important reason is kinda insane.

 

[lc9]

Same here. Once the game is over, I change to another channel or go do something else. I rarely even watch intermission shows. I'm just interested in the game.

Opposite for me.  Postgame interviews are some of the best part of sports, it's part of the job. 

 

[Highlander]

Not much to say about the Pylon, looks like we are stuck with him for at least 5 more years. Perhaps they could use him as a very expensive coat rack in the dressing room.
What we really need to find is a D man whom can play so great that he can cover for all of Phaneuf gaffes per game. 

 

[herman]

I was pretty sour about this game after merely watching it. I didn't want to talk about it, nor did I want to even bother with the post-game press conferences. I don't even want to breakdown what we did well and what we did not do well; it was already broken.

I can understand Kessel letting his emotions get the better of him there. Being both intensely competitive and intensely shy is not the easiest of mixes to have following a blowout loss to the 30th-place team. However, he is a professional and it is part of his profession.

I was hoping for one of these interviews:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HM5YUE4B7Xc[/youtube]

 

[bustaheims]

You're seriously saying that if there were no media ? none ? there would still be big-time sports?  How in the world would you follow a team ... through word of mouth?

Where at the point where teams like the Leafs can afford to create their own proprietary media outlets for the team. They can completely control the message if they wanted to, and they could completely do away with post game interviews and still bring in tons of fans and tons of cash. Post game interviews are among the least important aspects of what sells the game. You could get rid of them entirely without significantly impacting the media coverage or anything else. The truth is that the media outlets make too much money off of covering sports to even consider abandoning them, even if they never got another soundbite from a player again. It really doesn't matter what a player says or doesn't say after a game (as long as it's not like hate speech and such). It's not going to make "the machine that makes this vast overpayment possible" even consider giving it up. Like I said, we're past the point where teams have to rely on the media - especially popular teams like the Leafs. These days, every team is their own media source, whether it's having their own TV station or simply making all the relevant information available through their website.