THURSDAY CAT COUNTRY COMMENTARY – FOLLOW THE LEADER?

(Listen for the Rod Pedersen Commentary at 9:50 am and 5:20 pm on Cat Country 98 FM)

IT DOESN’T REALLY FEEL LIKE WE’RE GETTING ANYWHERE.

WEDNESDAY WAS AS VOLATILE A DAY AS WE’VE EVER SEEN IN SPORTS. AND TO ME, IT WASN’T POSITIVE.

THE NBA SCRAPPED ALL OF ITS WEDNESDAY PLAYOFF GAMES BECAUSE PLAYERS ON MILWAUKEE AND ORLANDO VOTED TO BOYCOTT THEIR GAME AS A WAY TO PROTEST A POLICE SHOOTING OF A BLACK MAN IN WISCONSIN.

THE NHL HAD TWO GAMES PLANNED FOR WEDNESDAY EVENING AND INSTEAD OF POSTPONING THEM, THEY HELD A MOMENT OF SILENCE BEFORE FACEOFF. THEY CALLED IT A “MOMENT OF REFLECTION”.

SADLY, THAT TRIGGERED AN AVALANCHE OF CRITICISM AROUND THE CONTINENT SAYING THE NHL SHOULD’VE FOLLOWED THE NBA’S LEAD. AT LEAST TWO SPORTSNET COMMENTATORS HAMMERED THE NHL FOR PLAYING ON THE BROADCAST.

THIS IS WHERE I’M GOING TO WEIGH IN.

THE NHL HONOURED THE MOVEMENT IN ITS OWN WAY AND THAT’S THEIR RIGHT. IF PEOPLE ARE OFFENDED THAT IT WASN’T ENOUGH, THAT’S THEIR PROBLEM TO DEAL WITH ON THEIR OWN TERMS.

AS FOR THE BROADCASTERS, IF THEY FELT THAT STRONGLY ABOUT IT, THEY SHOULD’VE WALKED OFF THE SET LIKE THE NBA ON TNT’S KENNY SMITH. OTHERWISE, IT’S JUST TALK.

AND AS WE WENT TO BED, THE L-A LAKERS AND CLIPPERS VOTED TO SCRAP THE ENTIRE REST OF THE NBA PLAYOFFS. THAT DECISION IS STILL IN LIMBO.

IS THE NHL SUPPOSED TO FOLLOW SUIT THERE TOO? IS PRO SPORTS A BIG GAME OF “FOLLOW THE LEADER” AND WE NO LONGER DO WHAT’S BEST FOR THE ORGANIZATION WHETHER IT’S POPULAR OR NOT?

TO ME THE NHL DID THE RIGHT THING ON WEDNESDAY. LET’S SEE IN THE DAYS AHEAD IF THEY STICK TO THEIR GUNS, OR END UP SUCCUMBING TO PUBLIC AND MEDIA PRESSURE.

THAT’S TODAY’S ROD PEDERSEN COMMENTARY ON CAT COUNTRY 98.