THURSDAY COMMENTARY – THE SCENE OF THE CRIME
(Listen daily for the Rod Pedersen Commentary on Cat Country 98 & Rock 98.5 FM)
IT REMAINS THE TALK OF ALBERTA AND, PROBABLY, THE REST OF THE HOCKEY WORLD.
THE VERY PUBLIC SPAT BETWEEN EDMONTON OILERS STAR LEON DRAISAITL AND HALL OF FAMER WRITER JIM MATHESON ON TUESDAY AT ROGERS PLACE GAVE US A WINDOW INTO HOW HIGH TENSIONS ARE WITH THE RECENT STRUGGLES OF THE OILERS.
THE EXCHANGE LASTED ONLY A MINUTE OR TWO, BUT INCLUDED MATHESON CALLING LEON “PISSY”, AND THE PLAYER SARCASTICALLY ACCUSING THE REPORTER OF “KNOWING EVERYTHING”.
ON CUE, THE MAJORITY OF THE PUBLIC TOOK THE PLAYER’S SIDE WHICH IS PREDICTABLE SINCE IT’S ALWAYS BEEN IN STYLE TO HATE THE MEDIA.
ALSO ON CUE, THE MEDIA TOOK JIM MATHESON’S SIDE AND ACCUSED DRAISAITL OF DISPLAYING POOR LEADERSHIP.
IN THIS COMMENTATOR’S OPINION, BOTH SIDES ARE AT FAULT, DISPLAYING A CLEAR LACK OF EMPATHY FOR BEING IN EACH OTHER’S SHOES.
BUT IT ESCALATED QUICKLY.
REALLY IT JUST REMINDED ME OF HOW GRATEFUL I AM FOR THIS CURRENT ROLE, NOT HAVING TO INTERVIEW COACHES AND PLAYERS IN THE HEAT OF THE MOMENT.
CALLING ROUGHRIDERS AND PATS GAMES FOR CLOSE TO 30 YEARS, THE PART OF THE JOB I HATED THE MOST WAS INTERVIEWING COACHES RIGHT AFTER THE GAME. NOBODY WANTS TO DO THOSE INTERVIEWS (I DON’T THINK) BUT THE FANS AND LISTENERS LOVE THEM.
IF I EVER GET AROUND TO WRITING THAT BOOK, I COULD SPEND A FEW CHAPTERS ON RUN-INS WITH SPORTS TYPES IN SITUATIONS LIKE THIS.
ONE TIME AFTER A PARTICULARLY TOUGH LABOUR DAY LOSS, DANNY BARRETT – WHOM I LOVE – COULDN’T COLLECT HIMSELF TO COME ON THE AIR AND REFUSED TO COME OUT OF THE COACHES LOCKER ROOM.
CAN’T SAY AS I BLAME HIM, BUT WE WERE LEFT HOLDING THE BAG.
CHRIS JONES WAS TOUGH TO INTERVIEW AFTER WINS SO YOU CAN IMAGINE WHAT IT WAS LIKE AFTER LOSSES. THROW IN THE CUSTOMARY TECHNICAL ISSUES WE HAD AT THAT TIME, AND IT ONLY BROUGHT JONES’S BURN TO A BOIL.
PROBABLY THE MOST UNCOMFORTABLE TIMES WERE SITTING AT CENTRE ICE AFTER PATS GAMES, WAITING ON A COACH WHO NEVER SHOWED. KILLING TIME BEFORE A THOUSAND PEOPLE OR SO WASN’T HIGH ON MY LIST OF FUN THINGS TO DO.
SO I DO RESPECT THOSE WHO REMAIN ON THE FRONTLINES AND ENGAGE IN HAND-TO-HAND COMBAT ON A DAILY BASIS.
I JUST CAN’T IMAGINE THERE WILL EVER BE A TIME WHEN SPORTS PEOPLE AND THE MEDIA TRULY GET ALONG.
THAT’S TODAY’S ROD PEDERSEN COMMENTARY
(The Rod Pedersen Show airs daily at 12 pm ET on Game+ TV across Canada and the USA, including on Telus Optik Cable in Alberta & BC. Call your cable provider for details. You can also watch on YouTube Live and listen 24/7 at RodPedersen.com/ListenLive)
I’ve got a different take on this. The aforementioned people from Roughriderland and Patsland if they have a problem with the pre-post game committments then the problem is theirs. I’ve listened to Roughrider broadcasts since mid 1980s and the Pats would be the same thing. To my knowledge there has never been an issue with a single print or media Reporter as they are all professional……except for 2 and the more they talk the more they just embarass themselves. Here is the problem in Edmonton. The reality is for the umpteenth time that franchise has iconic players that are going… Read more »
You are so right that people need to imagine wearing the other persons shoes. In this time of uncertainty I would think more people should just be thankful to be working or playing in this case. I have never been in a media role but I would think it would be most difficult to please the masses. I’m sure it makes those positions not fun.
Wrong. People need to stop being the center of attention and stop being pundits. Nobody needs that guys opinion. The question was asked and answered. Tom Brady created The Man in the Arena. The man in the arena is an excerpt from a Teddy Roosevelt speech. Paraphrasing it is not about the person who points out the faults or laughs when the strong man stumbles. Engaging with that loser serves no purpose and you are seeing these players turn on these print guys. Same thing happened with that Philly reporter. In that case they answered and said they cant believe… Read more »
Interesting point of view from the media. It helped me understand that side a bit more and have a little sympathy for them. Although, I’m on Leon’s side, I appreciate your perspective Rod