Category Archives: Sports (MC Archive)

Sports columns that appeared on Jason Menard’s previous Web site, Menard Communications.

NHLers Thinking with the Wrong Head

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By Jason Menard

Most of the time, we guys are criticized for thinking too much WITH the little head – but, when it comes to NHL players, they’re obviously more concerned with thinking ABOUT their little head when it comes to safety.

Is there any reason why players would question your sanity if you suggested playing the game without a jock, but don’t see the folly in playing the game without adequate facial protection?

Manhood is a big part of professional sports. It’s the Neanderthalistic backdrop to competition. It’s what prevents most sports from truly being appreciated for their speed, grace, skill, and – yes, even – beauty. The most exciting or dramatic touchdown, dunk, or goal can be marred by gratuitous displays of gloating, preening, and self-importance. It’s gotten to the point where routine plays – the kind you’re expected to make as a high-school athlete – are celebrated with overt (and choreographed) attention-grabbing antics.

Thus, our sporting fields often reek with the remnants of these macho pissing contents. And, like pre-pubescent boys trying to assert their emerging maturity, common sense is often left behind in an attempt to not appear weaker than your competitor.

Which brings us back to the NHL and its players continued stubborn refusal to wear facial protection. Admittedly, it was like pulling teeth to get them to wear helmets just over two decades ago, with some resisting and clinging to grandfather clauses, until the bitter – and better – end.

Yet, the league and its players association make no effort to mandate its players when it comes to facial protection. Adhering to some ancient freedom of choice myth perpetuated by years of negligence, the players are asserting that it’s their divine right to play the fastest game in the world without complete protection.

Normally, I’m all for letting Darwin have his way with these people and letting the laws of natural selection cull those who aren’t smart enough to protect themselves from our general population. But, at the professional level, these players are not just individuals – they’re investments. Team owners literally spend millions on these players and build their product based upon the foundation that these players will be in the lineup. From marketing campaigns to anticipation of playoff revenue, forecasts are made with the idea that your stars are going to be in uniform. And that doesn’t even factor in the countless thousands of dollars that are spent on insurance policies.

The counter argument is that injuries happen and only fate will decide who pops an ACL and who suffers a fractured orbital bone – or worse – the loss of an eye. But the difference is that the former injury is truly a matter of fate, while the latter examples are more or less completely preventable.

Today’s players have come through a minor league system that mandates facial protection. From full cages at the younger and university levels, to the face shields present in junior hockey, today’s athlete spends the majority of his developmental years playing the game with something in front of his eyes. Yet, upon the ascension to the pro ranks, we’re supposed to believe that suddenly one’s vision becomes impaired by the very same thin sheet of plastic which allowed this player to rise through the ranks to become one of only a handful of people in this world with the skill and talent to play professional hockey?

As well, in this new fan-friendly hockey environment, the league and its players need to understand that it’s its principal stakeholders, the fans, who suffer the most when a valued member of their team goes down from an entirely preventable injury. The fans are the ones who purchase the tickets, buy the licensed merchandise, and support the manufacturers who use the players as pitchmen.

Finally, the players themselves need to understand that wearing a face shield is an investment in themselves. With a salary cap system, revenues tied to league earnings, and a precariously short career, to not do everything in your ability to maximize your earning potential and revenue-producing years is simply folly.

It’s time for hockey players to join the rest of us on these higher rungs of the evolutionary ladder. If they can stop dragging their knuckles long enough to grab a stick, then they’re at the developmental point where they can affix a shield to their helmet. Let’s start putting a premium on intelligence when it comes to defining manhood. Let’s take another look at what it means to be tough.

Firefighters enter blazing buildings covered head to toe in protective equipment. Does that make them any less a man (or woman in this case)? Or do we appreciate their bravery regardless of a plastic shield in front of their face? Why should the threshold for manhood be different on ice? A generation ago, people were resisting strapping on a seatbelt for many of the same reasons: we’ve never worn one before; they’re an uncomfortable encumbrance; no one’s going to tell me what to do. But look at where we’ve come since then.

The players demand the freedom of choice, so here’s a solution. Facial protection won’t be mandatory – the players can still roam the ice with their bare faces whipping in the wind, asserting their individuality and masculinity. However, if they elect not to wear a face shield, they’re prohibited from wearing a jock. Put on a mask and the cup comes back.

Simple solution. And we’ll see which head they’re truly thinking with – and which one will lead the way.

2005 © Menard Communications – Jason Menard All Rights Reserved

Clothes Make the Man

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By Jason Menard

The word itself has a connotation of conformity, but there’s nothing uniform about sports fashions. And, although in public most guys will say we don’t care about how our teams look, deep down inside we know that clothes really do make the man!

A combination of my wife out of town visiting family and being laid up in bed with an illness left me with ample time to watch an inordinate amount of sports. With the television no longer being held hostage and forced to display home decorating shows, I had unfettered access to the sporting landscape and all the colours of which its comprised.

Whether we like to admit it or not, how our teams look has a great deal of influence on where our allegiances lie, and that stylistic selection process begins in our youth. As a kid, I was drawn to the San Diego Chargers not just because of Dan Fouts, but because I thought the lightning bolt design on their helmets were pretty darn cool. Watching a recent Chargers game, with them wearing their throwback jerseys and helmets, I was transported back to that time – and came away from that game a little more invested in the team than I was before I tuned in.

And I’m not alone in being partially swayed by style. Back in the late 80s/early 90s the Oakland/L.A. Raiders silver and black were the colours of choice for gangster rappers – and, as such, became the uniform of choice for their legion of fans and wannabes. This colour scheme’s impact was so great that we had a run on franchises, both new and old, adjusting their look (hello Los Angeles Kings) in order to change their image on the playing surface and in the minds of the buying public. In these cases, the hope was that silver and black would translate into green.

A fan of hockey’s Montreal Canadiens since birth, I have an inborn preference for classic colours and styles. That’s why the Habs’ bleu-blanc-et-rouge appeals to me, whereas the more modern Nashville Predators logo doesn’t strike any chord whatsoever. Overall, most fans appear to prefer the classic styles, and while teams may flirt with extremism, they eventually come back to a happy medium. Look no further than the Phoenix Coyotes whose Picasso-inspired logo has matured into a more traditional design and colour scheme.

The reason for this is, while logos and colour schemes may not preclude someone from becoming a fan, it certainly does weigh in with the amount of pride we can have. I’ve yet to find the soul brave enough to stand up and proudly proclaim his or her love for the Mighty Ducks logo, yet I can watch a Syracuse college football game and be overwhelmed by a sea of orange in the stands.

What it comes down to is that simple is often better. The gold of a Notre Dame helmet carries with it more tradition and majesty than any other logo could convey. Whether it’s monotone hue of Cleveland’s football Browns, baseball’s Yankee Pinstripes, or the green and white of basketball’s Boston Celtics, these colours have been woven into the fabric of our lives and are instantly recognizable.

New franchises — or old ones trade tradition for a quick spike in jersey sales – run the risk of irrelevancy. Closer to home, our Toronto Raptors, established during the Jurassic Park-inspired hysteria for all things dinosaur, now stir up fewer images of Tyrannosaurus Rexes and more thoughts of Barney. And the 90s were rife with new franchises in all sports embracing an entirely new pallet of colours, ranging from teal to aquamarine – colours that may have been trendy, but unable to stand the test of time. Yet, it’s not an exact science. The Montreal Expos, whose name was inspired by the world fair taking place in their city in 1967, served the team well for over three decades.

The problem with market research-inspired jerseys is that, by their very design, they must change when the market does. The appeal of classic styles is that they withstand society’s changing preferences, dynamics, and fashions, never being at the forefront of style, but always being respectable.

Then there are the truly memorable logos and jerseys. Of course, they’re often memorable for all the wrong reasons. Just once! Just once in this era of throwbacks and nostalgia, I’d love to catch the Vancouver Canucks take to the ice in their black, orange, and yellow chevron uniforms. Or how about the purple and gold Kings jerseys with the crown on the front? If it was good enough for Marcel Dionne, it’s good enough for today’s players.

So what becomes a player most and draws fans to the game? Essentially, when it comes to sporting fashions, simple is better. We want a logo, a colour scheme, to be proud of. We want the focus to be on the players and the game, not the uniform.

In sports, as in life, the classics never go out of style.

2005 © Menard Communications – Jason Menard All Rights Reserved

NHL’s Thank Yous Ring Hollow

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By Jason Menard

For a while last night, I thought it was time to change my contact lenses because I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. Yet, there it was, flickering right on my TV screen. I now know what adding insult to injury actually looks like.

Those of us who watched Thursday’s broadcast of the hockey game between the Montreal Canadiens and New York Rangers were subjected to the sight of the boys from Broadway taking the ice with jerseys bearing the message “Thank You” replacing the customary “New York” lettering.

In an attempt to suck up to fans at all costs, the league has turned it into a dog and pony show – and the sentiments ring hollow.

We know, no matter how much lip service the players pay to being happy to be back, they’re still smarting from the repeated slaps in the face they took during the lockout. “Our boys” found out that our support has its limits and they were genuinely shocked when most fans supported the owners in the labour dispute.

So now these alpha males have come back with their tails firmly between their legs, making the best of a bad situation. And, instead of allowing for a graceful return, the league has decided to rub a little more salt in the still-festering wound. The obviously staged, and eminently hollow, act of wearing “Thank You” jerseys does nothing more than add another side order of shame that the players have to swallow – adding to the already heaping helping of humble pie they’ve been forced to stomach through the negotiation of the new Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Whether it’s “Thank You” emblazoned across the players’ chests, messages expressing the league’s gratitude prominently painted on the ice, or any other displays of affection, we fans aren’t buying it. Aside from a select few naïve people, most hockey fans know that the game we love is actually a business. We know that there are millions upon billions of dollars changing hands. And, although we may not like it, we know that the lockout was just a part of doing business, however unsavoury it may have been.

But it’s becoming more and more apparent that fans are willing to let bygones be bygones. Starting with the circus-like free agency period, to the drama of the entry draft and the Sidney Crosby sweepstakes, to the establishment of new rules (and commitment to enforcing old ones) designed to make the game more entertaining, fans have embraced the excitement of the new season and are eager to get on with our lives.

We’ve accepted the lockout as a necessary evil – an action that the league had to take to maintain the long-term viability of the league and to restore competitive financial balance so that we won’t have to face the loss of another Winnipeg or Quebec City. But we certainly don’t want to be reminded of it on a daily basis.

If the players and the league truly want to show us how much they appreciate our patronage, then they need to do it in the only way that matters – on the ice through effort, intensity, and talent. Thank us by playing hard each and every night. Thank us by displaying the combination of grace, skill, and toughness that makes hockey the most exciting game on Earth.

If they’re really thankful for the fans’ support in returning to the rinks, then take the extra time to get to know your admirers. Sign a few more autographs (without it having to be mandated), make yourself more available to the media for interviews (as this is the only way many fans get to know you), and give the fans the respect they deserve as being the reason behind the lifestyle you live.

And the responsibility to acknowledge the fans isn’t the players’ alone. It’s not enough for the owners to spend a few bucks on new sweaters or a new paint job and call it a day. If they’re truly thankful, as they should be, for fans support, then they need to make a concerted outreach to the fans through spending the money to make attending a game a valued event. Spend the money under the cap to keep teams together and build fan affinity. They need to make more than just a cosmetic display of gratitude.

Nobody likes a suck-up – especially when the motivation for this sycophantic activity appears to be so transparent and false. In large part, the fans are back and the best thank you we as fans can receive would be good, honest effort – both on the ice and off.

2005 © Menard Communications – Jason Menard All Rights Reserved

A Tale of Two Jesses

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By Jason Menard

It truly is our game – even if its stars aren’t from our native soil. But two CFL signings – a tale of two Jesses you may say — may go a long way to dispel the idea that Canadians can’t play the skill positions. Or they may simply show that marrying Can Con with winning is a double-edged sword.

Sharp move: The Hamilton Tiger-Cats recently stepped up and picked up Jesse Lumsden, a Hamilton fixture and recent cut from the Seattle Seahawks. Dull edge: the Ottawa Renegades, faltering under the shaky leadership of current pivot Kerry Joseph, are falling all over themselves to bring home local boy Jesse Palmer.

Yes, the former Roughriders are looking to get hitched to The Bachelor. Ottawa-born Jesse Palmer finally got the axe from the New York Giants, and CFL teams have begun sniffing around him. Leading the pack are the Renegades, who have made no secret of their desire to land their native son and put him under centre.

But the question remains, are they doing it to put points on the scoreboard or butts in the seats? The real winner in the Renegades’ full-court courtship of Palmer? The Montreal Alouettes, Palmer’s current rights holders. So once the Alouettes coax their king’s ransom from Ottawa and pocket their draft picks, will the Renegades be any better?

Probably not. And what happens to the fan base when the novelty wears off and the franchise fails to improve?

The CFL is a mobile man’s game. Check out around the league and most of the best quarterbacks are as proficient with their legs as they are with their arms. Thanks to the wider field and larger end zones, the Canadian game is far more wide-open, and more pass-happy. As such, quarterbacks can be much more dangerous using their legs and finding holes in the defence. The exception to the rule is Montreal’s Anthony Calvillo, whose feet of stone are balanced by a rocket arm.

So what does Palmer bring to the plate other than name recognition and a noticeable lack of mileage due to his proficiency in riding the pine? Not much, but name value is enough in this league. Heck, if head cases Andre Rison and Lawrence Phillips can get back into the game based on marquee value, then a good Canadian boy should be able to as well.

On the flip side, Lumsden’s signing makes sense for so many reasons. But, most importantly, his value to the team means more on the field than off. Of course, the Tiger-Cats will benefit from this Jesse’s name recognition, starring for so many years in the McMaster Marauder backfield, but it’s his on-the-field prowess that will mean the most. What Lumsden brings to the table is not just his talent, which will find him playing an increased role next year, but the fact that he is a ratio-breaker in a complimentary position. And, the fact that he’s coming in as a back-up gives the Tiger-Cats more flexibility in his progression.

Simply put Lumsden, the son of former CFL star Neil Lumsdsen, is a ratio-breaker. As per CFL rules, there are a certain number of Canadians who must be on the active roster. Usually these Canucks populate the lines or linebacking core, with a few odd Canadians appearing in so-called skill positions. Rarely do you find Canadians in the position of tailback. Former Mount Allison standout Eric Lapointe has kicked around the CFL, but without any great success. On the defensive side of the ball, Davis Sanchez is another ratio-breaker manning the corners for the Eskimos.

Tailbacks in the CFL are a luxury. Quarterbacks are an essential. To put any player under centre in the CFL just because of name recognition is a risky proposition. For an Ottawa franchise that can’t seem to keep its head above water, marrying their fortunes to Palmer as a starting quarterback could end up divorcing them from Grey Cup contention.

Despite the risks to the individual teams, however, the greatest part of this discussion may be the fact that more Canadian kids will get a look for non-traditional roles. There is no reason why each and every CFL squad couldn’t take a talented Canuck pivot and make him their third-stringers. A Larry Jusdanis or Chris Palmer would have served just as good as any American quarterback in a back-up role, and the increased recognition could help the Canadian game.

As it stands, Palmer is getting preferential treatment in his rise to the top because of his place of birth. Just as a team not looking at Canadians in the past was bad, simply anointing a player the saviour due to his nationality is equally as wrong.

In the end, maybe we’ll get to a point where a CFL quarterback isn’t chosen because of his birth certificate, but rather his potential.

2005 © Menard Communications – Jason Menard All Rights Reserved

Scoring With Silence

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By Jason Menard

I’m truly happy that the CBC is back at the negotiation tables with its locked-out employees. Really, I am. I’d hate to see anyone lose their jobs, and I can only imagine how this lockout is affecting their family.

But I’d be lying if I wasn’t intrigued by what would happen to their sports coverage if the commentators were still walking the picket line – especially when it comes time to drop the puck.

Maybe, for the first time in a long time, we’d be able to focus on what’s really important – the game.

The CBC, which was put out to pasture with the cancellation of the NHL regular season last year, should have been looking forward to their cash cow coming home with the end of the league’s lockout. Instead, lockout-itis seems to be catching and the public broadcaster has frozen out a significant number of its on-air talent, both on the TV and radio sides of the operation.

As such, we’ve been privy to broadcasts of Canadian Football League action with only the stadium announcer providing narration. That’s it. No pre-game drivel, no post-game inanity, no meandering commentary, no random non-sequiturs, no over-analysis, no distractions.

Just the game.

And, lo and behold, the fans have responded – positively. During a game broadcast on Aug. 27, 2005, a peak total of 746,000 viewers tuned in during the fourth quarter and an average of 580,000 fans watched the game, up from the season average of 412,000 viewers.

You can attribute some of those viewers to the curiosity factor and the proof will be in the long-term viewership, but the potential message is interesting. What if this is the first time that the fans have been able to express their displeasure at how their games have been taken away from them?

Modern sports has gone well beyond the point that many fans are comfortable with. Sport is a game in name only – it’s increasingly a business, designed to be marketed to certain demographics in the hope of selling product. And, in an attempt to keep listeners glued to their sets, broadcasters have tried to make each game an event.

But perhaps the pomp and bombast that accompany each broadcast are overwhelming the fans. Maybe, just maybe, we want something more simple and more pure.

With the odd exception, most sports broadcasts are overwhelmed by the commentary. The on-air personalities are trying too hard to be just that – personalities. Many times anecdotes extend into game time – a tacit implication that the announcer’s stories are more integral to the game than the on-ice or on-field action.

Inane points are overemphasized, as if each passing syllable is an opportunity to justify commentator’s presence. And, often times, the commentary is just plain wrong – identifying the wrong player, the wrong formation, or the wrong situation – simply because the focus on coming up with the next bit of witty repartee diminishes the focus on the reality of the game.

In addition, broadcasters go into each game with an agenda. They have a story they want to tell, one that they feel will be most compelling to the audience. Whether it’s a focus on a player or a situation, broadcasters champ at the bit to frame the game action in some sort of context. But, sports being what they are, announcers often have to stretch their analogies to shoehorn the reality into their preferred context. Instead of reveling in the unpredictable nature of sports, we are weighed down with prognostication and selective analysis wherein activities that don’t justify the preferred thesis are simply discarded.

The best broadcasters are the ones that serve as a conduit through which the game flows. The best analysts are the ones who don’t go into a game with a pre-conceived agenda, but rather they possess an understanding of the game and a willingness to contextualize what’s happening on the field or on the rink based upon the here and now.

These are the broadcasters and analysts that understand that they are not the show – the game is what matters. They understand that people tune into sports for the enjoyment of the on-field or on-ice product, not the in-studio machinations. They understand that their role is to complement the game, not overwhelm it.

So while I hope those locked-out CBC staffers get back to work soon, I can’t help but harbour a faint hope that we’ll be able to hear a game without announcers. And, far from being a silent broadcast, we’d finally be allowed to hear the game speak for itself.

2005 © Menard Communications – Jason Menard All Rights Reserved