December 19, 2011

  • Pardon? Je ne comprends pas.

    When losing, they [the fans] want a team you can relate to. What I hear now is if the team is losing, why not have team we can relate to?

    ~Francis Gagnon, La Presse

    This has to be the stupidest thing I've read all day! Relatable losers?! How about I DON'T WANT US TO FREAKING LOSE ANYMORE!! If a Stanley Cup trumps everything (as he claims) then we shouldn't even be talking about having a team of relatable losers. I don't care who speaks what. Just get me a team that WINS! Sheesh!! Priorities, people!

    Francis Gagnon is ridiculous. Just to blast point-for-point arguments:

    • After that [winning the Stanley Cup], have as many Canadians and French Canadians as possible...Not only Francophones but guys from Ontario.  Canadians.
      Uhm, how about, even if we’re not Cup contenders, I’d like to see some wicked ass, excellent hockey? I don’t want to watch a team that sucks “just” because they’re all Canadian. I don’t watch Canada’s soccer team during World Cup for this *exact* reason. I’ll be supportive, but dammit, they suck. I don’t want to watch them play.

      And how gracious of Gagnon to include, you know...guys from Ontario. 

    • Would the Leafs have a coach, like Pittsburgh did a couple of years ago, who only spoke Czech (Ivan Hlinka)? Of course, that’s not going to happen.
      I’ve lived in Toronto since I was a very little girl. I’ll tell you right now, with the confidence of every cell in my body, no Leafs fan would ever give a crap about the language capabilities of the head coach if it meant the Leafs would play better and possibly win the Stanley Cup. And unlike Gagnon’s claim about relating to a losing team, I think it’s safe to say no one looks to Leafs to be relatable. When they’re losing, most Leafs fans just don’t give a crap and get on with life.

      And you want to know *why* that’s not going to happen? It has nothing to do with Leafs, the fans or the Toronto media. It’s because you can’t work in China if you don’t speak Chinese. You can’t work in Brazil if you don’t speak Portuguese. And you can’t work administratively in the NHL if you don’t speak English. Players that don’t speak English have translators. And that’s the key!! The coach doesn’t *have* to speak English (though it being the only common language of the entire team of players makes this kind of significant), but he’ll need a translator. So Cunnyworth doesn’t speak French. His assistant coach does. Cunnyworth also said he would learn. And if that’s not freaking good enough, then the club can PAY a translator for him.

    • I can't imagine, even though there are lots of Francophones in Alberta, that English Albertans would accept a Calgary coach who would not say word in English. Vancouver, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Toronto would not accept that.
      You know what? Toronto (I’m talking about the fans) are so used to everybody speaking English as a second language, and a lot of times not even speaking it well, I’m sure they would not even flinch at the thought of a non-English speaking coach. As long as he can limp along in broken English, enough to coach the team, the fans won’t care. The most you might get is an acknowledgement of, “Hey, did you know the new head coach doesn’t speak English? I wonder how that’s gonna work out.” But just as a side thought, you can’t work for the Government of Quebec if you don’t speak any French. So how do you expect to work in the English business of the NHL if you don’t speak *ANY* English at all?
    • I understand, Montreal, in having a coach who can speak French to fans, they would be putting aside some great candidates. But if Montreal doesn't give chance to Francophone to coach in NHL who will?
      Opportunity. I agree. Montreal should give opportunity to Francophone coaches…BUT only if they’re NHL calibre coaches (and if they’re not proven NHL calibre, they at least have potential). I would not pick a mediocre coach over a superior coach based on language alone. The coach’s primary responsibility is to communicate WITH THE PLAYERS…NOT the fans. The team has an entire pack of PR & marketing people for that. I agree that most fans like being able to hear from the coach, but maybe that’s the responsibility of the media. Case in point. The Leafs have a growing contingent of Punjabi fans…who speak predominantly Punjabi and very limited English (if at all). The CBC (you know…that small media organization also known as the public broadcaster?) has a radio show that broadcasts the Leafs game…wait for it…wait for it…IN PUNJABI!!! Do you think that this community would demand a fluent Punjabi-speaking coach if their segment of the fanbase got bigger or became the majority? I don’t think so (in fact, I’m *sure* they wouldn’t).

      I know there will be an argument about heritage and all that stuff. And truth be told, I (an Anglo-Quebecker, visible minority-child of immigrant parents who fled Quebec thanks to Bill 101) would *love* to see a French/English bilingual coach behind the Habs bench…or behind all the benches of Canadian teams. BUT, if they’re not the best candidate for the job, I will RESENT the fact that they got there just because they can speak French.

      And another thing…not sure if you noticed, but Yuna Kim didn’t speak a word of English – her coach was Canadian Brian Orser. Tessa & Scott don’t speak a word of Russian…they have Russian coaches. England’s National Football team…coached by Fabio Capello – pretty sure he’s Italian. But maybe this will be deemed as “a different situation.”

    This quote isn’t from Gagnon, but it’s significant.

    The Montreal Canadiens once stood for excellence. Now they stand for something else. The team has gone on record that they must be representative. I heard someone in the press box say that there are not enough French Canadians on the power play? I understand it as an outsider, but I’m not sure it’s productive.

    ~ Michael Farber, Sports Illustrated

    The fact that the language ability of the Power Play special team even factored into someone’s thought path makes me wonder why these people are even watching hockey. I want *my* hockey team to be the best damned team out there. They represent us because they wear our shirt. The franchise still does everything in both languages. In addition to our history and legacy, the fact that we’re the only team that does everything in both languages is one of the many things that makes us special. You can upgrade all the parts that are inside the car if you want, but if the body is a Toyota Corolla, then the car is still a Toyota Corolla. The body of our car is the best damned body out there…standing for excellence in sport, and the pride of Montreal. That doesn’t change just because we have different coaches and/or players. BUT, if we don’t upgrade the inside with the times, stay competitive, and build to win, then the pride and glory fade and all we’re left with is a bucket of bolts with Made in Quebec parts. I’m not saying we shouldn’t draft French Canadian players or hire French Canadian coaches. I’m saying that we pick them if they’re best. And if they’re not, then we pick someone else. If we’re doing really well and can afford to give opportunity to someone who might not be the best but have potential and can benefit from getting a break, then do it. When times are dire and we’re trying to stop our downwards spiral (hence the mid-season firing of a coach), THAT is when we must go with best-most-qualified – bilingual or not.

    I love my team profusely and would never give them up. But I’m sick of the media creating a controversy over this. The thing that annoys me the most is, “Toronto wouldn’t stand for this either.” Because that’s just media bullshit. If you’ve ever lived even just two weeks in Leafs Nation during any of the hockey season, you would know, the fans wouldn’t care if the coach was Russian, Slovak, or even a penguin. If it means the team might win a Cup, everyone is fair game.

    Source of quotes: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/bruce-dowbiggin/habs-coaching-appointment-stokes-quebec-nationalist-sentiments/article2275452/

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