Marek Vs. Wyshynski: Why should you care about World Cup of Hockey? (Podcast)
In this edition of Marek Vs. Wyshynski, the boys are talking about:
– It’s the season premiere of #MvsW, as the boys enter their sixth season of doing this nonsense.
– The World Cup of Hockey, whether you should care about it and various other concerns.
– The odd situation with goalie coaches and the World Cup.
– How the whole thing is rigged for Canada and the U.S.
– Patrick Roy quits the Avs (it’s been a while since we had a podcast).
– Jimmy Vesey joins the Rangers (it’s been a while since we had a podcast).
– News and notes from around the NHL.
The Marek vs. Wyshynski Podcast is hosted by Jeff Marek of Sportsnet and Greg Wyshynski of Yahoo Sports, breaking down the NHL on a (somewhat) daily basis with their particular brand of whimsy and with guest voices from around the hockey world. MvsW streams live while its being recorded: LISTEN HERE! [And if that doesn’t work, try here.]
MVSW
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M vs W podcast, November 15 2011 on teammates dating and coming out in the NHL
[discussion about Olivia Munn and Brad Richards, and how celebrity relationships affect hockey players' stats, then whether the effect is the same for women's hockey players]
M: I wonder what happens when two teammates date, though.
W: What do you mean 'two teammates date'?
M: Like, hockey is a sport that goes back to the turn of the century, conservatively speaking. It probably goes back further. So in the history of time, wouldn't you assume that over that course of time, that at least it's happened once, that two people on the same team have dated and how that affects the dynamic in the room? I talked to one member of the Canadian women's national team, former member, today and said, yeah, it doesn't happen as much on the national level as it does on the club level, but it happens and it's uncomfortable, but it's only uncomfortable when they break up.
W: That's fascinating.
M: That's the fear. Do you think it's ever happened in the NHL, though? Has to have. Has to have!
W: You play the percentages, it probably has. But then you think it may cause a divided locker room?
M: I don't know.
W: Like, is one half team Doug and one half is team Brad? And when the player eventually has to leave town - because you know one of them has to eventually leave town, is it, what do they tell the media? It's because he doesn't like his role on the team? What's the explanation there? That's a fascinating subject. Good luck finding anyone to ever speak about it on the record. But it's a fascinating subject.
M: Yeah, no. It certainly is.
[...]
M: And no one talks about this in hockey. There are just some things you just don't talk about, just don't get discussed. Well, publicly anyway. Privately, all the time. But that has to be one of those things. Hockey players dating one another.
W: But in all seriousness, though, if you want to talk about players dating each other on an NHL team-
M: Mm hmm.
W: And I am somebody who is of the openest of open minds when it comes to homosexuality. And I think that the fact that someone can't come out and be themselves in the league today is a joke. I think when we do have our gay Jackie Robinson moment, it's going to be a joyous day for everybody.
M: Mm hmm.
W: But, just to play devil's advocate here, wouldn't that be one of those don't ask, don't tell kinda little situations that people are wary about, where you bring that element onto a team by having a gay player in the locker room?
M: There's only been one hockey player I've ever spoken to who's told me that he was gay. And he played in the NHL, I think he just finished up a few years ago, he's no longer in the National Hockey League. But he was the only one, I asked 'do you ever think about coming out?' He said 'Not for a second. Not a chance, not for a second. I don't want to be the first one. Because it's uncharted waters, I don't know what's going to happen. Not a chance.' He said 'I'd rather be Buzz Aldrin than Neil Armstrong.'
W: It's always gonna be, we all know what it's gonna be. It's gonna be the same thing as with the NFL and the NBA, we're going to have a former player come out, it'll be a player of some renown, and all of a sudden, it's going to open the doors, it's going to open the doors for other people to come out. That's the only way it's going to work. There's not going to be a Ned Braden moment (laughter from both)
M: Ned! Ned!
W: I'm not saying Ned Braden was gay mind you, but there's not going to be a moment where the player comes out for the three stars and he's wearing a feather boa. It's not going to happen that way, okay? It's going to happen where there's going to be a player that we all love and respect-
M: Yeah.
W: Comes out after his playing days are over, and then everybody takes a step back and says, oh, okay, this is fine.
M: And I really hope that it is one of those players that everybody, or most traditional sports fans look at say, he's the guy's guy, he's that guy's hockey player. I really hope it's someone like that. That becomes the first, the one that's almost teflon to criticism. I hope it's that kind of guy.
W: (In a joking sports commentator voice, probably Don Cherry) Not only did he not go to the corners and not only did wear a visor but he was gay? What? What? He's not a good Canadian boy!
[They bring up the topic again at the end of the show]
M: We talked about the idea of two players, eventually - and, positive it's happened, it must have happened, the percentages are just there, but there's this, man, it's such a taboo topic in hockey. (Fake aggressive voice) You just don't discuss it, you just don't talk about it, okay, it doesn't happen, if it does, you don't mention it! (normal voice) That two hockey players on the same team must have hooked up, probably dated. And this has happened in New Jersey [he goes on to talk about Jerry St. Cyr and Manon Rheaume in roller hockey]. It wasn't the NHL, it was the RHI, but it still begs the question, when. And one day it will happen, and hopefully it's a soft landing, and it's an open arm embrace when that finally does happen.
(Everyone should be reading her blog, btw. She gets into the idea of 'hockey narratives' and how players are viewed by fans and the media and basically the interaction between hockey players and hockey fandom. She pro-Montreal and I am a Bruins fan, so if I say that you should read her, GO READ HER.)
We've seen this happen time and time again throughout the National Hockey League. When teams react to failure by trying to become what they hate the most.
Greg Wyshynski on MvsW discussing how Pittsburgh might react to a loss to the Bruins, probably resonant to Caps fans, who saw their team lose its offensive thrust after getting Halak'd in 2010.
Marek and Wyshynski are in fine form today! They've already gotten to the Bruins as the baddest kid on the block; Sid as the NHL's secret villain; the validity of the USA! chant; and both hosts singing the other's national anthems. And they haven't even started the show proper yet.
