The Subbanator
Apr 12, 2014 15:10:23 GMT -5
Post by franko on Apr 12, 2014 15:10:23 GMT -5
from Joe O'Connor:
A lot of people hate P.K. Subban.
Boston Bruins fans hate him. They boo him on sight, even during pre-game warm-ups. Ottawa Senators fans hate him, as do most of the Ottawa Senators who play against him. Sports Illustrated has named him among the most hated players in hockey. The average hater, at home, phones in and rants about him on sports talk radio shows, or else rages about him in NHL comment threads, and not entirely because he plays for the Montreal Canadiens, although that can be a part of it, and not entirely because he is young and earning US$3.75-million this year, although that can be a part of it, too.
But there are other parts.
He is cocky. He smiles too much. He is a showboat. He takes too many chances in the defensive zone. He takes too many long shifts. He is over-rated. He is not a good teammate. He refers to himself as “The Subbanator.” He celebrates every goal he scores like it is THE ONLY GOAL THAT HAS EVER BEEN SCORED, pounding on the glass, occasionally striking a pose one wag coined as — The Archer.
His own coach, Michel Therrien, has told him the same, albeit indirectly, by benching him. Critics want to change him, want him to cut out the cutesy, quit with the risk taking and stop roaring around NHL rinks looking like the happiest damn fool alive because, damn it, this is hockey, this is serious stuff.
But hold on, P.K. Subban haters, and Canadians east to west. It is time to consider some hard truths and look at just where we are, collectively, as a nation as the NHL regular season ends and the playoffs begin next week. And where we are, unless we live in Montreal, is nowhere. Toronto? Nowhere. Ottawa? Nowhere. Winnipeg, Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver — nowhere, at least nowhere near the playoffs.
the rest here, including
“P.K. Subban might be the most disliked player in the NHL,” says Senator Jacques Demers, coach of that 1993 team. “Is Subban a showboat? I just think that is his style. He is spectacular, and it rubs people the wrong way because hockey, at heart, is still a conservative sport.
and
“The Montreal Canadiens are going to win the Stanley Cup, eventually,” Senator Demers says. “Maybe not this year, but this is the guy who is going to have to be the anchor for them to have a chance. The potential is there for him to be a superstar. Let him have fun.”
A lot of people hate P.K. Subban. This is why you should love him
A lot of people hate P.K. Subban.
Boston Bruins fans hate him. They boo him on sight, even during pre-game warm-ups. Ottawa Senators fans hate him, as do most of the Ottawa Senators who play against him. Sports Illustrated has named him among the most hated players in hockey. The average hater, at home, phones in and rants about him on sports talk radio shows, or else rages about him in NHL comment threads, and not entirely because he plays for the Montreal Canadiens, although that can be a part of it, and not entirely because he is young and earning US$3.75-million this year, although that can be a part of it, too.
But there are other parts.
He is cocky. He smiles too much. He is a showboat. He takes too many chances in the defensive zone. He takes too many long shifts. He is over-rated. He is not a good teammate. He refers to himself as “The Subbanator.” He celebrates every goal he scores like it is THE ONLY GOAL THAT HAS EVER BEEN SCORED, pounding on the glass, occasionally striking a pose one wag coined as — The Archer.
His own coach, Michel Therrien, has told him the same, albeit indirectly, by benching him. Critics want to change him, want him to cut out the cutesy, quit with the risk taking and stop roaring around NHL rinks looking like the happiest damn fool alive because, damn it, this is hockey, this is serious stuff.
But hold on, P.K. Subban haters, and Canadians east to west. It is time to consider some hard truths and look at just where we are, collectively, as a nation as the NHL regular season ends and the playoffs begin next week. And where we are, unless we live in Montreal, is nowhere. Toronto? Nowhere. Ottawa? Nowhere. Winnipeg, Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver — nowhere, at least nowhere near the playoffs.
the rest here, including
“P.K. Subban might be the most disliked player in the NHL,” says Senator Jacques Demers, coach of that 1993 team. “Is Subban a showboat? I just think that is his style. He is spectacular, and it rubs people the wrong way because hockey, at heart, is still a conservative sport.
and
“The Montreal Canadiens are going to win the Stanley Cup, eventually,” Senator Demers says. “Maybe not this year, but this is the guy who is going to have to be the anchor for them to have a chance. The potential is there for him to be a superstar. Let him have fun.”