Pages

Monday, January 23, 2012

No Problem With Tim Thomas

I thought the biggest non-story of the week involving something named Tim would have been the publicity being given to the fact that Tim Hortons has unveiled new sizes of cups. OMG!!!!  I was wrong! Boston Bruins goaltender Tim Thomas has gotten everyone into a lather over the fact that he made a political statement by not going to the White House with his teammates to have their Stanley Cup win celebrated by President Obama.

First off, let me say this. Should Thomas have gone with his teammates for the afternoon and the ceremony. Yes! Does he have every right not to do so? Absolutely! In this country and in the U-S, we can do whatever we want because we have the freedom and liberty to do so. If Thomas doesn't want to go, he has every right to stay away. Its just like you have every right to shop at Sobeys, but if you want to spend your grocery money at Safeway or Co-op, you can do it without repercussion. If you don't want to eat at Chili's, but you would rather frequent Applebees or Earls or Montana's or whatever, you have that choice. Why is this any different? Someone said to me on Monday night, he had to go because the Bruins own him. Really? Does that mean when I worked for RAWLCO that I had to frequent this business and that business and the same when I worked for the SJHL. No! I can do what I want, how I want and when I want. Yes, there are some things you don't do, but the bottom line is they can not tell you how to live your life.

That being said. There are some questions that Thomas does need to answer.

1) If you are going to make a statement of this kind, you can not just put it on Facebook and then say you will not answer questions about it anymore. That won't work Tim. You need to have a one time only media gathering to allow questions to be asked and answers to be given. Saying you won't say anything only means the pressure to comment will keep coming.

2)What does this decision, if anything, do to team unity? Thomas was the only member of the team that did not go which means he stands on an island. If the Bruins start to slide in the standings, the question will be asked if Thomas' stunt proved to be divisive amongst his teammates. You can't tell me that all of his teammates stood by the decision

3)Why do sports teams need to be lauded by the President? Its just a photo op and its a chance for the Prez to get a jersey. (What happens to those things anyhow?). Drew Remenda asks the question "Why should the national anthem be played before a sporting event?". At one point I disagreed with him saying its respect to the country in which you live to have the anthem played, but after seeing many like Steven Tyler butcher it, I am starting to wonder why there is the need for an anthem. All nationalities aren't represented (especially in hockey and baseball) so is it needed? Would not playing O'Canada or The Star Spangled Banner make us less patriotic. I doubt it. It would cure us of getting rid of these anthem singers that try to make a spectacle of themselves like the idiot in Boston and fat boy opera singer in Vancouver

I'm sure Tim Thomas will hear his fair share of boos as he goes into visiting rinks for the next couple of months, but with the reputation the Bruins are getting, he might have gotten that anyhow. I think he should have been with his teammates, but I fully respect his decision not to go. Its his right and its his belief and are we supposed to criticize that. We can debate it all we want, but to chastise Thomas for his actions is simply wrong.

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

U are way off base with this one.

Anonymous said...

What he does off the ice is his business, as long as its not criminal. He took a stance and I'm OK with that. However, I hope he told his teammates what he was thinking before doing this, because he did create a very awkward situation.


Brad

Anonymous said...

Tim Thomas is in a short version synopis a complete moron. He doesn't specify where this so called out of control spending comes from etc., so really he just demonstrates that he's a meathead jock, that gets his information from Fox News, and what he hears in he dressing room.

I'm intrigued by the whole concept of his stance. History is essentially what people choose to remember, and convienantly forget. 11 years they've had 2 Wars, and technically 3 if you count he war on terror, but in his psychosis it's all....out of control spending. This affects his Millionaire status and 14% tax bracket how?

Thanks
Obama (Mitch you can text to confirm it is me)

Anonymous said...

Tim Thomas has every right to skip the visit...but Mitch, he's also got every right to post a brief explanation on facebook and then tell everyone who wants to talk to him about it to fuck off. He has no obligation to anyone to answer questions as to why he chose to skip the White House visit. Thankfully we still have that much freedom.

One other thought...can you imagine if a Canadian player did this? What a shit show that would be.

KC

75flyersbestteamever said...

If you substitute Tim Thomas missed a "white house visit" with "team meeting". He basically then missed a team meeting, and should be subject to the implications.
Hopefully his play doesn't go south anytime soon.
He kinda deserves Chara or a few of their big time boomers to fire a few extra high hard ones in practise to make the point as a team repercussion.

Keith said...

Tim Thomas exposes himself as a bit of a wing-nut, but isn't that true of many pro goalies, past and present. You have be be a bit of a loon to let people blast pucks at you night after night.

I am sure many of his teammates (and players on past teams - football and hockey etc) were not happy with the US gov't - consider the Bush years - but went to the ceremony anyways. Just like going to see the Queen to accept recognition would not imply support for the Monarchy.

Anonymous said...

Sounds like the kind of guy who stockpiles fertilizer in preparation for a government overthrow.

Anonymous said...

Do I need to have a one time media gathering if I decide to shop at Sobey's instead of Co-op to explain my actions?

Tim Thomas can do whatever the hell he wants to IMHO.

Todd

Anonymous said...

Its ironic that the only American on the roster didnt show up. He is an educated man and has the right to send a message that he isnt happy with the direction his country is going... Maybe the Prez might have something more important to do than a photo op, with a bunch of hockey players from other countries.

Anonymous said...

If he wasn't the best goalie in the game, he would be on the first raft out of town. I admire him for not going, but what a ridiculous statement! One can only imagine what would happen if someone snubbed Harper like this.


Allan

Anonymous said...

Todd, Tim can do whatever the hell he wants, but don't you think that he will be hounded by the media asking questions that will hurt his team's preparation and his own. I think he really let his teammates down with this move and that he needs to stand up behind a podium and answer questions that will be asked of him for the remainder of his career.

Chad

Anonymous said...

I don't really care one way or the other about what Thomas did...his decision. But you touched a nerve with Fat Boy Opera Singer in Vancouver. Man, does this guy think he's something when he turns the mic to the crowd and lets them bellow out the anthem. Like he was the first one that thought of that?!? We all know Paul Lorieau, singing at Rexall during the cup run against the Hurricanes, was the first one to pull that move out of his sleeve. Everytime I see a Canucks game, I'd love to put Fat Opera Boy in a sleeper hold, pull out the pair of scissors from the trunks, and cut off those mangy locks!

Basic

Mitchell Blair said...

Basic, do I know you?? That's funny!! I think the guy in Boston annoys me more though. I wasn't big on Lorieau's shtick either for what its worth.

Anonymous said...

I dunno Scruffy, those Timmies cups are screwing people up at the drive-thru and those lines aren't getting any shorter. Perhaps your old workplace needs to get one of their reporters out there with hourly reports as to how people are being affected. If they've already done that, I haven't been listening.

Anonymous said...

To Basic:

HA HA HA HA!!! Can I help?

Signed Canuck Hater!

Anonymous said...

Been introduced to each other once or twice, through SJ games in Yorkton. I'm one of the linesmen there.

Basic

Anonymous said...

Canuck Hater...if you wanna join in, bring a pair of Brass knucks, and we'll take him down in the hallway before he gets to the ring, I mean, ice!

Basic