The NHL not participating in the Olympics is a disgrace
- BroadStParade

Why?

Let me put it to you in terms you might possibly understand.

Let's say you owned a widget factory.

Would you shut down your widget production line for 3 weeks to allow your employees to go work for the IOC Widget Company?

Keep in mind your employees wouldn't get paid, you would not be compensated for shutting your line, you run the risk of having your employees hurt, and here's the kicker:

The bastard IOC Widget Company will make astounding amounts of money of the backs of your workers.

The rest of the league doesn't count?

Imagine having a CONTRACT for millions from your employee who has a clear goal to be met, and said employee says ah, I'm going to to work for free, in a dangerous environment and it's possible he may get hurt and miss the remainder of the allotted time to reach that goal.

Nah, it's not just about Ovechkin. Doesn't matter if he has his GM support. It's bigger than him.
- dan_77

I believe his employer is Ted Leonisis, and that is the man who signs his checks. I also believe he is the man who said he would back Ovi in going to the Olympics. So if your employer grants you your "vacation"... why not? the NHL doesn't pay Ovi, the owner of the Caps does.

The only reason he wants to go so badly is he knows Canada, US and Sweden won't be stacked... so Ovi plus the KHL can pwn the Olympics for once.

Dear Mr. Tanner

You are an idiot.
I say this not because your opinions about certain hockey topics are idiotic or not fact based but that you yourself are an idiot.
An idiot can not accept information given to them from others because they have already come to a conclusion about a topic and regardless of the information provided, an idiot can not take in the new information and process it.
An idiot will read this and not understand the humorous nature that others will see in its content.
You are also an egotist, but one without warrant.
You are very high on your own opinion and will back it to the bitter end and lash out at anyone that disagrees with you.
I am encouraging others to do exactly what I am doing and make this my last reply to any of your posts.
I will not give you the satisfaction of getting the "hits" and "comments" that you so desire because I actually think you write posts to provoke others with you idiocy.
TO ALL OTHER MEMBERS OF HOCKEYBUZZ THAT ARE TIRED OF MR. TANNER AND HIS IDIOTIC POSTS, I ASK YOU TO STOP EVEN READING THEM, LET ALONE COMMENTING ON THEM.
DON'T FEED HIS EGO OR IDIOCY!
- temmer29

Oh wow! Good one. At least you decided to use paragraph breaks this time.

Why is there an angry career university student social justice warrior, who has never played sports, writing a blog for a professional hockey website?

Enough is enough.
- JLO961

This is pretty funny.

I think there is only one idiot and it is not Tanner if you get my drift. Great job James and I like you more each day, lol. Some guys just come on here to bash bloggers so just ignore those people. I hate when people use capital letters to make a point,
- joegreif17

Hey thanks, appreciate the kind words. Don't worry, I am not too worried about what crazy, angry people think of me.

Couldn’t agree anymore. Wish I could block this writer so I didn’t accidentally click on his articles. I used to enjoy reading all articles on here. Reading SJW Tanners political opinions and observations is sickening. To bad he pollutes two teams fan bases with his SJW immaturity. Hockeybuzz I have been a paying customer for over 8 years. I am not sure exactly where the money goes to that makes being a season ticket holder any advantage to just being some random person who comes on here and reads and comments. I used to not care. Though now from reading James Tanner’s material I no longer wish to support your website financially. Please cancel my season ticket membership. Maybe if Hockeybuzz gets back to writers that are professional and blog about sports I will happily renew my season ticket holder again. Thank you.
- al3535

That is a pretty angry response to an article about Ovechkin not going to the Olympics.

I highly recommend that until you learn to respect other people's ideas enough that you don't fly into a rage every time you read something that doesn't 100% confirm to your world view, that you refrain from speaking about anyone's maturity level.

Oh, and you're paying not to see ads, if that was a serious inquiry.

You say that about every blog he writes



Its far from spot on. Its an opinion from a guy whos always looking to have the opposite opionion from the majority...
- annoyed

1) I highly doubt that the opinion of the majority is that Ovechkin should ditch the NHL and go to the Olympics.

2) The opinion of the majority - which in this case I do believe I am holding - is often very basic, which is why a lot of intelligent people seem like they're always going against it just to go against it. In about 99% cases, I think they just know better.

Not even from the majority, he's failing to look at it from an athlete's perspective, which is really the only perspective worth a damn when you write a blog like this.
- j.boyd919

I usually agree with what you have to say, but not on this topic. The only thing perspective I'm interested in writing about is my own. How Ovechkin feels is obvious and it's obvious that I do not agree with him, so it's kind of confusing......are you saying I should not criticize him at all and just agree with what he's saying, even though other NHL players are not saying the same things?

That is a pretty angry response to an article about Ovechkin not going to the Olympics.

I highly recommend that until you learn to respect other people's ideas enough that you don't fly into a rage every time you read something that doesn't 100% confirm to your world view, that you refrain from speaking about anyone's maturity level.

Oh, and you're paying not to see ads, if that was a serious inquiry.
- James_Tanner

No one accidentally clicks articles lol that was hysterical. What a dummy.

The rest of the league doesn't count?

Imagine having a CONTRACT for millions from your employee who has a clear goal to be met, and said employee says ah, I'm going to to work for free, in a dangerous environment and it's possible he may get hurt and miss the remainder of the allotted time to reach that goal.

Nah, it's not just about Ovechkin. Doesn't matter if he has his GM support. It's bigger than him.
- dan_77

Exactly, I think Ovechkin looks like he's about 12 years old in this situation.

I believe his employer is Ted Leonisis, and that is the man who signs his checks. I also believe he is the man who said he would back Ovi in going to the Olympics. So if your employer grants you your "vacation"... why not? the NHL doesn't pay Ovi, the owner of the Caps does.
- j.boyd919

This is a valid point. I still think it makes OV look like a jerk, but if the Caps owner says its fine.....

I usually agree with what you have to say, but not on this topic. The only thing perspective I'm interested in writing about is my own. How Ovechkin feels is obvious and it's obvious that I do not agree with him, so it's kind of confusing......are you saying I should not criticize him at all and just agree with what he's saying, even though other NHL players are not saying the same things?
- James_Tanner

No, not at all. I think it's fine to have a different opinion. I think it's fine to think that players shouldn't go and all of that. The only thing I really disagreed with was saying the NHL could make a similar tourny and the result mean the same. I just don't think you can tell someone else what winning a certain award means to them and that another award could simply replace it. I don't think human sentiment or emotion works like that. In theory sure... The award could mean the exact same thing. But as other posters pointrd out his mother won Olympic gold. I'm sure it would mean the world to him to follow in her foot steps and some world cup goal medal wouldn't have the same merit as an Olympic gold. That's my other argument.

Prolly the dumbest article I have ever seen. The whole thing is just Ovechkin bashing for no reason. They guy is proud of his country and wants to win for them, I remember when both Canadians and Americans used to be the same way. Nothing wrong with that.

I agree that if the NHL says he can't go, he is under contract not to go. But there is nothing wrong with him saying he wants to play in the Olympics and the NHL should let their players play. Erik Karlsson said the same thing.

Prolly the dumbest article I have ever seen. The whole thing is just Ovechkin bashing for no reason. They guy is proud of his country and wants to win for them, I remember when both Canadians and Americans used to be the same way. Nothing wrong with that.

I agree that if the NHL says he can't go, he is under contract not to go. But there is nothing wrong with him saying he wants to play in the Olympics and the NHL should let their players play. Erik Karlsson said the same thing.
- Maverick1818

Don't say American's used to be the same way. I'm triggered. So offended right now.

Don't say American's used to be the same way. I'm triggered. So offended right now.
- j.boyd919

Well, you don't see Canadians or Americans pushing the issue. If every player in the league came out and said "we want to go" the NHL would have to make it happen. I suspect that will be a big part of the next CBA negotiations.

Ovechkin is the greatest goal scorer of his generation and prolly of all time. He deserves the right to have his opinion be heard and there is nothing wrong with being proud of where you are from and wanting to win in the Olympics for your country.

Well, you don't see Canadians or Americans pushing the issue. If every player in the league came out and said "we want to go" the NHL would have to make it happen. I suspect that will be a big part of the next CBA negotiations.

Ovechkin is the greatest goal scorer of his generation and prolly of all time. He deserves the right to have his opinion be heard and there is nothing wrong with being proud of where you are from and wanting to win in the Olympics for your country.
- Maverick1818

When it comes to sports, especially hockey, Canadians are much more nationalistic than Americans.

Well, you don't see Canadians or Americans pushing the issue. If every player in the league came out and said "we want to go" the NHL would have to make it happen. I suspect that will be a big part of the next CBA negotiations.

Ovechkin is the greatest goal scorer of his generation and prolly of all time. He deserves the right to have his opinion be heard and there is nothing wrong with being proud of where you are from and wanting to win in the Olympics for your country.
- Maverick1818

I was kidding.

When it comes to sports, especially hockey, Canadians are much more nationalistic than Americans.
- jmatchett383

Yes because it means something and it is hockey what brings people together in winter.The same applies to Russia.The winter is Russia s soul

let him go so we can void his dumb ass and his dumb ass contract.

let him go so we can void his dumb ass and his dumb ass contract.
- Blackstrom2

Different story compared to Olympics

Who is projected to be on each team?

Russia: Kovalchuk, Datsyuk
Canada: Doan, Iginla
USA: Gordon Bombay

Its not sentimental to say that if you make a commitment you should honor it.
- James_Tanner

By that rationale Ovi has made a commitment to his home country to represent them. he should honor that as well. It's all bogus. If you or me got offered a contract for a job but something either better came up, or something more important to us we could back out of it. If the team didn't write into his contract some kind of clause to keep him from going to the Olympics then to bad for them. Ovi owes the caps nothing. they paid him a poop ton of money and he made them a poop ton of money.

By that rationale Ovi has made a commitment to his home country to represent them. he should honor that as well. It's all bogus. If you or me got offered a contract for a job but something either better came up, or something more important to us we could back out of it. If the team didn't write into his contract some kind of clause to keep him from going to the Olympics then to bad for them. Ovi owes the caps nothing. they paid him a poop ton of money and he made them a poop ton of money.
- ChrisMS

I think he owes the fans something. The kids who worship him at least.

I think he owes the fans something. The kids who worship him at least.
- James_Tanner

What about all of the Russian kids that worship him, hoping to grow up and emulate him?