They may not, but to imply all Americans are imperialists is a bit of an overgeneralization, wouldn't you say?
- Mr_Clean

Not all americans just the ones that would have dinner with crooks.(that steal from them)

I am a canadian, Vancouver Canucks fan. I have enough to hate about this team as it is. But until today I always had the upmost respect for Tim thomas. What he achieved last year was beyond incredible, and though he beat my home team, I elnowledged his brilliance and accepted it as an incredible feat.

However, Tim Thomas is an American first and a republican second. He was not going there to listen to to Obama sling his democratic point of view. He was Invited because Barack Obama wanted to shake his hand and congratulate him on his incredible achievement. And at the same time managed to hypothetically say that he is above the team.

At that point to Thomas it was no longer about the team, it was about himself and that is what angers me the most.

Tim Thomas is an incredible talent and I would welcome him with open arms if he ever decided he wanted to come to the west coast. But after this I'm quite comfortable in saying I have lost all respect fOr this Individual.

He's putting himself before the team. Its just plain wrong.
- vancity787

Good for Timmy. I wouldn't want to shake Barry's hand. For what? Mitterating all over the US constitution?

The president is just a bum, ok Mr Buchanan, he's just a bum.

Team First... he is an athlete and was invited to a team function, he choose to stand out on his own, his ego has gotten the best of him and he put himself above the team, plain and simple... That is not good!

The fact that none of his teammates are standing up for him so far speakes volumes for what he has done to them (and the GM doesn't count)

Why can't he be just a dumb pro athlete who thinks he knows what he's talking about, feels passionate about it but at the end of the day he's not the brightest bulb? who cares?

The whole visit the president thing is stupid.
- Fountain-San

Voilà

Team First... he is an athlete and was invited to a team function, he choose to stand out on his own, his ego has gotten the best of him and he put himself above the team, plain and simple... That is not good!

The fact that none of his teammates are standing up for him so far speakes volumes for what he has done to them (and the GM doesn't count)
- HABZROCK

Who.
(frank)ing.
Cares.

This ... I'm guessing he's a total kook off the ice, but he has every right to be a kook and a passionate one. I certainly hope his teammates don't hold it against him, they don't seem to hold it against Ference.
- Double_A

The nuttier the goalie the better they are and there's no one better than Thomas right now.

This ... I'm guessing he's a total kook off the ice, but he has every right to be a kook and a passionate one. I certainly hope his teammates don't hold it against him, they don't seem to hold it against Ference.
- Double_A

Is TT the only American on the team?

I doubt his team mates or fans will hold it against him ... just as long as he continues to stop the puck.

Team first yeah great. Good role model for his kids and to kids who aspIre to be as successful. Put the TEAM before your values and principles.
How does this detract from the performance of the team?
What because the players might get asked about it?

I think the people north of the border have no real purpose in their response other than to expound their ridiculous liberal nonsense on the civilians of the GREATEST country on the planet!!!!














(can we still build our pipeline through your country though????)

Even my friends in the military say they don't know what they're doing over there.
- jaredwildzee

They aren't supposed to know anything but what their mission is at the time and execute according to plan.

Yup, just pure rhetoric right from the tea party play book.
- robin_steele264

As opposed to all the left wing rhetoric spouting from the media in Canada?

The are gone retarded on both sides. Or all 17 sides in Canada.
- Cape Breton Bruins

I get that this is just a joke, but it boils my blood a bit to see someone actually have such a complete disregard for having more choices to elect for leadership.

The whole issue with American "democracy" is that the powers that be have fooled it's people into actually believing there are only two sides or political mindsets, and you can only be one or the other. It's f***ing absurd, and unfortunately it's spilling over into Canada. If there were 20 different major competing parties, there would be more dissenting opinions, it would be harder for corporate america to buy congress, and American politicians wouldn't feel so safe to f*** over their constituents, because they wouldn't have the guarantee of their voters remaining the same year to year.

Basically, anyone who says the phrase "I'm a republican/democrat/conservative/liberal" is an idiot who thinks they're cheering for a sports team, and likely has little understanding of what the people they are electing are actually going to do when making life/world changing decisions on their behalf.

EDIT for TL;DR: Democracy is about electing individuals, and has been perverted into electing parties, and nobody seems to want to do anything about it to fix what is clearly broken about the system.
/end rant

I get that this is just a joke, but it boils my blood a bit to see someone actually have such a complete disregard for having more choices to elect for leadership.

The whole issue with American "democracy" is that the powers that be have fooled it's people into actually believing there are only two sides or political mindsets, and you can only be one or the other. It's f***ing absurd, and unfortunately it's spilling over into Canada. If there were 20 different major competing parties, there would be more dissenting opinions, it would be harder for corporate america to buy congress, and American politicians wouldn't feel so safe to f*** over their constituents, because they wouldn't have the guarantee of their voters remaining the same year to year.

Basically, anyone who says the phrase "I'm a republican/democrat/conservative/liberal" is an idiot who thinks they're cheering for a sports team, and likely has little understanding of what the people they are electing are actually going to do when making life/world changing decisions on their behalf.EDIT for TL;DR: Democracy is about electing individuals, and has been perverted into electing parties, and nobody seems to want to do anything about it to fix what is clearly broken about the system.
/end rant
- TommyDeVito

I like this analogy.

He has the right to use the invitation as a way to expound his political views.

I have the right to trash the political views of another millionaire who is worried about the communisitic tendencies of a government that dares to tax him.

His teammates have the right to be pissed that he used a team event to turn the focus on himself.

Ek has the right to make money from this silly debate.

Where's Kate Smith when you need her!

I think the people north of the border have no real purpose in their response other than to expound their ridiculous liberal nonsense on the civilians of the GREATEST country on the planet!!!!














(can we still build our pipeline through your country though????)
- THENINELINE

Its actually our pipeline that will be used to send Oil to the world market.

As opposed to all the left wing rhetoric spouting from the media in Canada?
- kaptaan

Left wing rhetoric like 'he shouldnt put himself above his team?'


Dang commies!

All I can say I DONT FREAKING CARE

All I can say I DONT FREAKING CARE
- BruinBlood

yup. its so stupid.

Maybe if he didn't post his "statement" on his facebook page and make it so dramatic and about him it would have been a bit more tasteful.

The fact that we are even discussing this just proves that this was a poor decision by TT... did he think him not going would create this epiphany for everyone? this magical awakening... opening everyone's eyes to the fact that the american government has been (frank)ed up since most people posting on here were even born. Its no secret things need to change. Americans didn't need Tim (frank)ing Thomas to remind them of that.

This is an honor bestowed upon a team since god knows how long and the key word being team. If he were a tennis player... or a (frank)ing horse... and he didn't want to go for some individual award.. then by all means.. sully your own name.. but to shed negative light on the TEAM and the NHL as a whole is just plain idiotic.

where were all these gun toting right loving people during the bush years when he was sending people off to die, and every move he made was for his wallet and his big business friends' wallets? .... oh yeah, burning dixie chicks CD's because they spoke their mind, i forgot.
- zedniksghost

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Maybe if he didn't post his "statement" on his facebook page and make it so dramatic and about him it would have been a bit more tasteful.

The fact that we are even discussing this just proves that this was a poor decision by TT... did he think him not going would create this epiphany for everyone? this magical awakening... opening everyone's eyes to the fact that the american government has been (frank)ed up since most people posting on here were even born. Its no secret things need to change. Americans didn't need Tim (frank)ing Thomas to remind them of that.

This is an honor bestowed upon a team since god knows how long and the key word being team. If he were a tennis player... or a (frank)ing horse... and he didn't want to go for some individual award.. then by all means.. sully your own name.. but to shed negative light on the TEAM and the NHL as a whole is just plain idiotic.
- kneughter

ugh...

ugh...
- Fountain-San

You sir... are a wordsmith. Well said

IMHCanadianO

Some of you Americans need to learn to differentiate between your political allegiance and your national allegiance. They aren't the same thing. IMO it's far more "patriotic" to snub the President out of genuine disapproval than to be a part of the political photo op charade that yesterday provided.

Edit: I should clarify that I'm not singling out Americans as quite a few of (what I deem) ignorant comments have been from my countrymen.

- Beatle_john

No I in team, but there's one right smack dab in the middle of "WIN".
Move on.
not a real story.

tonight, OV with only a 3 game suspension is a story.
Hortons concussion with no penalty or suspension is a story.
Chara getting run into the numbers with no call is a story.
can we talk a little hockey here?

IMHCanadianO

Some of you Americans need to learn to differentiate between your political allegiance and your national allegiance. They aren't the same thing. IMO it's far more "patriotic" to snub the President out of genuine disapproval than to be a part of the political photo op charade that yesterday provided.

Edit: I should clarify that I'm not singling out Americans as quite a few of (what I deem) ignorant comments have been from my countrymen.
- DrChristianTroy

well said