Comments on: Laraque’s Blog Gets Knocked Out By Canadiens Brass http://www.nhldigest.com/canadiens-laraque-to-stop-blogging/ NHL Hockey News and Equipment Reviews Mon, 15 Mar 2010 22:29:28 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9 hourly 1 By: Kyle http://www.nhldigest.com/canadiens-laraque-to-stop-blogging/comment-page-1/#comment-64367 Kyle Sun, 11 Jan 2009 00:16:42 +0000 http://www.nhldigest.com/?p=1013#comment-64367 @ Walt - I don't agree. A blog doesn't take weeks to compose. He probably does them at night during his own time. A groin injury, such as he has takes time and rest to heal properly. I can't get on board with the argument that his game is suffering. The Canadiens didn't sign him to score goals. They needed him to be a physical presence. He has done that when he's been in the lineup. To me it's a clear-cut case of the Canadiens being too stiff and rigid on this issue, not to mention behind the times. I can't be swayed to believe that a blog would cause a player's game to slip, even a little bit. If some of the higher profile players that I listed in the link above can do it, so can Laracque. Thanks again to all for their thoughts!! @ Walt – I don’t agree. A blog doesn’t take weeks to compose. He probably does them at night during his own time. A groin injury, such as he has takes time and rest to heal properly. I can’t get on board with the argument that his game is suffering. The Canadiens didn’t sign him to score goals. They needed him to be a physical presence. He has done that when he’s been in the lineup.

To me it’s a clear-cut case of the Canadiens being too stiff and rigid on this issue, not to mention behind the times.

I can’t be swayed to believe that a blog would cause a player’s game to slip, even a little bit. If some of the higher profile players that I listed in the link above can do it, so can Laracque.

Thanks again to all for their thoughts!!

]]> By: Scott http://www.nhldigest.com/canadiens-laraque-to-stop-blogging/comment-page-1/#comment-64334 Scott Sat, 10 Jan 2009 17:18:45 +0000 http://www.nhldigest.com/?p=1013#comment-64334 I don't understand what the logic behind this decision is. Players in other sports are allowed to express themselves through blogging without having the respective teams shut it down. Gilbert Arenas and Curt Schilling are two prominent athletes that use their blogs to connect with fans. It's really too bad, I enjoyed Laraque's blog and I'm sure many others did as well. I don’t understand what the logic behind this decision is. Players in other sports are allowed to express themselves through blogging without having the respective teams shut it down.

Gilbert Arenas and Curt Schilling are two prominent athletes that use their blogs to connect with fans. It’s really too bad, I enjoyed Laraque’s blog and I’m sure many others did as well.

]]> By: Kyle http://www.nhldigest.com/canadiens-laraque-to-stop-blogging/comment-page-1/#comment-64322 Kyle Sat, 10 Jan 2009 15:28:41 +0000 http://www.nhldigest.com/?p=1013#comment-64322 I was just floating around the net and found that the hockey news also has a bunch of current NHLers blogging for them: http://www.thehockeynews.com/blogs_list/2-Insider_blogs.html Again, why do the Canadiens have that rule? ;) I was just floating around the net and found that the hockey news also has a bunch of current NHLers blogging for them: http://www.thehockeynews.com/blogs_list/2-Insider_blogs.html

Again, why do the Canadiens have that rule? ;)

]]> By: Kyle http://www.nhldigest.com/canadiens-laraque-to-stop-blogging/comment-page-1/#comment-64318 Kyle Sat, 10 Jan 2009 14:37:20 +0000 http://www.nhldigest.com/?p=1013#comment-64318 Hi Tim & Tyler, Thank you both for your feedback! @Tim - I agree that while stupid, if it is a team rule, why are they making him stop now? Why not stop him after his first blog posting? The only answer to that is that the Canadiens' front office didn't know he was doing it, but I can't see how that's possible. Everyone knew he had a blog (they even mentioned it on Sportsnet). I also think they deserve some criticism for having the rule in the first place. It's just plain dumb. Take a look at this list: http://juicedsportsblog.com/2008/01/top-19-athlete-bloggers.html There are several guys there who are MUCH higher profile than Laracque and have WAY more demands of their time than Laracque does, injured or not. (Mind you some are rarely updated). Why are these teams grating, and in some cases, encouraging this? Some players even have their own websites. I can't think of any current NHLer with his own personal website. The NHL is missing something here. Their mindset is about 15 years old. Even more bleeding edge, is the fact that Shaq, as we now know, is on Twitter (twitter.com/THE_REAL_SHAQ). That's about as raw and unfiltered as it gets. I understand that Shaq is an industry unto himself, but how can the Suns allow him to engage in this activity? He's also often hurt, plays by his own rules and takes seemigly forever to get back from injuries. I wrote my blog entry while I was angry, which I probably shouldn't have done, but I still feel the same way today. @Tyler - I think any and all teams receive negative attention. Just look at any fan site and you're sure to find a bunch of armchair quarterbacks who do nothing but rant on these forums. There's nothing the team can do to reign in that negativity. I don't see how snuffing out a blog will help to quell negativity. In fact, if the Canadiens had done nothing at all, they wouldn't have been receiving negative attention from me (which I guess is also a blessing for me!). I just think that teams are being way too heavy handed and missing the bigger picture here. For a league that struggles to gain attention, you would think that the league and its teams would want players to take advantage of these FREE tools available to help get some traction and build some loyalty. Yeah, they're going to get the occasional, or even frequent negative posting. So what? You've got fans that believe in your league and sport, those people will offset those comments easily. Anyway, I just can't see any angle from which the Canadiens are within their right mind to do this, even if it is a "rule". Again, I ask you to consider how you would feel if you wrote a personal blog on your own time about your field of work. Your employer then finds out, and even though you don't mention your company, or who you work for in your blog, they ask you to stop blogging. If this is something you were in to, and had a little community buzzing around you, I don't think you'd be so willing to let it go. Again, thanks for the comments guys, I didn't expect to receive 2 comments on my first article within a few hours! Success! :) Hi Tim & Tyler,
Thank you both for your feedback!

@Tim – I agree that while stupid, if it is a team rule, why are they making him stop now? Why not stop him after his first blog posting? The only answer to that is that the Canadiens’ front office didn’t know he was doing it, but I can’t see how that’s possible. Everyone knew he had a blog (they even mentioned it on Sportsnet).

I also think they deserve some criticism for having the rule in the first place. It’s just plain dumb. Take a look at this list: http://juicedsportsblog.com/2008/01/top-19-athlete-bloggers.html There are several guys there who are MUCH higher profile than Laracque and have WAY more demands of their time than Laracque does, injured or not. (Mind you some are rarely updated). Why are these teams grating, and in some cases, encouraging this? Some players even have their own websites. I can’t think of any current NHLer with his own personal website. The NHL is missing something here. Their mindset is about 15 years old. Even more bleeding edge, is the fact that Shaq, as we now know, is on Twitter (twitter.com/THE_REAL_SHAQ). That’s about as raw and unfiltered as it gets. I understand that Shaq is an industry unto himself, but how can the Suns allow him to engage in this activity? He’s also often hurt, plays by his own rules and takes seemigly forever to get back from injuries.

I wrote my blog entry while I was angry, which I probably shouldn’t have done, but I still feel the same way today.

@Tyler – I think any and all teams receive negative attention. Just look at any fan site and you’re sure to find a bunch of armchair quarterbacks who do nothing but rant on these forums. There’s nothing the team can do to reign in that negativity. I don’t see how snuffing out a blog will help to quell negativity. In fact, if the Canadiens had done nothing at all, they wouldn’t have been receiving negative attention from me (which I guess is also a blessing for me!).

I just think that teams are being way too heavy handed and missing the bigger picture here. For a league that struggles to gain attention, you would think that the league and its teams would want players to take advantage of these FREE tools available to help get some traction and build some loyalty. Yeah, they’re going to get the occasional, or even frequent negative posting. So what? You’ve got fans that believe in your league and sport, those people will offset those comments easily.

Anyway, I just can’t see any angle from which the Canadiens are within their right mind to do this, even if it is a “rule”. Again, I ask you to consider how you would feel if you wrote a personal blog on your own time about your field of work. Your employer then finds out, and even though you don’t mention your company, or who you work for in your blog, they ask you to stop blogging. If this is something you were in to, and had a little community buzzing around you, I don’t think you’d be so willing to let it go.

Again, thanks for the comments guys, I didn’t expect to receive 2 comments on my first article within a few hours!
Success! :)

]]> By: Walt Webb http://www.nhldigest.com/canadiens-laraque-to-stop-blogging/comment-page-1/#comment-64317 Walt Webb Sat, 10 Jan 2009 14:34:21 +0000 http://www.nhldigest.com/?p=1013#comment-64317 Well I guess George lost a bit of focus on hockey while doing his Blog. There is also enough media attention on the Habs anyway without having to worry about what one of their players is saying. The Habs felt his game was suffering because of the Blog so they have every right to tell him to be done with it. Walt AKA All Sports on the Web <a href="http://www.allsportsontheweb.com" rel="nofollow">All Sports on the Web</a> Well I guess George lost a bit of focus on hockey while doing his Blog. There is also enough media attention on the Habs anyway without having to worry about what one of their players is saying. The Habs felt his game was suffering because of the Blog so they have every right to tell him to be done with it.
Walt AKA All Sports on the Web
All Sports on the Web

]]> By: Tyler http://www.nhldigest.com/canadiens-laraque-to-stop-blogging/comment-page-1/#comment-64314 Tyler Sat, 10 Jan 2009 12:54:01 +0000 http://www.nhldigest.com/?p=1013#comment-64314 Kyle and Tim, You both make very good points and it is obvious that fans would like to hear directly from the players. However, with the way that today's media fires up the rumor mill it is quite apparent that teams must do something to reign in all possibilities of negative attention. As much as I would love to see players "allowed" to do their own thing and think that, if done responsibly, it would be a great way to enhance their personal profile as well as the team and league profile with fans it is too dangerous from a PR perspective to let players loose "willy nilly" on the internet these days. Great job Kyle, I look forward to hearing more from you in the future. Tyler Kyle and Tim,
You both make very good points and it is obvious that fans would like to hear directly from the players.
However, with the way that today’s media fires up the rumor mill it is quite apparent that teams must do something to reign in all possibilities of negative attention.
As much as I would love to see players “allowed” to do their own thing and think that, if done responsibly, it would be a great way to enhance their personal profile as well as the team and league profile with fans it is too dangerous from a PR perspective to let players loose “willy nilly” on the internet these days.
Great job Kyle, I look forward to hearing more from you in the future.
Tyler

]]> By: Tim http://www.nhldigest.com/canadiens-laraque-to-stop-blogging/comment-page-1/#comment-64271 Tim Sat, 10 Jan 2009 04:50:00 +0000 http://www.nhldigest.com/?p=1013#comment-64271 It is unfortunate that this has occured, but I think you are overreacting. I too am a die hard Habs fan. I have had the opportunity to read several of Laraque's blogs and found them interesting and well written. It's a shame they will not continue. With that being said if this was/is a team rule, then all players should have to follow it. He is under contract to the Canadiens. Second, there have been rumblings about Laraque missing rehab on his injured groin. We all know he has missed considerable time this season because of it. If this is true and they were allowing him to continue his blog despite the rule, the team would be well within guidelines to put a stop to it. Whatever the case, I fully trust the decisions made by the Canadiens brass, including but not limited to Bob Gainey. I also fully understand your point about the benefits of social media and understand why you would be upset. I just think the Canadiens job is to win hockey games. I think we can all see the potential harm that 20 blogs by 20 different Habs players on 20 different sites could cause as well. We all see the circus the media in Montreal can cause, this could possibly add to it. For now, bloggers like you will have to pick up the slack for Laraque! Cheers and go Habs. It is unfortunate that this has occured, but I think you are overreacting. I too am a die hard Habs fan. I have had the opportunity to read several of Laraque’s blogs and found them interesting and well written. It’s a shame they will not continue.
With that being said if this was/is a team rule, then all players should have to follow it. He is under contract to the Canadiens. Second, there have been rumblings about Laraque missing rehab on his injured groin. We all know he has missed considerable time this season because of it. If this is true and they were allowing him to continue his blog despite the rule, the team would be well within guidelines to put a stop to it.
Whatever the case, I fully trust the decisions made by the Canadiens brass, including but not limited to Bob Gainey. I also fully understand your point about the benefits of social media and understand why you would be upset. I just think the Canadiens job is to win hockey games. I think we can all see the potential harm that 20 blogs by 20 different Habs players on 20 different sites could cause as well. We all see the circus the media in Montreal can cause, this could possibly add to it.
For now, bloggers like you will have to pick up the slack for Laraque! Cheers and go Habs.

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