Spouting Off

Excuse me while I vent:


I came across a rather annoying piece on-line the other day. On Tuesday November 11th to be precise by one Jay Busbee who I guess is some self-proclaimed sports guy who thinks he knows a few things. (Don't we all!) Anyways, this little article was titled, "The Most Boring Champions Club Welcomes Jimmie Johnson," who frankly I could care less about as I do not follow Jimmie Johnson or Nascar, but I found some of the other members of his club interesting, including such people as Tiger Woods and recent amazing Olympian Michael Phelps. Also included in his list of so-called "boring champions" was my dear Red Wings captain, Nick Lidstrom.


Here's Busbee's take on Lidstrom: "The Detroit Red Wings' captain is a pleasant, exceedingly competent, soft-spoken gentleman -- which is exactly what you don't want in a freakin' hockey player! The defenseman is the symbol of the Wings' numbingly boring style of hockey, and making hockey boring is quite a feat in itself."


Excuse me!?! First of all, complimenting hockey while trashing the Wings at the same time does not make you okay in my book. Second of all, anyone who thinks the Red Wings style of hockey is boring is clearly not watching the same game I am. They are without a doubt one of the most highly skilled NHL teams out there with Datsuk skating circles around most other players so much so that the commentators have now come up with the phrase "Datsukian Deeks" to describe his moves! Hossa brings tears to your eyes with goals that make the highlight reels every night on ESPN for his artistry, and Zetterburg isn't exactly a slouch. And, while they are not exactly known for fighting, you all should have seen McCarty mix it up the other night in a very old school hockey brawl. No, they are not a bunch of "thugs on ice" so if Mr. Busbee is into that brand of hockey then perhaps they are a bit bland and he might look into a sport like .... say, roller derby.


As for Nick Lidstrom, yes he is a "soft-spoken gentleman" and isn't that refreshing in this day and age of me-me-me egocentric athletes who continually whine and play the diva. It seems a player like Terrell Owens cannot go a day without complaining to the media about not getting the ball thrown to him enough. We all know he has gone through a couple of teams and quarterbacks with his "it is all about me" antics. But, no, he isn't "boring." Or you could look at the many examples of criminal behavior among sports stars. Pacman Jones ring a bell? Or how about steroid abuse in baseball? But hey, the athletes aren't boring are they Mr. Busbee? Never mind that none of them have an ounce of class or honesty!


Give me the Nick Lidstrom athletes of the world twenty times over the show-boaters, Mr. Busbee. They are the ones who I can admire, the ones I can point out to my daughter as playing their sports in the manner in which they ought to be played.... not only with skill and talent and amazing athleticism but also with sportsmanship, class, integrity, and a love of the game, which is sadly missing in all too many of our professional sports athletes today. Bring on the "boring."