Photo Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
The 2014 Olympics in Sochi, Russia are just around the corner.
Cue the excitment!
And now cue the controversy.
The big news in the Calgary Flames world is that Brian Burke is part of the management team putting together Team USA to represent the nation at the Olympics.
The controversy is that Bobby Ryan was cut from representing Team USA and Brian Burke has made some less-than-desirable comments in regards to Ryan.
In this National Post article, Burke is quoted as saying, “I think we have to know what we’re taking with Bobby…He is not intense…”
Burke is known for his straight-forwardness and not holding anything back. Add to that his preference for gritty players and I think this was bound to happen.
You can read Bobby Ryan’s rebuttal in this Ottawa Sun article, where Ryan has referred to Burke’s comments as “gutless”. He also goes on to say, “I will remember it and use it as motivation…”
In my opinion, that’s exactly what Bobby Ryan should do – prove to the world why Burke and the management team made a mistake because, if Ryan uses Burke’s comments as “motivation”, it will only serve his best interest by making him an even better player.
In response to this scenario between Burke and Ryan, David Poile, head of hockey operations and general manager of the Nashville Predators and also part of the Team USA management, has made a public statement, apologizing for Burke’s previous comments about Ryan.
As explained on Too Many Men On The Site, Poile expressed to media, “it went further than it should have.”
To me, this is reminiscent of the time, not so long ago, when Milan Lucic of the Boston Bruins made hasty comments about his situation in Vancouver and then seemed forced to apologize for what he had said.
Are hockey players/executives not allowed to speak their minds anymore without offending someone? And will the offended always be considered right?
I’m not saying I agree with Burke – far from it. What I am saying is that people are entitled to their opinions, and if Burke wants to apologize for his words, that should be between him and Bobby Ryan.