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gordphish
4-11-08, 4:14 PM
Something that is starting to bug me more than anything about the team right now is how no one among the media in this market is asking this team the hard questions.

Where are these questions when Nonis and Vigneault are handing out their same empty responses over and over?

"Dave, you've gone on record here now as saying this team has solid depth. Where was this depth in January when your team had 1-0 or 2-1 leads in 14 games and couldn't score the next goal, and why was nothing done to address that lack of depth when it was apparent that you had a top 6 forward that wasn't due back from injury until March?"

"Dave, coming out of the playoffs last year, nothing was more clear that this team needed scoring help. Given that so many teams did find a way to add scoring in the summer, why did you decide not to?"

"Dave, knowing that young defensemen, ie the players you were forced to use as injury replacements, typically hit a wall in February and March, why was nothing done in terms of trading for a veteren defenseman at the deadline to help support them down the stretch?"

"Dave, do you get the sense that your veteren players were frustrated by your inability to aquire help at any point during the season, most especially given the amount of injuries your team sustained?"

"Alain, describe what you perceive as your relationship with the veterens on your team."

"Alain, given that Naslund's offense has been what can only be described as a disappointment for a player of his calibre the last two seasons, was there anything you would have done differently in terms of how you played him over those two years, or does the onis for that lack of production fall mostly on Naslund?

And

If Naslund does come back, what in your opinion needs to be done to get him back to being a premier scoring threat on a consistent basis?"

"Alain, do you perceive that there is 'a line' in that dressing room, and if so, who is responsible for addressing that problem during the season, you or the leaders of the team?"

"Alain and/or Dave, your powerplay has been an achilles heel for this team for two seasons now. What will you do to improve this?"

"Alain, given the team's struggles in the stupid-out this season, will you add that to practices next season?"

"Alain, is there anything you will change next season about team schedulling to help ensure this team is healthier and fresher down the stretch, for example, taking a page out of Brent Sutter's book and doing away with game day skates?"

"Alain, why in your opinion did the Sedins struggle to score to such a great degree from January on?"

I haven't heard any of those questions put to either Nonis or Vigneault since the season ended. Why? What is it about the Canucks that scares the media in this city from asking the most difficult and pointed questions?

KB in Kelowna
4-11-08, 6:22 PM
Gordo,
Those are questions that have been asked here and on other forums for weeks or months now, for which we are still awaiting answers.

My theory is that either the media a) still suffers from shell shock from Brian Burke’s Bully Boy Bluster, or b) The major media do not take sports seriously and the quality of the reporters reflects this. Most of the TV one’s are “pretty boys look good on TV” types. The TEAM 1040 and Sports net are so dependent on the Canucks for content, ratings and revenues that they are not about to bite the hand that feeds them.

Tony Gallagher used to come off as somebody who wouldn’t drink the Orca Bay Kool-Aid, but he has mellowed ever since he got the radio pre-game gig. Neil McRae probably comes closest to asking your questions but his act has become a buffoonish caricature, who is lacking in credibility in my opinion. Perhaps Dan Russell asks these questions, but I don’t listen to him much anymore? I don’t know if any of these three still do press conferences?

Mostly the Vancouver media seems to emulate the Toronto media as cheerleaders for the team reaching an audience they perceive as adolescents. Covering sports allows a bunch of guys who were never good enough to play the game, the chance to hang out in the locker room, meet the athletes, travel and run up tabs in the press box. They don’t ask the hard questions for fear they will get kicked off the gravy train. Look at how the sports media turned a blind eye to the Alan Eagleson shenanigans in the 1970’ and 80’s.

For the good of the Canucks, perhaps it should be the Aquilini’s asking Dave, Steve, Alain et al, those questions at their performance reviews this month!

AtLossForWords
4-11-08, 11:01 PM
I agree with KB on his point about biting the hand that feeds. There is not much going on in BC during the Winter as far as sports goes, and if the Canucks don't want to give them as much content during season, then they feel their ratings will suffer.

By all rights the media could spend a cheaper dollar on the Giants to cover them more, but they would most likely take a hit in ratings because nothing compares with the NHL in Canada. I'm not saying the Canucks will not show games on Sportsnet, but what's going to get more ratings in your honest opinion? I think a lazy interview with Nonis draws more than coverage of the Vancouver Giants or Kelowna Rockets.

KB in Kelowna
4-12-08, 7:08 PM
I agree with KB on his point about biting the hand that feeds. There is not much going on in BC during the Winter as far as sports goes, and if the Canucks don't want to give them as much content during season, then they feel their ratings will suffer.

By all rights the media could spend a cheaper dollar on the Giants to cover them more, but they would most likely take a hit in ratings because nothing compares with the NHL in Canada. I'm not saying the Canucks will not show games on Sportsnet, but what's going to get more ratings in your honest opinion? I think a lazy interview with Nonis draws more than coverage of the Vancouver Giants or Kelowna Rockets.

Part of the problem with the Vancouver media is that they are lazy in covering teams that they can't drive to see. Before the Giants hit Vancouver how much coverage did the Kootenay Ice, Kelowna Rockets, Kamloops Blazers, Prince George Cougars get from the BCTV-Global's, CBC Vancouver and CTV-BC's of this world? Thanks to Shaw cable these stations are broadcast throughout the province. Junior hockey was an afterthought, even today they may pass on scores but rarely high lites from "the Dub". As for the BCJHL, well you should have seen Squire Barnes muck up the Penticton Vees four game sweep of Nanaimo on the Noon News show the other day.:o

At least out local station here in Kelowna covers the Rockets, the BCJHL teams and other local sports, but it to is fawning in its praise of the local ownership and management groups.

charlio lemieux
4-13-08, 1:47 PM
I tend to agree with the guys above, that those type of direct and difficult questions could cause problems down the road for the reporter. Not necessarily getting them "kicked off the gravy train", but I am sure putting either man on the spot with those questions with 10 cameras rolling and 20 microphones/recorders in their face would certainly hurt a reporters access to them in the future.

I know I would not make time in the future, to talk to a reporter who put me on the spot or made look foolish, a week or a month ago.