Sean Avery says, "Yes!"

http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_da...nhl-wp4424


I haven't got a problem with it. They talk up everything else, from "...and I'm a Mormon." campaigns, to anti-abortion ads, etc. I am not a fan of trying to sway people without providing facts, and having a healthy debate. Even if I am on the losing side.

(05-08-2011 03:18 PM)CountryRedHawk Wrote:  Sean Avery says, "Yes!"

http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_da...nhl-wp4424


I haven't got a problem with it. They talk up everything else, from "...and I'm a Mormon." campaigns, to anti-abortion ads, etc. I am not a fan of trying to sway people without providing facts, and having a healthy debate. Even if I am on the losing side.

Would a guy who looks like this write an article about an athlete who doesn't support gay marriage?

With the exception of hockey players in general, most athletes, especially football and basketball players are some of the dumbest people on the planet. I'm not saying there aren't intelligent athletes, just that most of are told from childhood what to do and when to do it, and the only time these gorillas have an opinion is when they get paid to have an opinion or during union talks. How many pro athletes can name the party the president belongs to or name the VP or Sec of State?

I wasn't going for that take, smn. But I do agree with ya. Though, I think the glasses are just insanely stupid looking. I mean, I've gotten better toys from CrackerJack boxes.

And I think it would be written if it were in public opposition. If for no other reason than HRC woulda been attacking said athlete as a "Homophobe" and the NoM woulda been touting said athlete as being "Pro-Family."

I just want a healthy debate and talk, as opposed to what the HRC and NoM tend to do. And yea, I've said it to friends who work for the HRC. (Shouting matches at clubs tend to get you thrown out, we learned.)

(05-08-2011 03:39 PM)smn1256 Wrote:  

(05-08-2011 03:18 PM)CountryRedHawk Wrote:  Sean Avery says, "Yes!"

http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_da...nhl-wp4424


I haven't got a problem with it. They talk up everything else, from "...and I'm a Mormon." campaigns, to anti-abortion ads, etc. I am not a fan of trying to sway people without providing facts, and having a healthy debate. Even if I am on the losing side.

Would a guy who looks like this write an article about an athlete who doesn't support gay marriage?

With the exception of hockey players in general, most athletes, especially football and basketball players are some of the dumbest people on the planet. I'm not saying there aren't intelligent athletes, just that most of are told from childhood what to do and when to do it, and the only time these gorillas have an opinion is when they get paid to have an opinion or during union talks. How many pro athletes can name the party the president belongs to or name the VP or Sec of State?

I had no idea SOAF and Dr. Torch played college sports. Interesting. I am not sure you know what party the President belongs to either. You probably believe he is a member of the socialist party.

(05-08-2011 04:02 PM)RobertN Wrote:  I am not sure you know what party the President belongs to either. You probably believe he is a member of the socialist party.

Well, he does want to redistribute wealth, take over private companies, socialize healthcare, etc. In Venezuela, Europe, etc, it's called socialism. in the USA it's called the democratic party. Two words, same meaning.

(05-08-2011 03:56 PM)CountryRedHawk Wrote:  I wasn't going for that take, smn. But I do agree with ya. Though, I think the glasses are just insanely stupid looking. I mean, I've gotten better toys from CrackerJack boxes.

Somewhere there has to be a better picture of him or he needs to find someone handy with Photoshop. i would not have used that picture. Damn, his glasses don't even rest on his ears, they sit crooked on his face, is his mouth partially open or closed, and on and on. This guy hardly looks like he should be reporting on sports issues....but then again, he wasn't.

Let's put it this way, they let the most uninformed people in the country weigh in on issues any other time. They often come from the same places/educational backgrounds as people of the Tea Party and intelligence wise might be very much the same.

I also believe that even though some people think that the NBA and NFL have the dumbest athletes, they also have some of the smartest. The thing that separates them from the NHL is the fact that only well-to-do private school boys play hockey on a competitive level, so they'll be perceived as more intelligent by default.

I have no problem with political commentary from sports stars, as long as the media approaches it with the correct weight.

Idiot athletes can do it like Sean Casey did it, smartly, or they can do it like John Rocker did it. (BTW, he's supposedly penning a book.)

Intelligent athletes don't do it, or they do it in a subdued manner.

(05-08-2011 06:26 PM)nomad2u2001 Wrote:  The thing that separates them from the NHL is the fact that only well-to-do private school boys play hockey on a competitive level, so they'll be perceived as more intelligent by default.

Most NHL players never went to college, they stuggle in the junior leagues until their career dies and then they go to the coal mines. NFL and most MBL players attend college, although you wouldn't know it by listening to them.

(05-08-2011 06:43 PM)smn1256 Wrote:  NFL and most MBL players attend college, although you wouldn't know it by listening to them.

I'd like to see the #s on this. NFL for sure, but with MLB drafting out of high school and foreign countries I'd hesitate to say "most". But, I don't have the facts.

(05-08-2011 08:46 PM)Raider_ATO Wrote:  

(05-08-2011 06:43 PM)smn1256 Wrote:  NFL and most MBL players attend college, although you wouldn't know it by listening to them.

I'd like to see the #s on this. NFL for sure, but with MLB drafting out of high school and foreign countries I'd hesitate to say "most". But, I don't have the facts.

You're right. When I said MBL I should have said NBA.

They are more than welcome to have opinions on any subject they choose. And it's my right to apply the weight to it that I deem appropriate.

Because you can catch/throw/hit/shoot a ball doesn't make you an expert in anything other than catching/throwing/hitting/shooting a ball.

(05-08-2011 05:33 PM)smn1256 Wrote:  

(05-08-2011 04:02 PM)RobertN Wrote:  I am not sure you know what party the President belongs to either. You probably believe he is a member of the socialist party.

Well, he does want to redistribute wealth, take over private companies, socialize healthcare, etc. In Venezuela, Europe, etc, it's called socialism. in the USA it's called the democratic party. Two words, same meaning.

The Republicans want to redistribute wealth too. They just want the wealth to go to the wealthy instead of middle class and poor. He doesn't want to take over private companies. We made a loan to the car companies. If he wanted socialized healthcare, it would have been done. Now back to sticking your head in the sand,

(05-08-2011 06:43 PM)smn1256 Wrote:  

(05-08-2011 06:26 PM)nomad2u2001 Wrote:  The thing that separates them from the NHL is the fact that only well-to-do private school boys play hockey on a competitive level, so they'll be perceived as more intelligent by default.

Most NHL players never went to college, they stuggle in the junior leagues until their career dies and then they go to the coal mines. NFL and most MBL players attend college, although you wouldn't know it by listening to them.

But where were they in high school and before that? What did their parents do to be able to support them in travel leagues?

They are entitled to their opinions just like the rest of us. But they have a platform that extends their views beyond the reach that most of us have. Hence they have the opportunity to appear stupid to a much wider audience than the rest of us. It's like they say, be careful what you wish for.

If they're interested, informed, and care about whatever the topic is, why not? As long as they know there will be repercussions (as there is for anyone famous who actually gives an opinion on something), say whatever you want.

As long as they are supporting my views, then sure. If they are not, then shut up.

Sounds fair, no?

Stanley! Stop being the honest voice of reason!

I don't care if they offer their opinions publicly. Although it does make me wonder how many would vote for a candidate because a famous athlete liked that candidate?

(05-08-2011 03:56 PM)CountryRedHawk Wrote:  And I think it would be written if it were in public opposition.

I have no idea if Mr. Wyshynksi, specifically, would have written a similar article or not. But if Sean Avery had taken the opposite view, the media-class (by and by) would be attacking him, ridiculing him, searching all through his life-history for anything "embarrassing" or "hypocritical" that could be used to undermine him. The Carrie Prejean scenario gives some indication of how that would go.