Brian Burke and the Media Orgy In Toronto: STFU

Quick post because it's way past my bed time. Seriously, I'm not accountable for this unpolished rant. Enjoy...

How many times have you heard some surly, unmotivated journo describe sports executives as the 'men behind the scenes'? What happens to an organization where these men step out from behind the curtain and assume center stage? Bobby Clark told the TSN audience tonight that it's big trouble for the organizational chemistry, I think its a storyline that's nauseating.

You can probably infer I'm talking about Brian Burke, the Toronto Maple Leafs and the decisions being made by television producers, newspaper editors and anyone with a pulse also in the sports-related media.

They have all gone too far. I'm about as interested in Brian Burke's personal life as I am in knowing the taste of my own feces. Information pertaining to his dietary standards, familial relationships inclusive to both wives and sets of children and his Thanksgiving plans have no place in a sports broadcast. You are there to analyze the game, talk smack about the fight of the night and solo-effort game winners, please save your tabloid commentary for Sunday Tea.

I recognize that MacKenzie, Dreger, Kipreos, Cox, Shoalts and Simmons all want to be Brian Burke. Others pretend to hate him, but incessantly pollute their programming with Brian Burke banter. They've assessed and diagnosed, investigated and proclaimed, marginalized and condemned everything from drafting the Sedins to the piece of lint floating on the surface of his spittoon (which contains Straight Skoal, because that's what badass lawyers from Harvard chew).

The opportunity to run the biggest franchise in its sports is a monumental event, and I'm glad the media has capitalized on this. However, appealing to the lower common denominator with CCN-like saturation of an unfounded and speculative nature is shitty journalism and it's bad programming. Step your game up.

Best-Ever Tennis, Russian Cheerleaders and Brett Favre v. Mats Sundin

Sometimes its the little things in life that matter. Russian cheerleaders for example will bring a smile to your face. And when they happen to be brought to your attention on the same day as the greatest tennis match of all time, everything is coming up Milhouse.

Except if you're Brett Favre, who is more than obnoxious with his persistent desire to be important. We all may make decisions in life we regret, it is unfortunate in this instance that the very conundrum facing Favre is most frequently one which ends disastrously. Few things are as sure-to-disappoint as Pacman Jones or a new Will Ferrell movie, but a pro athlete set to come out of retirement rivals our most of epic letdowns. The numbers are not in Favres' favour if the Vikings think he'll be their saviour, and I think we'd all prefer if kept his musings to a simmer and made decisions behind closed doors like a grown up.

I am confident my neighbors in the US would rather watch the clinical removal of a hangnail than another sports-news clip featuring Brett Favre rumours. As a small consolation you can take solace knowing we have endured parallel suffrage in Toronto and -- although to a slightly lesser degree -- Canada. Mats Sundin is as enigmatic and annoying as the Old Boy Favre, but notably every bit as talented and potentially valuable. He's got offers from nearly a third of the league to join their club, with the Vancouver Canucks deeming a debatable top-15 player worthy of the largest contract in the league. He's not worth all that bread, but at the risk of wasting one of the best goalies in recent memory Vancouver is desperate to put a winning club in front of Roberto Luongo.

On a rather gossipy note, Kevin Lowe dropped a bomb on Brian Burke recently and I am thrilled. The saga is well documented. Who isn't interesting isn't piqued by the successive manifestations of two executives clashing through public channels? It is truly better than fiction. In The Ego and the Id (1923), Freud said, "...the ego uses borrowed forces" which fittingly meanders us to the root cause of this quarrel: Lowe broke the a gentleman's agreement in the NHL (by soliciting a restricted free agent on Burkes' team to a very generous offer sheet) effectively nailing the stones of the Ducks GM to the wall. Slighted and betrayed, Burke pushed back and the carousel thankfully continues. Sadly, their interpersonal spat doesn't go near the real problem: salary inflation in the NHL will eventually force the league into contraction (a tactic I've long been in support.) Much of what Burke preaches has merit, but the message is often muddled by his palpable infatuation with his own grandeur. This tabloid-like feud has guised the legitimate problems like salary inflation and the nature of RFA offer sheets (which do skew the market undesirably for the league and owners). Look forwards to more on this later, as it deserves it own piece.

Thanks for reading and support the site. Check out the Cloud9 Radio show tomorrow (Tues. Listen Live here) 6-9pm and subscribe to show some love. Cheers, Derek.

Weekly Wednesday All-NHL Podcast.

This weeks Wednesday Podcast in association with The Hockey Herald takes a look at rumors surrounding Brian Burke and the Toronto Maple Leafs GM job followed by an explanation of why the NHL needs more player blogs. The podcast closes with the influence Brian Murray has on the Ottawa Senators down the stretch, and lastly a debate on which conference is superior: East or West? Enjoy and Thanks for listening. - Derek.