Modern technology allows millions upon millions of imbeciles to gather in the dark. This is as true in the world of sports as it is in the worlds of celebrity, politics, entertainment and religion. A mere bump in the road results in a tremulous response that ripples through myriad electronic media, from instant messages to satellite television. Together, the critics can't be wrong.This is offensive. And I say that as a Dispatch subscriber. For now.
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I do not think it is the end of the world.
I like that the program -- ownership, management, coaches, players -- are suffering together and plowing forward together, with few, if any, signs of schism.
I like that they are absorbing the critical genius of a thousand imbeciles in the dark.
All of us can't be wrong.
What was he thinking? Insulting your readers - the people whose subscriptions put food on your table - is...imbecilic.
He's right. There is a lot of retardery out there on the Internets...all of it, no. But, the glorious anonymous nature of much of the message boards and blogs out there mean you can toss out any comment without much fear of owning up to it.
ReplyDeleteIs this Arace blowing off some steam? Probably, but I've visited more than one message board whose residents believe all sorts of things - bag skates ever non-game day, Hitch needs to go, Nash should be a healthy scratch, Howson is just sitting tight watching his team struggle and is happy about it, etc, etc.
There are most decidedly some imbeciles out there. I don't think this blog (or your tweets) are included in that list, though.
http://cbj4ever.blogspot.com/2009/12/im-mad-as-hell-and-im-no-going-to-take.html
ReplyDeleteSince I seem unable to get my thoughts on this situation in the limits of 144 characters on Twitter I humbly post them here. First of all after seeing Steve Mason give up three goals in the matter of minutes in the first period last night, combined with the struggles of the CBJ over the last six weeks I declared this team dead. I also declared them not making the playoffs this season. The reason: I have been watching NHL Hockey since 1971 when I attended my first game at the age of ten in Pittsburgh. Over the last 38 years I have seen certain trends of what constitutes a playoff team and what I have seen out of the Warriors of the Olentangy this season so far does not meet that criteria. In fact I think that no matter how many players meetings this team has, how much calling out of players inside and outside the locker room occurs there is one fact: this is simply a bad team. I feel they are too young and lack veteran leadership. I furthermore went on to state that one of three things will probably happen: Hitch will be fired, Mason will be sent to Syracuse or Nash will be stripped of the “C”. I also stated that I am not advocating any of these changes; I just base my guesses on past trends that I have witnessed in many seasons of being an NHL fan. This touched off a fire storm of responses accusing me of being spot on to just plain stupid. Once again these are guesses not recommendations.
This morning I read Michael Arace’s column in The Columbus Dispatch (in the actual paper and not on line) accusing anyone and everyone who blogs about the CBJ to be “imbeciles”. I vehemently condemn that statement as inappropriate especially as a Dispatch subscriber. Just because I do not have a journalism degree does that make my opinion instantly wrong? Unfortunately for Mr. Arace blogging and instant media is the new media. I will be just as sad as anyone on the day in the not too distant future when the Dispatch announces they will no longer be producing a print edition. I love reading the newspaper on a daily basis and I have done so since my childhood. However making a blanket statement slamming those who care enough about the CBJ to vent their opinions in the blogosphere as mere “imbeciles” probably speeds up the execution date of print media. Ticking off your remaining subscriber base is not a good idea.
As for the Jackets, during the end of the first period I spoke at length with my best friend over the phone (what no Twitter or texting, GASP!). I have known this gentleman since I moved from Pittsburgh to the Columbus area in 1973 at the ripe old age of 12. I taught him the game of hockey at a time when no one in Central Ohio knew the difference between a puck and Woody Hayes’ latest tirade. After we both shared our growing frustration with the CBJ and our realization that our boys would probably be playing golf come April he said simply “Just do something, I don’t care what it is.” At this point we both agreed that doing nothing would be equalivent to flipping a collective middle finger to a rabid but shrinking fan base. Some of you might think this to be extreme but please consider this. Being from Pittsburgh also means I am a lifelong Pirates fan. The Buccos have not had a winning season since 1992. That is the longest streak of losing seasons in North American professional sports history. I no longer care about the Bucs, why you ask? I feel Pirate management doesn’t give a flying f*&% about their fans since it is always “stay the course and be patient”. I am sick of that after 18 years. I do not want that to happen here. Writing this season off, we will have had only one playoff season in our history. “Stay the course and be patient” right now is flipping a collective middle finger to the “imbeciles” who support and care about the CBJ probably more than they deserve.
What I find most frustrating is that this was oh so predictable. We've become like every other city. The team performs better one year, so the next year the expectations are raised the following season and when they are slogging through a tough spell after a great start, it's suddenly fire the coach, take Nash's C.
ReplyDeleteArace is right, there are a TON of idiots out there. And every one of them thinks they knows the fix. This is a young team that's got a lot of talent but is still learning to play together, tough, as a unit. It got younger after last season. Maybe if they had moved younger last year, we'd be past this, but we also wouldnt have our playoff taste.
Sadly its that playoff taste which has emboldened fans to feel they know better. If they did, theyd be getting paid to do it instead of hitch and howson