Freedom of expression vital to game’s success

PITTSBURGH, Pa – Hockey is, like many sports, full of clichés and has its own ‘code’ which dictates certain situations – quotes like “It was a team effort” are common in post game interviews. Seeing a team rally around an under fire team mate is par for the course. Goals are oft celebrated with a quick fist pump or a raised arm and maybe a cheer/roar from the scorer followed by some high fives from team mates. It’s all seen as acceptable, the done thing and so forth. But in truth it can become very boring at times, to hear the same line trotted out over and over.
 
Which is why on those few occasions that freedom of expression is displayed, either in a post game interview or on the ice, it should be savoured.
 
Sidney Crosby found himself under fire this week. Not for an on ice misdemeanour, a miss placed pass that handed an opposing team victory or even for getting caught in a strip club complete with bottle of beer and cigarette in hand. No, Crosby came under fire for speaking out over the contentious issue of head shots.
 
The issue itself is complex, it isn’t something that can be fixed with a quick wave of an arm or the stroke of a pen and that’s not what worries me the most about this particular episode. But it’s not about whether Crosby was right or wrong, but that even one of the leagues poster boys can be ‘slapped down’ for expressing a feeling on a difficult issue, for displaying some emotion.
   
Crosby is not the first Penguins star to speak out either. Mario Lemieux, along with Brett Hull and Jeremy Roenick, criticised the ‘dead puck era’. Sean Avery is a regular target of fan vitriol, simple because his mouth runs more often than some car engines. But you can guarantee that in equal measures there are those that watch in the hope of seeing him get creamed whilst there are also those who want to see what he’ll do next! Avery the pantomime villain, playing the foil to the straight laced hero of Nik Lidstrom or Joe Sakic. Most importantly though, Avery gets people talking about the sport, and gets them watching to see what would happen.
 
This isn’t a piece about right and wrong. It’s not about how right Sean Avery is or how great the things he says are. It’s about creating interest in the game. Rangers games with the Devils gained a new edge after Avery’s innovative screening attempts on Brodeur. Suddenly it was more than just another New York vs New Jersey game. Would Avery score and get the last laugh? Would Brodeur go after him? What would happen? People had to watch, had to speculate, had to see!  
 
Linus Omark was slammed by a number of players after his spin-o-rama shoot out goal against Tampa Bay. He was labelled ‘disrespectful’ and fellow NHLers claimed he had a lack of class. And yet he became one of the most talked about players in the league almost overnight. His efforts were played over and over on sports shows, watched countless times on You Tube. He expressed himself, got the fans on their feet……….then got slapped down for it.
 
Alexander Ovechkin is both loved and ‘hated’ in equal measure, but everyone wants to see what he’ll do next. Tampa Bay latched on to one of their biggest talking points with the ‘Seen Stamkos?’ advertising series to generate interest.
 
Again, it’s not about right and wrong. It’s about the effect it has on the game, and most importantly the fans.
 
Give a fan a talking point and he will take it as far as he can. Over a beer with friends, or by the water cooler at work. Arguing with his family over what’s right and what’s wrong with that play or that quote. It all creates interest and excitement among fans, an excitement they’ll take with them wherever they go. They’ll want to talk about it! Which is surely exactly the kind of reaction the NHL and the sport wants from its fans?
 
You don’t have to agree with the issue being commented on or discussed. You don’t have to agree with Crosby’s comments on headshots, nor do you have to cheer Omark next time he scores. But any fan would have to admit to feeling something on the ‘head shot issue’. And likewise any fan would have to admit to a little flutter of excitement the next time they see Omark step up to the plate to take his penalty shot.
 
And those little moments need to be cherished.
 
Take away the freedom of expression, both on the ice and off it, and you’ll slowly kill the game. It will become stale, boring and the excitement will slip away. The breath taking moves will decline and fans will remain firmly in their seats.
 
And then the attendances will decline.
 
Contact the author: rob.mcgregor@prohockeynews.com