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Post by The Hockey Hitman on Feb 9, 2009 3:16:00 GMT -5
from espn.com today:
We've got some news on former Ottawa Senators goalie Ray Emery, who has left his Russian club, at least for now. Emery didn't report to his KHL team, Mytishchi Atlant, after the league's break this past week.
A source told ESPN.com the netminder is upset because the team has been short-changing him on his $2-million net salary. Apparently, Mytishchi Atlant hasn't used the right exchange rate for most of the season and Emery is about 33 percent shy right now of what he should have earned. The Russian ruble has been hammered all year long, making it hard on KHL teams to pay players.
The team is upset he didn't show up Thursday and is threatening legal action. Stay tuned on that one. There is some interest from a few NHL clubs, although he'd have to clear waivers to return and that complicates things. Emery has been terrific this season, going 20-6-0 with a 2.00 GAA and .930 save percentage.
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Post by Zoom Waffles on Feb 9, 2009 13:26:56 GMT -5
ugh, here we go again. the KHL needs to admit failure due to the collapsing global economy, end the season now, pay out their debts, and let players break contracts.
how could they possibly take legal action against a guy who has been paid 33% less than agreed? Sounds like they broke the contract long before he did.
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Post by The Hockey Hitman on Feb 9, 2009 15:29:38 GMT -5
Yeah, and the sad thing is a lot of people will be blaming this on Emery somehow, that he should have kept on playing in good faith they would fix the problem, or something like that. People are so tough on Emery...hes almost hated like the Avery of goaltenders and its ridiculous.
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Post by Zoom Waffles on Feb 9, 2009 15:58:39 GMT -5
people hate black players. is that really a reach?
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Post by The Hockey Hitman on Feb 9, 2009 17:14:10 GMT -5
wow...oh ouch Zoom...no I don't think its that at all actually!
Look at Iginla, Weekes, Mike Grier, Kyle Okposo, Dustin Byfuglien, Georges Laraque, Trevor Daley, Jamal Mayers, Bryce Salvador, Joel Ward from Nashville....I'm sure I am forgetting a few.
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Post by Zoom Waffles on Feb 9, 2009 18:05:23 GMT -5
with iginla as the exception, most of those guys are enforcers, agitators, or under-the-average-fans-radar-type players. Or they're under age 22.
Nah the majority of black players in the last decade were put into roles that drew hatred (brashear... even laraque).
I'm not saying that hockey fans are racist. Not at all. I'm just saying that because, for a while, the majority of well-known black players were in roles where fans were inclined to dislaike them. And as a result of that, fans are more inclined to dislike a black player like Emery.
I don't know, maybe I'm reading too much into it. But I don't think that's too far-fetched. Again, not saying hockey fans are racist. If the average Russian player was a fighter, wouldn't you get to a point where you expect a fight out of every Russian?
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Post by The Hockey Hitman on Feb 9, 2009 18:52:24 GMT -5
Well, how many players in the league are like Iginla, period? Regardless of his skin color? Not many. And not all of those guys are enforcers or agitators....Trevor Daley is a pretty good two way defenseman for Dallas; Byfuglien of course is a power forward for Chicago; Okposo is a potential 1st line winger in the mold of a Corey Perry type player. Grier of course is a 3rd liner for San Jose...I mean none of them are superstars like Iginla, but there aren't too many true superstars like Iginla anyways.
Do I think these mixed and or dark skinned players have heard racist remarks on the ice as they've grown up playing hockey? absolutely. but the same can be said of any sport. In general though I will agree with you that you don't come across to many "soft" black players in the NHL so far.
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Post by Zoom Waffles on Feb 9, 2009 19:01:49 GMT -5
Yeah... that's all I'm sayin. Basically just that 90% of the black or mixed race players that played in the 90s were/are 3rd or 4th liners. And 3rd or 4th liners carry a certain stigma, regardless of color. So it's simple logic... if "all" black players are 3rd or 4th liners, and all 3rd or 4th liners carry a certain stigma, then all black players carry said stigma.
That's all. If all fighters dressed like clowns, you'd expect all clowns to be fighters. Etc.
Meanwhile, the number of black players is rising so quickly right now. I wonder why that is. It doesn't seem like there was one player that inspired it, you know? There are a bunch of Southern Californians entering the league now because of Gretzky, but when/why/how did the sport become popular among young black people?
It's great though... I know I would've loved a little bit of diversity with my teammates growing up -- you spend so much time around them, it gets a little old.
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Post by The Hockey Hitman on Feb 9, 2009 20:40:54 GMT -5
Maybe over the last couple decades as racism is probably at an all-time low all across North America, I think its become an option that maybe wasn't there before, or if it was there, maybe its just more accessible now.
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Post by Zipper14 on Feb 11, 2009 14:18:33 GMT -5
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Post by fukufuji on Feb 11, 2009 15:07:06 GMT -5
I LOL'd
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Post by fukufuji on Jun 10, 2009 13:51:50 GMT -5
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Post by Zipper14 on Jun 10, 2009 21:35:06 GMT -5
He's the perfect goalie for the broad street bullies. I think he could even beat up Ron Hextall.
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Post by fukufuji on Jun 12, 2009 7:54:54 GMT -5
For the flyers I think almost any change in net is worth a try. "Finally" a team that only does a one year deal on a high risk player LOL!!
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