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John Scott - A Guy Like Me

sabills

By sabills
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Stoner Hall of Famer

Stoner

Posted
Posted

Great read. I always wonder if those are ghost-written. I don't think they are. Cleaned up a little, sure. A lot of writers could learn how to tell stories from some of these pieces. Hell, most of them. They're so authentic.

 

Anyway, it's so sad to me. I've also always wondered how these guys start out. Scott wanting to be Bourque and ending up as Scott. Ray wanting to be... who knows... one of the Stastnys? And ending up as Ray. As much as you can criticize the game for turning these guys into Scotts and Rays, chewing them up and spitting them out, disrespecting Scott during this whole process, it's the players themselves who choose to go down that path. Scott reached the point where he knew what he had to do to "move forward" in the game. And that was to no longer really be a hockey player anymore, at great risk to his health and to the health of others. For the rush? For the respect of his teammates? For the money? I'll always find it sad. It's an awful stain on a great game.

That Aud Smell Hall of Famer

That Aud Smell

Posted
Posted

Anyway, it's so sad to me. I've also always wondered how these guys start out. Scott wanting to be Bourque and ending up as Scott. Ray wanting to be... who knows... one of the Stastnys? And ending up as Ray. As much as you can criticize the game for turning these guys into Scotts and Rays, chewing them up and spitting them out, disrespecting Scott during this whole process, it's the players themselves who choose to go down that path. Scott reached the point where he knew what he had to do to "move forward" in the game. And that was to no longer really be a hockey player anymore, at great risk to his health and to the health of others. For the rush? For the respect of his teammates? For the money? I'll always find it sad. It's an awful stain on a great game.

 

A lot of that resonates with me. I remember seeing Rob's mother interviewed during the height of his no-tie-down tenure, and she so genuinely talked about how when Rob was just starting out in juniors, he was a goal scorer who played on a top line. (My guess is he idolized Darryl Sittler, btw.)

 

I don't consider these stories and roles a stain on the game, like you do. But it produces a feeling of ambivalence in me.

vasabresfan Prospect

vasabresfan

Posted
Posted

Nicely written article... right up until this point:  "She has all of my jerseys — from the Blackhawks, to the Wild, to the Rangers, to the Sharks — and she wears them constantly."  

Umm... you forgot one, big boy.

Weave Hall of Famer

Weave

Posted
Posted

Great read. I always wonder if those are ghost-written. I don't think they are. Cleaned up a little, sure. A lot of writers could learn how to tell stories from some of these pieces. Hell, most of them. They're so authentic.

 

Anyway, it's so sad to me. I've also always wondered how these guys start out. Scott wanting to be Bourque and ending up as Scott. Ray wanting to be... who knows... one of the Stastnys? And ending up as Ray. As much as you can criticize the game for turning these guys into Scotts and Rays, chewing them up and spitting them out, disrespecting Scott during this whole process, it's the players themselves who choose to go down that path. Scott reached the point where he knew what he had to do to "move forward" in the game. And that was to no longer really be a hockey player anymore, at great risk to his health and to the health of others. For the rush? For the respect of his teammates? For the money? I'll always find it sad. It's an awful stain on a great game.

 

They are, in fact, ghost written.  The articles are actually interviews.  The interviewer/author "guides" the conversation with questions.  They are "lightly" edited, but are the players own words.  All of the articles are approved by the players before published.  

 

http://awfulannouncing.com/2015/players-tribune-articles-arent-written-by-the-players-which-creates-a-host-of-issues.html

MattPie All Star

MattPie

Posted
Posted

How about the NHL steers into this and puts in some extra skills competitions. They could get the punch-o-meter from Rocky 4. They could adapt a mechanical bull and make the players grapple with it and stay on their skates for 30 seconds.

 

#JohnScottSkills

Stoner Hall of Famer

Stoner

Posted
Posted

They are, in fact, ghost written.  The articles are actually interviews.  The interviewer/author "guides" the conversation with questions.  They are "lightly" edited, but are the players own words.  All of the articles are approved by the players before published.  

 

http://awfulannouncing.com/2015/players-tribune-articles-arent-written-by-the-players-which-creates-a-host-of-issues.html

I should have gone with my gut. Too good to be true. Not crediting the ghost writer is bad form; the site seems to be creating the illusion of the athlete as author, which is very compelling and probably why most of us love those pieces. Writers being disrespected in the online world? Nah...

pi2000 First Liner

pi2000

Posted
Posted

You have to feel for players like John Scott. Teams want them to goon it up then insult them because they goon it up.

 

I don't.   The only reason he is where he is, is because of his size.   Thousands of guys with more skill and determination than John Scott, never even sniff the NHL.     The fact he's making $700k/yr on a one-way contract makes him the luckiest man on earth IMO.  

Doohicksie Hall of Famer

Doohicksie

Posted
Posted

Nicely written article... right up until this point:  "She has all of my jerseys — from the Blackhawks, to the Wild, to the Rangers, to the Sharks — and she wears them constantly."  

Umm... you forgot one, big boy.

 

I know.  That hurt me deep inside. 

Neo First Liner

Neo

Posted
Posted (edited)

You have to feel for players like John Scott. Teams want them to goon it up then insult them because they goon it up.

I think the insult rubbed me, too. The hypocrisy. The NHL created a market for the John Scotts of the world. I hope his kids are proud of the affection he generates, team to team, fan to fan.

 

Ideal response by Scott - "They'll be as proud of me playing in an All Star game as yours are of you for marketing fights in a hockey game."

 

At least Scott talks out of the same side of his mouth.

 

Full disclosure: I watch fights.

Edited by N'eo
WildCard Hall of Famer

WildCard

Posted
Posted

I don't. The only reason he is where he is, is because of his size. Thousands of guys with more skill and determination than John Scott, never even sniff the NHL. The fact he's making $700k/yr on a one-way contract makes him the luckiest man on earth IMO.

Bingo
That Aud Smell Hall of Famer

That Aud Smell

Posted
Posted

I should have gone with my gut. Too good to be true. Not crediting the ghost writer is bad form; the site seems to be creating the illusion of the athlete as author, which is very compelling and probably why most of us love those pieces. Writers being disrespected in the online world? Nah...

 

The essays are true and accurate, they are founded upon player interviews, they contain actual things that the players say, the pieces are adapted by skilled writers, and endorsed/approved by the players. Win-win-win. Is that enough wins? 

 

Given how damn difficult it is write a good sentence (let alone a bunch), it never occurred to me that pro athletes were consistently writing such compelling personal essays.

SwampD Hall of Famer

SwampD

Posted
Posted

I don't.   The only reason he is where he is, is because of his size.   Thousands of guys with more skill and determination than John Scott, never even sniff the NHL.     The fact he's making $700k/yr on a one-way contract makes him the luckiest man on earth IMO.

 

  

Bingo

I don't buy this and never have. If there were better guys, they would be in the NHL. The John Scotts of this world don't steal positions from guys that have more skill. They steal positions from guys with the same skill that can't fight. Intimidation is real and a useful tool.
pi2000 First Liner

pi2000

Posted
Posted

   I don't buy this and never have. If there were better guys, they would be in the NHL. The John Scotts of this world don't steal positions from guys that have more skill. They steal positions from guys with the same skill that can't fight. Intimidation is real and a useful tool.

 

If that's the case, why wasn't he traded for Drouin?

WildCard Hall of Famer

WildCard

Posted
Posted

I don't buy this and never have. If there were better guys, they would be in the NHL. The John Scotts of this world don't steal positions from guys that have more skill. They steal positions from guys with the same skill that can't fight. Intimidation is real and a useful tool.

I guess that depends how you define skill
Drunkard First Liner

Drunkard

Posted
Posted (edited)

Fighting is a skill. Protecting your teammates is a skill. The league may be trying to phase fighting out of the game but many fans still enjoy it and it's a big part of what turned people into fans to begin with (in my case and many others). A good fight is more exciting than a goal to me and it's unfortunate that both are happening less and less frequently. This whole bs about him not having enough skill to be an all star is just snobbery. The league wanted fan involvement so they allowed fans to vote on the players. The fans selected John Scott therefore he is an All Star.

Edited by Drunkard
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