After the Whistle Podcast - Jack Returns

[inkman]

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again.  Hell  hath no fury like a Buffalo fan scorned 

[Weave]

7 minutes ago, SDS said:

I’m not sure if you listened, but apparently there were some fans behind the Vegas bench that brutalized him all game.

I did listen.  I expect there would be fans brutalizing him.  It's the players doing it that raised an eyebrow for me.

[Pimlach]

Looking at the Jack interview a few times now and noting his body language really says it all.  The entire interview his head was moving around to various positions and he made very little eye contact.  He was not comfortable for sure.    

 

Lack of eye contact -> lying/ guilt

Head down, look away -> dismissive/ guilt 

Head moving up and back to a position exposing his neck -> arrogance, superiority and offensive 

Head constantly  turning away -> bored, disinterested  

 

Even if he is not trying to be any of these things he was not comfortable and his body language showed it   The booing rattled him and made him defensive, leading to striking back, then knowing it was wrong wanting to move on.   

 

 

[Digger]

26 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

Looking at the Jack interview a few times now and noting his body language really says it all.  The entire interview his head was moving around to various positions and he made very little eye contact.  He was not comfortable for sure.    

Lack of eye contact -> lying/ guilt

Head down, look away -> dismissive/ guilt 

Head moving up and back to a position exposing his neck -> arrogance, superiority and offensive 

Head constantly  turning away -> bored, disinterested  

Even if he is not trying to be any of these things he was not comfortable and his body language showed it   The booing rattled him and made him defensive, leading to striking back, then knowing it was wrong wanting to move on.  

 

Yes I would have thought making $10M per season would buy better "interview coaching" for Eichel.  Heck he was our former captain and should know how to take the high road with difficult or uncomfortable interview questions.  Don't the teams help players with this?  The worst thing for Eichel is that his reaction and poor choice of comments will ensure that he gets even more abuse the next time he comes.

 

[Broken Ankles]

I completely buy in to this account from Rivet.  I brought my son and two friends to a Sabres v Kings game in LA and thanks to a connection on the team was able to get a meet and greet after the game.  Same year in fact - October  2017.  My son would have been 9 at time.  Same process Rivet spoke about waiting for players to come out and meet friends and family.  To his credit, Jack signed my sons hockey card and took a group picture, but there was definitely the eye roll and reluctance.  He was the last one out, and players like Kane, Reinhart, O’Reilly, Chad Johnson and Josefson were WAY more enthusiastic and engaging with the kids.  I believe his Aunt and Uncle were there so unlikely he could brush us off in front of them. And only three autographs and one photo so not too much effort. Certainly less than what Craig spoke about.   This all after a disappointing loss if that factors into the equation.  I have been Luke warm about the dude after my one and only encounter.  I know Kane and OReilly have a checkered past in the 716 but in front of the kids they were phenomenal. Same with Sam and Chad.  

[bunomatic]

The part about meatballs telling the team not to hit caught my attention. I suppose context may be missing because we don’t know why he would say that. Could be he asked guys getting over injuries, maybe young guys he’s trying to ease in, who knows ? The NHL is not a development league. Its a pro league and the best hockey league in the world so I would hazard a guess that that was a first in this league for that request from any coach. If true, I’m not on board with it and I don’t understand it. You’d think a guy people call meatballs would have some meat and potatoes to his game.

[SDS]

6 minutes ago, bunomatic said:

The part about meatballs telling the team not to hit caught my attention. I suppose context may be missing because we don’t know why he would say that. Could be he asked guys getting over injuries, maybe young guys he’s trying to ease in, who knows ? The NHL is not a development league. Its a pro league and the best hockey league in the world so I would hazard a guess that that was a first in this league for that request from any coach. If true, I’m not on board with it and I don’t understand it. You’d think a guy people call meatballs would have some meat and potatoes to his game.

I think they throw enough checks that it’s clear that it’s not forbidden. Whatever was said, had to be a special case.

[bunomatic]

2 minutes ago, SDS said:

I think they throw enough checks that it’s clear that it’s not forbidden. Whatever was said, had to be a special case.

Yeah thought so too. I just found it to be a bit odd. Rivet threw it out there and the conversation kind of went in another direction. That emotion and youthfull energy from Cozens and many of the other guys is part of why I watch in this throwaway season. 

[SDS]

4 minutes ago, bunomatic said:

Yeah thought so too. I just found it to be a bit odd. Rivet threw it out there and the conversation kind of went in another direction. That emotion and youthfull energy from Cozens and many of the other guys is part of why I watch in this throwaway season. 

Here’s an example I pulled out of my ass…

Proper positioning has to come before checking. If he’s unhappy with the general play, I can see a developmental coach telling people to lay off the checking to get their general positioning right. i.e., don’t be Ristolainen and skate 30 feet out of your way to throw a body check.

[thewookie1]

1 minute ago, SDS said:

Here’s an example I pulled out of my ass…

Proper positioning has to come before checking. If he’s unhappy with the general play, I can see a developmental coach telling people to lay off the checking to get their general positioning right. i.e., don’t be Ristolainen and skate 30 feet out of your way to throw a body check.

That actually makes sense; he's not telling them not to be physical but rather not to go out of your way to make a hit. Be a Tallinder not a Risto

[Gatorman0519]

9 hours ago, PromoTheRobot said:

Latest ATW pod w/Elliotte Friedman. First couple minutes Craig Rivet dishes another brutal Eichel story.

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-65-hockey-hangover-with-elliotte-friedman/id1590573108?i=1000553986588

Wow that is unbelievably bad.  It is mind-blowing he did that to the kids. 

[Stoner]

9 hours ago, inkman said:

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again.  Hell  hath no fury like a Buffalo fan scorned 

It feels like it's not about the losing or Jack wanting to leave. It feels like a lot of people with Eichel real life beefs wanting to speak their mind when they couldn't do so while the franchise player was still here. Fans, media, teammates, even non fans ... it was def. piñata time.

Edited March 15, 2022 by PASabreFan

[North Buffalo]

Wonder if Jack is on the spectrum.... perfectionism... not liking being around people... not a great teammate... ???  Ah who cares he's not on the Sabres anymore

Edited March 15, 2022 by North Buffalo

[inkman]

2 hours ago, PASabreFan said:

It feels like it's not about the losing or Jack wanting to leave. It feels like a lot of people with Eichel real life beefs wanting to speak their mind when they couldn't do so while the franchise player was still here. Fans, media, teammates, even non fans ... it was def. piñata time.

I forget which Buffalo sports talking head mentioned it but they said Jack finally galvanized this team and fanbase by turning full heel.  He wasn’t wrong.  

[PromoTheRobot]

 

3 hours ago, North Buffalo said:

Wonder if Jack is on the spectrum.... perfectionism... not liking being around people... not a great teammate... ???  Ah who cares he's not on the Sabres anymore

That could be some of it. Not everyone is a people person. But Jack does have that arrogance that comes from being the chosen one his entire hockey life.

[North Buffalo]

5 minutes ago, PromoTheRobot said:

 

That could be some of it. Not everyone is a people person. But Jack does have that arrogance that comes from being the chosen one his entire hockey life.

yeh but its more than that sounds like he has problems with other chosen ones... and not all chosen ones are like that... just a thought

[PromoTheRobot]

Big nugget from this pod. (Not a secret but something that was forgotten.) VGK media people were not going to allow Jack to speak until Mike Harrington threw a fit.

 

 

[thewookie1]

3 minutes ago, PromoTheRobot said:

Big nugget from this pod. (Not a secret but something that was forgotten.) VGK media people were not going to allow Jack to speak until Mike Harrington threw a fit.

 

 

For once, Harrington actually did something good

[woods-racer]

What is throwing a fit? Sounds like the VGN media are trying to spin it. A reporter wanting to speak to a player the entire league and media hyped for days leading up to the game should darn well expect a post game interview and not getting it should result in some questions as to why.

[Weave]

32 minutes ago, woods-racer said:

What is throwing a fit? Sounds like the VGN media are trying to spin it. A reporter wanting to speak to a player the entire league and media hyped for days leading up to the game should darn well expect a post game interview and not getting it should result in some questions as to why.

Something, something, narrative, something….

[Stoner]

1 hour ago, PromoTheRobot said:

 

That could be some of it. Not everyone is a people person. But Jack does have that arrogance that comes from being the chosen one his entire hockey life.

Yeah, starting off in a blue collar town, with a working class dad, shooting pucks against cement in a crummy basement. It was meant to be.

1 hour ago, PromoTheRobot said:

Big nugget from this pod. (Not a secret but something that was forgotten.) VGK media people were not going to allow Jack to speak until Mike Harrington threw a fit.

 

 

That's the beauty of Harrington. The fans are lucky to have him and they are totally ungrateful.

[Porous Five Hole]

9 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

 

That's the beauty of Harrington. The fans are lucky to have him and they are totally ungrateful.

Edited March 15, 2022 by Porous Five Hole

[K-9]

1 hour ago, woods-racer said:

What is throwing a fit? Sounds like the VGN media are trying to spin it. A reporter wanting to speak to a player the entire league and media hyped for days leading up to the game should darn well expect a post game interview and not getting it should result in some questions as to why.

Agree entirely. Had Vegas won that game, the VGN PR people would have trotted Eichel out front and center to trumpet his triumphant return to Buffalo. But the Sabres spoiled the entire narrative and their whiny crybaby star just couldn’t handle the moment. Something that requires class. Something Eichel seems to lack entirely. 

[PromoTheRobot]

9 minutes ago, K-9 said:

Agree entirely. Had Vegas won that game, the VGN PR people would have trotted Eichel out front and center to trumpet his triumphant return to Buffalo. But the Sabres spoiled the entire narrative and their whiny crybaby star just couldn’t handle the moment. Something that requires class. Something Eichel seems to lack entirely. 

Sounds like they already "get it."

[Stoner]

1 hour ago, Porous Five Hole said:

You now know the real Jack and you know OSP's real directive to DR and LQ for one reason... MH. Are you not appreciative? The squeaky reporter, not the fan boi PSE wannabe, gets the truth.