#11 - Kopitar Prefers Amps That Go to Eleven

[dekedangle_rpf_mod]

This is the eleventh post of Deke Dangle RPF Anon, a community for all your ice hockey anon meme needs.

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Comments

Re: Random Hockey Things

[(Anonymous)]

Non-canadian with limited Don Cherry knowledge here, would his reaction legit be that bad?

Re: Random Hockey Things

[(Anonymous)]

I'm actually non-Canadian too, but given he has said within the last few years that he didn't like female journalists in male players locker rokms, I cant imagine it would go well. It would be all coded as being disruptive and putting yourself ahead of team blah blah blah (I assume).

Re: Random Hockey Things

[(Anonymous)]

DA

IIRC what he said about the female reporters was the other way around, that he didn't want them there for their own sake of not having to deal with naked players. Still sexist obviously to suggest that they're too ~fragile~ or distracted by nudity to do their job, but less directly applicable to the situation of a gay player.

Re: Random Hockey Things

[(Anonymous)]

Yeah, his sexism was couched as protecting women, but that sort of thing, along with his xenophobia and other issues makes me assume he would not be welcoming to an out player.

Re: Random Hockey Things

[(Anonymous)]

da

I don't know if it's really his reaction, or if his death would just mark a change in era enough that people would be able to come out.

Re: Random Hockey Things

[(Anonymous)]

I don't see him being that supportive probably, but also I feel like this is overestimating his influence as a media personality...

Re: Random Hockey Things

[(Anonymous)]

His segment is a freaking media institution.

Re: Random Hockey Things

[(Anonymous)]

I think it's hard for non-Canadian nonnies to understand his impact. As an American, I had literally never heard of him until I got into hockey RPF, and I can still never quite remember what he does, why he's important, or even what he looks like, beyond "loud suits." I know he likes Good Ontario Boys and did not like Jack Eichel handing him Team USA merch, and that's about it.

But I think for those same reasons, the truly bi-national business/media structure of the NHL (as opposed to the one-Canadian-team MLB/NBA and non-Canadian NFL) is part of what makes the league so different from the others in the "big four." I have no idea how this connects to it being the only league with zero out retired players, but it's worth exploring.

Re: Random Hockey Things

[(Anonymous)]

AYRT

I am aware. I just don't think his opinion on a gay player coming out would sway the reaction particularly, people who would agree with him are already homophobic (and would react poorly anyway) and there would probably be a backlash from other elements of the media.

Re: Random Hockey Things

[(Anonymous)]

I was being a bit tongue in cheek, I don't actually mean that Don Cherry is the sole obstacle keeping hockey people closeted. But I do think his reaction could be a shitshow, and he is emblematic of the hockey world status quo.

Re: Random Hockey Things

[(Anonymous)]

(nayart) having watched him a quite a bit this last season (the year before I was in NBC controlled air this year I wasn't), while there are many times I wanted to throw something at the TV I don't think it would be THAT bad (like I don't think he would say anything like gay people have no place in hockey or anything so outright homophobic). But I don't think it would be good either.

If you (can stand to) listen to how he talks about PK it's all, "he's a great guy, such a gentleman, I love him, but he's a [lists negative black athlete stereotypes]". So I imagine it would be very similar sort of dichotomy for the player who came out. He'd probably go on for a bit about how brave the guy was before starting in on something about him being a distraction from the real focus of hockey or something like that (also it would probably depends on who it was I'm pretty sure Stamkos can do no wrong and he's coming out would be the greatest thing to ever happen to hockey but Ovechkin coming out would be selfish and he should have kept it to himself).