Often, the discussions about Subban have less to do with his tremendous skills on the ice and more to do with his less hockey-skill related qualities. Namely, his supposed big mouth on the ice, his cocky attitude, his apparent lack of respect towards veteran players and for his ability to rub the opposition the wrong way.
This all started early in the season after a Montreal shutout victory over the Philadelphia Flyers on November 16, 2010.
When interviewed post game Flyers captain, Mike Richard, explained that he thought Subban needed to learn to respect veteran players and he couldn't go around thinking he was better than other people. He said that the way Subban was playing was not the way to earn respect. He continued by saying that, as a rookie, Subban was going about things the wrong way and that at some point it would come back to bite him in the butt.
Respect, eh Mike Richards? Oh you mean like this?
Is that what you mean by respect? Is that how you earn other players' respect? Is that going about things the right way?
Only a few games after Richards' post game comments, coach Jacques Martin had him benched for three games in an effort to reel in the high flying rookie.
Subban went through some ups and downs before being paired with Hal Gill—when Josh Gorges went down to a season ending ACL injury. Since then, P.K.'s game has stabilized and he is becoming a more effective player for the Canadiens.
But for some reason, controversy seems to follow the poor kid around and people just can't stop pointing out the supposed negatives with Subban's attitude. While he is busy trying to help the Habs win while trying to find his way in this league, people still seem to find ways to complain about him.
Most recently, it was after Subban scored the overtime game winning goal against the Calgary Flames on Monday evening.
That was a game in which the Canadiens held a 4-0 lead six and a half minutes into the second period only to see the Flames roar back with four straight goals to send the game into overtime.
Moreover, Subban made some costly mistakes that directly contributed to the Flames comeback.
So when at the 1:06 mark of overtime he took a pass from Scott Gomez and went roof-daddy on Flames backup Henrik Karlsson, I think it was understandable that he was happy.
Elated even.
So elated that he did this (go to about the 1:00 mark):
Oh. My. Gawd.
How dare he?
I hope you're picking up on my severe sarcasm.
I honestly cannot believe how people were tearing strips off of this kid the next day, saying that his celebration was embarrassing, over the top, or that it is somehow classless and that Subban is somehow a terrible person for reacting in such a manner.
You've got to be kidding me.
I guess Subban, who was just happy to have scored a game winning goal while redeeming himself from the mistakes he made in the same game, should celebrate in a more subdued manner like this:
No? Not what you were thinking?
OK, well what about like this:
Is that more respectful?
No, still not there?
OK, well what about this one:
Or this:
Or any of these (most of which are already listed above):
Yes, goal celebrations, even over-the-top ones, have been a part of hockey for ages and I personally have no problem with them.
We have to keep things in context here too folks; the Subban overtime goal was in a very tight game where the kid knew he had made mistakes. It's not like he scored the goal that made it 5-0 Montreal and was rubbing it in the losing team's face.
For anyone reading this that has ever played organized sports and has experienced a moment where you scored the winning goal, touchdown, home run, etc, you know exactly what Subban was feel and understand why, buoyed by 21,273 rabidly celebrating zealots, he felt the need to strut his stuff a little.
Subban's cupid bow and arrow thing was no worse—and actually much more subdued—than most of the videos above.
I know this is Montreal and there is a tendency to want to make a story out of every possible storyline but this one, in my humble opinion, is a non-starter.
What concerns me more about that whole post goal celebration? Scott Gomez's reaction to it.
Go to the 35 second mark on the video below and watch Gomez's interaction with Subban:
You might have to watch it a few time to see it properly but basically Subban skates up to Gomez—the guy who set up his game winning goal—to celebrate with him. But Gomez—who went straight to celebrate with Carey Price and not Subban after the goal—wanted no part of Subban.
In the video you see Gomez skate by Subban, without making eye contact, mutter something to him and then skates off. Subban, with a hurt look on his face, returns to celebrate with his teammates but in a much more subdued manner.
I don't know what the story is there but that is not a good sign at all.
We don't know what goes on behind closed doors but clearly there is or at least was, in that instance, some kind of issue between the two of them. Moreover, based on Gomez's reaction it seems like he clearly didn't or doesn't like something about Subban.
Was Gomez that upset about Subban's post game celebration? It's possible but would surprise me.
We've all heard the rumours that some of the veteran players were not happy about Subban's boisterousness at the beginning of the season. Could Gomez have been front and center in that group? Was he standing alone?
Whatever the situation is, the video above is surely just the tip of the iceberg and speaks to potential untold issues between players. Ultimately, nothing is the end of the world but what bothers me the most about this "incident" is that it was done in public.
Whatever issues players may or may not have with each other must remain behind closed doors. The fact that Gomez was foolish enough to publicly snub the young defenseman just rubs me the wrong way.
So while people are gnashing their teeth about a game winning goal celebration from Subban, perhaps there are other more insidious issues going on with the team.
What do you think is going on? Is this a big deal or nothing to worry about?
(Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images North America)
13 comments:
Oh Kamal not you too. I just blogged about this myself, and to me this is once again much ado about nothing. Status quo.
Are they a bunch of pro athletes or high school teenagers with self-esteem issues? They played exceptionally well together in Buffalo given the circumstances and whatever is going on in that room, I trust they will be professional enough to shove it aside once they hit the ice.
People keep looking for mountains when there are molehills everywhere.
Hey Tyg and thanks for your comment!
I don't necessarily think this is the end of the world, but I just feel that it is not a good sign.
Whatever is going on behind closed doors you never to see it spill out, even subtly, into the public eye.
To your question about them being pro athletes or high schooler's self esteem issues, my answer is BOTH.
Many professional athletes are psychologically fragile people. That is what drives them to succeed...this feeling that they are never good enough.
As such, many of them don't like it when things aren't done in a certain way.
I'm not saying that this is the case here and I agree that this is not the end of the world. My point was simply that if there is anything to worry about it is certainly not a post goal celebration.
I hadn't realized the extent of the snub by Gomez until I looked at the clip a few times. PK definitely looks hurt by it too. Whatever it is that is causing this stuff must be addressed, and for the good of the team, resolved.
It's not front-page news by any means. But anything that causes a distraction from the task at hand - playing well and winning games -- has to be dealt with.
Hey Danno and thanks for your comment!
Yep, it was ugly. I felt bad for the kid and the whole thing just kinda rubbed me the wrong way.
But I agree with you that this is not a huge story and hopefully they do sort out whatever needs to be sorted, behind closed doors.
With all the injuries to the team the last thing they need is dissent in the locker room!
Gomez should worry about his own game (see 7 mil). He doesn't have to worry about what kind of celebration he engages in very often.
Hi there anon and thanks for your comment!
Yep, can't argue with you there. His reaction, while not the end of the world, is very disappointing to me.
As one of the supposed leaders on this team, that is VERY weak on his part.
This is the same guy you see smiling and joking on the bench in the midst of blowing a 4 goal lead.
My response to all this nonsense was summed up on my site, using another video to try and build some context around this ridiculous picking on PK.
If the dinosaurs over at Hockey Night in Canada have one bad thing to say about Subban's celebration, I'm going to lose it.
Hey Kyle and thanks for your comment!
Maybe you can post the link to your piece in the comments here.
But, you are SO right on this one!
I was watching L'antichambre on RDS after the game...and PJ Stock was sayin what worried him wass that no veterans went to celebrate with PK. But actually Moen is the first or second one there.
I think Gomez would be one of the last ones to be angry with PK. He's a joker. If anything, he didn't celebrate with PK, purposely, as a joke. Those two probably are probably the most likely to get along with eachother on the team.
Hi Rene and thanks for your comment!
You are SO right! I also noticed that when Stock said that the veterans weren't there that Moen was one of the first ones.
PJ has a hard time being impartial and his lack of love for the Canadiens comes through in everything he says.
Your point about Gomez and Subban is a good one too, because it is quite possible...although when you look at the clip, Subban looks pretty deflated by whatever Gomez said to him.
Either, way I don't think it is a huge deal and it will/should get dealt with behind closed doors.
I know that from the segments above it is not apparent but I was watching TSN last night and they had a different angle. In my humble opinion thia is not about Subban celebrating that may be the issue, on the at that moment, but rather the fact that Subban skated right by Gomez, without acknowledging him, to do the celebration.
Kairos
Hi there Kairos and thanks for you comment!
Yep, I heard that too and, when you think about it, it makes more sense than anything else.
Even still, I'm not a fan of Gomez's snubbing him publicly even though I'll fully admit this is not a huge story.
Either way, this seems to be dealt with and IF there are any issues I'm sure they'll sort it out in the dressing room.
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