From: mattb@ctron.com (Matt Brown)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.hockey
Subject: Teemu and Eric (was Re: Wings1-Jets4)
Date: 8 Oct 92 18:25:41 GMT
Reply-To: mattb@olympus.ctron.com (Matt Brown)
Organization: Cabletron Systems INc.

Paul Cyr writes:
Jonne Siren writes: 
>> Name is Teemu Sel{nne (Selaenne? Does anybody know how it is printed on
>> his back?) and if I know right, he assisted two goals...and you're
>> right, he will be a canditate in rookie of the year chase. But I think
>> "Big Eric" will be more famous than Teemu, because he is Canadian and
>     					      ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>> Teemu is only "somebody from a strange country"...

>Comments such as these are not necessary in our discussions of hockey!  If you
>thought before you wrote then you would have found that this statement is
>inappropiate.  The criteria for the selection of rookie of the year has nothing
>to do with nationality.  It has everything to do with player stats and
>contribution to the team.
>If Teemu Selanne contributes to the Winnipeg organization, and puts points on 
>the board in comparison to Lindros or any other rookie then he will be 
>considered for the award.

In my opinion, it is naive to think that politics and nationality are not
potentially factors in this and many other decisions in sports.  Many of
the awards in the NHL are voted on, and I would bet that the overwhelming
majority of the voters are of North American heritage. It is also no secret
that Canadians, Americans, and Europeans in r.s.h have widely varying opinions
about how much these factors weigh in player selection, awards, trades, 
contracts, attitudes, style of play, and many other factors. If fans from
Finland feel (ffff!) that their players are not getting a fair shake over here,
then they have the right to state it, and it is relevent.

Now that that is cleared up (at least to my satisfaction), let's talk issyas
(Ross Perot style).  The voters for the Calder have had to deal with this
nationality issue for a number of years. Let's look at two examples of what
they have done. When Makarov came into the league with Calgary, he was already
an old fart, but a historic one. He played very well for the Flames, and he
was easily the best first year player. But there was a flap about his qualif-
ications for the award. Of course, it had nothing to do with his nationality
(Nah! Never! Maybe?); it was totally about the "fairness" issue.

What did the league and the voters do? The league (amazingly) realized that
it would be hypocritical and very bad publicity to ban him from the award,
since it had not ruled at the beginning of the season, and banning him at the
end would have been very low. (Not that Makarov probably gave a hoot.) So
they left him eligible, but modified the rule for later years (Gil Stein must
have had a hand in this), and idiot boy John Z kept his mouth shut. Makarov
won the award, looked funny trussed up in a tux, and history was made. I'm
sure a few Europeans were as surprised as the Canadians were.

Now, this year the picture was different. You had a strong, popular player
(Amonte) in the league's biggest market (NY) with the marquee team (Rangers)
vs a Rooskie who came late to a city on the fringes of the almighty media
(Bure, Vancouver). No contest in the Euro-phobic NHL, right? But who won?
Did Bure outpoint Amonte? Was he more valuable (well, maybe)? Did either
player win the cup for their team?  Is it that the Canadian voters were 
more anti-American than anti-Russian?

I doubt it. They just chose the most exciting player, the one who brought
the most to the sport.

So, in summary, I think you were wrong, Paul, about the appropriateness.

And Jonne, I think you were wrong about the prejudice.

Who will win? Lindros, unless he breaks a leg or some other rookie leads
all scorers.

Why? Not because he is Canadian, but because he is well known, has impact,
and will be almost the only redeeming characteristic of the Flyers this
year. Teemu won't win, but not because he is Finnish. He will have to
lead the league in goals and save a pregnant Winnipeg girl from drowning
to overcome Eric's publicity advantage. His only other chance is if Eric
reverts to his childish, peevish behavior and alienates his Flyer teammates
and fans. Then all bets are off.

By the way, if you have a hard time sympathizing with what European players
face coming over here, there is a great article in the Boston Globe 10/8
about the Russian influx. It includes comments from Dave Poulin about his
playing in Sweden in 1982 on Rogle, fresh out of college.

   As the only "import" on the Swedish club, he was the English-speaking
   outsider.  Dressing room jokes whizzed by him like errant Bobby Schmautz
   slap shots. Poulin is among hockey's brightest players, but he was
   nonetheless left feeling the chill of not knowing what to say, how to 
   respond, when to laugh.

   "A big part of hockey is that feeling of, well, feeling a part of it
   all," said Poulin.  "...a high point of being a professional athelete
   is just the hanging out with the guys, be it the half-hour on a bus
   after a big win, or the flight back from a city.

   "If you don't know the language, it's hard. You don't know how to respond,
   how to exchange ideas, what's fair game as far as a joke and what you can
   kind of take a potshot at.  There are times you are just lost."
   (from article by Kevin Paul Dupont)

Poulin is of course commenting on the Kvartalnov/Chervyakov situation on the
Bruins, but I think if you apply it generally to the league, and see it from
the reverse perspective, it is illuminating. I'm sure the players who go back
their native countries don't always have the nicest memories of life in the
NHL.

Matt
I would hate to be on "Wheel of Fortune" in Finland. Too many vowels to buy.