Sports

Mike Babcock’s return off to a rocky start as NBC tries to run interference for him

Published

4 years ago

January 12, 2021

Harry Miller

Mike Babcock during an outdoor practice for the Toronto Maple Leafs in Toronto on Feb. 7, 2019.

The Canadian Press

On the day NBC announced the on-air talent that will lead its NHL broadcasts into the future, it took a moment to pay homage to the past. In a call with reporters on Monday afternoon, NBC Sports executive producer Sam Flood paid tribute to Mike (Doc) Emrick, the legendary hockey broadcaster who called his final game last October after 47 years, and noted that Emrick will be a part of the network’s opening night triple-header on Wednesday. Analyst AJ Mleczko added that she would miss her former colleague, explaining that “he’s a better human being than he is a broadcaster, and of course, we all know what an incredible broadcaster he is.”

Things took a hard turn from there.

Only hours before, news had broken that NBC had permanently parted ways with Mike Milbury, the spiky analyst and former NHL head coach and general manager who had flown too close the sun with his hot takes one too many times.

Last August, during a lull in an Islanders-Capitals game, Brian Boucher was talking about the benefits of the NHL’s Return to Play bubble – “if you enjoy playing and enjoy being with your teammates for long periods of time, it’s a perfect place” – when Milbury had quipped that there was not “even any woman here to disrupt your concentration.” Well, then. The next day, the NHL expressed its displeasure, Milbury issued an apology, and NBC informed him that his services in the Toronto bubble were no longer required.

The network had already axed Jeremy Roenick in February, after he joked on a podcast – albeit not on NBC’s air – about sexual threesomes he might consider having with colleagues, naming a couple of men and one woman as candidates.

With all of that baggage, NBC evidently decided during the off-season that Milbury was too much of a risk to continue putting on-air.

And so, perhaps feeling the loss of two Mikes was too much, NBC went out and hired Mike Babcock to shore up its bench of studio analysts. Babcock, of course, was fired by the Toronto Maple Leafs 23 games into the 2019-20 season and then found himself tarred and feathered when former players suddenly began breaking hockey’s code of omerta, speaking out about the psychological abuse they had suffered at his hands. Mitch Marner and Chris Chelios shared stories of Babcock’s toxic head games; Johan Franzen said his former Red Wings boss, while being an “extremely accurate and prepared” coach, was also “a terrible person, the worst person I’ve ever met.”

(Translation: He’s no Doc Emrick.)

Nevertheless, Flood told reporters that, after Babcock “reached out to us through representation during the playoffs last year,” NBC almost brought him on board at that time. “But because of COVID protocols … we decided to wait until this year.”

Flood revealed that he had met Babcock in 2006 through the analyst Pierre McGuire, who was working for TSN at the time. “Pierre and I would go to Mike’s office before the many Detroit games we produced, and we would sit in that little office of his and have a conversation about hockey and about life. And he was a fascinating, insightful man,” Flood said. “And I thank Pierre for creating a relationship and getting me into that office all those years ago. And those are the moments that reveal who you want to have on your team. And Mike was a fascinating guy to spend time with, and I think he’ll be a great addition.”

It was an impressive bit of rhetoric on Flood’s part, simultaneously dismissing the elephant in the room while not specifically even acknowledging its existence. And who’s to quibble with his decision? If he wants to hire someone he believes will be an asset to his team, that’s his right. Babcock’s alleged sin, after all, was mental abuse, and even if his ex-boss, Brendan Shanahan, decreed his tactics neither “appropriate or acceptable,” they fell on a spectrum of ugly behaviour by coaches and trainers that had often been seen as necessary to get the best from athletes.

Which is, really, all Flood had to say when reporters hit him with a couple of follow-ups. Instead, a call that NBC had arranged to celebrate a fresh start quickly took on a noxious odor.

“After Mike Babcock was fired by the Toronto Maple Leafs, there were accusations of psychological abuse by some of the former players,” ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski said to Flood. “His reputation took a hit because of it. He hasn’t really addressed these issues publicly since then. Is this something you discussed before hiring him, and might this be something that you might have him discuss on the air?”

Flood replied: “We’ve had a full process of conversations, as we do with anyone we bring in, onto the team.” The line went silent. Then the moderator moved on to the next question.

A few minutes later, The Athletic’s Sean Shapiro brought up Shanahan’s comments about Babcock, and asked whether NBC had any concerns about the allegations. “We looked at everything,” Flood said flatly. Another eight seconds of silence – even the moderator seemed caught out.

Nobody is suggesting that Babcock be cancelled. (There’s no real threat of that, anyway: last fall, before he signed with NBC, he interviewed for the Washington Capitals’ head-coaching job.) But reputational rehabilitation is supposed to begin with acknowledging what you’ve done; then you make amends, if those you’ve wronged are interested. But until you clear the air, your ugly past is going to hang over everything you do, like the cloud of dust and bugs that follows poor Pig-Pen in the Peanuts cartoon.

NBC may have thought it was playing enforcer for its new hire on Monday. But nobody wants to drop the gloves with the network or with Babcock. We just need him to finally, fully – and publicly – address the issue of his past behaviour, so we can all get on with the business of listening to what he has to say about hockey.

Source:- The Globe and Mail

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Sports

Champions Trophy host Pakistan says it’s not been told India wants to play cricket games elsewhere

Published

2 days ago

November 8, 2024

Anne Joseph

LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.

“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”

Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.

The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.

Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.

“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”

Pakistan hosted last year’s Asia Cup but all India games were played in Sri Lanka under a hybrid model for the tournament. Only months later Pakistan did travel to India for the 50-over World Cup.

Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.

“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”

The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.

“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”

Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.

“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.

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AP cricket:

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Sports

Dabrowski, Routlife into WTA doubles final with win over Melichar-Martinez, Perez

Published

2 days ago

November 8, 2024

Anne Joseph

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ottawa‘s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday.

Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.

The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot.

The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.

Dabrowski and Routliffe will face the winner of a match between Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, and Hao-Ching Chan and Veronika Kudermetova in the final on Saturday.

Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.

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Sports

Winger Tajon Buchanan back with Canada after recovering from broken leg

Published

2 days ago

November 8, 2024

Anne Joseph

Inter Milan winger Tajon Buchanan, recovered from a broken leg suffered in training at this summer’s Copa America, is back in Jesse Marsch’s Canada squad for the CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinal against Suriname.

The 25-year-old from Brampton, Ont., underwent surgery July 3 to repair a fractured tibia in Texas.

Canada, ranked 35th in the world, plays No. 136 Suriname on Nov. 15 in Paramaribo. The second leg of the aggregate series is four days later at Toronto’s BMO Field.

There is also a return for veteran winger Junior Hoilett, who last played for Canada in June in a 4-0 loss to the Netherlands in Marsch’s debut at the Canadian helm. The 34-year-old from Brampton, now with Scotland’s Hibernian, has 15 goals in 63 senior appearances for Canada.

Midfielder Ismael Kone, recovered from an ankle injury sustained on club duty with France’s Marseille, also returns. He missed Canada’s last three matches since the fourth-place Copa America loss to Uruguay in July.

But Canada will be without centre back Derek Cornelius, who exited Marseille’s win Sunday over Nantes on a stretcher after suffering an apparent rib injury.

The Canadian men will prepare for Suriname next week at a camp in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

“We are looking forward to getting the group together again with the mindset that there is a trophy on the line,” Marsch said in a statement. “We want to end 2024 the right way with two excellent performances against a competitive Suriname squad and continue building on our tremendous growth this past summer.”

The quarterfinal winners advance to the Nations League Finals at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., with the two semifinals scheduled for March 20 and the final and third-place playoff March 23, and qualify for the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup.

Thirteen of the 23 players on the Canadian roster are 25 or younger, with 19-year-old defender Jamie Knight-Lebel, currently playing for England’s Crewe Alexandra on loan from Bristol City, the youngest.

Bayern Munich star Alphonso Davies captains the side with Stephen Eustaquio, Jonathan Osorio, Richie Laryea, Alistair Johnston and Kamal Miller adding veteran support.

Jonathan David, Cyle Larin and Theo Bair are joined in attack by Minnesota United’s Tani Oluwaseyi.

Niko Sigur, a 21-year-old midfielder with Croatia’s Hadjuk Split, continues in the squad after making his debut in the September friendly against Mexico.

Suriname made it to the Nations League quarterfinals by finishing second to Costa Rica in Group A of the Nations League, ahead of No. 104 Guatemala, No. 161 Guyana and unranked Martinique and Guadeloupe.

“A good team,” Osorio said of Suriname. “These games are always tricky and they’re not easy at all … Suriname is a (former) Dutch colony and they’ll have Dutch players playing at high levels.”

“They won’t be someone we overlook at all,” added the Toronto FC captain, who has 81 Canada caps to his credit.

Located on the northeast coast of South America between Guyana and French Guiana, Suriname was granted independence in 1975 by the Netherlands.

Canada has faced Suriname twice before, both in World Cup qualifying play, winning 4-0 in suburban Chicago in June 2021 and 2-1 in Mexico City in October 1977.

The Canadian men, along with Mexico, the United States and Panama, received a bye into the final eight of the CONCACAF Nations League.

Canada, No. 2 in the CONCACAF rankings, drew Suriname as the best-placed runner-up from League A play.

Canada lost to Jamaica in last year’s Nations League quarterfinal, ousted on the away-goals rule after the series ended in a 4-4 draw. The Canadians lost 2-0 to the U.S. in the final of the 2022-23 tournament and finished fifth in 2019-20.

Canada defeated Panama 2-1 last time out, in an Oct. 15 friendly in Toronto.

Goalkeepers Maxime Crepeau and Jonathan Sirois, defenders Joel Waterman, Laryea and Miller and Osorio took part in a pre-camp this week in Toronto for North America-based players.

Canada Roster

Goalkeepers: Maxime Crepeau, Portland Timbers (MLS); Jonathan Sirois, CF Montreal (MLS); Dayne St. Clair, Minnesota United FC (MLS).

Defenders: Moise Bombito, OGC Nice (France); Alphonso Davies, Bayern Munich (Germany); Richie Laryea, Toronto FC (MLS); Alistair Johnston, Celtic (Scotland); Jamie Knight-Lebel. Crewe Alexandra, on loan from Bristol City (England); Kamal Miller, Portland Timbers (MLS); Joel Waterman, CF Montreal (MLS).

Midfielders: Ali Ahmed. Vancouver Whitecaps (MLS); Tajon Buchanan, Inter Milan (Italy); Mathieu Choiniere, Grasshopper Zurich (Switzerland); Stephen Eustaquio, FC Porto (Portugal); Junior Hoilett, Hibernian FC (Scotland); Ismael Kone, Olympique Marseille (France); Jonathan Osorio, Toronto FC (MLS); Jacob Shaffelburg, Nashville SC (MLS); Niko Sigur, Hadjuk Split (Croatia).

Forwards: Theo Bair, AJ Auxerre (France); Jonathan David, LOSC Lille (France); Cyle Larin, RCD Mallorca (Spain); Tani Oluwaseyi, Minnesota United (MLS).

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.

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