Friday, February 22, 2008
Roli No Longer Oil Goalie?
"It hasn't been easy riding the pine for weeks at a time, not knowing if a fresh start somewhere else is ever coming - and if it does, having no idea where your family will have to pack up and move to next.
And his trials on the ice have seeped into his personal life, to the point that his children, five and seven years of age, were coming home in tears after being teased at school."
--Robert Tychkowski, Edmonton Sun
This is unfortunate news. The guy's soldiered on, despite less playing time. He could have easily won the Conn Smythe two years ago, and now his kids are being teased about him at school.
***Instant Update*** Steve Staios is a warrior.
# posted by andy grabia @ 7:27 am 
Comments:
Well he's not gone yet, but no oilers fan should ever forget that save on Cheechoo in OT.
It's right up there with Joeseph on Neiuwendyk in game 7, '97.
Hopefully they can move him - when you hear stories about the players kids coming come crying, it really makes you realize that playing at the beach where no body gives a shit about the team becomes a pretty attractive option for players.
There are people out there who know far more about salaries, salary caps, etc. than I do, but Roloson's salary is comparable to what both Gerber and Emery are getting in Ottawa. Lots of talk out here about a change in goal, and given Roloson's playoff experience Ottawa might be tempted to take a chance on him, maybe even make him the putative #1 goalie, and finally get rid the Emery headache. It would have to be a "change of scenery" type of deal, not a salary dump for either team. I agree with Andy, that might be all either team could hope for at this point anyway given the salaries they're both saddled with.
This won't help the Oiler's troubles attracting free agents. Fans (allegedly) burning cribs, making kids cry; there are crazy fans everywhere but this seems to be turning into a dogpile.
I got bugged at school without the benefit of rich, famous parents with access to free hockey tickets. I'm tired of the complaining that a lifestyle which affords wealth, fame, and adulation in the good times might have costs at others. Deal with it, be a professional. Everyone's kids get picked on at some point, it's not different just because you're a rich hockey player. Assuming no physical threat to the kids, this little life lesson is probably not the worst thing for them.
Don't get me wrong, bullying is lame and needs to be eliminated for every kid. But somehow, I doubt Roloson's kids get picked on nearly as much as the poor kid or the fat kid do, but they're parents don't get to send them away or complain to the newspaper.
This might not be the place to ask this question, but in an era with a salary cap, where teams are worried about maximizing talent and minimizing cost, why aren't we seeing more performance-based (ie. bonus-laden) contracts? (Or are we and I just haven't noticed?) Is there a cap reason for it?
Seems you might be able to get more player movement in a league where players like Roloson are only dead cap-space when they're playing too well, no?
This won't help the Oiler's troubles attracting free agents. Fans (allegedly) burning cribs, making kids cry; there are crazy fans everywhere but this seems to be turning into a dogpile.
Name me a city anywhere in the NHL where elementary school kids aren't going to be bullied by other elementary school kids.
This sort of thing that Roloson's kids went through is unfortunate, but no one with a straight face could tell me that this couldn't possibly happen in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Ottawa or Montreal. Roloson even says as much, it's part of the territory of playing in Canada.
Shit happens, unfortunately. However, despite the non-exclusiveness of this one, Edmonton will still get painted with the shit brush because of it.
Par - only certain players are eligible for performance incentives: the very young (entry level) and the very old (35+) as I understand it.
Everyone's kids get picked on at some point, it's not different just because you're a rich hockey player.
Perhaps, but I think the difference in this case is that the kid is being teased because of who his dad id, which is quite a different kettle of fish. From a parent's perspective, I'm just assuming it feels worse to have to console a kid who's crying because he's teased for something you've done, that one who's crying because somebody called her ugly.
hbomb - it may well be (and probably is) happening in every franchise city. Hence the "there are crazy fans everywhere" line.
But if Oiler fans decide to use the "it happens to every kid at some point" excuse to defend this situation then it comes across as blaming Roloson. I'm not sure this is the best strategy for enticing players to become (or remain) Oilers.
Perhaps this is the type of thing Mrs. Nylander was concerned about.
Perhaps, but I think the difference in this case is that the kid is being teased because of who his dad id, which is quite a different kettle of fish. From a parent's perspective, I'm just assuming it feels worse to have to console a kid who's crying because he's teased for something you've done, that one who's crying because somebody called her ugly.
Really? If my kid came home crying because somebody had pointed out that I was a bad goalie in the NHL, I think it would be easier to rationalize and explain to the kid than if they're being called fat, or stupid, or ugly, or poor, or a racial slur. I don't know at what age kids start to understand 'perspective', but at 5 and 7 I think Roli could probably convince his kids that he's done pretty well in life and that they don't need to feel bad for him or worry about others say. Maybe not, I don't have kids yet, so I'm not at liberty to say.
Nonetheless, I fear less for the self-esteem of Roli's kids than I do for the bullied poor kid, etc.
And I don't think it's an Edmonton issue, though I agree that Edmonton will receive a good poo-flinging from the usual suspects if this has legs.
I think the short version is "kids can be assholes". Which applies whether Roloson is Garon's backup or back in the past making ridiculous saves off San Jose Sharks.
Unfortunately, if I'm Dwayne Roloson (rather than Dwayne Roloson's kid), this particular form of kids being jerks probably hits home a little harder.
hbomb - it may well be (and probably is) happening in every franchise city. Hence the "there are crazy fans everywhere" line.
But if Oiler fans decide to use the "it happens to every kid at some point" excuse to defend this situation then it comes across as blaming Roloson. I'm not sure this is the best strategy for enticing players to become (or remain) Oilers.
Perhaps this is the type of thing Mrs. Nylander was concerned about.
I don't think anyone should be blaming Roloson. I'm not. In fact, his quote explicitly stated that this was part of the territory of playing in Canada, not just in Edmonton.
However, given the history, a lot of people (i.e. mouth-breathers from Calgarypuck, for example) are going to play this up as Edmonton being a place that no player would willingly go to play, despite the fact this is not exclusively something that is going to happen in Edmonton.
No venom towards Roloson here, nor any hard feelings. He said what he had to without running down the city. But some MSM member, somewhere (I'm predicting one of the Pronger circle-jerk triad of Brophy, Strickland, or Strachan) is going to use this as fuel to take another cheapshot at E-town.
I can see it coming like a train down the tracks in the middle of Saskatchewan.....
I second Julian's motion about that save on Cheechoo. Overshadowed by Smytty's chicklets.
But about his kids getting picked on at school. Either that's apocrypha (a kindergartner so tuned into pro hockey he knows when his classmate's dad has been relegated to second string? Dubious) or Roloson is a whiny byatch. Kids everywhere in the world say shit. Sometimes it's because a kid wears funny clothes, has a crappy bike, a stupid haircut, braces, old man's out of work, mom's a crack ho, whatever.
It should be beneath most writers' power of discernment to even write about it without challenging it.
(a kindergartner so tuned into pro hockey he knows when his classmate's dad has been relegated to second string? Dubious)
Um, did you ever attend a Canadian kindergarten?
I'm sure the red ferrari and sweet condos both kids will get when they are of age will lessen the pain felt from the merciless teasing. I was teased, I teased and was beat up and beat others up. Its childhood and I loved it :)
Thoreson will be a player!!!!
I'd be willing to wager that if you asked 100 K students right now, half of them would pee their pants long before they came up with "Rollie is the Oilers backup goalie. Let's go pick on his kid."
I call B.S. on the whole anecdote.
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Well he's not gone yet, but no oilers fan should ever forget that save on Cheechoo in OT.
It's right up there with Joeseph on Neiuwendyk in game 7, '97.
Hopefully they can move him - when you hear stories about the players kids coming come crying, it really makes you realize that playing at the beach where no body gives a shit about the team becomes a pretty attractive option for players.
There are people out there who know far more about salaries, salary caps, etc. than I do, but Roloson's salary is comparable to what both Gerber and Emery are getting in Ottawa. Lots of talk out here about a change in goal, and given Roloson's playoff experience Ottawa might be tempted to take a chance on him, maybe even make him the putative #1 goalie, and finally get rid the Emery headache. It would have to be a "change of scenery" type of deal, not a salary dump for either team. I agree with Andy, that might be all either team could hope for at this point anyway given the salaries they're both saddled with.
# posted by 
: February 22, 2008 9:18 am
: February 22, 2008 9:18 am This won't help the Oiler's troubles attracting free agents. Fans (allegedly) burning cribs, making kids cry; there are crazy fans everywhere but this seems to be turning into a dogpile.
I got bugged at school without the benefit of rich, famous parents with access to free hockey tickets. I'm tired of the complaining that a lifestyle which affords wealth, fame, and adulation in the good times might have costs at others. Deal with it, be a professional. Everyone's kids get picked on at some point, it's not different just because you're a rich hockey player. Assuming no physical threat to the kids, this little life lesson is probably not the worst thing for them.
Don't get me wrong, bullying is lame and needs to be eliminated for every kid. But somehow, I doubt Roloson's kids get picked on nearly as much as the poor kid or the fat kid do, but they're parents don't get to send them away or complain to the newspaper.
# posted by : February 22, 2008 10:42 am
: February 22, 2008 10:42 am This might not be the place to ask this question, but in an era with a salary cap, where teams are worried about maximizing talent and minimizing cost, why aren't we seeing more performance-based (ie. bonus-laden) contracts? (Or are we and I just haven't noticed?) Is there a cap reason for it?
Seems you might be able to get more player movement in a league where players like Roloson are only dead cap-space when they're playing too well, no?
This won't help the Oiler's troubles attracting free agents. Fans (allegedly) burning cribs, making kids cry; there are crazy fans everywhere but this seems to be turning into a dogpile.
Name me a city anywhere in the NHL where elementary school kids aren't going to be bullied by other elementary school kids.
This sort of thing that Roloson's kids went through is unfortunate, but no one with a straight face could tell me that this couldn't possibly happen in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Ottawa or Montreal. Roloson even says as much, it's part of the territory of playing in Canada.
Shit happens, unfortunately. However, despite the non-exclusiveness of this one, Edmonton will still get painted with the shit brush because of it.
Par - only certain players are eligible for performance incentives: the very young (entry level) and the very old (35+) as I understand it.
Everyone's kids get picked on at some point, it's not different just because you're a rich hockey player.
Perhaps, but I think the difference in this case is that the kid is being teased because of who his dad id, which is quite a different kettle of fish. From a parent's perspective, I'm just assuming it feels worse to have to console a kid who's crying because he's teased for something you've done, that one who's crying because somebody called her ugly.
hbomb - it may well be (and probably is) happening in every franchise city. Hence the "there are crazy fans everywhere" line.
But if Oiler fans decide to use the "it happens to every kid at some point" excuse to defend this situation then it comes across as blaming Roloson. I'm not sure this is the best strategy for enticing players to become (or remain) Oilers.
Perhaps this is the type of thing Mrs. Nylander was concerned about.
Perhaps, but I think the difference in this case is that the kid is being teased because of who his dad id, which is quite a different kettle of fish. From a parent's perspective, I'm just assuming it feels worse to have to console a kid who's crying because he's teased for something you've done, that one who's crying because somebody called her ugly.
Really? If my kid came home crying because somebody had pointed out that I was a bad goalie in the NHL, I think it would be easier to rationalize and explain to the kid than if they're being called fat, or stupid, or ugly, or poor, or a racial slur. I don't know at what age kids start to understand 'perspective', but at 5 and 7 I think Roli could probably convince his kids that he's done pretty well in life and that they don't need to feel bad for him or worry about others say. Maybe not, I don't have kids yet, so I'm not at liberty to say.
Nonetheless, I fear less for the self-esteem of Roli's kids than I do for the bullied poor kid, etc.
And I don't think it's an Edmonton issue, though I agree that Edmonton will receive a good poo-flinging from the usual suspects if this has legs.
# posted by : February 22, 2008 12:15 pm
: February 22, 2008 12:15 pm I think the short version is "kids can be assholes". Which applies whether Roloson is Garon's backup or back in the past making ridiculous saves off San Jose Sharks.
Unfortunately, if I'm Dwayne Roloson (rather than Dwayne Roloson's kid), this particular form of kids being jerks probably hits home a little harder.
hbomb - it may well be (and probably is) happening in every franchise city. Hence the "there are crazy fans everywhere" line.
But if Oiler fans decide to use the "it happens to every kid at some point" excuse to defend this situation then it comes across as blaming Roloson. I'm not sure this is the best strategy for enticing players to become (or remain) Oilers.
Perhaps this is the type of thing Mrs. Nylander was concerned about.
I don't think anyone should be blaming Roloson. I'm not. In fact, his quote explicitly stated that this was part of the territory of playing in Canada, not just in Edmonton.
However, given the history, a lot of people (i.e. mouth-breathers from Calgarypuck, for example) are going to play this up as Edmonton being a place that no player would willingly go to play, despite the fact this is not exclusively something that is going to happen in Edmonton.
No venom towards Roloson here, nor any hard feelings. He said what he had to without running down the city. But some MSM member, somewhere (I'm predicting one of the Pronger circle-jerk triad of Brophy, Strickland, or Strachan) is going to use this as fuel to take another cheapshot at E-town.
I can see it coming like a train down the tracks in the middle of Saskatchewan.....
I second Julian's motion about that save on Cheechoo. Overshadowed by Smytty's chicklets.
But about his kids getting picked on at school. Either that's apocrypha (a kindergartner so tuned into pro hockey he knows when his classmate's dad has been relegated to second string? Dubious) or Roloson is a whiny byatch. Kids everywhere in the world say shit. Sometimes it's because a kid wears funny clothes, has a crappy bike, a stupid haircut, braces, old man's out of work, mom's a crack ho, whatever.
It should be beneath most writers' power of discernment to even write about it without challenging it.
(a kindergartner so tuned into pro hockey he knows when his classmate's dad has been relegated to second string? Dubious)
Um, did you ever attend a Canadian kindergarten?
I'm sure the red ferrari and sweet condos both kids will get when they are of age will lessen the pain felt from the merciless teasing. I was teased, I teased and was beat up and beat others up. Its childhood and I loved it :)
Thoreson will be a player!!!!
# posted by : February 22, 2008 1:44 pm
: February 22, 2008 1:44 pm I'd be willing to wager that if you asked 100 K students right now, half of them would pee their pants long before they came up with "Rollie is the Oilers backup goalie. Let's go pick on his kid."
I call B.S. on the whole anecdote.
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