Ok, I’m not saying this deserves a lawsuit, but let’s look at the stats. The kid was the leading goal scorer (the “MVP” had 24 less goals, and according to Tony Kornheiser on Pardon The Interruption, the second closest kid had 32 goals compared to his 45) and he also had 3 assists more than anyone else in the league.
So this player had a double-digit lead in goals and a 3 point lead in assists over any other player in the league? Even if this kid was more petulant than Barry Bonds, I don’t see how he couldn’t be the MVP.
A lawsuit is excessive, but I think the father has a point.
Note that it’s called “Most Valuable Player”, and not “Most Prolific Player”.
Often, the player who is the most valuable is the one who inspires. The one around whom the others rally. The one who sets an example of sportsmanship. The one who leads — not scoring — but men. The one whom others believe is most valuable to them.
Sometimes that’s the same player as the highest scorer or greatest defender. But sometimes it’s not.
Agreed. As poopah chalupa pointed out, Lucas Martin, the league MVP, could likely be a defenseman. Not only contributing in the other team’s zone, but his own as well.
Or, noting from the article that shitlicker Dad is also upset that his son did not win the “playmaker award”, his son is the “I’ll do it all myself” type - shooting from everywhere and having a high assist total from his team mates scoring garbage goals on his rebounds. Neither type is an MVP.
And even so. Why the fuck do you sue!?! So you didn’t get an award. If your psyche is so fragile that finishing second or third in a popularity contest is enough to have you want to quit a life’s pursuit then a) You should not pursue a career in any professional sport, or pretty much anything that has even the remotest hint of competition and b) The Dad should be suing himself for raising his son this way.
Story still sucks. Seems Sir Whiny was able to get the hockey association to “have a change of heart” and award the Playmaker Award to his overly-sensitive and mentally fragile son. Goody. I hope it looks good on you trophy shelf.
Publicly humiliated? PUBLICY HUMILIATED? Unless all the other players set up little Steven Croteau is some Carrie-esque prank, how does not winning the award cause public humiliation.
“And the MVP award goes to… Steven Croteau! Come on up Steven! Great! Now that you are here, you get the priviledge of handing the trophy to the real winner, Lucas Martin. Yay! You so dumb Steven… Nice shirt and tie though.”
The whole affair still merits a big :wally to the Dad.
Wait a minute.
That new story says his son is all pissed because he is prohibited from playing. Didn’t the previous one say his son was so humiliated he didn’t want to play anymore?
Didn’t the father say the son doesn’t want to play hockey anymore? Wasn’t that tied in with the psychological trauma that is the basis of the $300k being sought?
He’s not only a wise and caring father, he’s a human rights crusader too!
As for the granting of the award, best stats doesn’t mean MVP. Just ask Alex Rodriguez. Hey, maybe the disgruntled Omar Vizquel should take a cue from Croteau and sue the people who hand out Gold Gloves for picking A-Rod over him!
It may have been a popularity contest, and the kid might have deserved the MVP. If this were the case, I am assuming the coaches didn’t vote for him because of the father. Given this case and the articles, I can just imagine what a joy it is to have a guy like this around the rink.
Sorry folks, but I can’t jump on the “the dad’s a jerk” bandwagon here. I’m with Myrr21 and Starbury on this one. I’m NOT saying that dad isn’t a jerk – he might be – but there is something highly suspect about this situation and I refuse to slam dad until more facts are in.
I’ve been involved (read: viewed from the outside looking in) in sports organizations that were run like little fiefdoms – dare I say mafias – so it would not surprise me if the fix was in against this kid or for some other kid. If dad’s lawsuit helps to shake up a rotten sports organization, I wish him all the best.
As it stands, dad’s got the numbers on his side and they make a powerful case, IMO. If some association spokesman was forthcoming about why the other kid got the award the dad-bashers would have a better argument and this whole thing might go away. (The line from the first link – something like “On any given night any kid could win this award” – is a flaming crock of shit that no one in this thread has bothered to contest. I mean, come on people!)
Frankly, I think it’s all about how the story is spun.
This is not a frivolous law suit. Its going to cost Hockey Dad big time when the defendant is awarded court costs. Muffin, correct me if I’m wrong, but in Canada losers pay court costs don’t they?
Second, Dad is an idiot. Even if ,as has been suggested, some clique style old boy collusion resulting in unfairness was going on, this law suit is dammaging win or lose.
And get off the boys case everyone. No wonder the boy doesn’t want to play any more. Hes SUPREMELY FUCKING EMBARRASSED. Parents like his are a typical reason that kids lose interest in sports. Any kid with a scoring record like his, lead scorer, would prefer the record over the subjective MVP award hands down any day of the week.
You’re probably correct on the spin thing, but that father can shove those stats up his ass for all I care. I don’t give a shit if he’s the best on the team and didn’t win, that’s completely beside the point of my anger. Which lesson should the child learn?
Life can be unfair, deal with it, and move on.
Whine, hold your breath and stamp your feet until you get what you want.
The irony of course is that he’s causing more damage by bringing this stupid fucking lawsuit, then if he had let the damn thing go.
They better rake his pathetic ass over the coals for this.
Lisa, scouring my house for sacrifices for WorldEater. Let’s see, I’ve got some old records I could part with…Do you think Barry Mannilow’s Greatest Hits would appease the dark gods?
P.S. The father is a jerk and makes me long for the days when we weren’t too civilized to just take him around back and beat the living shit out of him.
I think the difference is that scoring a competition in an Olympic event is not supposed to be a popularity contest, nor should it come out that the results were fixed from the get go. MVP awards are generally based on more subjective elements, including whether or not you’re an asshole. It’s the difference between actual performance, which is supposed to be objectively measured, and awards of comparative merit, which are more subjective. I am thinking of the AL MVP award in 1995, when Mo Vaughn beat Albert Belle. Belle had the better season statistically, but was almost universally hated and was not awarded the MVP.
