IIHF World Championships - Saying no to your country

[Moogleproof]

I've no idea how many of you over here are into hockey or know the world ch'ships are on again, but I felt there was a rather good article on the IIHF web page I'd like to share and receive comments on:

Saying no to your country

I personally kind of understand if someone doesn't feel compelled to represent their country, especially on an Olympic year, but I can't dismiss the argument the writer makes.

You owe a LOT to the system.

You are professional athletes, and are surely fit enough to play in WC if you are fit enough to play elsewhere (i.e. playoffs).

You can't be mentally too tired to play. If you've gotten far enough to get an invite to represent, you must love to play or else you wouldn't have it in you to become such a good player.

Obviously you love to play, so just go out there and have some fun, right?

The only comment I can't really disregard is that if you have to be away from your family it's gonna suck, especially if you have young children. But unless that's the case, your family is used to you travelling all the time, and three weeks more is not that long.

Any thoughts? Overall I had to side with the writer - you're a fit young millionaire, go play hockey and pay your dues, you are going to enjoy it.

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

I can understand where the writer is coming from but I'm less in agreement than you.

Tired: Ok, this is probably the most lame of the excuses, but to be honest I can kind of see it. Everybody needs some downtime, and for a professional athlete most are still going to be working out (which is most definitely part of their job), and possibly doing some side practice work, just without the pressure of th schedule and competition.

Motivated: Sorry, if I'm not motivated, nothing is going to make me do something I don't have to do. I suspect the "Not motivated" could also be a code for "but the coach/teammate x is a a-hat and I have no desire to work with them if I'm not getting paid for it."

Injured: Sorry, I am 100% in agreement with the players on this one. Its one thing to push yourself through an injury for the team that is paying you big bucks. It is another to possibly make that injury worse for a volunteer effort that some people think you should feel obligated to support.

Family: I can totally see this as well. I expect the families of pro athletes usually handle the season because they know they get that time once the season is over.

No contract: Well I can see both sides of this one. Injury could derail future contracts, but additional play time on an international stage against great players could also allow you to showcase yourself and open new opportunities.


What about recuperation time - there is some pretty good data out there that pro athletes need time to recuperate from a long season. Not having that time can lead to more injuries later. Play for three more weeks and suddenly there is that much less time before training camp for the next season begins again.

Another thing of this is that there are only so many players that are going to get invited. If all the top professional players accepted, some of those other wonderful stories the writer lists like Nummelin in his 15th championship, would not be happening.

My final point is that the writer feels like these players owe the Federation their playing time and effort in exchange for everything they got through the years. "We made you who you are, you owe us." How true that is probably up for contention, but ni the end that sense of entitlement just rubs me the wrong way.

 

[Moogleproof]

I understand all of the points you make, and I do agree if that is what's actually going on, I just kind of feel that sometimes they are used as excuses (tiredness/injuries/etc) if the player doesn't feel he wants to play after the season. But I can't really blame them, I doubt anyone would even want to watch if someone who didn't want to play was doing his 80% on the ice.

Perhaps the reason I'm not seeing this as an unreasonably harsh critique is because despite the player himself has done easily the most work on his success, I feel they should at least acknowledge that they couldn't have done it by themselves alone (well, except for Ilja Kovaltshuk, if the stories I've heard are true). I'm not saying they should all acknowledge it by merrily galloping to the championships because of that - but I can get why some of the federations could get exasperated if year after year there are more NO's than there are YES's.

I guess I'm just surprised that given an opportunity to play good games, some of the players aren't taking that opportunity. I'm actually sadder on the players' behalf on that than on anyone else's, actually. What's sadder than an athlete that can't go do what he enjoys best (or used to enjoy at least).

I can relate to players saying no if they don't like the coach, that would be unbearable and I really understand quite well if that's why you don't represent. It's a bigger issue than most believe, I'd wager.

The no contract situation is definitely a pickle and there isn't probably one "correct" way to handle it.