Michael Sabia - Habs coach language related

[alexstream]

It's not a language debate.

It's a language situation statement of FACT.

At "Tout le monde en parle" this Sunday (if you don't know Tout le monde en parle, you do not deserve to post in this thread, as 1.5M to 2M people watch it in Quebec every week and more than 75% of the population at least know about it. So if you don't know it, it means that your knowledge of Quebec is poor and ... it means that you can't really put forth a general opinion over Quebec and its population.)

So, I was saying : at "Tout le monde en parle" this Sunday, they said that Guy Carbonneau was the 2nd most mediatized in 2009 personality AFTER Obama. OBama #1, Carbo #2... impressive eh?

La Caisse de Dépot (if you don't know that, then you are way clueless than I can ever imagine! anyhow, it's the Quebec equivalent of Teachers, they lent money to Gilllet when he bought the Habs) hired a new President/CEO. That guy is Michael Sabia. He was Bell's CEO some time ago.

Now, La Caisse is an investment fund... As long as you get the best manager there, it shouldn't matter, should it?

Well, Sabia had to debate for 4 hours his "engagement envers le Québec" (emotional attachment to Quebec would be the closest translation) and was criticized for his "poor french"

Michael Sabia's position is not even remotely close in "media attention" to that of a Habs coach. And there is nothing "cultural" about La Caisse.

Imagine if there's fuss about it, how much fuss there would be for a Habs Coach... O_o

That's why guys I guess pissed off and I insult you when you ponder the idea of having a "non-french-speaking" coach.

I personally don't have anything against it... But Sabia is on the Hot seat and his position is nothing comparable in media attention or in "cultural history" compared to a Habs coach.

You can comment, but refrain from debating, I don't want to restart the beaten horse debate. I just wanted to bring out these hard cold facts for you guys. so that you learn a bit more about Quebec.

[kenadian]

To me it sounds like the population wants a french-speaking coach 1st, and results, proven track record 2nd.......

And since I'm in the minority (not of the culture) I'm not going to comment any further since as you say thei topic has been BEATEN TO DEATH

[Habsfan]

Donc selon toi, Scotty Bowman n'aurait jamais du être le coach des Habs dans les années 70???

Je suis un Québecois francophone, et rendu au point où nous sommes rendus, je crois qu'un BON coach (LE MEILLEUR DISPONIBLE) devrait être considéré pour le poste. Qu'il parle angalis, français ou les deux, ça ne changera rien pour moi. Regarde ou notre politique de "Coach franco" nous à apporté dans les 15 dernières années!! NUL PART!!

Les osties de médias à Montréal poussent pour un coach franco car il ne veulent pas faire de la traduction. Je m'excuse, mais si un gars comme Mike Babcock ou Ken Hitchcock étaient disponible, le CH devrait tout faire pour les avoir, car ils sont dans les meilleurs coachs de la ligue! Bob Hartley serait un excellent candidat, mais je crois que Lever devrait avoir sa chance aussi!

[Fanpuck33]

Donc selon toi, Scotty Bowman n'aurait jamais du être le coach des Habs dans les années 70???

As has been brought up many times, Bowman spoke French. Also, this thread is in the English forum...

P.S. You have such a great attitude, Alex. Very inclusive. Diversity be damned! :puke:

[BTH]

Donc selon toi, Scotty Bowman n'aurait jamais du être le coach des Habs dans les années 70???

Je suis un Québecois francophone, et rendu au point où nous sommes rendus, je crois qu'un BON coach (LE MEILLEUR DISPONIBLE) devrait être considéré pour le poste. Qu'il parle angalis, français ou les deux, ça ne changera rien pour moi. Regarde ou notre politique de "Coach franco" nous à apporté dans les 15 dernières années!! NUL PART!!

Les osties de médias à Montréal poussent pour un coach franco car il ne veulent pas faire de la traduction. Je m'excuse, mais si un gars comme Mike Babcock ou Ken Hitchcock étaient disponible, le CH devrait tout faire pour les avoir, car ils sont dans les meilleurs coachs de la ligue! Bob Hartley serait un excellent candidat, mais je crois que Lever devrait avoir sa chance aussi!

I think everyone agrees that it would be best if we could hire an Anglo coach. It would be even better if we could also hire a coach that speaks nothing but Arabic (more options), but we can't. The question is therefore not whether we should hire [scotty Bowman] but whether we can. I dunno if we can.

[Habsfan]

As has been brought up many times, Bowman spoke French.

I very well aware that Bowman had a basic knowledge of french, but He did his press conferences in english.

Also, this thread is in the English forum...

Forgive me for not speaking white! It won't happen again!

I think everyone agrees that it would be best if we could hire an Anglo coach.

I didn't say it would be best to hire an anglo coach, i'm saying hire the best damn guy available! If Hartley is the best coach available, hire him. Don't hire him cause he speaks french, but hire him cause he's the most competent coach out there. If the most competent guy is Lever, than hire Lever!

Edited May 5, 2009 by Habsfan

[alexstream]

Donc selon toi, Scotty Bowman n'aurait jamais du être le coach des Habs dans les années 70???

Je suis un Québecois francophone, et rendu au point où nous sommes rendus, je crois qu'un BON coach (LE MEILLEUR DISPONIBLE) devrait être considéré pour le poste. Qu'il parle angalis, français ou les deux, ça ne changera rien pour moi. Regarde ou notre politique de "Coach franco" nous à apporté dans les 15 dernières années!! NUL PART!!

Les osties de médias à Montréal poussent pour un coach franco car il ne veulent pas faire de la traduction. Je m'excuse, mais si un gars comme Mike Babcock ou Ken Hitchcock étaient disponible, le CH devrait tout faire pour les avoir, car ils sont dans les meilleurs coachs de la ligue! Bob Hartley serait un excellent candidat, mais je crois que Lever devrait avoir sa chance aussi!

J'ai pas dit que j'étais pas d'accord. Jsais juste que c'est impossible.

[alexstream]

@ fanpuck.

What can I say, it's summer time, Habs are golfing, draft is 1 1/2 month away, UFA season seems like in forever...

so there isn't many new things...

as such, we have to FIND new things

I feel dirty... I'm just like a "Le Journal de Montréal" journalist now! ROFL

[JLP]

In Japan there have been American and European baseball and soccer club coaches who didn't speak Japanese. They had interpreters . . .

[Fanpuck33]

Forgive me for not speaking white! It won't happen again!

I don't even know what to say to that, other than posting in French in the Engligh forum is kind of pointless because a large percentage of the members reading it won't know what it says.

[Habsfan]

I don't even know what to say to that, other than posting in French in the Engligh forum is kind of pointless because a large percentage of the members reading it won't know what it says.

That's cause I was answering alexstream.

[MAK]

@ Alex: tout le monde en parle is a major waste of time. better not watching TV at all.

as for the language of the coach: who cares !! it's not like hes running the country let alone the province. He's a hockey coach g-dammit !!! Now if a population puts all its pride on a sports team, it's pathetic.

I heard/read Pierre Boivin say that the nrxt coach should speak french. Perhaps Mr boivin should worry about putting a potent team on the ice as his track record is very poor.

I'm proud of being a francophone. I'm proud of speaking both english and french fluently(sp?) but I dont care about the coach speaking either language. Of course I'd be proud if an anglophone coach learned a little french just to acknowledge the fact that he's in a french environment.

Edited May 5, 2009 by marky_and_komi

[Prime Minister Koivu]

To me it sounds like the population wants a french-speaking coach 1st, and results, proven track record 2nd.......

And since I'm in the minority (not of the culture) I'm not going to comment any further since as you say thei topic has been BEATEN TO DEATH

That sums it up for me.

[Habsfan]

I'm proud of being a francophone. I'm proud of speaking both english and french fluently(sp?) but I dont care about the coach speaking either language. Of course I'd be proud if an anglophone coach learned a little french just to acknowledge the fact that he's in a french environment.

I'm in the same situation. I speak, read and write both languages and I want an experienced coach behind the bench. If he speaks french, then it's a bonus. If he doesn't, that's fine.

Like you said, it would be nice if he could learn a few words here and there, but even if he doesn't, as long as the team wins, he's good in my book!

Edited May 5, 2009 by Habsfan

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

It's a moot point anyway. There are at least two excellent bilingual candidates in Hartley and Robinson. If Lemaire is interested, he is a third. I don't see any unilingual guy out there who is OBVIOUSLY superior to any of these. And if Bob hires none of the above in favour of (say) Don Lever, then he needs his head examined.

[MAK]

To me it sounds like the population wants a french-speaking coach 1st, and results, proven track record 2nd.......

And since I'm in the minority (not of the culture) I'm not going to comment any further since as you say thei topic has been BEATEN TO DEATH

says who ?? the media ??

if you beleive all the crap the media say then Yes, we wnat a french guy to run the team. of course if you Speak to fench people then perhaps you'd see that we dont really care about that as long as we get an exciting team.

please dont form an opinion on media-only information.

[saskhab]

It's a moot point anyway. There are at least two excellent bilingual candidates in Hartley and Robinson. If Lemaire is interested, he is a third. I don't see any unilingual guy out there who is OBVIOUSLY superior to any of these. And if Bob hires none of the above in favour of (say) Don Lever, then he needs his head examined.

Yeah, plus with Crawford, there are 4 bilingual coaching candidates who have won a Stanley Cup out there, 3 of which have shown interest (Lemaire hasn't as far as we know). Sure, two are English-first candidates, but one of those is a Habs legend, and the other is very media savvy.

Lever should be taking classes, however. Could come in handy in a couple of years... I'm assuming he'll be staying on as an assistant with whoever is hired.

[Habsfan]

It's a moot point anyway. There are at least two excellent bilingual candidates in Hartley and Robinson. If Lemaire is interested, he is a third. I don't see any unilingual guy out there who is OBVIOUSLY superior to any of these. And if Bob hires none of the above in favour of (say) Don Lever, then he needs his head examined.

I disagree. Like I've said numerous times(and it has also been said by guys like McGuire, Pat burns, and François Gagnon) Robinson is too much of a "nice guy" to be our coach. Also, he wouldn't be able to handle the pressure in Montreal. He tought the pressure was too much in markets like N-J and L-A! Poor old Larry would have a heart attack behind the bench after only 2 weeks as head coach! That leaves Hartley, Marc Crawford learned french when he was coach in Q.C. It would be easier for him the second time around. He's definitely another guy the Habs need to consider.

As for Lemaire...i'm not sure i want him back behind the bench. He's too much of a donosaur. I get the feling he wouldn,t get along with many of our veterans!

Lever should be taking classes, however. Could come in handy in a couple of years...

Agreed. I'd like to see Lever in Montreal next year as an assistant coach. They guy did coach most of our young players to an AHL title 2 years ago! He can't be that bad!!

Edited May 5, 2009 by Habsfan

[Colin]

says who ?? the media ??

if you beleive all the crap the media say then Yes, we wnat a french guy to run the team. of course if you Speak to fench people then perhaps you'd see that we dont really care about that as long as we get an exciting team.

please dont form an opinion on media-only information.

Says Pierre Boivin.

[ForumGhost]

It's pretty naive to think that the majority of francophones don't care about what language the coach will speak.

[MAK]

Says Pierre Boivin.

who died and made him the voice of the french population ??

[Habsfan]

It's pretty naive to think that the majority of francophones don't care about what language the coach will speak.

True, but if the coach were to lead the habs to the promised land, i think his lack of french would be overlooked by most fans. It's the Media that would continually bring up the same debate!

[ForumGhost]

That's a pretty big if.

The truth is is that there is no more 'promised land' in the NHL anymore. Sure, you can win a cup one year, but are you going to be back in the playoffs next year to win another? With the cap in place, you can't construct a dynasty team that will contend every year. Even the favorites have their flaws. Detroit, widely regarded as the best team in the world today, have a huge question mark behind their goalie. More than ever, I think luck factors into the equation immensely. You can have the best team you can possibly make under the cap and to win a cup a lot of things still have to go right for you. Because of the cap, every single player in your line is important. The only replacements that you can afford are the kids on the farm so you just have to hope they jump in and flourish. Varlamov is a perfect example. He was a gamble that paid off. No one knew how he would react being dropped into the playoffs. If he had been anything short of amazing, the Caps would be out already. One of the best teams in the East and that one key weakness could have ruined everything. Look at the Sharks and Devils. Each one put together the best teams they've had in years this season and both didn't make it past the first round.

The point is is that you can't put together a great team, coach and all, and expect to be a contender every year anymore. Just gotta cross your fingers.

Edited May 5, 2009 by ForumGhost

[Fanpuck33]

Actually, hiring a non-Francophone, no matter his pedigree, might be a positive thing. The media would spend so much time focusing on the coach, the spotlight on the players would be dimmed significantly and they might actually be able to concentrate on hockey.

[fromage]

Sabia is an idiot. He single handedly destroyed Bell.