This most curious of seasons is approaching its climax and most of my initial predictions have flown straight out the proverbial window, with the exception of that of the Lightning still being in contention at the semi-finals stage.
The Habs made very hard work of securing their playoff berth and - despite dramatically lifting their performance against Toronto in the first round - only managed to crawl out of the coffin in game 5 overtime (with, worst luck, a goal by part-Jap Ryan Suzuki) before winning the last two games to squeak through 4-3.
Since my beloved Nords relocated to Colorado in 1995 and the Whalers’ subsequent move to Raleigh in 1997, Toronto has been my “default” favourite team so I was bitterly disappointed by the result, particularly given Joe Thornton’s very limited remaining chances of finally lifting the Cup for the first time.
Montreal were handed a huge advantage in the second round when the Jets’ most dangerous offensive threat Mark Scheifele incurred a four-match suspension for charging stemming from his hit on Jake Evans during the opening game. Let’s expand upon the subject of suspensions…
Scheifele was ruled out for four games and thereby missed the rest of the series, in which Winnipeg were swept. Colorado’s Lebanese Muslim Nazem Kadri was suspended for eight games for striking the Blues’ Justin Faulk in the head with his elbow in game two of the first round. Yet the Golden Knights’ abysmally talentless, habitually dirty Negro goon Ryan Reaves received a mere two-match suspension after he punched the Avalanche’s Ryan Graves in the back of the head, slammed him to the ice, knelt forcefully on his head until his helmet came off and pulled out a chunk of the Colorado player’s hair. Unlike Scheifele and Kadri, Reaves voiced absolutely no remorse for his actions.
This occurred only one game after Reaves had deliberately cross-checked the Wild’s Ryan Suter into the goal post causing the Minnesota defenseman’s face to strike the pipes. Yet the Negro received nothing more than a two-minute minor penalty for interference.
Black Privilege manifests itself yet again. Just imagine if a White player had done to a Negro player the same as Reaves did to Graves. The media, the NHL “authorities”, the politicians, the “community leaders”, and every fat, ugly, sweat-drenched, loudmouthed Negro BLM “activist” and flea-ridden, tattoo-festooned, “gender fluid” white leftist “ally” in North America would be “calling it out” as a patently racist assault and hysterically demanding that the notional white player should not only be banned from hockey for life but also be charged and subsequently jailed for attempted murder, “hate crimes”, “domestic terrorism”, “White supremacy”, and a cavalcade of miscellaneous historical “micro-aggressions”.
As far as I am aware, Scheifele’s hit on Evans was replayed over and over on Canadian television, while Reaves’ deliberate attempt to seriously hurt Graves was quickly “forgotten”. Well, that sounds familiar enough…
Sadly, my previously ultra-hard-core interest in hockey has abated in the wake of the NHL’s collective adherence to the BLM dogma in the immediate wake of lifelong criminal Floyd’s demise. As a quick aside, I chuckle every time I see one of those “default” depictions of Floyd on a banner, poster, t-shirt, mural, or anywhere else. Why? Because his balloon-like lips set within that unmistakably simian countenance ironically fulfil every so-called stereotype Negroes have constantly railed against for the best part of a century. If a White artist drew such a repulsive face in a comic, cartoon, or newspaper caricature he would be decried as a racist throwback to the “bad old days” of the forties and fifties, lose his job, and be professionally and socially ostracised for the rest of his life. Negroes - who are beset by inferiority complexes stemming from their ape-like appearance - frenziedly insist that “black people don’t look like that”. Ah, but they do, don’t they…
The obsequiously pro-Negro (and, therefore, anti-White) statements made by hockey players at the end of last May sickened me thoroughly and had an instant and lasting negative impact upon my perception and enjoyment of the sport. Hockey may be completely dominated by White stars, but - like the tiny handful of token black fringe players - they are still mouthpieces for the anti-White socio-political agenda.
Here are tweets posted by various hockey players after Floyd’s death…
A grovelling
CLAUDE GIROUX tweeted:
“Over the past few days I’ve remained relatively quiet regarding the murder of George Floyd. Although silent, I was listening and I was truly learning. And although I will never be able to really understand what so many of you go through every day, I want you all to know that I am here, I see you and I stand with you. My family stands with you. I will try to understand better. I will hold others accountable and I will speak up.
I will work hard to further educate myself and encourage others to do the same.
Growing up in a small town I was never truly educated on diversity. It was only when I came to Philadelphia that I realized life is so much bigger than I thought it was. I deeply love Philadelphia.
But I see white privilege firsthand every day. I see that clearly now.
I didn’t understand before but I do now. But I can be better. And I want to be better.
To become a true ally and to properly teach my son. To stand up for what is right.”
https://twitter.com/28cgiroux/status/1268359719741272064?lang=en
Golden boy
CONNOR MCDAVID maundered:
“Like everyone else, I watched the horror of George Floyd’s murder and felt helpless and sick to my stomach. And as I have watched the many protests against racism and social injustice that have been taking place around the world,
I realize that I need to do more to educate myself…that I need to learn more about the history of racism in our countries and to listen to the voices and the perspectives of the Black community and other racial minorities to try and understand how I can help to affect positive change going forward. As a young white male and pro athlete, I recognize that we live a very privileged life. I believe that the time is now for all of us to get out of our comfort zones, to not sit idly on the sidelines and to be part of the solution to ensure that we end racism in our society.”
https://twitter.com/cmcdavid97/status/1268265563513634817?lang=en
SIDNEY CROSBY spouted:
“What happened to George Floyd cannot be ignored.
Racism that exists today in all forms is not acceptable. While I am not able to relate to the discrimination that black and minority communities face daily, I will listen and educate myself on how I can help make a difference.
Together, we will find solutions through necessary dialogue and a collective effort.”
https://twitter.com/penguins/status/1268166102426796035?lang=en
BLAKE WHEELER blathered:
“Growing up outside of Minneapolis I always felt sheltered from racism. That’s because I was.
Most people I grew up with looked like me. I never had to be scared when I stopped at a traffic light or saw the police in public. My kids will never know that fear either. I’m heartbroken that we still treat people this way. We need to stand with the black community and fundamentally change how the leadership in this country has dealt with racism. I’m sorry is has taken this long, but I’m hopeful we can change this NOW.
George Floyd’s life mattered. Ahmaud Arbery’s life mattered. So did every other life that has been lost by this senseless violence and racism.”
https://twitter.com/biggiefunke/status/1266891506624770048?lang=en
NICK FOLIGNO incorporated
a quote from renowned Indian bodybuilder Mahatma Ghandi into his steaming bucket of ********:
“I’ve thought a lot about what’s gone on the past week and prayed about it. How we, as humans, have gotten to this point. The silence that has gone on for so long is now deafening!
The oppression that so many face is heartbreaking. I will never pretend to understand your pain however I will promise to better myself and continue to listen and educate myself and my children so that this moment in time will be looked back on and remembered as when the world started to heal and come together. It starts with me because I believe what the great Mahatma Gandhi said and that is….. “Be the change you wish to see in the world!””
https://twitter.com/NickFoligno/status/1267255060251246592/photo/1
TYLER SEGUIN sermonised:
“I haven’t felt good all week. I’ve felt fear and an uneasiness to speak up. This is the first time in my life where I’ve really had this feeling.
Im a white hockey player and it’s not my place to say I can ever truly understand. But as I witness and digest the gravity of the pain that others are going through, at the very least I want to show my support.
If anything, I can say my sense of empathy is growing. I’m listening harder than ever, but I don’t like what I’m hearing. I see peoples pain much more clearly, specifically in the black community. Seeing George Floyd’s life drained from him was horrific and startling. It still doesn’t compute and it isn’t right.
I have to ask myself how I missed this for so long.
Being successful playing in a predominantly white sport, I am guilty of not being aware and Im not proud of that. I feel like I’ve always treated people equally, but I have this feeling now that I have a responsibility to do more.
My heart breaks for the lives that have been unjustly and unnecessarily lost.
We need to stomp out fear, hate, bigotry, and racism. My hope is that society will come out enlightened, fight for change, and will finally hear the historically stifled voices of all underrepresented groups of people.”
https://twitter.com/tseguinofficial/status/1267647546148761600
GABRIEL LANDESKOG crapped out the following intellectual turd:
“These words aren’t perfect, but I felt the need to try.
I don’t want my silence to be misunderstood for ignorance.
As a privileged white man I do not know what black men and women go through everyday, and I will not pretend like I do.
I watched along with all of you how George Floyd was murdered, and I am just like you, furious and frustrated. I do not have all the answers, but the one answer I do have is to open up our hearts and listen.
We need to educate ourselves so we can be better. We need to learn how we got to this point, so we can do better. Racism needs to stop.
I want to raise my daughter in a world where love is stronger than hate. Where color does not matter.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/CA-qh-xgAG2/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
In this final example, current "superstar" UFA
ZACK SMITH managed to string together almost as many words as the points he has scored during his “ultra-productive” NHL career:
“
As a privileged white man playing in the NHL (a predominantly white league) I feel it’s as important now as ever to show support for the black community and encourage change. If you think the current way black people and other minorities are treated here is ok…. you are a racist. If you don’t have an opinion or are “neutral” on this subject then you are ignorant and very misinformed. I strongly disagree with rioting and looting of homes and small businesses but
if you resent this movement because of the actions of a few vandals then you are missing the point entirely. As hockey players we sometimes come off as robots in our interviews and stay clear of opinions on most social issues and controversy. Personally I don’t like posting my opinions on social media these days for several reason [sic].
However with the amount of racist people (especially those in positions of power) being exposed during this movement I felt the need to show my support for the black community and the need for change.”
https://twitter.com/Smit_Treat15/status/1267501198174633985
I don’t wish to sow hyper-negativity, but let’s be honest: if the existence of Castefootball was brought to the attention of these White NHL players, they would call for the site to be taken down in a heartbeat.
It’s exceedingly difficult to retain an interest in even a virtually all-White sport one has loved for one’s entire life when the players make unequivocally pro-Negro (and, therefore, anti-White) statements and gestures.