It's not just bashing and name-calling, it's actually very well-written and supported with strong arguments and factual evidence that points out inconsistencies in Howard's statements and claims.
Quote:
The last Howard Berger column Varry Galk will ever read is, in many ways, unremarkable as far as Berger columns go: illogically structured and lazily reported.
In an article titled "Leafs, Kings Bear Many Similarities," Berger of course proceeds to instead list a host of differences -- Kings actually have young talent, Leaf fans are moronic sheep, only the Kings are motivated to turn their franchise around. Boring stuff, although I did chuckle when Berger wrote that while the Kings have been characterized by failure and turnover, they deserve a pass because, unlike the Leafs, they are an expansion team...a 1967 expansion team. (Perhaps by 2073 the Kings can finally shed that "expansion" label).
Note perfect. I'd love it if he'd write a similar column about Mike Wilner another local sports' fanboy reporter with an inflated sense of self-importance and contempt for Toronto sports' fans.
How a sports journalist like berger can keep his job after being sued for libel by an athlete of the sport he covers is beyond me.
A question I've always asked but have never gotten an answer to: "Is Howard Berger related to someone in the Fan590 management or ownership?"
I remember wondering how Gord Stellick got into Leafs' management for years. Only recently did I hear that Gord was George Gross' (Sun sports editor) nephew and of course George Gross was a close friend of Harold Ballard (and the source for their Czech defections in the 1980's).
Good article and well written, it certainly has changed my perspective on some of Berger's columns and frankly, I could never understand why he wrote for "Hockey Buzz" when as a reporter for 590/640, one would think he would try to catch on with a major TV hockey station, I guess they too saw the flaws in his reporting.
Good find Acekicker123
Last edited by Budsfan: 07-31-2008 at 12:20 PM.
Reason: mistake
A question I've always asked but have never gotten an answer to: "Is Howard Berger related to someone in the Fan590 management or ownership?"
I remember wondering how Gord Stellick got into Leafs' management for years. Only recently did I hear that Gord was George Gross' (Sun sports editor) nephew and of course George Gross was a close friend of Harold Ballard (and the source for their Czech defections in the 1980's).
Wow
I never knew that about Gord Stellick, I just thought it was just another boneheaded Harold Ballard move and of course it was but never heard of that connection, I too wondered how in the world he got that job...Thanks for that tidbit of info
Berger's target market is Leafs fans, I mean who else is going to read his stuff, but he consistently calls them idiots. I guess that he doesn't realize that if we are going to gladly accept everything that is fed to us we'd be a lot happier.
Berger's target market is Leafs fans, I mean who else is going to read his stuff, but he consistently calls them idiots. I guess that he doesn't realize that if we are going to gladly accept everything that is fed to us we'd be a lot happier.
Like Raycroft being the answer in goal? Or Jason Blake being the impact UFA that would turn this team into a playoff team? Or Jason Allison or Eric Lindros or Mike Peca making a big difference? Or tying up the veteran core of two consecutive non-playoff teams like that would magically make the team better.
Oops. Wrong GM. I know, I know, we're supposed to forget all about that and pretend it was all the fault of MLSE and the coach hired by the GM.
Like Raycroft being the answer in goal? Or Jason Blake being the impact UFA that would turn this team into a playoff team? Or Jason Allison or Eric Lindros or Mike Peca making a big difference? Or tying up the veteran core of two consecutive non-playoff teams like that would magically make the team better.
Oops. Wrong GM. I know, I know, we're supposed to forget all about that and pretend it was all the fault of MLSE and the coach hired by the GM.
What the hell does that have to with what I wrote?
Like Raycroft being the answer in goal? Or Jason Blake being the impact UFA that would turn this team into a playoff team? Or Jason Allison or Eric Lindros or Mike Peca making a big difference? Or tying up the veteran core of two consecutive non-playoff teams like that would magically make the team better.
Oops. Wrong GM. I know, I know, we're supposed to forget all about that and pretend it was all the fault of MLSE and the coach hired by the GM.
Sure, because all that is bad in Leaf land can be attributed to the ex GM, with no fault of anyone else. I have yet to see anyone prove this theory without a shadow of a doubt.
Actually, I consider Howard Berger to be one of, if not the best, Leafs reporter out there. He's fair, and assesses situations from an objective point of view - he's postive when there is need to be positive, and he is critical when there is need to be critical.
Are most Leafs fans idiots? Yes. They don't understand the sport, and just follow blindly. Am I a Leafs fan? Absolutely - but a realistic one. I have an understanding of what fair value in a trade market place is, and am able to credit rival teams (as much as I hate them) for being skilled and very good at what they do. Do I hate the Sens? Do I hate Alfreddson? Yes. But I recognized them the past 2 seasons as both an exceptional player, and a very good team.
The one thing I'll give people out there is that Leafs reporters are favourite fodder for both Leafs Fans and Leafs Bashers.
The Bashers just love to slam the guys who put the articles in their papers, the interviews on their radio, and the headlines on the TV. To a Leafs basher, anyone who speaks favourably about the Leafs (as Howard Berger has done repeatedly) must be some close-minded moron who can't be objective and has a hate-on for any other team. Hell, anyone who reports the Leafs tends to get bunched into this column. He's just some Leaf loving Torontonian... curse them all!
The Leafs Lovers love to slam him because, guess what, he gets sucked into the idea that every media member in Canada is so more refined by criticizing every move they make... that only the knuckle-dragging morons in Toronto who cheer the zamboni driver could possibly be a Leaf fan. So, when he speaks his mind in a critical fashion, he gets lumped in with the Steve Simmons and Damien Cox's of the world.
I may not always agree with his opinions, but the basic reality is that Berger is a hell of a reporter.
Oh, and lets remember that the guy suing for libel is SEAN FREAKING AVERY... oh yeah, because that guy is a shining star of integrity and credibility... lets not forget that he hasn't been proven guilty, and that Avery is just as likely to have started the suit to save face because what he said got leaked.
a far as HNIC schedule goes.if i'm home on a Saturday Night I watch the 7:30 game regardless of who's playing:the Leafs ,Habs etc.so the fact that the Leafs don't play those nights mentioned ,means nothing to me.
Actually, I consider Howard Berger to be one of, if not the best, Leafs reporter out there. He's fair, and assesses situations from an objective point of view - he's postive when there is need to be positive, and he is critical when there is need to be critical.
Actually, I consider Howard Berger to be one of, if not the best, Leafs reporter out there. He's fair, and assesses situations from an objective point of view - he's postive when there is need to be positive, and he is critical when there is need to be critical.
Are most Leafs fans idiots? Yes. They don't understand the sport, and just follow blindly. Am I a Leafs fan? Absolutely - but a realistic one. I have an understanding of what fair value in a trade market place is, and am able to credit rival teams (as much as I hate them) for being skilled and very good at what they do. Do I hate the Sens? Do I hate Alfreddson? Yes. But I recognized them the past 2 seasons as both an exceptional player, and a very good team.
The one thing I'll give people out there is that Leafs reporters are favourite fodder for both Leafs Fans and Leafs Bashers.
The Bashers just love to slam the guys who put the articles in their papers, the interviews on their radio, and the headlines on the TV. To a Leafs basher, anyone who speaks favourably about the Leafs (as Howard Berger has done repeatedly) must be some close-minded moron who can't be objective and has a hate-on for any other team. Hell, anyone who reports the Leafs tends to get bunched into this column. He's just some Leaf loving Torontonian... curse them all!
The Leafs Lovers love to slam him because, guess what, he gets sucked into the idea that every media member in Canada is so more refined by criticizing every move they make... that only the knuckle-dragging morons in Toronto who cheer the zamboni driver could possibly be a Leaf fan. So, when he speaks his mind in a critical fashion, he gets lumped in with the Steve Simmons and Damien Cox's of the world.
I may not always agree with his opinions, but the basic reality is that Berger is a hell of a reporter.
Oh, and lets remember that the guy suing for libel is SEAN FREAKING AVERY... oh yeah, because that guy is a shining star of integrity and credibility... lets not forget that he hasn't been proven guilty, and that Avery is just as likely to have started the suit to save face because what he said got leaked.
I hope that you're wearing something fire proof because you're about to get flamed!
We’ll refrain from making the obvious snide remarks about how typical this is for a Toronto correspondent, burying league-wide news in favor of the story’s Maple Leafs’ angle; we’ll dispense with the weary statements about how Toronto considers itself the center (or centre) of the hockey universe, and avoid telling the updated versions of that old Maple Leaf Garden-era joke: “How do they screw in a lightbulb in Toronto? They bring it down to the ACC because the world revolves around it.”
Oh ho ho! Those idiots in Toronto are at it again. A Leafs beat writer and Leafs blogger is writing about the Leafs in his blog. How typically egotistical!
Maybe I should email the NY Times and ask them why they keep putting the Yankees on the cover and not the Jays.
Actually, I consider Howard Berger to be one of, if not the best, Leafs reporter out there. He's fair, and assesses situations from an objective point of view - he's postive when there is need to be positive, and he is critical when there is need to be critical.
Are most Leafs fans idiots? Yes. They don't understand the sport, and just follow blindly. Am I a Leafs fan? Absolutely - but a realistic one. I have an understanding of what fair value in a trade market place is, and am able to credit rival teams (as much as I hate them) for being skilled and very good at what they do. Do I hate the Sens? Do I hate Alfreddson? Yes. But I recognized them the past 2 seasons as both an exceptional player, and a very good team.
The one thing I'll give people out there is that Leafs reporters are favourite fodder for both Leafs Fans and Leafs Bashers.
The Bashers just love to slam the guys who put the articles in their papers, the interviews on their radio, and the headlines on the TV. To a Leafs basher, anyone who speaks favourably about the Leafs (as Howard Berger has done repeatedly) must be some close-minded moron who can't be objective and has a hate-on for any other team. Hell, anyone who reports the Leafs tends to get bunched into this column. He's just some Leaf loving Torontonian... curse them all!
The Leafs Lovers love to slam him because, guess what, he gets sucked into the idea that every media member in Canada is so more refined by criticizing every move they make... that only the knuckle-dragging morons in Toronto who cheer the zamboni driver could possibly be a Leaf fan. So, when he speaks his mind in a critical fashion, he gets lumped in with the Steve Simmons and Damien Cox's of the world.
I may not always agree with his opinions, but the basic reality is that Berger is a hell of a reporter.
Oh, and lets remember that the guy suing for libel is SEAN FREAKING AVERY... oh yeah, because that guy is a shining star of integrity and credibility... lets not forget that he hasn't been proven guilty, and that Avery is just as likely to have started the suit to save face because what he said got leaked.
lol who knew Howard Berger reads the HFBoards and has a profile?
lol who knew Howard Berger reads the HFBoards and has a profile?
Lance Hornby from the Sun appears to read HF..
Quote:
One prospects website, Hockey's Future, talked to a senior NHL scout who said he'd have no hesitation telling his team to pick 6-foot-5 Swedish defenceman Victor Hedman ahead of Tavares. Another player moving up the top-10 list is forward Brayden Schenn, younger brother of Luke, the Leafs' top pick this year.
__________________ bWo: If you don't know, you should know...Buds WORLD Order Constitution
Adj: "Squiffy" - stupefied by a chemical substance (esp. alcohol)
