Management Eugene Melnyk - Lawsuits, rants and more... Part 5 (YOUS)

[Wondercarrot]

Doing a bit of research on this Foundation, albeit information is relatively scarce, it looks like they brought on Weir as a senior director to head up their corporate sponsorships and Phillips to be the executive director. Both were brought on in August 2020 - so, presumably they had at least 4 months leading into the Foundation's inception late in January 2021 to get things rolling, start building a board of directors and bring some key partnerships/sponsor dollars on board for the new Foundation.

There's obviously almost no information about their fundraising (maybe some figures for the 50/50?) or their financial disclosures (will be released next year, I'd assume) so we have no way of knowing what they were able to accomplish or what their expenditures were in the interim.

I'd be really surprised if Melnyk was involved in any of the day-to-day operations of the Foundation as he doesn't appear as a director in any articles that I found about the inner workings of the Foundation. And, quite frankly, it's unlikely given his Barbados residency and general lack of interest in being physically present in Ottawa.

Should Melnyk have fronted more money for the Foundation to get rolling? Maybe? I mean, none of us have access to their financial disclosures so there's no way to know how much money he committed up front in Fall 2020 to get the organization off the ground, if any. It's more likely that it doesn't matter because one group will say he should have put in more money and another group will say the Foundation should have produced more donations and funding.

It's also entirely possible that Weir reached out to corporate contacts and was told they hesitated to partner with Melnyk and the Senators given his reputation, Weir then told Melnyk about the difficulty securing partners and Melnyk decided to can him. Phillips obviously doesn't like Weir's dismissal, sees the funding well is dry and tells Melnyk they have to pause until they can get funding and/or asks Melnyk to contribute funds to the Foundation. Melnyk balks, asks Phillips about reassigning him within the organization while they work out corporate funding for the Foundation and Phillips says "thanks but no thanks".

I think the key point I'm rebutting in your post is that you don't really know whether the charity was funded before launching or what the Foundation managed to fundraise in the span of time from Weir and Phillips' appointments. Everyone's arguing about this story like they have all the facts but it's pretty clear that facts are at an absolute minimum. No one should be taking such entrenched positions until more information is produced.

that’s a good response.
I would direct you to a previous post where I posted the top 2 (of 7) reasons while charities fail.
They directly relate to some of the issues you bring up here. The Senators clearly did extremely little pre-planning, and leadership starts at the top of the organization in question.
Melnyk is without question the only true leader in the org, & the charity is a direct part of the Ottawa Senators. It’s his team, it’s his charity. That he didn’t have control to direct charitable donations from the foundation to causes he preferred was one of the reasons he wanted a change.

It’s really just incompetence, call it a lack of pre-planning, a lack of start up funding - whatever. It all comes back to a terrible look for a team trying to rebuild itself in the community & another legendary player walking away from the org.

 

[Sweatred]

that’s a good response.
I would direct you to a previous post where I posted the top 2 (of 7) reasons while charities fail.
They directly relate to some of the issues you bring up here. The Senators clearly did extremely little pre-planning, and leadership starts at the top of the organization in question.
Melnyk is without question the only true leader in the org, & the charity is a direct part of the Ottawa Senators. It’s his team, it’s his charity. That he didn’t have control to direct charitable donations from the foundation to causes he preferred was one of the reasons he wanted a change.

It’s really just incompetence, call it a lack of pre-planning, a lack of start up funding - whatever. It all comes back to a terrible look for a team trying to rebuild itself in the community & another legendary player walking away from the org.

Ok… so we want Melynk to lead and run everything… but we also want him to get away from the team and stay quite …

Are we saying Phillips and Weir needed Melnk’s help here ? That they weren’t capable of running this themselves ?

From what I saw they did a good job. Nice clear adds . I knew exactly what the program was for.

 

[Wondercarrot]

Pretty cool to see Ian come in here an offer an olive branch and equally lame to see people instantly write it off as some pr stunt. You just lost a lot of credibility.

This is the same guy that Melnyk attacked by calling him bush league and here he is still manning up to his story while the complainers cant even meet him halfway.

I'll say one thing, thats a hell of a lot more than Melnyk and the Senators have offered their fanbase. Their answer was to cut off media channels for not towing the line for them and use Garrioch as a mechanism to control what is written.

It is generous for Mendes to offer an open door Q&A about how the sauce is made, however in order to take him up on it you’d need to be coming making arguments in good faith and that’s just not a strength of the attacks being made on him so there is zero chance they will take him up on it.

 

[Sweatred]

It is generous for Mendes to offer an open door Q&A about how the sauce is made, however in order to take him up on it you’d need to be coming making arguments in good faith and that’s just not a strength of the attacks being made on him so there is zero chance they will take him up on it.

That is so dishonest. Asking questions about why the foundation failed and how much revenue it collected is 100% legit. It just involves answers some of us are scared to acknowledge as they don’t cast the shadow we want on Melynk.

Anyway, he didn’t come here and offer an olive branch. He shared info about an intersting event he was hosting on a different topic.

 

[ianmendes]

That doesn’t sound like an open mic. It’s sound like an education / information piece. Hardly the forum people are suggesting around here.

Good on him for sharing his insight. I’m not remotely concerned about his journalistic integrity. I know why he didn’t hammer the Ottawa fans or put a spot light on Phillips effectiveness as director.

Ummm...what do you think Q&A actually stands for?

 

[Sweatred]

Ummm...what do you think Q&A actually stands for?

I was under the impression you were hosting a discussion on the roll the media plays in sports. Sounded like a topic a student or sport fan may be interested in. Not necessarily an open forum on any topic, or more specifically your recent article.

Can you clarify anything here ? About the foundations revenue position, any charity work it accomplished , Melynk’s negative or positive influence, and/or Phillips “alienation” ?

 

[Wondercarrot]

I teach journalism as does Mr. Mendes. You're wrong and you don't know what you're talking about.

“The Death of Expertise”
It essentially describes this phenomenon wherein unqualified halfwits with access to a computer fancy a google search as an equivalent to years of established credibility and education in a particular field.

 

[BondraTime]

Ummm...what do you think Q&A actually stands for?

Thanks for this

 

[supsens]

Ummm...what do you think Q&A actually stands for?

You taking questions from plants that are pre setup in your “live crowd”
You are welcome to explain how Chris was wronged or include any real facts to your reporting.
In January you announced to the world you thought you could be a writer, how about you write something that isn’t click bait

 

[BondraTime]

You taking questions from plants that are pre setup in your “live crowd”
You are welcome to explain how Chris was wronged or include any real facts to your reporting.
In January you announced to the world you thought you could be a writer, how about you write something that isn’t click bait

More and more pathetic as the thread goes on. Impressive, as it started sky high already

 

[supsens]

“The Death of Expertise”
It essentially describes this phenomenon wherein unqualified halfwits with access to a computer fancy a google search as an equivalent to years of established credibility and education in a particular field.

Bullpoop
reporting without one fact or presenting one piece of evidence is not reporting

 

[supsens]

More and more pathetic as the thread goes on. Impressive, as it started sky high already

It’s pathetic to ask a professional journalist to actually post one piece of information or evidence to back up claims of wrongdoing?

Umm since when? It’s actually standard practice and should not have to be asked for.

 

[Micklebot]

I was under the impression you were hosting a discussion on the roll the media plays in sports. Sounded like a topic a student or sport fan may be interested in. Not necessarily an open forum on any topic, or more specifically your recent article.

Can you clarify anything here ? About the foundations revenue position, its charity work, and/or Phillips “alienation” ?

Who suggested Mendes was hosting an open forum on any topic? You want to ask him about parenting? I'm sure he'd be happy to pass on some tips if you ask nice...

It's a Q and A on his role as a sports journalist set up in response to the blowback on his reporting of Phillips leaving. So if you're upset that he would report on it because it's negative and harms the franchise or think that his use of the word alienate was somehow ambiguous and misleads people into negative narratives around the owner, I'm guessing he's got a response for you. Heck, you can ask him if writing an article blasting fans for not donating more would fit into the role of sports journalism. Nobody but you suggested it was an open mic night whatever you even mean by that.

 

[BondraTime]

It’s pathetic to ask a professional journalist to actually post one piece of information or evidence to back up claims or wrongdoing?

Umm since when? It’s actually standard practice and should not have to be asked for.

Pathetic to:

- Insult said journalist calling his work substandard and breaking journalistic ethics (without actually understanding them it seems)

- Declining invitation from said journalist to have a Q and A about his journalism

- Insult said journalist by saying his Q and A has plants in the audience (You know, he invited you to join, you should be able to ask a question as well?)

There are lots of instances of yourself being extremely pathetic in the past 10 pages, it doesn’t take a genius to spot them.

 

[Sweatred]

Who suggested Mendes was hosting an open forum on any topic? You want to ask him about parenting? I'm sure he'd be happy to pass on some tips if you ask nice...

It's a Q and A on his role as a sports journalist set up in response to the blowback on his reporting of Phillips leaving. So if you're upset that he would report on it because it's negative and harms the franchise or think that his use of the word alienate was somehow ambiguous and misleads people into negative narratives around the owner, I'm guessing he's got a response for you. Nobody but you suggested it was an open mic night whatever you even mean by that.

Read again… I’m far from suggesting he was running an open mic. Based on his last response he may be ? I don’t really pretend to know what he is doing.

 

[supsens]

Pathetic to:

- Insult said journalist calling his work substandard and breaking journalistic ethics (without actually understanding them it seems)

- Declining invitation from said journalist to have a Q and A about his journalism

- Insult said journalist by saying his Q and A has plants in the audience (You know, he invited you to join, you should be able to ask a question as well?)

There are lots of instances of yourself being extremely pathetic in the past 10 pages, it doesn’t take a genius to spot them.

As far as reporting standards go it is substandard
As far as click bait in the ultra highly competitive over crowded internet influence market its a great job and I encourage you all to watch.

 

[YouGotAStuGoing]

As far as reporting standards go it is substandard
As far as click bait in the ultra highly competitive over crowded internet influence market its a great job and I encourage you all to watch.

It’s pretty clear he’s just trying to remove a barrier of access and show folks what the job entails. You seem to be confusing journalism for public relations.

 

[Stylizer1]

Name another city that demands the owner of a sports team loses money
Or another city where the fans screem and Demand a new stadium and new downtown from a hockey team.

He loses money because he doesn't know how to make money.

 

[BondraTime]

As far as reporting standards go it is substandard
As far as click bait in the ultra highly competitive over crowded internet influence market its a great job and I encourage you all to watch.

How is a Zoom meeting clickbait? He’s not generating any ad revenue from a Zoom meeting…

 

[Boud]

It’s pathetic to ask a professional journalist to actually post one piece of information or evidence to back up claims or wrongdoing?

Umm since when? It’s actually standard practice and should not have to be asked for.

I think what's pathetic is that you're given a unique chance, one that really doesn't present itself generally, to discuss some of your concerns with a legitimate member of the community and possibly get the information you're seeking and you're refusing to take that opportunity for no reason. What bad can it do for you to have additional information on the very topic you're debating. It's fine and normal to have your own opinion and challenge what's portrayed in the media but at the same time the person you're criticizing is offering you further explanation and you're denying it. The only thing it proves is that no matter what information or opportunity is presented to you, you will refuse to change your opinion . Who knows maybe after a discussion your own opinion might even be solidified. Again, this is just an opportunity for you to get more information from someone with close ties to the organization. I'm sure fans from across the league would love to have this type of interaction with the media.

It's a bit like if I would constantly talk against one of my work colleagues and then when he would confront me about what I'm saying in his back, I would just run away avoiding the discussion. It's easier to avoid the confrontation but at the same time it's a lot more diligent to try and at least understand what's going on.

 

[BankStreetParade]

As far as reporting standards go it is substandard
As far as click bait in the ultra highly competitive over crowded internet influence market its a great job and I encourage you all to watch.

You're so clearly in the wrong it's unfathomable how you'll find your way out. Slam him all you want, he's offered you a direct avenue to discuss your concerns and you've refused. Maybe you should just move on if you can't take the heat...

 

[BankStreetParade]

Ummm...what do you think Q&A actually stands for?

Don't sweat it, Ian. This forum has lost its damn mind over the last few years.

Since you're browsing though, is there any chance you could tell us if you're working on a follow up to this Senators Foundation story? Are there more substantial details to be offered? Everyone's fighting like cats and dogs in here but nobody knows anymore than a couple of tweets have told us. Any chance there's more information on the way that can help clarify the timeline of events and facts of the dispute? Do you have a personal position in this matter? I know you sat on the board at some point for the previous foundation, are you involved in any way with the current edition that would prohibit you from speaking about certain points?

 

[supsens]

You're so clearly in the wrong it's unfathomable how you'll find your way out. Slam him all you want, he's offered you a direct avenue to discuss your concerns and you've refused. Maybe you should just move on if you can't take the heat...

No he advertised his event, he used controversy to grab attention.
I am not buying what he is selling. I will get real information by real reporters that actually post facts and information.
I will not be bullied into buying his product and I will not be shamed for holding someone to the absolute lowest reporting standards imaginable

 

[Wondercarrot]

How is a Zoom meeting clickbait? He’s not generating any ad revenue from a Zoom meeting…

Imagine thinking Mendes is about to cash in at his SUBSCRIPTION PAYWALL job at the Athletic by offering a zoom call to explain how he makes his decision and choices in an open Q&A on Zoom.

lmfao

 

[supsens]

How is a Zoom meeting clickbait? He’s not generating any ad revenue from a Zoom meeting…

Actually Zoom is pushing and paying for there product to used and named all over.
You will notice this if you pay attention to the news, either full out fake stories or slightly modified stories about world leaders state enemies things like this will have zoom and be using zoom.
They will mention zoom numerous times for no reason.
Two years ago it was WhatsApp and bizarre 100% fake Syrian rebel and Syrian children stories.
Absolute crazy 1984 style propaganda