How does Paul Bissonnette have a platform?

[flyerslducks]

TNT has the best NHL pregame, intermission and post-game show in the U.S. in the history of the NHL on American television, and it's not even close. The primary reason for that is Bissonnette.

Spittin' Chiclets podcast is very successful and grows the fanbase of hockey. Plus keeps people fans of the sport and anecdotally have a friend who hadn't watched hockey in years until he started listening to their podcast and now is watching games most nights of the season start to finish. Can give them all credit for their success but Ryan Whitney himself has said numerous times that the podcast really took off and became popular because of and when they added Bissonnette.

So whether you enjoy him or not, no question he's popular and is good for increasing the popularity of the sport.

As for the OP, classic case of not understanding the context of a tweet then running to a forum to whine about it and looking like an idiot.

Yup he’s hockeys Charles Barkley essentially. People just will always hate

 

[zizbuka]

He's a better tweeter than he was a hockey player........

 

[FourRings]

I think he's entertaining

 

[DialUp]

He's being tongue-in-cheek because he has running bets against the Rangers and for the Flames. Lighten up.

If people aren't a fan of Biz, fine but obviously plenty of people are entertained by him. He didn't get the TNT gig by accident. I certainly prefer him to another typical, bland hockey analyst.

I'm not being heavy here, he shouldn't be taken seriously because he isn't being serious.

 

[BMOK33]

I am surprised to a degree he has not got in trouble yet....the mentioning of the woman behind the Dallas bench and telling McHugh he better have a bullet proof vest when he went back to NY I felt were borderline. I think TNT just likes this stuff though because Shaq and Barkley have definitely gone into more risky topics than that before

 

[ArGarBarGar]

He is amazing and so is Spitting Chiclets.

You trying to cancel him for making a joke? People like you are the worst people in society.

"Escuse me can I see your manager? How dare you give this person a platform? I want him cancelled and fired because I do not agree with him!"

Saying you dislike someone isn't canceling them.

 

[LBS I Digress]

Oh dear god someone with an ounce of personality is invading the hockey sphere whatever will we do?????

 

[Coastal Kev]

There are several others on TNT's panel that are just awful and are in their current positions for dubious reasons.

 

[HockeyWooot]

No idea what’s wrong with that tweet. People be upset about anything these days.

 

[Dr Pepper]

No idea what’s wrong with that tweet. People be upset about anything these days.

"Someone needs to seriously injure Thatcher Demko".

Can't imagine that would go over well with your fellow Nucks fans.

I know, they're just the words of some washed up fringe NHLer, but why even say it?

I like how some of the comments were saying stuff like "no, dude, it's a compliment because Otter's playing so good so that's the only way they'll beat him", which again was clearly untrue, as we found out not long after.

Just a bad take from a bad player.

 

[Church Hill]

I love listening to him and reading his tweets. I'm primarily interest in a maximal ability to communicate honestly, which is a rare skill that Biz does possess. People getting upset about it, as the OP and others are in this thread, is part of the fun for me.

 

[bigdog16]

Even as a Ranger fan you gotta appreciate Biz...

The Ranger fans who take it so serious need to relax, its a joke, and I laugh just as hard at the Penguin fans in the comments who genuinely agree with him.

Biz was probably laughing out loud as he was typing that tweet.

 

[Very Stable Genius]

Typical Alpha-Male barstool trash. I just turn it off and rejoin when the game comes back on. Simple.

 

[Simplicity]

Spittin Chiclets is probably the biggest thing growing the game of hockey right now.

They’re amazing for the game and allow the public to see personalities in the game.

Interesting. I totally disagree, it shows how dumb many people are around the game of hockey. Really bad look for the game. Biz is fine, but the rest of them are not good. I'm a big fan of Barstool, before you or anyone else gets confused, pretty much never miss Pardon My Take and Starting 9.

 

[Butch 19]

He generates clicks, you creating a thread about him and sharing his tweets is exactly the point.

even if he's not there, the clicks are coming

 

[GrizzGreen]

Lotssssss of people in here who have never played hockey

 

[The Tourist]

He's an entertainer and he brings eyeballs to the sport. His tweet was poor taste but he wasn't serious. He's just trolling because he wants Calgary to win and has a bet with Whitney.

I think he's good for the sport and to help it grow. He can be annoying at times and is probably best in doses but I enjoy the TNT coverage and he's a huge part of it. ESPN coverage and their studio analysts are horrible. The NHL needs better soundbites. Not everything can be pucks in deep, hard on the forecheck, keep it simple, play our game. The robotic answers are worse than anything he says.

 

[Fataldogg]

People hate personality in this sport.

Whether you like him, or hate him, there is at least some entertainment value.

 

[ElysiumAB]

Biz is arguably Top 10 (maybe even Top 5...) most recognizable people in hockey right now. He has a platform that is growing the game more than anyone has (especially off ice) for 20+ years

The average sports fan has absolutely no idea who he is.

 

[HajdukSplit]

The best way I can say it is I’m not a huge fan but can tolerate him. This Rangers thing is an act and a way to get more clicks/attention

 

[Rodgerwilco]

Guy is a whole ass man child. Even on TNT, he's so damn cringy and awkward. Definition of a punching bag.

He tweets like a 13 year old boy. Hoping on a bandwagon whoever plays the Ranger. Seeing a grown man cry is pretty funny I must say. Guy is a tool.

Have you seen the average hockey fan? He's pretty par for the course.

Plus "bro culture" dominates the sports media scene right now, he's a stereotypical bro that gets all the other bro's wound up. Same reason Barstool and Joe Rogan have mega-massive platforms as well.

Spittin Chiclets is probably the biggest thing growing the game of hockey right now.

They’re amazing for the game and allow the public to see personalities in the game.

I'm genuinely curious, how do you think that Spittin Chiclets is growing the game?

I really can't imagine many people who are listening aren't already die hard hockey fans.

 

[BrockLobster]

Sounds like someones is a little butt hurt bc he doesnt like the rangers. They did the same schtick with the islanders last year and it didnt bother me

 

[pbgoalie]

Showing my age

But I pretty much change the channel with that group when he’s on.

Just not for me

 

[Connor McBaevid]

If you've listened to the podcast, you'd know that he has the Flames over the Oilers in a bet with Whitney. His tweet isn't meant to be taken literally. His tweet is meant to be a joke while rooting for his horse.

He's not there to make you feel better about your team. He's there to provide entertainment and insight. I don't know about anyone else, but listening to the Spittin' Chiclets crew would be very similar to someone reading my group chat with my friends in Calgary. We joke around to get a rise out of each other but we don't really mean it.

I agree that Biz was misogynistic to start but he's grown up and done an incredible job to fit into the PC culture that we have today (and I'm not complaining about that in the slightest) without losing his edge. People grow up. If he was as bad as some of you say then he would be stuck on his podcast and not headlining a network's coverage.

 

[Vektor]

He obviously doesn't want someone to actually hurt the guy. Not everything on the internet is meant to be taken 100% literally. Use some critical thinking