McDavid promotion and the hatred from fans?

[CashMash]

I would say Yzerman, Lemieux, Crosby, Bourque, and especially Selanne, were more charming in interviews than McDavid. I'd say Forsberg, Sakic, and Gretzky are still even a bit more likable, in an interview setting. I'd have McDavid above maybe Malkin or Toews, and frankly Toews neither had nor deserves the attention McDavid has, and Malkins's awkwardness can really be attributed to language issues at least partly.

Malkin strikes me as goofy awkward. He's funny sometimes. "I'm score"

Toews is a good comparison, though they somehow turned "Captain Serious" into a brand. I also feel like he isn't as awkward by nature. Look at his commercials with Kane.

Kimi Räikkönen in F1 is another good example of how to make awkwardness work. "The Ice Man."

"I was taking a shit!"

None of this is Connor's fault. I'd do way worse. Shaky voice. Sweaty... Well, at least I would have a reason being a hockey player.

It feels like Connor is just in it for the hockey and doesn't enjoy the extra publicity. Who would? Evander Kane?

McDavid was funny once

https://x.com/i/web/status/1741848716800102608

That is indeed funny. I'd say you can see what I am talking about here, though. Listen to the delivery.

Exactly how I'd land a joke if I wasn't in a comfortable setting with friends.

 

[SaltNPeca]

I don't get the same warm and fuzzy feelings from McDavid as I do from other star players like Crosby, Ovechkin, Kucherov, Hughes, etc.

There's no doubt that McDavid is the best player in the league. I get that the NHL wants to market that, but I think there's a way to do it without undercutting other teams and players.

If you look at the commentary and analysis from the SCF, there's a clear picture being painted - "Edmonton is the best team ever and McDavid is the best player ever and...oh, there's another team here too...ummm...Florida?" When the play-by-play commentators and analysts are falling over themselves to gush about McDavid and the Oilers despite them being down 3-0 at one time, it completely undercuts the performance of Florida and its players. The general sentiment being pushed is - Florida isn't winning...Edmonton is just losing. That's not fair to Barkov, Matthews, Bobrovsky, etc and it gives unearned credit to the Edmonton team that, again was down 3-0 at one time.

When a single-player is hyperbolized and pushed to the extent that he is, it gets tiresome, especially when hockey and a cup run are a team effort.

• "unearned credit"

wow

lol most US-American AND Canadian sports media (e.g. TSN) were drooling over Dallas and Florida the entire time until the 8-1 game when they woke up to reality. Now that the Oilers destroy their "Analysis" they have to sing another tune with egg all over their face and you're jealous? Reality is that whoever wins will get the kudos, while they bash or ignore the losers.

You must have missed Wayner saying Barkov was the best 2-way player since Trottier, some guy on Pat McAfee saying Barkov is the "Best overall player". Analysts and Pundits persistently picking Florida to win (sweep then Gm 5).

I see that you wrote "Matthews" which, even as a Freudian slip is a huge tell...

 

[Buck Naked]

If you look at the commentary and analysis from the SCF, there's a clear picture being painted - "Edmonton is the best team ever and McDavid is the best player ever and...oh, there's another team here too...ummm...Florida?" When the play-by-play commentators and analysts are falling over themselves to gush about McDavid and the Oilers despite them being down 3-0 at one time, it completely undercuts the performance of Florida and its players. The general sentiment being pushed is - Florida isn't winning...Edmonton is just losing. That's not fair to Barkov, Matthews, Bobrovsky, etc and it gives unearned credit to the Edmonton team that, again was down 3-0 at one time.

What are you talking about? Through the first two series Draisaitl was talked about more as the better player during these playoffs. Then before the third round, basically everybody had Dallas winning. Then before the finals there was so much talk about how Barkov has been shutting down stars on every single team he's faced and the "Panthers in 6" predictions for the finals. All of a sudden, when McDavid is breaking Gretzky's records and does things that no one's ever done before, dragging his team to a game 6 by scoring 4+4 points while being down and counted out from basically every single person on the planet after the first three games, it's wrong to recognize that?

No one was falling over themselves to gush about McDavid and the Oilers when they were down 3-0. No one was doing it before the finals. No one was doing it before the WCF. This is a complete fabrication and only based on what happened during the last two games, where the Oilers and McDavid completely steamrolled the Panthers, while breaking records no one thought was possible a few weeks ago.

 

[HockeyWooot]

It’s probably a few things depending on who you ask. It’s not about promotion which the league absolutely should be doing to grow the game, but its probably more the hockey media that has been fawning over him since before he was drafted.

Crosby as the prior holder of best player in the world and arguably still the face of the game to Joe Public is probably the best comparison.

Led his team to the finals as captain in year 3, and won his first cup the following year. Scores the OT Gold Medal Winner in 2010 for Canada. Carries his team to back to back cups in 2016 and 17, a rare feat, winning back to back Conn Smythes in the process. The latter was particularly impressive as he had completely grown his 200ft game and skillset compared to his early years when he broke into the scene.

It’s not hard for anyone to explain what makes Crosby an all time great.

For McDavid and his scoring titles he’s great no doubt and his recent performance will ascend him in the ranks, but all time greats are winners. In hockey championships matter when talking about all time greats (ie Top 5-10). Call it unfair as hockey is a team game, but it is what it is.

 

[Rafafouille]

Malkin strikes me as goofy awkward. He's funny sometimes. "I'm score"

Toews is a good comparison, though they somehow turned "Captain Serious" into a brand. I also feel like he isn't as awkward by nature. Look at his commercials with Kane.

Kimi Räikkönen in F1 is another good example of how to make awkwardness work. "The Ice Man."

"I was taking a shit!"

None of this is Connor's fault. I'd do way worse. Shaky voice. Sweaty... Well, at least I would have a reason being a hockey player.

It feels like Connor is just in it for the hockey and doesn't enjoy the extra publicity. Who would? Evander Kane?


That is indeed funny. I'd say you can see what I am talking about here, though. Listen to the delivery.

Exactly how I'd land a joke if I wasn't in a comfortable setting with friends.

Imagine the absolute breakdown and seething of sports media if say a Kucherov would come out and say "Eh, hockey is more like a hobby to me" or -Whats the feeling in playing for the Stanley Cup? "Normal".

 

[GrumpyKoala]

Diving/Edmonton fans/they beat us. Why do canadians feel entitled to be liked?

We are generally polite, don't confuse the two.

 

[Sweetpotato]

Every star is hated or doubted in some way. 90% of the time it's envy. Gretzky was too small, Mario was too lazy, OV couldn't play defense, Crosby was a whiner, etc.

The reality is every fan that has an issue with McDavid would have a shrine of him in their place of living if he played for their team.

 

[Darren McCord]

Nothing wrong with McDavid. But the oilers have so many unlikeable players, it drags him down. Drai, Perry, Kane, Nurse

 

[AvroArrow]

Who's hating on McDavid ? I've seen posters call him out for diving, but nobody is denying his talent.

Hating (slang) = envious of someone because of their success

That word is misused way too often

 

[Master P]

He gets hate because of the media and oilers fans.

 

[joelef]

He actually has to be promoted and marketed for him to get hate.

 

[Burnaby Schmo]

None of this is Connor's fault. I'd do way worse. Shaky voice. Sweaty... Well, at least I would have a reason being a hockey player.

It feels like Connor is just in it for the hockey and doesn't enjoy the extra publicity. Who would? Evander Kane?

100%. I don't fault him for it at all, He has my respect as a hockey player, and more importantly, just because he isn't smooth, doesn't make him a bad person.

I just think that some people do need their stars to have a little extra something, I guess.

 

[Da McBomb]

I can understand why someone from Calgary or Vancouver would hate McDavid... but it's hard to understand why a random hockey fan in the States would not like McDavid. He is so damn exciting to watch. I remember being quite envious and jealous of the Pens when they had Crosby and Malkin at their peak... but that never stopped me from liking both players. Crosby was one of my favorite players.

 

[DisgruntledHawkFan]

Most people like McDavid they just don't like the Oilers.

 

[Oleksiak]

Diving and tantrums. Great player but his refusal to play like a man is a disgrace to the sport.

 

[sepHF]

Nothing wrong with McDavid. But the oilers have so many unlikeable players, it drags him down. Drai, Perry, Kane, Nurse

I can see why people could dislike Perry, Kane and even Draisaitl sometimes but what did Nurse do??

 

[Arthur Morgan]

Reading through the different playoff threads, I've never seen so much hatred for a top player in the league in my life. I don't get it. For the longest time it's been said the league doesn't promote its stars enough, they finally do and people hate on it.

My question is why?

Oilers fans make it tough to wanna see him succeed. I guess the same reasons why Leafs fans are hated

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

No i don't want them to win because they are shameless tankers who did it for 10 years straight , only reason they have any type of success is because of a single player , anyways if he does win its gonna be known as his cup not the teams so it's not that big of a deal , guy is gross out there

Funny coming from a Habs fan
They didn’t “deserve” Guy Lafleur after winning the Cup in 1971 but they did get him

 

[Three On Zero]

Most people like McDavid they just don't like the Oilers.

This.

Even with his dirty antics and diving, if he was on any American team he would be idolized

 

[DudeWhereIsMakar]

I'm getting villain vibes from Connor McDavid. You know... like the old dude with the blimp from Pixar's Up.

 

[3074326]

"Cindy" Crosby whining to the refs in his rookie year was something that made people dislike him, the videos of him with a high pitched voice crying for penalties back then was actually pathetic. I personally really like Crosby, and he is a Canadian hero, but the whining he did is something I have never seen from McDavid.

It's been two decades and folks like you are still calling him Cindy. That's truly what's pathetic here. Not that the 18 year old had a high-pitched voice. Your post reeks of the same 'envy' that this topic is referring to regarding McDavid. The whining was so incredibly overblown. And here we are, 2024 and you are still whining about it. The irony!

On topic, I'm a big fan of McDavid. I don't want anyone to take this post as me comparing McDavid/Crosby's level of hate. It's all the same kind of pathetic to me. I'm rooting for the Oilers.

 

[GreatGonzo]

It’s probably a few things depending on who you ask. It’s not about promotion which the league absolutely should be doing to grow the game, but its probably more the hockey media that has been fawning over him since before he was drafted.

Crosby as the prior holder of best player in the world and arguably still the face of the game to Joe Public is probably the best comparison.

Led his team to the finals as captain in year 3, and won his first cup the following year. Scores the OT Gold Medal Winner in 2010 for Canada. Carries his team to back to back cups in 2016 and 17, a rare feat, winning back to back Conn Smythes in the process. The latter was particularly impressive as he had completely grown his 200ft game and skillset compared to his early years when he broke into the scene.

It’s not hard for anyone to explain what makes Crosby an all time great.

For McDavid and his scoring titles he’s great no doubt and his recent performance will ascend him in the ranks, but all time greats are winners. In hockey championships matter when talking about all time greats (ie Top 5-10). Call it unfair as hockey is a team game, but it is what it is.

People really do love rewriting the past just for Crosby

 

[3074326]

People really do love rewriting the past just for Crosby

He was a beast. The fact that others were also beasts doesn't mean history has been re-written. Only issue I have with that post is that he didn't solely carry the team on his back. Otherwise, it's spot on.

 

[Pig Papi]

Reading through the different playoff threads, I've never seen so much hatred for a top player in the league in my life. I don't get it. For the longest time it's been said the league doesn't promote its stars enough, they finally do and people hate on it.

My question is why?

Insecurity.

 

[Midnight Judges]

Some of the posts in this thread are over dramatically emotional. Like Walking Dead levels of over the top.