Turris Criticizes SM-liiga, Discusses Lockout

[ABjr*]

Such a cry baby, needs a fancy restaurant to eat and can't handle coldness.
Please, never come back!

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/spor...-eager-for-nhl-lockout-to-end/article6498895/

“There’s nothing to do here. Nothing,” Turris says with a laugh. “If we’re not at the rink, we’re sitting around playing video games.”

For perspective, the day of the interview the sun rose in Oulu just after 10 a.m. and quickly set shortly after 2 p.m. On top of the four hours of sunlight, it’s also minus-20 C.

“I’m going stir crazy over here.”

Many horror stories have been shed about the operation of the Kontinental Hockey League over in Russia in particular, but apparently the SM-Liiga isn’t the most comfortable or professionally run league either when compared to NHL standards.

“The travel here is horrendous. It’s worse than junior,” he said. “We’ll fly into Helsinki then hop in a bus for four to six hours, meanwhile, we’ll make three stops on a six-hour bus trip for no reason. It’s awful.”

Although North America will never be mistaken for its culinary prowess like France or Italy, Turris quickly found out that it can get worse.

“The food here is awful,” he explained. “On the road, we eat at truck stops. ABC truck stops. I’m not kidding. We file out of the bus and head off beside the highway for a buffet truck stop pregame meal. It’s ridiculous.”

The media operation isn’t any more comfortable.

After his first game, Turris was taken upstairs to a podium in front of 100 sponsors in an audience looking at him not understanding a word.

“It’s so awkward. They don’t understand anything that you’re saying, staring at you confused,” he said. “I feel like a complete idiot, trying to use hand signals to help communicate.”

“Yeah it was frustrating. I love Ottawa and I think it’s the perfect fit,” he said. “I was really pumped to turn over a new leaf and start fresh with a full season.”

When asked about the player-owner meetings and the recent negotiations, Turris had some interesting comments and ideas.

“I’m supportive of the NHLPA going into the [player-owner] meetings but I think it’s an unfair playing surface,” he said. “We’re going into a room with billionaire owners who have made lots of money doing exactly this. We [the players] don’t know the ins and outs like they do.”

In terms of NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and NHL Players Association executive director Donald Fehr stepping aside to aid negotiations, Turris added sarcastically, “We don’t pay these guys millions of dollars to not be in meetings. They should be there.”

Asked if he had a better idea for some traction, Turris added that “the best case scenario would be to have a bigger meeting with all 30 owners, all players, Bettman, [NHL deputy commissioner Bill] Daly and both Fehrs [Donald and brother Steve, the NHLPA special counsel]. That way the NHLPA can be sure that all 30 owners are getting the message, not filtered information from the select leaders like Boston’s Jeremy Jacobs.

“What I find so incredible is that the best hockey in the world is being withheld from millions of people because of a handful of people: Jacobs, [Calgary owner Murray] Edwards, [Philadelphia owner Ed] Snider and Bettman. They hold it in their hands.”

Turris is eager for the lockout to end for three main reasons: to see sunlight again, to see family and friends and to start working with the Capital City Condors charity once again in Ottawa.

“I really miss being involved with the Condors program,” he said. “I can’t wait to get back and help out.”

Turris has clearly carved a nice home in Ottawa since his departure from Phoenix, now he just needs a season to get started.

“It’s really exciting in Ottawa because we are going to have such a good, young team. We have five years to make good things happen.”

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[Henkka]

What a wonderboy. Arizona too warm and sunny, Finland too cold and dark.

What next? Ottawa sucks because it's not Vancouver?

 

[JonnyMacSen]

Yikes, Petersson got it pretty rough for bad mouthing Bingo last year, and he didn't even say half as much as the above^.

 

[Dysentery]

What a wonderboy. Arizona too warm and sunny, Finland too cold and dark.

What next? Ottawa sucks because it's not Vancouver?

Well no actually, he never mentions Vancouver, and he praises Ottawa all the time.

And Finland does suck, compared to the royal treatment they get from the NHL...That's why I don't understand the view of the players when it comes to a new CBA.

 

[CanadianHockey]

Moved because Turris complaining about SM-liiga isn't really related at all to the 9 year old Turris OT snipe.

 

[Inf4mous0ne]

What a wonderboy. Arizona too warm and sunny, Finland too cold and dark.

What next? Ottawa sucks because it's not Vancouver?

lol, what he said about Finland is true...If you're from there I'm not sure how you don't recognize that. I have been there, have had friends from there and who lived there, all say the same

 

[Oan]

I don't really understand his comments on that there is nothing to do. Really? What can he do in Ottawa that he can't do in any other reasonable sized city, such as Oulu? Maybe he should have just said "I don't know anyone here and have no friends here, so I have nothing to do"

 

[Oan]

Also, truck stop food is awful everywhere. Stephane Robidas, who played in HIFK, on the other hand praised finnish food.

 

[Inf4mous0ne]

I don't really understand his comments on that there is nothing to do. Really? What can he do in Ottawa that he can't do in any other reasonable sized city, such as Oulu? Maybe he should have just said "I don't know anyone here and have no friends here, so I have nothing to do"

No, not the same. Just type in "Finland is boring" online and you'll get multiple answers. Like he said, another big factor is having little day light most of the time. Being dark from 2 pm - 10 am can really depress you lol. I know when I was in Norway, it was a big adjustment

 

[Oan]

No, not the same. Just type in "Finland is boring" online and you'll get multiple answers.

I happen to be finnish, and I don't find our country particularly boring, there are activities if you just bother to find them.

 

[Indrew]

Finerland sucks. Get over it.

 

[Inf4mous0ne]

I happen to be finnish, and I don't find our country particularly boring, there are activities if you just bother to find them.

Haha yeah I figured If you live in a place for a while you develop habbits and can find things that are fun. But compared to other places, I think he means it's a lot harder to find things to do. If you compared Helsinki to Ottawa for example, there are a lot more things in your face that you can see that would be fun/interesting Also no offense intended on my part, just trying to explain his comments. I'm sure others do enjoy Finland, but it's not like his is an uncommon perception is my point.

 

[Matte99]

Haha yeah I figured If you live in a place for a while you develop habbits and can find things that are fun. But compared to other places, I think he means it's a lot harder to find things to do. If you compared Helsinki to Ottawa for example, there are a lot more things in your face that you can see that would be fun/interesting Also no offense intended on my part, just trying to explain his comments. I'm sure others do enjoy Finland, but it's not like his is an uncommon perception is my point.

Why do you bring up Helsinki? Its not like Oulu is anything like Helsinki or Ottawa for that matter.

 

[CanadianHockey]

Honestly, Turris is probably not making much of an effort to get out and explore in Finland. He pretty much admits in the article that he wasn't really interested in going to Europe, and mostly went because everyone else had gone (leaving nobody here for Turris to practice with).

I don't think it's a mark against his character, though. I know a hell of a lot of people who've complained about 'having nothing to do' while living in cities like Kingston or Ottawa. It's got less to do with the actual city and more to do with their motivation to find something to do.

If he really wanted to, he could always make himself a lunch so that he doesn't have to eat at truck stops. Although at the same time, understandable that you'd be disconcerted that your team typically eats at a truck stop for its travel meals.

 

[Tuna99]

2 seasons, 2 of his hockey teams thrown under the bus. Good thing he likes Ottawa because he seems to be pretty hard to keep happy.

What the **** did he think went on in Finland? Salsa dancing and endless sunshine. He looks like a moron trashing the team, the league and the country - very dim witted interview

 

[CanadianHockey]

2 seasons, 2 of his hockey teams thrown under the bus. Good thing he likes Ottawa because he seems to be pretty hard to keep happy.

What the **** did he think went on in Finland? Salsa dancing and endless sunshine. He looks like a moron trashing the team, the league and the country - very dim witted interview

Certainly comes across as a bit immature on the Finnish bits, but his commentary on the lockout was better than a lot of other PA members. The players aren't business saavy, they need Fehr's expertise in the negotiations, everyone of the players and owners should be entitled to hear the full negotiating story, and Bettman and Fehr are both making big bucks so they should be doing the negotiating are all good points.

 

[Benjamin]

Im not worried about it.

 

[LSnow]

Why did he sign in a cold desolate city like Oulu, if he wanted a big city life like Ottawa he should have signed team located at / near Helsinki. Difference between Ottawa and Helsinki are small and its warmer there.

 

[Tuna99]

Why did he sign in a cold desolate city like Oulu, if he wanted a big city life like Ottawa he should have signed team located at / near Helsinki. Difference between Ottawa and Helsinki are small and its warmer there.

If it makes you feel better he complained about the cold in Ottawa after arriving from Phoenix, the guy likes to complain, what else can you say?

 

[littleD]

Holy, lets make a mountain out of a molehill lol.

Let's add not being able to make any negative comment about anything to the list of things NHL players can talk about.

 

[LSnow]

If it makes you feel better he complained about the cold in Ottawa after arriving from Phoenix, the guy likes to complain, what else can you say?

He didnt really "complain" because all those things are true. ABC food is horrible, there is not much to do in Oulu if your a young 20's millionare. Only thing wrong is that its actually not very cold here.

 

[Yokai]

Now that monster is at CHEO visiting sick children with some current/former Sens. Seriously why haven't they traded this locker room cancer yet. Wasn't Turris playing against Karlsson's team during the whole stick-gate incident? I'm guessing we found our cause Kyle Turris = bad influence.

 

[Liliaceae]

I liked this part:

Turris is eager for the lockout to end for three main reasons: to see sunlight again, to see family and friends and to start working with the Capital City Condors charity once again in Ottawa.

“I really miss being involved with the Condors program,†he said. “I can’t wait to get back and help out.â€

Turris has clearly carved a nice home in Ottawa since his departure from Phoenix, now he just needs a season to get started.

“It’s really exciting in Ottawa because we are going to have such a good, young team. We have five years to make good things happen.â€

Holy, lets make a mountain out of a molehill lol.

What else is new?

 

[darglor]

I don't understand it, but everyone always says Ottawa's boring... If Finland's worse, that's got to be horrible

That said, I don't think Ottawa's boring at all. It's got pretty much anything and everything in a 2 hour radius except for a vibrant club scene.

 

[General Granny*]

People always ***** about hockey players being monotone and always saying the same politically correct PR stuff but when a player is finally honest, oh noe bad character guy, he is speaking out and has an opinion compared to the robots we listen to in pre and post game interviews