Reading the Dispatch's coverage this morning about the battle among Jackets defensemen for posititions I was a little bit shocked to read this quote from Marc Methot:
"If the (Blue Jackets) want to hold on to me, they can," Methot said. "And if not, good riddance. I'll go somewhere else. That's the bottom line.
"It's really frustrating. I'd be lying if I said otherwise. It's tough, actually, to come in and still compete for a spot. And I'm sure a lot of guys feel the same."
"If the (Blue Jackets) want to hold on to me, they can," Methot said. "And if not, good riddance. I'll go somewhere else. That's the bottom line.
"It's really frustrating. I'd be lying if I said otherwise. It's tough, actually, to come in and still compete for a spot. And I'm sure a lot of guys feel the same."
Well excuse the hell outta the Jackets Mr. Methot. There is a reason why you haven't nailed down an NHL job yet and its because you just haven't been good enough. Three years to develop in the AHL for a 6th round pick is not an uncommon occurance in the NHL.
Methot has NHL potential and is a big stay at home d-man but there are lots of those types of d-men in the NHL thus there is lots of competition. While I can certainly appreciate the fact that he believes he's ready for the NHL it doesn't do a whole lot of good to whine about it -- go out and grab it. Don't give management a choice but to keep you.
If he's already bitching to the paper about having to win a job in training camp then just imagine what this guy might be like in the locker room.
Really though that kind of statement is basically saying "get me the hell out of Columbus, I desperately want a change of scenery".
You know yesterday when I said its going to be a really tough call which two to keep between Tollefsen, Rome & Methot? I think that call for me just got a lot easier. I would think upper management may feel the same - we'll soon find out.
I'll have more on the game tonight a little later.
Fire away - what are you thoughts on Methot's comments?
-LTL
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23 comments:
LTL,
I just read the article myself, I think the decision has been made. I always thought Rome has had the edge over Method, Rome might be less physical but he's the better skater and puck handler. Furthermore Hitchcock has stated over the last couple of days that the battle for defensive slots is going to be for a puck-transition/handling d-man. I think this Method quote is frustration because he knows himself or has been told that his chances are slim. Management might have informed him of this to get him motivated, his reaction to this motivation tool is all management needs to make a decision. I also think the added competition of Matvichuk might have been more irritating to Method as well, not to mention Wilson who in my opinion showed more capabilities then Method as well. In summary any player who gets frustrated because he has more competition/depth in the organization is not someone the CBJ should keep.... I am somewhat disappointed in Method for expressing such desire to leave, because his chances of making the roster have declined. Good luck Method, I think Howsen might be making some calls right now... Maybe even a package with Method and Novotny might be possible... (I like York better then Novoty)
This is the Hitch qoute:
"We have to have people who can make plays on the back end," Hitchcock said. "It's that simple."
Adios Method, hope you have fun on the waiver wire..
wah wah ya big baby. how bout being grateful that you get paid to play a game!
I agree LTL. I read that quote and thought his days are done. Thats fine. I'm sure he has some minute value especially as the cuts go deeper. If we hit the injury bug head on then keep him around--just not in the locker room.
I really liked how Methot's played when he has been called up, but that attitude is gonna get him into trouble fast if he's acting that way in the locker room. I wouldn't be shocked to see him moved.
Wow....I was a little taken about myself with that one. I actually did a double take on that quote. I wouldn't be pleased with that quote coming from an 8 year vet, let alone a 23 year old who has yet to play a full season in the NHL.
If that's his attitude, my feeling is that he said it best, 'Good Riddance.'
BTW, been reading the blog for a couple of months and absolutely love it! Keep up the good work, LTL!
I'll give Methot a pass on the quote, and call it frustration.
He's a guy who absolutely tore it up in last season's training camp, and has done nothing but work hard and fight every night. Seeing him play live in several Crunch games he was clearly the defensive leader of the team. He looked like he was playing with a chip on his shoulder, he was pissed off about not making the Jackets, and took it out on every opposing forward.
Yet looking at it through his eyes it has to be very frustrating. He was close last season, worked hard all year, and instead of their being a legitimate spot to fight for, he now finds himself much further down the defensive depth chart with the additions of Rome, Wilson, Commodore, Tyutin, and Backman.
It's like running a marathon, making it 26.1 miles, and discovering someone moved the finish line a couple more miles down the road
He plays the position the Jackets have the most depth, defensive defenseman, and at the same time the position that is the hardest to evaluate. He's not a winger who can come in and score a couple goals in the first few games and force the big club to keep him, +/- is the only real stat in his favor and it's heavily dependent on the other guys on the ice as well.
I'm not saying he deserves to be given a spot, everybody needs to earn everything. I'm just saying I understand the frustration he's demonstrating in that quote.
Two things to be said here:
First in regards to Methot, I can understand his frustration, but really that is not the best way to start winning yourself over fans in Columbus on a team that hasn't ever been that good. You have to keep your mouth shut, play hard every play and the fans will buy in if you deserve to be here. I also did a double take on this one because word all summer was that he had a strong chance to make the big club, but maybe this is just Methot putting out there what management is now telling him, which his days in C-bus may be numbered.
Second is that I was just reading the dispatch article by Rob Oller, who we will remember wrote such a glowing article for the Jackets yesterday, when I got to the bottom and came across the line...
"Save the boos for the Browns, Bengals and Blue Jackets, with whom opportunities to lose your voice will be many." Not sure how I feel about it, article is here:
http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/sports/stories/2008/09/23/oller23.ART_ART_09-23-08_C1_13BDDMK.html?sid=101
Was just debating this with a buddy of mine. I'm going with Skraut on this one. I can understand the fustration. They basically added 3 guys and made it almost impossible for him to crack the lineup, unless someone just implodes. Everyone knows they need Russell's skill at some point and you have to beat out him and Backman. His skillset is not what we need a lot of with the players we brought in.
We have a lot of shutdown type guys now with some log term contracts. He's seeing his window close here.
I just wished he would have said it better. But people say stupid things all the time, they just generally don't have a reporter talking to them and put it in print.
It's safe to say that Methot probably doesn't have a career in politics in the cards.
My initial reaction was to ship him the hell out of town if he has that attitude.
Upon further investigation I have found that, although he did say those words, they were taken somewhat out of context. Like skraut and d. michael said he probably is very frustrated, and it is certainly justified. The bottom line is, however, that if he is good enough and an element that they need, he will play.
The thing that he needs to be careful of, and has likely been told, is that 29 other teams are reading press clippings from teams around the league every day. If they see this quote, without doing further research, they will look at him as a guy with a bad attitude and not want to bring him on board. The jackets know him and likely understand the full context it was said in so it won't get in the way of how he plays.
The fans on the other hand....
Maybe him and Foote would make good room mates on the road with Colorado?
Just a thought...
Great comments.
Soultrain - just a quick comment on the end of your post. I believe it was Bob Hunter yesterday who wrote the article about Hitch and not Oller.
As far as Oller's comment he obviously did not attend the first day of camp this year. I think the only one who is going to get booed this year in Nationwide is that guy wearing #52.
-LTL
LTL- you are correct it was Hunter who wrote the article about the Jackets. Still was not a comment I was expecting to find in the dispatch.
LTL/Posters,
"If the (Blue Jackets) want to hold on to me, they can," Methot said. "And if not, good riddance. I'll go somewhere else. That's the bottom line."It's really frustrating. I'd be lying if I said otherwise. It's tough, actually, to come in and still compete for a spot. And I'm sure a lot of guys feel the same."
This quote alone is troublesome not just because he seems very frustrated, but in particular because he has given up. He has accepted a trade, or a waiver pickup... he is hanging his head down. He is quitting when he needs to step it up.. This is not the type of player that fits our new identity... period... very disappointed...
Not the attitude that we need, so I say ship him out or better yet, send him through waviers down to the Cuse and let him sit there without a call up.
erik--yes, in that context it sounds terrible.
Methot said much more than that and Portzline chose to lump together the quotes that had the most snap.
Anonymous,
I am sorry but context: ""And if not, good riddance. I'll go somewhere else. That's the bottom line". Anybody that uses the words good riddance.. (An expression of pleasure on being rid of some annoyance)... I think the emphasis should be on pleasure or relief of an annoyance....... He's clearly annoyed and displeased with his situation in this franchise. Furthermore expressing that this frustration is significant enough to mention that he has given thought to perhaps trying to go elsewhere....
combined with this quote:
."It's really frustrating. I'd be lying if I said otherwise. It's tough, actually, to come in and still compete for a spot. And I'm sure a lot of guys feel the same."
He has to come in and still compete for a spot... how dare they !!!!
Anonymous, context or no context this is a player who is irritated and annoyed that he is stuck in the minors. Sure we can all have a bad day and think those things, but he elaborately disclosed his frustration with a beat writer. You don't publicly announce your frustrations about your job until you have reached some sort of boiling point. To me, being so open to a beat writer indicates that he wants a change of scenery, perhaps a club with less defensive depth..
erik--show me a player who isn't irritated to be in the minors (especially after he saw time in the NHL) and I will show you a player I don't want on my team.
I assure you that the conversation was much longer than that, more involved and what Portzline printed. Portzline pieced together all those negative quotes and created a story that isn't truly indiciative of Methot's attitude or his character. Is he frustrated? Heck yeah. Good.
I don't blame him for being frustrated, not in the least. He should be. He was thinking that he was going to be a lock on the team and then the summer comes and all the signings happen.
Your reaction was my initial reaction as well.
Also, re: his comments to a beat writer: The kid likely hasn't dealt with a lot of press and has just learned a huge lesson.
It is another reason why athletes, as a rule, just say the standard garbage time and time again.
Anonymous,
I completely agree there is frustration, sure.. Frustration shows passion which is good..
Combine that with inexperience, and you get someone who vents it to a beat writer. Completely agree...
You are completely right.. .but.... (you knew this was coming)
It was the harsh tone, and the reference to leaving that's so interesting.. There are so many ways to vent frustration.. The fact is he feels passed over... hence the reference to still competing for a spot... He feels entitled to more, and he thinks or feels that he is not even close to making the big league.. Fine be frustrated... but the fact that he's so willing to be traded or picked up by waivers indicates that this has been frustrating him for a while.. This has been nagging him for a while.. .we need to address it as an organization and deal with it.. If he feels that he's not getting his fair shot here and he wants to get a 2nd opinion... we need to know this and act accordingly...
In summary, his wording leaves me to believe that there is more to it then just 1 bad day....
I think it means "I want to play" not get me the hell out of Columbus. He wants to be in the NHL and thinks he's ready. I'm sure he'll be happy if he's in Columbus, but he'd probably be happier in Tampa if he's on the floor there.
After all, that's why he's in the game.
That is the whole point though erik--the tone has been generated by patching the quotes together and it sounds terrible.
Sure, he likely HAS been frustrated for awhile and the bottom line is it is up to him to make it impossible for the jackets to cut him, but I also know for a fact that this article generated more 'tone' than what was stated in the article.
It is also typical of a 3rd year pro--they feel like they have put in their time and that the org. owes them. It isn't just Methot who has come across this. This isn't the first time the jackets have experienced a guy who has been bent out of shape due to similar circumstances. It just so happened that he was talking to Aaron about it and it all got lumped together into one nasty sounding quote.
Good thing I bought that Syracuse Methot sweater. DAMNIT!!!
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