Movie featuring gay ex-Toronto Maple Leaf gets blessing of Leafs & NHL

http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1164322250868&call_pageid=968867503640&col=970081593064&t=TS_Home

What makes this movie even more unique is that the NHL and the Maple Leafs — part of a sport where no player has ever come out of the closet — have given the filmmakers their blessing to use their logos and uniforms. The Leafs have even agreed to let them do some filming with them at the end of a practice next month.

Pretty amazing--like all pro sports, hockey's pretty conservative

 

This is worse than reading about Jacques Demers admitting that he is illiterate.

 

There is no way the, say, Nashville Predators give this a go.
It's that Canadian tolerance thing again.

 

FB, not if our present PM has his way. Harper would like to re-introduce the gay marriage thing in Parliament. If he does, he'll take a beating at the polls and in the next election.

Canadians have made their views pretty clear on this: gay marriage is nothing more than extending equal rights to all Canadians and most believe there are more important things in this country to worry about. Like, are the Leafs going to make the playoffs?

 

Except that Demers actually was illiterate, whereas the guy from "Ed" is just (say it like Jon Lovitz) ACTING!

 

The difference may be too subtle for Boom.

 

I read this story, didn't see it as a thread...
So, I waited for JR to start one.
Awesome.

 

A buddy of mine bought a DVD of Joey Kocur and Bob Probert fights. At one point, there's a shot of Demers yelling and pointing at the net. My buddy asked, "Do ya think it's inappropriate to suggest he couldn't read the play?"

 

"It would be interesting to see how they would react if it was non-fiction," said Tewksbury, a Calgary native. "I think it's really great that they are supporting it. I know it's an iconic team, but I think it makes sense this is happening in Canada because we've been far ahead on these issues. The Montreal Canadiens would also probably have agreed. Calgary Flames, I'm not so sure about."

Tewkesbury is such an attention whore.

 

Sirs, Madames,

This is a little sideaways on the thread but nonetheless.

I sat in on one team's draft-prospect interviews at the NHL combine. One player (not a projected first rounder, sorta projected third-round or later) came in and was almost an over-the-top caricature of a Friend of Dorothy. Did everything but walk in with his collection of Streisand albums. At one point he actually said that he "adored" somethingorother. The old line applies: Not that there's anything wrong with it. (Allow me to pre-empt your potshots: This kid is gay. As a 15-year vet of the downtown Y's health club, I'm good friends with dozens of gay guys. And, to balance the ticket, count several gay women among friends as well. And I asked someone, not a reporter, who knew the Western league well.)

The curious thing was that the scouts in the room didn't ask him about, uh, his interests. And afterwards there were no jokes or smirks or anything at all. Not even a Brokeback Mountain line. Strictly business as usual.

Into this I can read perhaps two things. One: They had no idea (and thus giving credence to the idea that a guy guy might fly under the radar in a NHL dressing room). Or Two: At least some knew and didn't care (which, I suppose, is heartening).

I dunno. I thought about my own experience. Back in high school I didn't know that the guy who handed me the baton for the anchor leg of the 4X400 would go on to a career in fashion ...

YHS, etc

 

Mr. Friend,
Had no idea about one of the guys in the neighbourhood with whom we played Kick the Can, soccer and baseball. Went on to a career as stewardess ... er ... flight attendant.
This was a Western leaguer? I am a little shocked, cocooned in my redneck blanket. Ontario ... maybe. Quebec ... definitely.
Was the kid ever drafted?

 

Mr Flash,

This is gonna hurt -- he's from Alberta. I'd have to go back and check about whether he was drafted. Not in the first three, that's for sure.

Even said that he enjoyed "gymnastics."

YHS, etc