Dave Bolland Stays Classy

[Wickabee]

Dave Bolland is such a classy guy. Calls the award winning Sedins "sisters" (ever so clever and original) and then goes on to say he not only hates the Sedins, he hates the entire team and the city of Vancouver itself. I have a feeling if any team had their choice between the Sedins and Dave freaking Bolland, they'd take the Sedins. They may not be the toughest players in the league, but they aren't classless hacks like that clown Bolland.

Chicago Blackhawks forward Dave Bolland had some negative things to say about Daniel and Henrik Sedin and the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday, but after Canucks head coach Alain Vigneault responded in kind, Bolland explained that his comments were made with tongue firmly planted in cheek.
Making an appearance on WGN Radio in Chicago, Bolland occasionally referred to the Sedins as "sisters" and said he would not want them on the Blackhawks.
Vigneault responded to Bolland's comments following Wednesday's morning skate.
"Dave Bolland has an IQ the size of bird seed and a face only a mother can love," said Vigneault.
After the Blackhawks' shootout win over the Minnesota Wild on Wednesday night, Bolland recanted, saying his comments were made in jest and he attempted to make amends.
"Between us, I have the utmost respect for the Sedin twins, Alain Vigneault and all the Vancouver Canucks," Bolland told the Chicago Sun-Times. "It was just a little bit of tongue-in-cheek we had at the little radio show with some of the fans and that. But I have the utmost respect for Vancouver and what they do on the ice and how they do it.
"Both us of have a great rivalry going during the season. I don't know about next year because we only get to play them two times. I've got the utmost respect for that whole team on the ice and for what Alain Vigneault does as well."
During the radio show, Bolland was asked if the Sedins would still be referred to as "sisters" if they became members of the Blackhawks and his answer was blunt.
"Well, they'll never become Hawks," he said. "I don't think we'd let them on our team. We'd be sure not to let them on our team. And, yeah, they probably still would be sisters. I think they might sleep in bunk beds. The older one has the bottom one, the younger one got the top."
While the morning show was very much tongue-in-cheek, Bolland, along with teammate Corey Crawford, didn't shy away from the opportunity to rip the Canucks.
"I hate all of them," Bolland said when asked if he hates everyone on the team or just a lot of them.
When asked what players do with their spare time when on the road, the Blackhawks forward said he tries to stay close to his hotel room when the team is in Vancouver.
"There's a lot of weirdos there," he said. "You don't want to be out there too long."
The Canucks and Blackhawks have met 32 times in the last three-plus seasons, and in the last three Stanley Cup playoffs. Vancouver came away with a seven-game victory last spring, and Chicago captured six-game wins in 2010 and 2009.
The two sides clash once again on January 31 live on TSN from Rogers Arena in Vancouver.

[Craig2]

I listened to the audio of that, and in his defense I'd say that the context was that of a joke. He was really egged on by the host of the show for the benefit of the crowd in attendance. Were Canucks fans up in arms when Ryan Kesler talked about hating Canadians before the 2010 Olympics? Just curious if these negative reactions apply to their own players' comments. I don't take either one too seriously.

Nobody doubts the Sedins' abilities, but their lack of production in the Finals unfortunately has brought on this type of thing.

[RGM81]

Nobody can have any fun anymore. People constantly complain about how hockey players always give the most vanilla responses to reporters' questions, and when one says something on a local radio station that deviates from the norm he gets the verbal smackdown. Can't win, I tells ya.

[Wickabee]

Well, let's see. The Canucks were repeatedly taken to task for giving into the media and saying things they shouldn't. They weren't insulting to any player, team or city and yet everyone (yes, even here) wouldn't let it go.
Now Dave Bolland is giving into the media, saying things he shouldn't and being insulting to players, a team and a city and people are defending him. THAT is bush league.

It seems that any time a player says something stupid, they are defended as "He's being honest" "He's making a joke" "Player's always give vanilla answers, he gave something different, it's okay". When Luongo said he'd been pumping Thomas' tires, that was all anyone talked about for a week and called him an idiot for saying it.
So I ask you, is it okay for a player to speak as long as he's not a Canuck? It sure seems that way.

Dave Bolland is a clown. He wishes he had 1/4 of the talent even one Sedin has. Apparently 2 Art Ross trophies, 1 Hart, 1 Lindsay and 1317 points over 1597 games just isn't enough to gain respect from a nobody with no awards, 117 points in 221 games.

If Lapierre had said the same things about Toews, there would be an uproar. But since it`s a Hawk talking about Canucks (who have been called `sisters`their whole career, so don`t tell me it`s because of their performance last spring) it`s okay, and he should be praised for not giving `vanilla`answers.

There is no double standard there, not at all.

ETA: Yes, I was upset (and lost a little respect) for Kesler when he said that, so yeah, it applies to Canucks as well. Don't try to sell that.

[notoriousrob101]

Bolland is terrible. Hahaha

[Yipper]

As a Canucks fan, I can expect nothing less from a top-notch rival; however, I think people forgot this specific line he said.

"When asked what players do with their spare time when on the road, the Blackhawks forward said he tries to stay close to his hotel room when the team is in Vancouver.
"There's a lot of weirdos there," he said. "You don't want to be out there too long."


This line has gone too far. One thing to mock the team, the fans such as the Green Men or make a joke, but to comment on the entire city? That is crossing the line.

There is a lot that can be said, but this is way too far. Judge the team all you want, but leave everyone else in Vancouver out of it. We will defend our team without kicking the people in your city so keep it like that.

[Craig2]

Matt - It was dumb, but I think some thicker skin may be needed in Vancouver.

Of having to stay a couple of days in Edmonton during a road trip, Kevin Bieksa said "It's a nightmare." I don't remember Oilers fans getting up in arms about it, even though it was an obvious swipe at the city. Personally I found it funny, even though I spent a great deal of time in Edmonton over the past several years.

I think these things get more play in Vancouver because the city is unable to support more than one professional team. If they had other franchises in major leagues, my guess is that these things wouldn't be so closely scrutinized and picked apart.

[JHEYKID]

The Sedins cap hit to championships ratio is terrible! Just playing, Bolland crossed the line and appologized, in fairness to him he seemed to be egged on. I just hope next time AV wants to fire shots back he can get his sangs right. "He has a face only a mother could look at" hahaha.

[Wickabee]

If it was a Canuck, no one would defend it.
Since it's about Canucks and, more importantly, the people of Vancouver, the league will rally around him.

At least, that's how it's looking so far.

[MatsSundin13Rocks]

All I have to say is congrats Allen Vignauelt for calling it as it is about Bolland and his birdseed sized IQ! I mean he wasn't original with his "Sedin Sisters" comment and nobody calls them that anymore that has any brains. Obviously Bolland was pandering to the live audience in Chicago on the radio but still his comments about 2 of the top 10 players in the game is disgraceful.

It is funny how the Canucks seem to be the most hated team in the league when they probably are the team with the most about of character in the league. Look at the Sedin twins, Booth, Hamhuis, Burrows, Kesler, Edler, Luongo, Schneider, Ballard, Raymond, Higgins, etc. These are all guys who are great in the community and have a lot of class. Guys like Kesler, Burrows, and Bieksa are players who everyone loves to have on their team but hate to play against.

The Sedin twins are probably the 2 hardest working, classiest, professional, and best players currently playing in the NHL and deserve much more respect than they end up getting.