She's Right

After a long weekend of travel and excitement combined with unpacking and getting everything back in its place for this week, I needed a night off to relax. I'm not a big fan of network television thanks to the garbage shows they continually renew or debut, but, being a hockey fan, I watch a lot of hockey through my cable package. One of the reasons I do so is because of programs like Rogers' Hometown Hockey hosted by Ron MacLean and Tara Slone. While Ron has been a constant in hockey broadcasts for a while, Tara's inclusion has really made the Hometown Hockey broadcasts enjoyable with her stories and reporting, and I'm not afraid to tell anyone that I am a fan and I've been a fan of Tara Slone's work for a long time.

Her work in the music industry was and is pretty darn good, so being a fan of Joydrop wasn't hard. She's got the pipes when it comes to rock music, and Joydrop's music is catchy. I first became aware of Tara Slone there, so when the opportunity came about that Hometown Hockey was coming to Winnipeg with her as a host I was quick to ask her if she wanted to try something new: colour commentary on a Bisons women's hockey broadcast.

The irony is that I never expected her to take me up on the offer with how busy her schedule is and how much stuff she does in each of the communities that Hometown Hockey visits. With her producing all sorts of segments and stories about those communities, I thought I'd get a "thanks, but" response from Tara. Needless to say, when she said she'd be thrilled to try her hand at colour commentary during the Canada West game that featured the UBC Thunderbirds and Manitoba Bisons, we were all pretty blown away that she'd be at Wayne Fleming Arena calling Bisons hockey with us!

Meeting her that day and talking with her again on Sunday, I can honestly say she is one of the most genuine, authentic, and down-to-earth people I have ever met despite her being a pretty recognizable figure in Canadian broadcasting. I'd even go one step further and state unequivocally that she is someone I hope to emulate with the stories and features I run on Canada West broadcasts just as she does on Hometown Hockey.

Tonight, as I was lying on the couch, Tara Slone showed what a truly amazing person she is with her speech about the NHL and hockey culture and how both need to change. The hockey game that was scheduled became irrelevant when Tara began speaking because there are a lot of us struggling to support a league that has been so very ignorant to a large number of societal issues that need addressing within the walls of the NHL. Her passionate speech hit home with me, so listen to her words carefully.

Her last statements of wanting this game to be better is something that has sat with me for a long time. I'm not an employee of a team or employed by any league, so the impact of me trying to change the game personally is minimal, but I can join the growing chorus of voices demanding changes be made sooner rather than later. Hockey is not fine and there are so many problems lurking under that blanket of silence that Tara mentioned, and it's about time that we pull that blanket back and see the mess that has been festering in the dark corners everyone ignores.

I'll be completely honest in saying that I don't have many hockey heroes at the NHL level. There are players I cheer for in terms of hoping they'll find success due to their efforts to make the world a better place through charitable efforts and giving their time to fans who come to see them, but I wouldn't say there are guys in the NHL I'd go out of my way to meet.

However, it takes courage and integrity to speak out against a major partner of Rogers' Sportsnet that helps generate millions of dollars in advertising revenue on the network - some of which goes to paying Tara Slone's contract - but everything she said is entirely accurate. The culture is deeply and profoundly broken. The ignorance and silence given to these matters is infuriating. And the changes to be better need to happen now.

What happened to Kyle Beach is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to power structures in hockey, hazing in hockey, and the culture of macho that infiltrates the game. There are likely hundreds of stories of acts of improper actions, crimes of all natures, and violent acts that go unreported every year across a number of teams and leagues due to "hockey culture". Players and teams rationalize it as "part of the game" and "what has to be done" to make the team and be accepted in the room, but the wall of silence that is put up by hockey people when former players and/or staff start speaking up about some of the brutal things done behind closed doors is only the first wall that needs to come down when making this game better. There are a lot of fixes that need to be made, but kicking through that wall of silence is a good starting point.

What I'm saying is that I'm a Tara Slone fan, and that I agree with what she said. Calling for things to be made better, for silence to be broken, and for justice to be served is what good people do, and Tara Slone is a good person. It takes some courage to call out one of your employer's biggest partners to be better, but it's also a clear indication of her integrity, intelligence, self-awareness, and empathy for others which is so sorely needed right now in hockey and across this planet.

It's here where I'll offer another admission which you might be piecing together from everything above: Tara Slone is a hero of mine.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!