Jake Virtanen sexual misconduct allegations anyone?

[WordsOfWisdom]

Everyone already knows my position on this issue (same as always). In fact, I'm going to start petitioning the government to enact a new law to counter this BS before it can start, but anyway...

 

https://www.nhl.com/news/vancouver-canucks-jake-virtanen-placed-on-leave/c-324226812

 

It's the same old story every time: 

1. Player gets accused of (something).
2. League releases statement saying they're vehemently opposed to (something).
3. League fines/suspends player immediately.

 

How Godd@mn backwards is this world?  Why does the NHL feel the need to tell us that water is wet? If something is against the law, the NHL doesn't have to tell us their position on it. The LAW makes it clear what SOCIETY'S position is on the matter. The NHL doesn't have a position on ANYTHING pertaining to the law. Their "position" is that they don't have one. They are not the judge (even though they're PRETENDING to be). They're not the jury. They're NOTHING.  

 

The process (in a functioning world) should be this:

1. Player gets accused of (something).
2. League does NOTHING.
3. Player has day in court.
4. If player is found not guilty, life moves on.  If player is found guilty, player goes to jail (potentially) or rehab (potentially) or whatever. 

 

At NO POINT does the league have the authority to fine or suspend any player for conduct occurring AWAY from work. Yes, it's in the contract. I get it. I can write anything into a contract. Murder can be written into a contract. That still doesn't make it LEGAL. Any clause like this in an employment contract (mark my words) is going to be made illegal in the future because I'm going to mobilize a human rights group to make it that way. 

 

This has become an issue in the past 10 years or so, and NEVER happened in the past.  Employers are overstepping their authority. It's a basic human rights violation. 

 

The guilt or innocence of the player is irrelevant. The FUNDAMENTAL ISSUE here is that the LAW punishes, not your employer. Employers are ATTEMPTING to supersede/undermine our government and our legal system. It's a real life "power play" on the part of (mostly) large corporations who want total control over everything. 

 

Please note that I am not defending Virtanen. I don't care what the verdict is here, nor do I care what the crime is. It's not relevant. The LAW punishes, not the NHL. 

 

 

 

[WordsOfWisdom]

(Apologies for losing it in my previous post.)  

 

 

[WordsOfWisdom]

Perhaps the best way to change the system is just to break the existing system. That's the only way to expose it for the farce that it is.

 

Maybe if the Leafs go deep into the playoffs an "allegation" will come out about a star player on those pesky Golden Knights. Oops!  Fined and suspended for the Stanley Cup final!   

 

This can be used as a tactic to delete players on opposing teams at strategic times.  

[lynxrattle]

Good rant. You're spot on, IMO. I'd never thought about that before. Now I find it odd, the formula the NHL seems to be using every time a player does or is accused of something illegal. The NHL is not responsible for players' behaviours, they are only responsible - and just partly - for the environment the NHL is.

[B21]

@WordsOfWisdom

 

While I disagree about an employer not being able to punish and employee for conduct outside the workplace (especially employees very much in the public eye such as professional athletes) the overall premise of your rant is spot on.

 

It's sad that we live in a world where a single accusation is enough. 

 

 

[WordsOfWisdom]

16 hours ago, lynxrattle said:

Good rant. You're spot on, IMO. I'd never thought about that before.

 

It's something that has only become an issue due to the introduction of "social media" (Facebook, YouTube, etc.). Those platforms allow even the most trivial story to spread like it was covid-19, and people rush to judgement without facts. Then a group of people band together and threaten to boycott whatever product or service is being provided by that person's employer. 

 

In the past (the past being like... year 2000 and earlier) these stories would be known only to LOCAL people. Nobody tried to boycott anything and if anyone did, they were laughed at and ignored. Matters involving the law were dealt with.... by the law. The league never issued any public statements. It was unheard of. 

 

Example: If a player gets caught drinking and driving, they would probably lose their licence for awhile, but it had no bearing on their NHL play. Fans didn't care. Why would they? The details of the private life of an NHL player is exactly that: private. 

 

16 hours ago, lynxrattle said:

Now I find it odd, the formula the NHL seems to be using every time a player does or is accused of something illegal. The NHL is not responsible for players' behaviours, they are only responsible - and just partly - for the environment the NHL is.

 

And this is the power grab element of it. Large corporations (it doesn't work for mom and pop shops) saw an opportunity to seize control over their employee's private lives through an excuse. That excuse is the "public image" excuse. Every large company will claim that they have shareholders and that their product/service can be hurt by the reputation of their employees. (So keeping in mind that corporations never existed, shareholders never existed, etc... all of this is new.) So now anything and everything falls under the banner of "corporate image". Employers could now control their employees while they were away from work and find convenient ways to get rid of people.

 

However their initial premise is false because the behaviour of an employee during their private life has nothing to do with the company.  It's time this gets written into law to make it crystal clear. 

 

ANALOGY:  Me working for Toyota doesn't mean I also endorse their cars or drive one. Therefore, a company employing someone who is accused of drunk driving does not mean the company endorses drunk driving. It's really just that simple. 

 

FINAL NAIL IN THE COFFIN:  Even if he's found guilty, it's still not the NHL's place to do anything. If he's guilty of drunk driving the question becomes: "Can he travel to the games?" "Is he in jail?" If his mobility is not restricted, then he should still be allowed to play the games and move on with his life.

 

 

Edited May 2, 2021 by WordsOfWisdom