"Mad" Mike finds controversy again

by SMF360 on Feb 25, 2010 4:57 PM EST

Fresh off the heals of his last years "wussification" fiasco on HNIC, Mike Milbury has once again stirred up some controversy, this time on the grand stage of the Olympics. If you happened to catch the post game coverage of Canada's beat down over Russia, you may have heard Mike use the term "eurotrash" to describe the Russians game. Now I didn't so much as blink when I heard the use of the term but his broadcast partners immediate began to distance themselves from his comments at the first chance they got. And today the main page of yahoo.com featured a story on the incident, with the author calling out Mike for trying being an American Don Cherry wanna-be and that he should be taken off air for a few broadcasts. Is "eurotrash" some sort of inappropriate phrase coined long ago? I personally still see no problem with how he said it. Do you?

http://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/vancouver/blog/fourth_place_medal/post/NBC-analyst-Mike-Milbury-not-a-fan-of-Russia-s-?urn=oly,224135

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I mean I hear the term alot, being thrown around the locker room and stuff. When I was playing juniors we had a couple kids from Sweden playing with us, and we tended to shit talk with them, telling them to keep their lazy “Eurotrash” play to a minimum and stuff. They took it in good stride, threw some zingers back at us North Americans. My best understanding is It’s an old hockey stereotype of the play the Euro’s brought when they started coming to the NHL I guess. I don’t really know what it refers to exactly. I think the fact that he said it on a major broadcast, especially a broadcast that probably had casual hockey fans watching that had never heard the term before, in the manner he did is what is ruffling people’s feathers. Also the term isn’t exactly one that encompasses the Olympic spirit of good sportsmanship and all that other junk the IOC preaches. I personally have no problem with it, cause it’s common verbiage to me, and I’ve seen it used directed at Euro’s and they didn’t seem to mind either as I said above.

by Dangles-McDonnybrook on Feb 25, 2010 8:50 PM EST reply actions

It’s also a term used to describe a certain European stereotype (very similar to the douchebag). http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=eurotrash I can see why some people could find it inappropriate, but that’s Milbury whole shtick. He says whatever feels like saying. Then there are those people that like to find everything offensive. I think Milbury was just describing the traditionally softer European style of play. I don’t think he meant much more by it. Everyone needs to stop over-reacting and relax. I wasn’t even going to mention this until SMF360 posted this. I find Jeremy Roenick lack of broadcasting skills and personality far more offensive.

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by Stanley Cup of Chowder on Feb 25, 2010 9:08 PM EST up reply actions

I second the feelings on Roenick, or as they say endlessly JR

by SMF360 on Feb 25, 2010 11:10 PM EST up reply actions

Someone made a good point on Deadspin about Tony Kornheiser’s suspension the other day, and I think it applies to Milbury, too: He’s an ass, you know he’s an ass, you knew he was an ass when you hired him, you hired him because he’s an ass, and now you’re offended because he’s an ass? NBC’s getting what they want out of him: controversy. He won’t be suspended because people are going to watch to see what he says next.

Personally, I have no issues with what he said. He could have said, “I find the European style of hockey to be garbage,” and would that have been any different than saying, “Their Eurotrash game?”

by Arenacale on Feb 26, 2010 7:32 AM EST up reply actions

Look at the master work: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cM2ja_ZFFy8

Milbury is trying to be the next Cherry but he’s just not there.

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by Cornelius Hardenbergh on Feb 26, 2010 9:10 AM EST up reply actions

Agree there.

by Arenacale on Feb 26, 2010 11:33 AM EST up reply actions

The thing about Cherry is he’s kind of an awful xenophobe but he’s played all over and coached to boot. He’s extremely knowledgable about hockey. Milbury might be, but I get the feeling that he’s trying to be quotable rather than “speaking his mind” or whatever it is Cherry does.

As an aside, I really enjoyed his book.

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by Cornelius Hardenbergh on Feb 26, 2010 11:51 AM EST up reply actions

I think they could replace Milbury with Roenick on all broadcasts after the Olympics and the only people who would complain would be Milbury and his family.

I’m also for this idea.

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by Cornelius Hardenbergh on Feb 26, 2010 9:06 AM EST reply actions