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Sometimes satirical writing could be offensive. In a latest publish, Howard Berger shared his derision for the Toronto Maple Leafs group and the extent to which they’d go to make sure that goaltender Matt Murray won’t be able to play this season.
In his commentary on Between the Posts, Berger made enjoyable of the staff’s medical employees and, by default, Murray. He portrayed the Maple Leafs’ physician, Noah Forman, as participating in exaggerated but deliberate unprofessional actions to injure Murray. Specifically, Forman repeatedly slammed the goalie’s head towards a gurney body and had a “fat” nurse soar on Murray’s again.
Obviously, the state of affairs is absurd and doesn’t replicate actual medical practices. In actual life, medical doctors swear to observe the Hippocratic Oath to deal with the sick to the most effective of their capability and judgment, to keep away from hurt and injustice, and to additionally keep away from procedures that violate ethical or moral rules.
In the satirical story, the writer instructed that the physician’s actions have been motivated by the necessity to manipulate the Maple Leafs’ wage cap state of affairs, slightly than real medical issues for the goalie. While the writer didn’t immediately accuse the staff of dishonest, the textual content definitely implied it; the staff’s physician goes to excessive and questionable lengths to maintain Murray off the lively roster and thus handle wage cap points.
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Perhaps the story shouldn’t be meant to be taken as a severe accusation towards the Maple Leafs. It leaves that to the reader, and that’s definitely the message I acquired.
Are People Getting Meaner?
Yesterday, the tweet got here into my electronic mail from Berger, accompanied by the textual content, “How a fat nurse and a crazed doctor helped to land Leafs’ goalie Matt Murray on Long Term Injured Reserve (LTIR).” When I adopted the hyperlink this morning, the tweet had been taken down, however the publish stays.
Ironically, additionally yesterday a National Geographic email got here into my inbox with the title, “Are people getting meaner?” The hyperlink publicizes an article that’s titled “IS THE WORLD IN AN EMPATHY DEFICIT?”
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Part of that article’s introduction talks concerning the emotion of “schadenfreude, or feeling pleasure at other people’s misfortune,” adopted by: “If you’ve felt like people are getting crueler, you may be right—with social media and responses to the pandemic playing a role. What does this mean for society?”
Berger’s try at writing a satirical story to make some extent crossed the road for me. His textual content features a description of a “portly female nurse” with an “ample caboose” as being a “well-fed employee.” It jogged my memory of the sixth-grade bully whose try at being humorous is to level at some poor child and declare “You’re fat!” Ha. Ha.
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The story accommodates insensitive body-shaming. Call me loopy, however the portrayal of the nurse is inappropriate, offensive, and perpetuates stereotypes associated to physique measurement. To me, equating incompetence with physique measurement is neither a respectful nor acceptable method to criticize any particular person or career.
Really, More to the Point, Where’s Murray in This Story
However, appropriateness shouldn’t be the principle drawback with this piece. The foremost problem is that it renders Murray – the individual the story is about – a non-entity. He barely exists.
Yet, the Maple Leafs goalie is the participant being positioned on long-term injured reserve (LTIR), and to suppose he had no say in that is unsuitable. That’s additionally been an issue with the host of essential commentary about this example. It treats the participant as a factor (a movable piece) and never an individual. Certainly, Murray shouldn’t be handled like (nor thought-about to be) knowledgeable athlete.
In the rest of this publish, I need to contemplate Murray. As knowledgeable and as soon as elite goalie, how may he suppose? Does he need to play, or has he merely turn into a pawn of the Maple Leafs – able to do the staff’s bidding and to make life simpler for them?
I Believe Murray Wants to Play This Season
First, an correct critique of Murray is that he’s usually injured. Second, the critique is that these accidents have been irritating for the staff, who anticipated and hoped he could be a strong addition to the roster and assist goal-tend them to wins. Third, the critique is that Murray was not a very good commerce and that the staff has needed to make investments useful salary-cap house by paying him to not play.
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Sadly, these critiques have benefit.
However, nobody has ever referred to as Murray unwilling to play. He rehabilitated every damage, working onerous to prepare for the subsequent recreation. He’s persistently proven that he desires to be on the ice and has labored onerous to organize for that likelihood.
Really, is there anybody on the market who actually believes Murray desires to sit down at house together with his toes as much as pull in the money with out taking part in? I don’t. Not for a minute. I don’t consider skilled athletes suppose that means.
There’s nothing in Murray’s historical past to warrant that perception. In truth, he devoted himself to being prepared throughout final season’s playoffs. Now doubts have arisen about his sudden lack of ability to take part in the upcoming 2023-24 season. What cause would he have to do this?
Those aren’t the motivations of an elite 29-year-old skilled athlete like Murray. He’s been extremely profitable earlier than, and from what I’ve discovered about his dedication, he believes he’ll achieve success once more. He’s in all probability itching to play.
Why Would Professional Athletes Want to Play Rather than Sit?
Professional athletes are fueled by their ardour for the sport they play. It’s not simply concerning the cash; it’s concerning the competitors on the highest degree. These professionals like to play hockey. For somebody like Murray, who has been taking part in the game for many of his life, quitting prematurely doesn’t align together with his passions.
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Second, elite athletes are uncompromisingly aggressive. Murray is a goalie with a formidable observe document that features two Stanley Cup championships with the Pittsburgh Penguins. He’s pushed to carry out at his finest. He believes he can nonetheless contribute to his staff’s – no matter staff that could be – success and compete on the highest degree.
Third, private objectives play a job in a participant’s decision-making. From what I’ve seen, skilled athletes aspire to attain milestones in their careers, whether or not these be particular person accolades or staff objectives. Pursuing these earlier than contemplating retirement could be a compelling cause for him to stay in the sport. He definitely doesn’t need to cease earlier than he’s completely sure he can now not play.
Fourth, if he can’t play, this may be Murray’s closing season drawing a paycheck. If he can’t play once more, his contract ends with the 2023-24 season. He’ll be 30 years outdated and in search of one other job. If he continues to play, it means he can proceed to earn a wage. Not taking part in, however, impacts his incomes potential.
Fifth, sitting out the 2023-24 season shouldn’t be fulfilling. Elite athletes are pushed by skilled achievement. They embody a way of objective from being good at their career. Despite the challenges, I consider Murray is motivated to maintain taking part in, even when it’s robust.
The Word Is That Murray’s Representatives Informed the Maple Leafs
While it’s true that the Maple Leafs positioned Murray on LTIR, stories point out that the staff didn’t provoke the method. They have been prepared to purchase him out of his contract. However, Murray’s representatives informed the team he was unable to play. If that’s true – and who can dispute that report – it was Murray’s resolution.
Given what I find out about skilled athletes, in the tip, that call was a private and difficult one. I perceive there might be issues about potential salary-cap circumvention; nevertheless, logic tells me that Murray and his representatives consider he’s unable to play.
(Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)
The criticisms fail to contemplate what fuels skilled athletes. I consider the Maple Leafs landed nicely on this resolution. However, I don’t consider they might manipulate the system by placing Murray on the LTIR until Murray agreed to that call, and I doubt that sitting when you might play is what Murray would have chosen.
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Logic means that Murray is knowledgeable (and nonetheless younger) athlete. He’s busted his rear to play in the previous and to rehab his accidents. He WANTS to play. This resolution couldn’t be made with out his compliance. I don’t consider he’s a patsy for a staff that was prepared to purchase him out of his contract.
So Far, Murray Has Been Ignored in the Critique
Thus far, nobody has talked about Murray in this resolution. The critique has ignored that he’s a participant who has company in this resolution.
Perhaps, I’m unsuitable. Perhaps Murray has all of a sudden determined he’s by means of with hockey for the season and would slightly sit at house in Thunder Bay and watch his former teammate Ilya Samsonov attempt to win a Stanley Cup as a substitute of him.
But that simply appears illogical to me.
I’m hoping that individuals don’t forget about Murray. The Maple Leafs will go on. Perhaps Murray received’t, and that will be unhappy.
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