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kipwinger

Slava Fetisov: Giant Hypocrite.

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Slava Fetisov, former Red Wing defenseman and star of the wildly popular documentary "Red Army", wants Russian law to ban Russian hockey players from coming to the U.S. before their 28th birthday.

You'll recall Fetisov's story. He bucked Soviet law preventing him from coming to the U.S. to play hockey, by refusing to play for their national team. In the documentary he explained how he wanted to be free to make his own decisions, make his own money, and determine his own future, without being coerced by federal authorities.

And now he's a federal authority. And he's trying to restrict young players from having those very same liberties.

Here's a thought Slava. Rather than using a draconian legal system to force people to stay against their will, how's about you work toward reforming said legal system, and equally restrictive and authoritarian economic policies, so that people will WANT to stay in your s***ty country. You are, after all, a Senator.

What a dick.

http://espn.go.com/nhl/story/_/id/12931779/slava-fetisov-wants-ban-young-russians-going-nhl

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Putin made him do it

Probably.

Apparently authoritarianism is only bad when it stops YOU from doing something you want. Otherwise, it's pretty much fine by Slava.

Edited by kipwinger

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The obnoxious thing about it is that it won't make Russian professional hockey more viable. It won't do anything he's hoping it will do. It will just make Russian hockey crappy because nobody who's playing it will give a damn. And anybody who gives a damn will turn their efforts toward activities that aren't subject to repression.

How do I know? Because it already happened with Russian sports. And industry. And art. And everything else. Forcing people to do something stifles motivation, creativity, passion, hard work, and effort. It NEVER increases them. Ask Slava, it's exactly how he felt in 1989.

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The obnoxious thing about it is that it won't make Russian professional hockey more viable. It won't do anything he's hoping it will do. It will just make Russian hockey crappy because nobody who's playing it will give a damn. And anybody who gives a damn will turn their efforts toward activities that aren't subject to repression.

How do I know? Because it already happened with Russian sports. And industry. And art. And everything else. Forcing people to do something stifles motivation, creativity, passion, hard work, and effort. It NEVER increases them. Ask Slava, it's exactly how he felt in 1989.

On the contrary, most Russians regard the soviet era as the golden age of Russia. You only regard the period as stifling because you have been blinded by decadent western imperialism.

What's Slava's job in Russia again?

Edited by number9

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To be fair, the top hockey players in the KHL get paid way more money than Fetisov was making in Russia. This is all about about wanting to still win trophies on the international stage because there is a disconnect between Russian NHL players and Russian KHL players.

Yes, forcing them all to play in one league would probably be better for Russian hockey, but many players will still want to play in the best league in the world, so there will be disgruntled players anyway.

What Fetisov is asking for is a pipe dream.

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On the contrary, most Russians regard the soviet era as the golden age of Russia. You only regard the period as stifling because you have been blinded by decadent western imperialism.

What's Slava's job in Russia again?

Senator. But in Putin's Russia being the elected representative of the public is largely a ceremonial position. You're not really expected (or allowed) to do much.

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The obnoxious thing about it is that it won't make Russian professional hockey more viable. It won't do anything he's hoping it will do. It will just make Russian hockey crappy because nobody who's playing it will give a damn. And anybody who gives a damn will turn their efforts toward activities that aren't subject to repression.

How do I know? Because it already happened with Russian sports. And industry. And art. And everything else. Forcing people to do something stifles motivation, creativity, passion, hard work, and effort. It NEVER increases them. Ask Slava, it's exactly how he felt in 1989.

Haven't you ever read "We" or "Brave New World"?

If I have to choose between free will and happiness, I choose happiness. I want to be mind controlled to be happy. I want to be plugged back into The Matrix, baby!

JK. Successful mind control like in those novels is not yet viable. We still have a long way to go.

Senator. But in Putin's Russia being the elected representative of the public is largely a ceremonial position. You're not really expected (or allowed) to do much.

Whereas here, people in DC actually get stuff done, right? :dozing:

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Haven't you ever read "We" or "Brave New World"?

If I have to choose between free will and happiness, I choose happiness. I want to be mind controlled to be happy. I want to be plugged back into The Matrix, baby!

JK. Successful mind control like in those novels is not yet viable. We still have a long way to go.

Whereas here, people in DC actually get stuff done, right? :dozing:

At least as much as lawyers do.

Besides, helping you dingbats see the light is almost a full time job.

Edit: You should read the foreword by Erich Fromm in the reissued addition of "1984". It argues that modern capitalist societies ARE the Matrix. You ARE being lulled into a passive state of "happiness". Which equates to nothing more than satiation. But you didn't choose it. And it wasn't forced on you. It's just an unintentional, uncaring, affect of affluence.

Edited by kipwinger

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They are lawyers. Thankfully, the good old boys will be gone in 10 to 20 years. Then the new generation takes over.

That's what people have been saying since the 1960's. There will always be good old boys, because there will always folks too invested in the status quo to change anything...

Hence, Slava Fetisov's complete about face.

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So, essentially, you're shocked that a Russian is stating his opinion that is a complete "about face" from his previous stance.

I'm shocked that you're shocked. This is what Russia is about.

I'm not shocked. I feel like all but the very rarest of people are self serving. I posted about it because it had to do with a former Red Wing, who's been in the public eye recently because of a documentary highlighting his personal struggle AGAINST this type of thing. I'm just pointing out the hypocrisy (and futility) of his viewpoint. But I'm not shocked or surprised by it. He's a company man. As most people would be if they had something to gain from it.

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That's what people have been saying since the 1960's. There will always be good old boys, because there will always folks too invested in the status quo to change anything...

Hence, Slava Fetisov's complete about face.

When our generation of people who play video games in their 30's grows up, I have no idea what we'll be like. But we won't be like the older people today. It's a less mature generation we live in. Technology has done that.

It's not much different in Russia. The younger generations are less mature, get married at later ages and are more independent. People play with their cell phones all day like mindless idiots. Will be even worse for the generations after ours. Fetisov grew up playing on the Red Army team when regulations and rules were everything and you didn't get paid jack squat. Nowadays, players hang out whenever they want, make millions and have lots of freedom.

You'll never see teams again like the Red Army team because there's too much independence now. A bunch of controlled robots being forced to play for the country is not possible.

Edited by GMRwings1983

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When our generation of people who play video games in their 30's grows up, I have no idea what we'll be like. But we won't be like the older people today. It's a less mature generation we live in. Technology has done that.

It's not much different in Russia. The younger generations are less mature, get married at later ages and are more independent. People play with their cell phones all day like mindless idiots. Will be even worse for the generations after ours. Fetisov grew up playing on the Red Army team when regulations and rules were everything and you didn't get paid jack squat. Nowadays, players hang out whenever they want, make millions and have lots of freedom.

You'll never see teams again like the Red Army team because there's too much independence now. A bunch of controlled robots being forced to play for the country is not possible.

I completely agree. What's more, I don't know why you'd want to even try. The entire model has been discredited. It only held together as long as it did is because you could threaten and coerce people into deciding that any other behavior wasn't worth the cost.

If you're going to ban guys from coming to the NHL, what are you going to do when they defect? Or refuse to play for the national team? Are you going to have travel bans? Are you going to beat them? Are you going to threaten their families?

The old Soviet system was only possible because the government was willing to enforce it by every means. Unless you're willing to completely control every part of these players lives you can't stop them from boarding a plane for the U.S. whenever they want.

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The obnoxious thing about it is that it won't make Russian professional hockey more viable. It won't do anything he's hoping it will do. It will just make Russian hockey crappy because nobody who's playing it will give a damn. And anybody who gives a damn will turn their efforts toward activities that aren't subject to repression.

How do I know? Because it already happened with Russian sports. And industry. And art. And everything else. Forcing people to do something stifles motivation, creativity, passion, hard work, and effort. It NEVER increases them. Ask Slava, it's exactly how he felt in 1989.

Though with art and creativity, some of the best stuff was the result of oppression. Just take a look at the films from Eastern Europe that were banned in the 50's, 60's and 70's, the most brilliant art ever committed to celluloid. It's a terrible reason to oppress, obviously and I'm disappointed in Fetisov. It's going to be a monumental task to create a culture shift in Russia, the roots are so deep.

If you're going to ban guys from coming to the NHL, what are you going to do when they defect? Or refuse to play for the national team? Are you going to have travel bans? Are you going to beat them? Are you going to threaten their families?

.

If they could get away with it they would, that ideology is only a short stroll from the one Fetisov is supporting.

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At least as much as lawyers do.

Besides, helping you dingbats see the light is almost a full time job.

Edit: You should read the foreword by Erich Fromm in the reissued addition of "1984". It argues that modern capitalist societies ARE the Matrix. You ARE being lulled into a passive state of "happiness". Which equates to nothing more than satiation. But you didn't choose it. And it wasn't forced on you. It's just an unintentional, uncaring, affect of affluence.

Just chiming in to say that Fromm's foreward alone is worth the price of admission to reread the reissue. 1984 was never one of my favorites, but it is fascinating to revisit it every 10 years or so in light of how society continues to (d?)evolve.

As for Slava, I'm now picturing him as a villain on horseback in some Eisenstein film...

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Even though I know rationally that the Soviet Union was one of the most powerful and influential military and political super powers in the history of the world, having grown up at the end of the Cold War it's very hard to think of anything regarding Russia or Socialism/Communism as anything other than a Yakov Smirnoff punchline.

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Even though I know rationally that the Soviet Union was one of the most powerful and influential military and political super powers in the history of the world, having grown up at the end of the Cold War it's very hard to think of anything regarding Russia or Socialism/Communism as anything other than a Yakov Smirnoff punchline.

And that's one of the (many) inherent troubles with socialism. People don't realize when it's taken hold or they laugh it off. "That could never happen here."

Back on topic, Fetisov is an authoritarian toady. When one advocates limiting the freedom of another, the only way to enforce it is with a gun.

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Guys, please save your indignation. I just listened to Fetisov interview where he allegedly said what you are all railing about. Well, he didn't. He said that KHL needs Russian Labor laws amended, so they can introduce RFA status for younger players (up tp 27 years old), like the NHL does. As law stands now, any Russian player (or any other employee) can break his contract and effectively become a UFA on their own initiative and with 2 weeks notice,

I am not Fetisov's greatest fan, he said and did a few things I disadree with since he left for Russia, but this time. he is not guilty of what he is accused of..

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