Doubting (Tim) Thomas

by Paper Bag Leaf Fan on Jan 24, 2012 2:51 PM EST

There has been a great deal of angst and dismay regarding Tim Thomas and his decision to not show up at the White House to shake hands with the Commander in Chief. My take, who cares. Apparently a lot of people do however, since many have blasted/praised the move as selfish, honorable, cowardly, brave, mature or childish. Thomas is not the first athlete to refuse to go to the White House (http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/286853/20120124/tim-thomas-athletes-who-snubbed-white-house.htm) and he probably will not be the last. On a sidebar, try to ignore the absurdity for a minute of Mark Chmura refusing to attend a function at the White House because Bill Clinton fooled around with Lewinsky, and then getting busted a few years later for sexually assaulting his teenage babysitter. Let's assume that Thomas does not show up in a few years at some liberal rally or something.

So what was Thomas doing?

From his Facebook page: “I believe the Federal government has grown out of control, threatening the Rights, Liberties, and Property of the People. This is being done at the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial level. This is in direct opposition to the Constitution and the Founding Fathers vision for the Federal government. Because I believe this, today I exercised my right as a Free Citizen, and did not visit the White House. This was not about politics or party, as in my opinion both parties are responsible for the situation we are in as a country. This was about a choice I had to make as an INDIVIDUAL.”

Well OK then.

I don't want to get into whether or not Thomas should have been there. After all, Presidents have a history of knowing nothing at all about hockey, just ask Steve Yzerman. Why sit and listen to a speech that is probably written by some intern from Minnesota or something, while mugging for photos and shaking hands with someone you can't stand (ask anyone whether they enjoyed being forced to shake Sean Avery’s hand after a playoff series if this is any fun. Well, don’t ask Marty Brodeur, he couldn’t tell you).

On the other hand, this is a team function and Thomas clearly is sucking all the fun out of it for his team. They stopped being the focus of a day that should have been truly memorable for them. But really, is this a big deal?

So what do you think he was doing while his team mates were putting on their flashiest suits and schmoozing with the Pres? I couldn’t help but think of an old Simpsons episode when Homer decided he was going to stop going to church. Instead, he starts sleeping in extra-late, has the house all to himself, dances in his underwear and watches football games. I hope Thomas was sitting in his red, white and blue underwear, watching the Fox news network while thanking God for his freedom of choice as an INDIVIDUAL.

I actually hope deep down inside that this in some way derails the Bruins season. I don't think it will, but since the Leafs cannot beat this team, let's just hold out hope. I also hope that some apple-pie eating red blooded American player takes a run at him. That will teach him.

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I have to say - I wasn't sure what to think at first...

First, when I heard a Facebook-presser was imminent, I cringed thinking a hardcore Republinaut diatribe was in the offing.

Then I saw the short, vague statement, and the fact he appeared to condemn both parties made me think, alright, sort of, despite still not really liking the fact that he ditched his team to take this self-aggrandizing and meaningless ‘stand’.

Last – I read he’s a hard-boiled Tea-Bagger who actually wants to get onto Glenn Beck’s show. Glenn Beck is lower than the crud on the jockstrap of the slime on the boots of my shit. If he wasn’t such a clownish turd I’d swear he was the antichrist.

I had really liked Thomas, but I have to say this makes me want to see him fail, and fail hard. Given he’s on the Bruins, and they need a beating, I guess that’s an okay sort of feeling!

by The Blue Spirit on Jan 24, 2012 5:43 PM EST reply actions

That “I hate both sides” thing is probably because he’s a libertarian idiot who thinks the government should be near non-existent.

by PhilSpecter on Jan 24, 2012 6:46 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs

Yep, I thought that was incredibly disingenuous when he said it wasn’t about politics; but then his Tea Party leanings coming flooding out. ‘Rebels are closet aristocrats’ (or something similar) – Frank Herbert.

by The Blue Spirit on Jan 26, 2012 8:38 AM EST up reply actions

The way I see it

Its not often you ever get an Invite to the White House and regardless of what political party is in office at that time, I feel that you should go just to pay “Respect” (as Jimmy Johnson says) or Homage to the what it means to be invited to the official house of the United States Government.

Jimmie Johnson, the Sprint Cup winner, took offense to their snub, tweeting “Regardless of political views, when [the president of the United States] sends an invite and wants to honor you at the White House, you accept.” He ended his tweet with the hashtag “respect.”

I cannot argue with Tim Thomas’ decision or his reasons why he didnt go. The way I see it, thats his opinion. He could have just gone and kept a low profile but by not going you draw attention to yourself as to why your not there with the media. This snowballs and then you have Microphones in your face pressuring you to say why you chose to blow off a team function meeting by not going. But ~ Hey ~ thats his choice. and his opinion.

Were told as soldiers that you cannot ever disrespect or chastise the Commander In Chief or his administration. Were told that its not for us to say if we like or dislike the Commander in Chief or his decisions but rather to carry out the orders given to us as a Diligent Soldier. “Do your duty.”

The positive we can get out of this is that we learned something about Tim Thomas that we never knew before. Thomas is a Glenn Beck fan. LOL

F|73RR08 The fan and artist formally known as FLYERROB ~ I do not advocate to be the comments of any fan base or any NHL Team but rather my own individual self ~ if that upsets you - Sorry. ~ Lori Wilson Gray ~ April 07th 1967 - May 27th 2011 ~ Bob Wilson JR. ~ July 03rd 1944 - November 06th 2011 ~ ~ I love you Sis & Dad !

by FLYERROB on Jan 24, 2012 10:06 PM EST reply actions

In this case, Obama is acting as a representative of the people of America to congratulate the Bruins on their SC victory. Tim Thomas took something that was non political and turned it into a Fox News Tea Party loving slam fest.

Offizielles Mitglied des Müller / Holzer Fan-Clubs. Ich fordere mehr Deutsche in diesem Team ....... wir brauchen Greiss.

by Alspicer on Jan 25, 2012 8:35 AM EST reply actions 1 recs

Tim Thomas is a retarded tea party fuck.

The First Certified Grabbo Lover

by SkinnyFish on Jan 25, 2012 11:22 PM EST reply actions

I think he’ll lose fans over this for sure, even though it doesn’t really have anything to do with his hockey. It’s just the sort of thing that puts you off someone, in that nebulous way that shouldn’t really need justification.

by The Blue Spirit on Jan 26, 2012 8:52 AM EST up reply actions

makes it hard to wear his jersey, that’s for sure. Comes with the connotation that the wearer supports his politics

by TomServo42 on Jan 26, 2012 3:47 PM EST up reply actions

good for tim thomas

i’m pro tea-party…. what’s the big deal? i’m surprised to read some of the nasty comments on here. why all the hate? tea party folks hate big government & out of control spending… this somehow offends people? (shruggin)

by magecanuck on Jan 26, 2012 7:43 AM EST reply actions

I think everyone has a gut instinct that ‘less government is better’. And that’s the libertarian sort of thing the Tea Party trade on. But doesn’t the fact that they’re clearly crazy xenophobes have you a bit concerned? Self-deportation? Glenn Beck? I mean, Glenn Beck, who shills for gold while beating the drums of apocalypse? He’s seriously a very bad human being.

I’m not a real follower of politics, but they don’t pass the smell test. They don’t even get near the smell test because they’re stopped by a military team in biohazard suits long before they get there.

I understand the sentiment – but they are a crazy and paranoid breed from everything I’ve seen.

by The Blue Spirit on Jan 26, 2012 8:37 AM EST up reply actions

And thus it all made sense.

The First Certified Grabbo Lover

by SkinnyFish on Jan 26, 2012 4:27 PM EST up reply actions

I think

it just bugs people (and makes them VERY suspicious of true tea bagger motives) when they start coming out of the wordwork after a Black Democrat from Hawaii is elected President. If they are so fed up, so pro-U.S. Constitution, anti-big government, then it is awfully disingenuous to do all they do years AFTER the Patriot Act, an illegal war in Iraq, illegally torturing and spying on Americans, huge corporate tax cuts and bailouts are authorized by a White Republican from Connecticut….. Where are all the tea party rallies at the Republican debates and primaries??

by dsciswe on Jan 28, 2012 4:10 PM EST up reply actions

/

Resident Internet Tough Guy

by JaredFromLondon on Jan 28, 2012 5:01 PM EST up reply actions

If it were the Flyers and not the Bruins

It’s not difficult to see that the Flyers organization is pretty rigid in terms of respect and tradition. If the Bruins’ ownership led by Jacobs is considered strict, imagine how fast Ed Snider would have had Thomas on the next flight out of town… that shit just isn’t tolerated on classy sports clubs.

Lifelong Leafs Fan living in Habs Country.

by JeanValjean on Jan 26, 2012 8:22 AM EST reply actions

I thought it sounded like his teammates (as well as Julien/Chiarelli) were doing their best to not get into it but were all secretly thinking, ‘what the fuck’?

by The Blue Spirit on Jan 26, 2012 9:45 AM EST up reply actions

Ed Snider would have been right there with Thomas at their remote weapons cache.

by TomServo42 on Jan 26, 2012 3:49 PM EST up reply actions

there are things I care less about than Tim Thomas’ political views, but it is a small list

Resident Internet Tough Guy

by JaredFromLondon on Jan 26, 2012 11:41 AM EST reply actions 1 recs

If I were on the team, and had to deal with what he caused, would I be happy? No way. Putting in a blurb about ‘both parties’ is pretty sad. White Republican, no way Mr. American disrespects his team like that.

by dsciswe on Jan 28, 2012 4:14 PM EST reply actions