Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Far too erudite for hockey

The followers of the Winnipeg Jets may not have much in the way of playoff hockey to follow this season, but when it comes to thoughtful and reasoned responses from management, their team leads the league.

David Thomson, partner of Mark Chipman in the great Jets adventure has  provided another stirring address about his newfound ownership status, using words that could send most of us off to a thesaurus to fully understand their full meaning and the potent emphasis that they provide for.

An interview with the Gary Lawton of the Winnipeg Free Press highlight's not only Mr. Thomson's command of the language, but the sense of stability he has brought to the Jets franchise. Even if he only makes the trek to Winnipeg four or five times in a season to watch the team in person.

It brings to mind that opening press conference when the relocation was announced and the words from Thomson rendered the rest of the day's speakers as but twitter feeds in the lexicon of what hockey means.

He's definitely a one of a kind type of owner, somehow we can't see him in the same light (let alone the same room) as any number of film flam, short flip owners that have passed through the NHL's turnstile at Gary Bettman's office.

Hockey would probably be a lot better off if they could find more David Thomson's to share the burden of ownership, the passion he has for the game and from that the passion he has brought to the Winnipeg franchise most likely partially accounts for the resounding success of the return of the Jets this season.

You have to wonder if for the good of the game, the guy can be cloned?

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