Bradley, Kovalev make media missteps

Most of the media has been focusing on the words of Matt Bradley, the former Washington Capital and current Florida Panther, earlier in the week after he publically questioned the competitiveness of Alexander Semin and others on his former team during an interview with TEAM 1200 radio in Ottawa. The first thing I thought about was how easy it is for players to misstep with the media during the off-season. We all talk a little more off-the-cuff about work when we are on vacation right?

Now I had the opportunity to meet Matt Bradley after their seven-game playoff series loss to the Philadelphia Flyers after the ’07-’08 season. While he is known for his aggressiveness on the ice and occasional fight, my initial impression of him was a laid back, well-spoken individual who is willing to speak his mind. This interview and how he conducted himself didn’t surprise me at all.

Granted we all need to vent sometimes, and what better opportunity for the media to get an inside view of a dressing room than from an outgoing player, but for Bradley it’s an easy time to get taken advantage of. Most players are playing golf, at their lake homes, going to concerts and far away from their team's PR professionals and those who remind them to be careful about what they say around the media.

Take a minute to read what Alex Kovalev said last week about the Ottawa media, his former coach in Ottawa, and his most recent season in Pittsburgh. All of Kovalev’s comments would certainly not pass muster with media relations and PR people. My favorite was with regards to the Ottawa media, “don’t watch hockey at all. When they fly with the team and go through the (metal detector) at an airport, their bags are filled with beer.”

Now either Kovalev simply doesn’t care now that he is in the KHL (most likely) or he is drinking too many beers himself, but these are comments that typically wouldn’t be heard during the season. There is something of a company line players must tote during the season. They have to be responsible for their actions and comments made to the media. GM’s and coaches have a much closer eye on what their players are saying to the media during the season.

During the off-season, or really when anybody is away from their jobs for a significant length of time, it is easy to let your guard down and open up about your employer and co-workers when they seem far away. Even more so for Bradley as he reports to Florida in a few weeks, not Washington. But I think this is a good example for players to pay attention to. Just remember you have to go back to work and eventually own up to what you said during the offseason, so be careful. You are not talking to your friends around the house on a lazy summer Saturday; the media will take your words and distribute them around the world.

I listened to the interview and didn’t feel they were leading him on at all. They actually mentioned how forthright Bradley was and genuinely seemed surprised he mentioned any players by name. He answered the questioned honestly, candidly, and didn’t feel the need to censor his opinions. Certainly something people in the media would like to see more from players, but organizations hate to hear. At least it always makes for a great story.

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