Scrawler Jack Todd Strikes Out Again

Author/Illustrator Bio:
"Jack Todd is one of Canada's most gifted and successful journalists. He lives in Montreal."

I found this gem off the 'net.' Just how bad is sports writing in Canada for Jack Todd to earn such adulation?

Before I move forward, consider this ghastly gem from an award winning sports writer. He wrote this during the NHL 2005 hockey playoffs:

"We were wrong. Hockey doesn't belong in Carolina because the fans and the people who run the Hurricanes organization are a bunch of lobotomized basketball-loving cretins who wouldn't know an icing call from a spear to the ribs.

They don't deserve Eric Staal, they don't deserve Erik Cole, they don't deserve Rod Brind'Amour, they don't deserve Cam Ward - but they do deserve a shot of tobacco juice right in the eye.

Why? Because last night, the RBC Centre (may an earthquake swallow it up) became Carolina's version of hell on Earth. Why? Because the powers that be in their infinite stupidity decided to pass out Idiot Stix to the crowd."

Terrible. Just plain awful.

On to the post as intended. He writes:

"It is no secret that I have never been a partisan of either Schumacher or Ferrari. I suffer from a natural disinclination to root for overdogs, I am close enough to the Second World War generation to have difficulty warming to Germans in any guise (except the Greens) and in the first years of his success, I found Schumacher both cold and arrogant."

A friend pointed me to this article this morning. Once I got past the head scratching, the first thing I thought was 'what's the point?'' Compacted in this paragraph reveal that his column continues to suffer from intellectual sclerosis. It seems as though he lets his infantile and impetuous irrationality get the better of him each time - is this considered great journalism?

Let's dissect, for the plain fun of it, shall we? Now keep in mind this paragraph pales in comparison to more radically oriented pieces he has written in the past. If I would discuss Todd each time I would have to dedicate this blog to his work.

"I suffer a natural disinclination to root for over dogs." Fair enough. We don't all have to cheer for the Lakers, Cowboys or Yankees. But he does root for the Canadiens. While the Habs may not be an 'overdog' these days, I do consider them to be in the same category of the Yankees and Ferrari. So, in essence he picks and chooses which 'overdogs' he will cheer for. If his friend Clara Hughes becomes a dominant amateur athlete will he cease from cheering for her?

In terms of Ferrari, let's be reminded that there is no F1 without the mystique, majesty and aura of Ferrari. It is Enzo Ferrari and the golden age of Italian and British racing in the 1950s that made racing what it is today. Pick up any book or research on the Internet about its history. From its stunning design ethics to the origins of the Prancing Horse and you find a creative force no different than witnessed during the Renaissance. Sometimes 'overdogs' reach the pinnacle for a reason. Namely, because they are better than the rest.

"...I am close enough to the Second World War generation to have difficulty warming to Germans in any guise (except the Greens)..."

If I'm German this statement does not impress me. So, Germany is to suffer forever for its past no matter how much it makes amends? No wonder he has a fixated fascination with the negative aspects of America. All he has ever been capable of is fanatical anti-Bush rants about America being a 'rogue' state. Every culture has skeletons in its past. To hang on to this is typical of the zeitgeist of our times.

Again, he's being rather selective here. He may be 'close enough to a generation' but he is not of that generation. He's part of that narcissistic baby boomer clan who chose to rebel against the previous generation. I'm no fan of bringing this up but Todd is an American who came to Canada during the Vietnam War. I'm sure a day doesn't go by where he doesn't think about this decision. A decision that coincided with many of his friends and compatriots staying back and facing their fate. We shouldn't judge (even though he does an incredible amount of it himself) but one would think that he would know better. Neo-liberals - because they are not true liberals - of this sort are shocking in their interpretations of history - or lack thereof.

As for the Greens, as a writer who considers art and design part of the essence of humanity let it be known that environmentalists are part of the reason why the state of architecture and design is on its heels during modernity. Much of the positions of any Green party may seem noble but they suffer from the same hypocrisy as any party. Where they all meet (besides for lust for power) is that they all believe in junk science.

"...I found him to be cold and arrogant..."

Recall the passage about Carolina. He once attacked Schumi for racing on the weekend of his mother's passing. Is this not an example of arrogance? What business was it of Todd's to question Schumi's morality? Who knows what was said between mother and son? What does he know about Schumacher's family and upbringing?

They say wisdom comes with age. Now in his 60s, Jack Todd proves that this adage has its limits. Just more unfortunate utterances from an unworthy and useless sports writer.