Habs search for answers amid historically horrid start to season
HOUSTON — Bob McNair, the chairman and chief executive of the Houston Texans, apologized Friday after a report said he declared “we can’t have the inmates running the prison” during a meeting of NFL owners over what to do about players who kneel in protest during the national anthem.
McNair said he regretted using the expression and that he was “not referring to our players.”
“I used a figure of speech that was never intended to be taken literally,” McNair said. “I would never characterize our players or our league that way and I apologize to anyone who was offended by it.”
Texans left tackle Duane Brown told reporters that he was “sickened” by McNair’s words.
“I think the comments were disrespectful, I think it was ignorant, I think it was embarrassing,” Brown said. “I think it angered a lot of players, including myself. We put our bodies and minds every time we step on the field. To use an analogy of inmates in a prison, I would say they’re disrespectful.”
Coach Bill O’Brien was asked about the situation, but wouldn’t get into specifics about it as his team prepared for a game against the Seahawks.
“It’s been addressed,” he said. “I’m really here to talk about Seattle. I’m 100 per cent with these players. Our coaching staff’s 100 per cent behind these players. If you have Seattle questions, that’s what I’m here to talk about, with all due respect, and there’s a lot of respect there. I just want to focus on Seattle. I think that’s what our team is trying to do.”
The comment was published in an story about two recent days of meetings among owners, players and others to discuss the protests that have drawn the ire of U.S. President Donald Trump. Players, following the lead of former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick, say they kneel to protest social injustices, particularly against African-Americans. Trump has sharply criticized the protests and even called on NFL owners to fire players.
The meetings earlier this month did not result in a policy change that would require players to stand for the anthem.
Brown is the only Texan who has participated in the anthem protests, raising his fist at the end of the anthem at a game in New England last season. Brown, who returned to the team this week after holding out the first six games because of contract issues, hasn’t done that since then.
BROSSARD, Que. — The first 10 games of the NHL season have been a nightmare for the Montreal Canadiens.
The 2-7-1 Canadiens are off to the third worst-start in their history with only five points, the lowest total since they started with six points in 1999-2000.
The season is only three weeks old and they are already last in the Eastern Conference and second last overall in the 31-team NHL, only ahead of the 0-9-1 Arizona Coyotes.
“It’s a long year, we know that,” winger Brendan Gallagher said Friday. “We’re not going to give up.
“But it does need to turn around quickly. We need to start putting together some wins. You can’t look too far ahead. You can’t win three games in one night. But look at the standings. We’re five or six points out but with 72 games left, so it’s definitely not impossible to do. We have to bear down and find a way to win.”
The Canadiens will try to get back on track Saturday night when another underperforming team, the 3-6-2 New York Rangers, visit the Bell Centre. Backup Rangers goalie Ondrej Pavelec is to make a second straight start in goal.
No one has accused the Canadiens of not working hard. They have outshot opponents eight times, but have been outscored 38-17. It hasn’t helped that star goalie Carey Price has struggled early with a 3.60 goals-against average and a .887 save percentage — brutal numbers for the 2015 Vezina Trophy winner.
A 4-0 loss at home to the Los Angeles Kings was typical of their season so far. Montreal had the puck most of the game, had a 40-28 shot advantage and most of the quality chances. But goals 11 seconds apart late in the first period gave the Kings the lead and Jonathan Quick shut the door the rest of the way.
By the third period, fans were booing, or mock-cheering when Price saved easy dump-ins.
“It’s obviously frustration on their part from a lack of wins, but I don’t think they can say we’re not competing hard and battling,” said Gallagher. “The work ethic’s been there.
“There are little differences between winning and losing. We know what they are. It’s definitely fixable.”
It has been a tough beginning for centre Jonathan Drouin, the local talent who was ecstatic when he was traded to Montreal for defenceman Mikhail Sergachev in July. Drouin leads the team with two goals and five assists, but has seen mostly gloomy times so far in red, white and blue.
“I’d rather we were winning and we were seeing the good side of the fans, but that’s the way the market is in Montreal,” the 22-year-old said. “I’m getting used to it.
“Every day something new happens. But at the end of the day it’s just passionate fans.”
Much of the Canadiens troubles has been put down to bad bounces that they expect to even out over time, although they had the same trouble in last year’s playoffs. They were the favourites after a 103-point regular season, but the attack disappeared in a six-game first-round loss to the Rangers and it hasn’t come back.
Coach Claude Julien isn’t about to panic, however.
“It’s a business that’s results-oriented but right now we’re not getting results,” said Julien. “But anyone who watches the game knows we’re not playing bad hockey.
“We were the better team (against the Kings). The answer is in that dressing room. We feel we’re close to turning it around. We can’t throw in the towel.”
Julien had good news for rookie defenceman Victor Mete, who was told to find his own lodgings because he will be staying with the NHL club. Mete expects that his mother will come and live with him for at least his first year on his own in Montreal.
The coach had no update on winger Nikita Scherbak, who left the game with a leg injury.
The Canadiens confirmed that Martin Reway, one of their most gifted prospects, has asked for time off to reflect on his future. Reway, who was playing for the AHL Laval Rocket, was on a comeback after missing all of last season with an undisclosed illness that reportedly was a problem that affected his heart.