PLAYOFFS? PLAYOFFS?! SHAME ON VERSUS, NHL FOR NEW TWIST ON COLOUR COMMENTARY

Versus has ex-goalie John Vanbiesbrouck working as the analyst on the Dallas Stars-Vancouver Canucks playoffs series. Anyone see a problem with this?

Four years ago, Vanbiesbrouck, coaching the junior Soo Greyhounds, repeatedly used a racial slur — the racial slur — in the presence of two players to describe then-Greyhounds captain and current Dallas defenceman Trevor Daley, who is African-Canadian. Daley told a reporter before the start of this season that he and Vanbiesbrouck haven't spoken since.

What's next? Don Imus as a between-periods studio analyst? After all, he is available.

At best, Vanbiesbrouck has a conflict of interest that should preclude him from calling games Daley plays in, especially if the matter is still unresolved in Daley's mind. At worst, though, the NHL is guilty of the worst kind of corporate hypocrisy.

Remember, last year, Rogers Sportsnet in Canada, for god knows whatever reason, wanted to use Sean Avery as an analyst during the playoffs. The P.R.-paranoid NHL nixed it, worried about the reputation Avery had gained after a couple incidents involving remarks he's made toward French-Canadian players.

So why is one kind of bigotry condemned and while another is pretended away? Once again, the NHL is its own worst enemy. The league has made an effort to introduce the game to people who grew up like Daley, who grew up in public housing in Toronto, but it's funny how they can kind of get it on a corporate level, but not get it on a personal level.

How can Versus and their partners at the NHL justify this? Don't stand there and say it doesn't matter, since it's Versus — the league has an obligation to be consistent in its dealings with its broadcast partners, and to protect minority players from racial abuse in a sport that's 98-99% white. If someone didn't make the connection between Vanbiesbrouck and Daley's shared past, shame on them for not realizing it.

Vanbiesbrouck was publicly shamed over his racial gaffe. He quit coaching in the Soo and sold his ownership stake in the team. He deserves a second chance, but last anyone checked, there were several other playoff series Versus could assign him to cover.

Thanks to the Canadian expat living in the States who sent this along.

Related:
Stars-Canucks Game 1 highlights (Versus.com)
Stars' Daley keeps his balance (Mike Heika, Dallas Morning News, Aug. 30, 2006)