Ilya Bryzgalov’s parting words to Flyers’ media: ‘What have you done besides only criticize?’
"Get me out of here."
It's been a rough weekend for the Philadelphia media. On Saturday, Flyers' GM Paul Holmgren erupted at them, launching into a profanity-laced tirade after one question too many about Peter Laviolette's future.
On Sunday, Ilya Bryzgalov had some choice words for them as well.
Cleaning out his stuff at the team's practice facility in Voorhees, Bryzgalov gave the scrum of reporters gathered around him an impromptu lesson in journalism. His central thesis: you're all bad at it.
When asked if being blamed for the Flyers' struggles this year bothered him, this is what he had to say. From the Courier Post Online:
Not anymore. Not anymore. You guys just here to blame someone. You never look yourselves in the mirror, eh? You’re always good. You never make the mistakes. Your articles are always perfect. In reality, what have you done for this city? If you ask yourself, what have you done besides only criticize? Not much.
But sometimes the media do more than criticize. Sometimes they ask follow-up questions, and this certainly necessitated one.
Next, Bryzgalov was asked if he felt the media coverage was unfair, and his response to this question is incredible:
It’s not like fair or unfair. We already had the conversation. It’s just ridiculous. Just ridiculous. Sometimes you’re reading and it’s like, ‘Oh my God, who is this lunatic?’ What are they writing about. It was nothing close to the truth or close to related to hockey. You read this and you’re like, ‘Oh my God, I’ve got to deal with these people every day.’
Only until 2020.
More Bryz:
I’ve said it before, guys. Before you’re writing something you’ve got to read what you’re writing. I’m two years here. I never saw it like good article with everything, like, ‘Flyers lose the game because this, this, this, this, this. They need to improve their game like this, this, this or this.’ I never. That’s what called professionalism. It’s like, ‘OK, this reporter knows hockey. He knows what he talking about.’
And don't think Bryzgalov is just basing his opinions on a small sample of the local writing. Every major sports city has a finger-pointing lunatic or two amongst its media. Maybe Bryzgalov just needs to broaden his horizons?
Nope. Asked how much of it he reads, the goalie responded, "A lot. A lot."
"We have some clips in the locker room pretty much every day. I read a lot. I read a lot. Believe me."
For a guy that isn't all that fond of the coverage, he sure keeps up with it.
Here's video of the entire, amazing scrum:
