Bourne column: stick sponsorships

[magmajesus 0]

Bourne Blog: Do players get the shaft in NHL stick sponsorship?

New Bourne column - what do you guys think?

[Harv 86]

Interesting to say the least.

I wonder how much of this is really true.

[xrickyb86x 1]

What do you mean? I don't take Bourne as a guy who just spews random non fact on his blogs.

[troy 12]

Not sure if that was sarcasm or not, but one of his recent equipment pieces stated Crosby was wearing skates made by someone other than Reebok. This was promptly debunked by both JR and JunkyardAthletic I believe.

[Harv 86]

Not sure if that was sarcasm or not, but one of his recent equipment pieces stated Crosby was wearing skates made by someone other than Reebok. This was promptly debunked by both JR and JunkyardAthletic I believe.

This.

A few were calling Bourne out on his facts..

[MrWizard 0]

Not sure if that was sarcasm or not, but one of his recent equipment pieces stated Crosby was wearing skates made by someone other than Reebok. This was promptly debunked by both JR and JunkyardAthletic I believe.

I could be wrong (I don't remember the article exactly) but I thought he said he "heard" Crosby's skates were rebranded, that he wasn't the one making the actual claim. Not saying he's right, just that is original comments might have been misconstrued.

EDIT: Found the comment.

"A couple years back I know (or rather, I frequently heard from other players) he was wearing another companies boot, but had it customed to look like the RBK skate"

[dayroc 0]

I think "kickbacks" in the business world is illegal. I dont think any company would admit to giving out "kickbacks."

I'm sure there is some truth to his article, just maybe not his specific examples are correct. There is no way everything is all honey, i mean just look at the repainted sticks most pro's are using. This is it self is a big let down.

[xrickyb86x 1]

This.

A few were calling Bourne out on his facts..

As stated above, he never claimed what he knew about Sid's skates were fact. This current blog seems to be coming from the mouth to his keyboard from people legitimately in the industry.

[troy 12]

I could be wrong (I don't remember the article exactly) but I thought he said he "heard" Crosby's skates were rebranded, that he wasn't the one making the actual claim. Not saying he's right, just that is original comments might have been misconstrued.

EDIT: Found the comment.

"A couple years back I know (or rather, I frequently heard from other players) he was wearing another companies boot, but had it customed to look like the RBK skate"

He is the one redistributing hearsay, so I think that plays into how people view his credibility on such matters.

[halfmoonyote 0]

Nothing good can come of this, so before it gets locked, I told Bourne as much in his last column that he's a negative and misinformed rumor monger. If you guys can find the last column, it's in the comments section. The comment was published but not sure if it was removed. He comes off as jaded and angry, and with a personal agenda.

With all due respect, this guy is a nobody. His opinion isn't worth any more than many that post here. If anything I feel sorry for him that he makes such a big deal out of his Dad's success while as a means of validating his own.

[MrWizard 0]

He is the one redistributing hearsay, so I think that plays into how people view his credibility on such matters.

Oh I agree, not making excuses for him, just figured it was worth a mention.

[decoy 164]

Nothing good can come of this, so before it gets locked, I told Bourne as much in his last column that he's a negative and misinformed rumor monger. If you guys can find the last column, it's in the comments section. The comment was published but not sure if it was removed. He comes off as jaded and angry, and with a personal agenda.

With all due respect, this guy is a nobody. His opinion isn't worth any more than many that post here. If anything I feel sorry for him that he makes such a big deal out of his Dad's success while as a means of validating his own.

Link: http://www.jtbourne.com/reader-questions-follow-gear-sponsorship/

And locked thread: http://www.modsquadhockey.com/forums/index.php?/topic/56106-justin-bourne-gear-sponsorship-and-more/

[halfmoonyote 0]

LOL

I love the fanboi comments. It's amazing what the public gobbles up as truth.

'Angry Letter Hall of Fame'. He doesn't want me to go full blown Mack on him.

[Jarick 5]

I really don't see what the big deal is. Do any of the people who read his articles for Yahoo or THN or Deadspin or anything know enough about hockey gear that they can spot Eagle making Joe Thornton's gloves and rebranding them as CCM? No. Hell, until I joined this site many years ago I didn't realize that players didn't use their retail curves, let alone having their sticks repainted.

It's all coming from one comment about Sid's skates. Not a multitude of disinformation.

I enjoy reading his articles (mostly the ones that deal with strategy and the life of a pro hockey player), and until someone higher up on the hockey chain starts blogging with that much of a window into their world, he's the closest thing the hockey "blogosphere" has to insight from a pro hockey player.

[AIREAYE 248]

Well, maybe he has insight that we don't? I don't know either, as I can't judge whose credibility is 'better', same goes for the majority of posters here. Until someone can show us a clear final statement with solid evidence, we all should let this play out some.

[DolomaticDangles 13]

Just did a search for pro stock Crosby skates just out of curiosity and this came up. I could be wrOng but I believe Crosbys ARE dressed??

Do NHL players such as Sidney Crosby and Pavel Datsyuk have fully functioning pump skates or are the skates dressed up to look like the top retail model?

Answer:

Yes indeed, Sidney and Pavel wear the exact same skate you find on the shelves of your local retailer. Even pros can’t do better than the 9K Pump: It’s lightweight, customizable, and features the most advanced technology on the market. The durability of its outer shell and the structural enhancements that increase speed and acceleration- mean the 9K is ideal for NHL ice.

[stevo_323 0]

Seems to me that Easton is afraid of Bauer, or else "Mr. periodic work for Easton" wouldn't have mentioned it.

As far as the Joe Thornton example, he needs to do his homework. That is nowhere near the true story.

I do know that when I was a pro rep, both Bauer and CCM/Reebok would entice players to use their products by giving players gift cards for any product that their specific companies made. Mission (pre-Bauer), enticed players with "gifts", such as household appliances (to include, at the time, plasma TVs, stainless steel refrigerators, etc.), and, had a kick back to the EQM as well.

As far as what is done today, well, pro reps will tell you that their company doesn't pay anyone.

He didnt say it as truth,

"Here's a random example: say Joe Thornton likes Eagle gloves, but has a deal to use CCM. Well, CCM will get him Eagle gloves, then custom-modify them to look like their latest CCM's — if your name is big enough, this can be made to work with sticks (and skates) as well. Talk about the best of both worlds."

He just used Joe Thorton as a player in an example. He didnt say that was true.

[JR Boucicaut 3805]

He didnt say it as truth,

"Here's a random example: say Joe Thornton likes Eagle gloves, but has a deal to use CCM. Well, CCM will get him Eagle gloves, then custom-modify them to look like their latest CCM's — if your name is big enough, this can be made to work with sticks (and skates) as well. Talk about the best of both worlds."

He just used Joe Thorton as a player in an example. He didnt say that was true.

But the fact that he uses Thornton as an example makes it a statement...people who would actually pay attention to the equipment that players are wearing, insider or not, would know that Thornton is NOT wearing an off-the-rack CCM glove. By Bourne bringing up this "example," and going as far as to name the brand that is being ghosted makes it fact in most people's eyes.

[JR Boucicaut 3805]

Outside of Staal111218 and myself, I don't know of anyone else on MSH that would have the experience of what transpires between player and rep on a day in, day out basis. JR?

As far as his comments on Thornton's gloves, I was the Eagle rep dealing with Joe at the time Joe did his deal with CCM. Joe never wore "our" glove because he liked Eagle better; he had no clue that it was Eagle making his gloves!

I don't know that Staal111218 is at liberty to discuss what Bauer pays players that use their products, but, $9? Hmmmmmmmmm. That's like saying that Louisville Slugger pays MLB players $50 to use their bats... Wait a minute, when I was at TPS and got a behind the scenes tour of the Louisville factory, that was true!

Other than product managers who don't post as much as you guys do, no.

[SnakeHockey 0]

Is rebranding actually happening/legal? For example, a Bauer stick being painted as an Easton. I've been wondering ever since the rumours about Ovechkin using a one95 under his U+ CL graphics started (although I don't think that was true). Seems like it would infringe on some sort of advertising laws to me.

[dangle 0]

A few snippets of text from some of Bourne's blogs:

And sure enough, I was right. What I didn’t realize was that travel days still suck if you aren’t the cream of the crop.

Then again, I’m notorious with my coaches for having an overly(?) light-hearted attitude. I always cared as much as anybody come the drop of the puck, but never quite had that Tiger Woods focused-as-a-fetus gear.

And its fun when coach has a whipping boy (assuming it’s not me, which, um, it has been), usually a guy who sassed-off to coach on the bench and coach spent hours clipping video to make the guy look unfit to own skates

The guy has a ****ty attitude. Whining about traveling? EVERYONE else on the team is in the same situation as you are. You aren't special because you play college puck, put your time in, work hard and you wont have to deal with second class transportation once you make it to the show.

You're notorious for having a light-hearted attitude? That's great for a locker room, but where's the focus during video/practice?

Sounds like he's all bent out of shape cause he didn't make the show, I wonder why he didn't? Oh yeah, that's right... he was always the coach's whipping boy for SOME reason

[DolomaticDangles 13]

The answer given in your post (not sure where you found it) would be the standard answer from any of the companies.

It was from a Q&A on Reeboks site. I just find it funny that they would chose to answer that particular question when 80+% of their customers have probably never heard of a "dressed skate" or non-functioning pumps, and then blatantly lie about it.

[dangle 0]

Geez dangle, how do you really feel? LOL

It ticked me off seeing how just about everything he posted about his playing experience was negative. Really?

[Justin Liedloff 13]

:facepalm:

[sturdy22 29]

I dont see why anyone should be burning so many calories discussing or arguing about who is wearing which skate or glove. I can go into my garage and put a ccm branded cuff on my warrior franchise and no one is going to care (I Have RBK tongues on my bauer and Nike skates). Black helicopters will not be circling over head and the Innovative/New Balance/Warrior reps are not going to be knocking on my door. Ive been reading Bournes blog since he started and I remember when he played at the University here. His posts are an entertaining read and thats why I read. One of my Assistant Coaches played with him at the University and says the same things that Bourne says to describe himself. I never played in the NHL or the AHL, but i would not surprised if equipment gets "altered".