Hockey analyst Darren Pang recently made a disparaging remark when discussing a black National Hockey League player named P.K. Subban of the Montreal Canadiens.
The 20-year-old Subban is an NHL rookie who has the skill and attitude that is comparable to a LeBron James on ice. His hockey game is superior to most players his age, but players and coaches around the league have criticized the young player for his flair and confidence on the ice. The Canadiens’ coach, Jacques Martin, benched Subbon for three games, saying that the rookie must understand the team structure.
Subbun’s situation made national headlines after Pang suggested that Subban be more like a white hockey player named Alex Pietrangelo. “Subbun is full of life,” Pang said. “The more gregarious he got, the more full of life he got, the more everybody wants to settle him down. He should look at Pietrangelo as an example who does everything on the ice, off the ice, the white way.”
Although Pang later apologized for his gaffe, it’s apparent that he and the rest of the NHL really want Subban to do things the “white way.” The majority white league has never had a black hockey player who played the game so well at a young age and is unafraid to let his competitors know it.
By making a player as talented as Subbon sit out three games, coach Martin hopes to break the young player and take away his passion. Deep down, those in the NHL know that Subbon has the skills to become the face of the league, but they are attempting to put him in his place before he becomes larger than the game itself. –amir shaw
