Monday, August 17, 2009

The Hockeybuzz Fraud


If you read about the NHL on the internet, you damn well know what HockeyBuzz is all about.

Now there is a website dedicated to debunking the Eklund myth and you would be well advised to at least check it out if you are a regular HockeyBuzz reader.

From the front page of HockeybuzzHogwash:


"We hope that after reading you might not COMPLETELY WASTE $20 (or $3 monthly) on hockeybuzz.com for useless garbage, lies and features that are promised but rarely delivered, go give that money to a charity that your favorite hockey player supports and know its going to people who need it…..

- For every 1 rumor Eklund gets correct, he gets approximately 30 incorrect (457 wrong, 15 right for 3.1%)

- He finished off 2008 calender year (exactly 1 year of our tracking) with a 2.3% accuracy rating

- He proved Mike Chen’s theory was ABSOLUTELY TRUE, that his success rating is slightly less than picking a team out of a hat"


Wow. You have to wonder if these types of numbers apply to any other "rumour" sites that are so prevalent nowadays, even a very popular one right here in the Sens blogging community.

To believe that a bunch of mediocre bloggers have "sources" who leak high-level trade conversations is far-fetched to begin with. Plus, if agents or GM's wanted to leak "trial balloons" to float an idea with the hockey world, why would they do it with unreliable bloggers, especially discredited ones? Somehow these bloggers claim to have better sources than real writers like Bob McKenzie and Darren Dreger? Right.

To me, it's all a symptom of the ADD post-lockout hockey fan who views loyalty to their hometown players as secondary to hyper-speculation on what they could fetch on the trade market.

Ottawa fans are no different. Sometimes they seem like they would rather see a blockbuster trade than watch a team grow together slowly and win.

Who has patience for that? Trade the bums!!

23 comments:

Canucnik said...

Jeremy:

Don't get me started...and then they have the "Ego" or lack there of... to edit out any "constructive critical comment". But will regurgitate any scrap...garbage or not!

Then again you can't knock success...who makes more money than a pretty girl...lady of the evening...years ago, many such ladies met a violent end! It's too bad that trend did not continue.

Anonymous said...

liked the blog. im more happy that someone has responded to "canuknik" the way that you have. his insane, cryptic ramblings are too much. hes like a 50's informant leaking info to the cops. more importantly most of what he says is bs.

Anonymous said...

man you shouldnt have erased it. your reaction was the same as mine to 95% of his comments.

Jeremy Milks said...

I'm afraid, man, I'm afraid.

Canucnik said...

8:34

If you identify yourself we can joust...but of course you have no armour because you are a "Cock-a roach!"

bobby "canucnik" johnson said...

the name canucnik is just as anonymous as "anonymous". unless your name is canucnik johnson or bobby canucnik which im guessing is not the case. also what youve indicated would actually give me armour in theory because i didnt bother writing a name. either way i dont want to "joust", i dislike your strange cryptic comments and would prefer not to see them at the bottom of every sens blog. they could name a wing in their honour at the royal ottawa. something like "Canucnik Comments Hall-Bipolar Ward".

Anonymous said...

Another good post. It's about time someone called out the guys who start the phony rumours in order to get hits on the their websites.

In my view, the Sens version of Hockeybuzz has got to be Senschirp. He use to be pretty good, but it's getting to the point of 80% nonsense vs, 20% sense.

I also sometimes wonder if he's on someone's payroll, as I find his coverage leans towards defending management (Murray and Melnyk) while consistently raising questions about the players.

Canucnik said...

Bobby:

I used to work nights also. Drive you a little crazy at times don't you think!

Anonymous said...

hockeyhogwash was started by a group of disgruntled bloggers that previously worked for EK at hockeybuzz. EK didn't pay them and they quite. Kevin Lee (former Sens blogger) is the main one behind hockeyhogwash.

my understanding is that EK is suing hogwash and attempting to shut the site down.

Anonymous said...

Question Everything
Never take someone else's word for it

Rumours are rumours no matter how likely they are to manifest
any intelligent person who is at least somewhat a fan of the team they are interested in can spot the glaring moronic statements from a mile away

Senschirp is a bit more thorough but he does often try to frame his speculations and own thoughts as if it were some sort of journalistic fact
which I find very misleading
but he does {read: usually} admit that his brainspews are just that

Jalen said...

Jeremy - good posts, it's great to have you back. Many blogs provide a forum for fans to discuss their teams - nothing wrong with that - but it would be better if fans understood the reliability of what they're reading.

I agree with you, it's alarming how many fans have abandoned loyalty in favour of fantasy. You blame post-lockout ADD, I think all these fantasy leagues are partly to blame.

As a lifelong hockey fan, I feel like I understand how rare a talent like Spezza (for example) is, but too many fans want to jettison a young developing player that puts up more than 1.25 points per game and has really had one minus season. Same with defencemen, it used to take 5-years to develop a defenceman, now fans can barely wait two seasons before passing judgement. Now I'm rambling like Canucnik. Speaking of which....

Canucnik - ease up, man. A violent end? That incendiary stuff detracts from your points, which, to be honest, are hard enough to understand sometimes. You know the game, stick to that.

- Jalen

Brian5or6 said...

I once ate 10 hamburgers in one sitting. But the only problem was the smell that came out of my pores for days after that.

Anonymous said...

Dudes,
Take it for what it is. Entertainment!

Geesh.

No one actually listens or cares about what Brian Murray actually says in public anyway. From what I read in the comment sections of Sens bloggers, that certainly seems to be true.

It is much more "intriquing" to discuss or speculate what the "real" truth is, even though you just heard it from the horse's mouth, e.g. Heatley situation.

No one has behaved, or talked rationally about anything on these sites.

I enjoy Senchirp, because there is a grain of truth in what he says, and never claims a rumour to be more than what it is. This site and the 6thsens are more an editorial, which is fun to read.

Let's play Devil's advocate here for a moment, and say some guys actually are privy to "behind" the scenes chatter. Doesn't mean everythign they hear turns out, and we the readers will never know otherwise.

So, take it for entertainment at the very least.

KJ

Oman said...

That's brilliant Brian5or6! When's your book coming out? Add some violent imagery and threatening language and you could have a best seller!

Oman said...

Ps. While I do enjoy the speculation and the rumors, purely as entertainment, I do find Chirp's site tiring at times and often very anticlimactic. And though he seem's like a genuine enough character, I do question at time his posts as ploys for more hits. He is obviously sponsored and though he claims it to be a hobby, I'm sure he is making some money at it (note the Score adds and the Google add words).

Canucnik said...

Hold it!...Hold it!

Chirpy and his gang represent the Ottawa Blogging Community weather we like it or not...he claims to represent us in the Print Media (Hockey mags).

I think the man is horSesh&t and I hate the way he can sensor me and others who critique him.

And for his "Gang" how do you follow a guy with a 15% completetion rate, who has one minor source.

Canucnik said...

For the life of my brother, I can't quite succumb to the existing forma in which blades and steel meet NES OG. On the other side of the pondering pond, life and death are equals and not enemies, such as Mike Comrie is no longer in the hunt for a fresh rabbit. Mark my linguistics, fellow brothers, sons and barracudas.

SoCalSen said...

Hmmm, so we've got logged-in "canucnik", bobby "canucnik" johnson, unlogged "Canucnik", and logged-in "Canucnik". Welcome back, Jeremy.

Supreme Blog Master said...

It seems someone on this blog has committed the most grave sin of commenter impersonation. This impostor has brought a great curse upon the Senators blogosphere: Four more years of Dany Heatley! BWAHAHA!

Canucnik said...

SoCal Sen:

We may have to bring you in with one of your Silicon Valley experts to solve the problem and save our season.

Is Chirpy the "Evil Genius"?

Can he send out pre-programed impersonators?

He accepted two bogus critiques today...never mine or any serious ones.

I started in Blue with a small c and ended in black with a Capital C ?

Canucnik said...

Some one who knows better has been fooling with my pass word and my blog!

Oman said...

Ah, so Canucnik has an evil twin. That explains the erratic prose stylings. :)

Canucnik said...

Oman:

It's off to bed to finish Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

You never know who I'll be in the morning.