Tag: Colour Commentary

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Colour commentary: Right thing to vote ‘no’ on Calgary Olympics

Colour commentary
Sports Editor Nicholas Di Giovanni gives his take on his latest in sports with his weekly Colour Commentary

Hosting an Olympic Games leaves too much debt

On Nov. 13, the citizens of Calgary voted 56 per cent in favour of not bidding for the 2026 Winter Olympics in a vote. On Nov. 19, the city council unanimously voted in favour of ending its push to host the Games.

Calgary hosted the Winter Olympics in 1988, and citizens simply didn’t want to go through the ordeal again. And good for them. It’s time people start to realize just how expensive it is to host the Olympics, all for some athletes, fans, and media to raid a city for two weeks and forget about it after.

According to Forbes, the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea, originally had an estimated cost of USD $12.9 billion. The 2014 Games in Sochi, Russia, had a total cost of USD $51 billion, according to The Guardian. It’s a good thing Calgarians don’t want that kind of debt.

What is really disappointing is how the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) reacted to the results. A spokesperson for the IOC said: “It is disappointing that the arguments about the sporting, social and long-term benefits of hosting the Olympics did not sway the vote.”

Tricia Smith, president of the COC also said this: “Sport in a positive sense really brings a country together.”

Did the IOC and COC seriously just play the “but the Olympics bring people together” card? What’s ridiculous is how they don’t even seem to realize how much they cripple an economy for a sporting event. According to the CBC, after Montreal hosted the Games in 1976, they had a debt of $1.5 billion, which they paid off in 2006—40 years after hosting. That doesn’t seem like the long-term benefit the IOC was talking about. If hosting the Olympics didn’t come with so much debt, sure it would have been great to see Calgary host, but—newsflash—it does.

My favourite headline from this comes from Sportsnet: “Calgary’s ‘No’ vote a squandered opportunity for a city in need.” I didn’t realize Calgary needed billions of dollars of debt.

People who were for hosting the games used the argument that it would have allowed facilities to be built. Many athletic complexes were built in 1988 and need renovating, so they think the only way to do so is by hosting the Olympics. You can upgrade athletic facilities without hosting the Olympics.

More people and cities around the world should realize that hosting the Olympics isn’t all fun and games.

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Colour Commentary: Senators Uber video makes a big deal out of nothing

Sports Editor Nicholas Di Giovanni gives his take on his latest in sports with his weekly Colour Commentary

Driver and Ottawa Citizen look bad in this situation

Usually, the Ottawa Senators are the gift that keeps on giving. This year, every little thing they’ve done is laughable, from trading captain Erik Karlsson for eight not-so-good assets, to having owner Eugene Melnyck sit down with defenceman Mark Borowiecki for an awkward interview. The Senators went from being one goal away from the Stanley Cup Final in 2017 to one of the worst teams a year later, and they gave the rest of the hockey world something to laugh at along the way.

However, the Senators’s latest incident is nothing to laugh at, and I actually feel bad for the team. On Nov. 5, the Ottawa Citizen released a security video from inside an Uber ride seven players took together in Arizona. During the ride, forwards Matt Duchene and Chris Tierney, along with defencemen Thomas Chabot and Chris Wideman, made fun of assistant coach Martin Raymond. Wideman and Duchene are the most active in the conversation, criticizing Raymond for his coaching style, or lack thereof. “We don’t change anything ever, so why do we even have a meeting,” Duchene asked. “I haven’t paid attention in three weeks.”

When the video was released, the players and the Senators got heat for it and became the laughing stock of the NHL again. But you know what, it’s not even that big of a deal. In fact, the Uber driver and the Citizen are in the wrong for posting the video and breaching the players’ privacy.

Is it really a surprise that they’re mocking their coach? Not at all. When Raymond’s penalty-killing unit is running at 70 per cent efficiency, fourth-worst in the league, did you expect players to be praising his work behind his back? It’s not like they attacked him personally or made death threats, they were making fun of how he coaches and how their penalty-killing is so bad.

It’s as if the media holds NHL players to a higher standard when they’re outside the rink. Yes, hockey players have to be role models and set a good example for their young fans, but is the Citizen seriously going to tarnish them just for saying some things in an Uber? They’re people too—the fact that they were in an Uber and not drinking and driving is enough to show they’re responsible. I’m sure the people at the Citizen have said some nasty things about their bosses too, but luckily for them, they haven’t been caught doing it.

This whole situation is just ridiculous, and all the Senators need to worry about is improving their penalty kill.

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Colour Commentary: A Rose blooms twice

Sports Editor Nicholas Di Giovanni gives his take on his latest in sports with his weekly Colour Commentary

Derrick Rose fights all odds to hit 50 points against Jazz

Derrick Rose, in his 11th NBA season off his injury-filled career, scored a career-high 50 points for the Minnesota Timberwolves against the Utah Jazz on Oct. 31. His game-winning block and basket sealed the win.

Timberwolves players mobbed Rose on the court as tears streamed down his face. They all knew how much this moment meant to him. The basketball world embraced Rose during his days as the youngest league MVP in history in 2010-11 with the Chicago Bulls.

After Rose’s anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear in his left knee in the 2012 playoffs, he had doubters, yet many people believed he would return to his former self. Suffering another injury in the 2013-14 season and having four knee surgeries, those believers were forced to watch him struggle to find a job. After being traded from the Cleveland Cavaliers to the Utah Jazz in February 2018—his third team in three years—the Jazz dropped him without giving him the chance to play a single game.

Rose was almost out of the league completely, as only Minnesota was willing to sign him to a contract. Some would ask how the story of a millionaire athlete could be so inspiring. It’s not about the money, it’s about the adversity he faced within himself that made this performance so special.

Last February, a video surfaced of Rose playing basketball in a local gym in Cleveland. He was not on a roster. There was little press and cameras, no fans, just Rose and a local basketball player helping him workout.

As the injuries continued to pile up, even he doubted his basketball future, contemplating retirement before hitting 30 years old. Tom Thibodeau, his former coach in Chicago, was the only one willing to give him another chance, bringing him to the Timberwolves. Sometimes one person believing in you is all you need to pick yourself back up.

It was only fitting that, on Halloween night, Rose dressed up as his old self and scored a career-high 50 points, ironically, against the same team that waived him just nine months ago. He may never put on a performance like this again, but it doesn’t matter. After all the memes about his injuries and all the people trying to bury him, he never quit on himself.

This game will go down as one of the greatest moments in NBA history and for Rose, when asked post-game about what this moment meant to him, he said: “Everything. I worked my ass off. I did this for the franchise, the fans, the organization. I’m doing everything just to win, and tonight was a hell of a night.”

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Colour commentary: Drew Brees is the greatest of all time

Sports Editor Nicholas Di Giovanni gives his take on his latest in sports with his weekly Colour Commentary

Saints quarterback has done more with less than counterparts

Drew Brees is the greatest quarterback in NFL history. There, I said it—but not enough people do. Everyone is quick to call Tom Brady the greatest quarterback, and that’s because of his five Super Bowl rings. Brees only has one, but he’s still a better quarterback than Brady.

On Oct. 8, Brees surpassed Peyton Manning for most passing yards in NFL history with 72,435 yards and counting. At the time of writing, Brady had 68,035 career passing yards, well behind Brees, with four more career games than him. Brees also has a higher completion rate, 67.2 per cent versus 64.0, and more completed passes: 6,410 against Brady’s 5,799. Brady has the edge for touchdown passes with 504, while Brees is right behind at 502.

Statistics aside, what makes Brees so great is how he’s accomplished so much with so little. He was cast aside by the San Diego Chargers in 2006 after injuring his throwing shoulder. An unpromising New Orleans Saints team took the risk on Brees and his shoulder, and in return, he pulled the Hurricane Katrina-damaged city to a Super Bowl title in 2010. When he won that Super Bowl, he carried the Saints on his back with a passer rating of 109.6, the second-highest in his career so far.

Throughout his time with the Saints, Brees has never had a proper defence to support him. During the Super Bowl-winning season, the Saints’s defence ranked 25th in yards against. Since Brees signed in 2006, the New Orleans defence finished in the top half of the league only three times. Meanwhile, Brady has had the luxury of having a top-10 defence for all five of his Super Bowl titles. If you put Brees on the New England Patriots, with the defence and players Brady has played with, Brees could have had five rings too, but instead, he only has one.

The argument that Super Bowl titles define a good quarterback is ridiculous. Jim Kelly and Dan Marino are two of the greatest quarterbacks of all time, and neither ever won a Super Bowl title. When people talk about the great QBs in the game, Brady and Manning are constantly brought up, with Brees often cast to the side.

What makes Brees so special is his height disadvantage. At a “small” 6’0”, Brees is your atypical quarterback and can’t look past his offensive lineman the same way his taller counterparts do. But he makes up for his size with his vision and intelligence. While watching Brees play, you see him stand on his tip-toes when he’s in the pocket, and he’s always checking his options for his best available receiver; that’s why he’s so accurate.

It’s time to give Drew Brees the credit he deserves.

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Colour commentary: How cannabis affects athletes

Sports Editor Nicholas Di Giovanni gives his take on his latest in sports with his weekly Colour Commentary

Newly legalized product still banned on anti-doping list

Cannabis became legal in Canada on Oct. 17, but is still a banned product on the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) prohibited substances list. Any cannabis, with the exception of cannabidiol (CBD), is not allowed.

According to WADA’s rules, an athlete can have a maximum of 150 nanograms per millilitre of urine in their system when tested, raised from 15 ng/mL in 2013. However, this is much higher than the legal driving limit in Canada, which is 0.5 ng/mL of blood.

Even though WADA’s threshold for cannabis is so high, there is still debate on whether it should even be there in the first place. Olympic champion Ross Rebagliati believes it should be taken off WADA’s list. “If athletes are allowed to consume alcohol and tobacco let them have weed,” he told Reuters. “It is the only thing that is good for you of those three things.”

Rebagliati has an interesting past with cannabis. After winning the giant slalom in snowboarding at the 1998 Winter Olympics, Rebagliati was stripped of his gold medal for having THC in his blood. He was later given back the medal because cannabis was not banned by WADA at the time.

However, WADA states that, for a substance to be performance-enhancing, it must have the “potential to enhance performance, create a health risk for the athlete, and/or violate the spirit of the sport.” Studies have shown cannabis can ease pain and reduce anxiety.

Another study in the British Journal of Medicine stated that cannabis can impair motor skills, which can slow down reaction time, and be dangerous for faster sports. “Cannabis is effective only in allowing an athlete to relax and to escape from social pressures,” the authors concluded. They suggested that sports leagues should ensure their athletes are consuming cannabis responsibly, if at all.

Another use for cannabis in sports is to reduce pain, particularly in a physically-demanding sport like hockey. Many NHL enforcers have been known to use painkillers. Former New York Rangers and Minnesota Wild forward Derek Boogaard died in 2011 of an oxycodone and alcohol overdose.

Another former fighter, Riley Cote, told Global News that cannabis should be a legal substance, as it eases pain. “What do you self-medicate with? Opioids, muscle relaxants, mix ’em all together,” he said. “No wonder there’s so many depression issues and mental health and anxiety.”

Cannabis in sports is a subject that will be debated for a long time. But on a personal note, I’ve played hockey with players who have smoked before a game, and let me say, their performance was definitely not any better.

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Colour Commentary: Time to take dangerous hits out of hockey

Sports Editor Nicholas Di Giovanni gives his take on his latest in sports with his weekly Colour Commentary

Tom Wilson’s 20-game suspension will hopefully set an example

In a preseason NHL game between the Washington Capitals and St. Louis Blues on Sept. 30, Capitals forward Tom Wilson received a match penalty for a hit on Oskar Sundqvist. Sundqvist crossed the blue line into the Capitals’s zone when Wilson levelled him with an open-ice blindside hit to the head. Sundqvist left the game with facial injuries and has not returned to play since.

On Oct. 3, Wilson received a 20-game suspension from the NHL, which he is appealing. This is Wilson’s fourth suspension in his career, which all came in the past year. His last suspension was during last season’s playoffs, when he received three games for another hit to the head, leaving Pittsburgh’s Zach Aston-Reese with a broken jaw.

I applaud the NHL’s effort to remove dangerous hits to the head from the game. The league is sending a clear message: you can’t be head-hunting your opponents anymore.

Hockey has historically been a violent sport. It’s the only sport besides boxing and mixed martial arts where you’re actually allowed fighting. Hockey in the late 20th century practically sold itself through violence to American fans. According to Drop Your Gloves, there were 1,100 fights during the 1987-88 regular season, an average of 1.10 per game. Last season, that number was only 322 fights, or 0.25 per game.

Knowing the dangers of violent actions, the league has been steadily improving player safety in recent years. Owners see players as an opportunity to generate money, so they can’t afford to have them out of play with concussions. The league’s department of player safety started giving stricter punishment for hits to the head after the 2010-11 season, and a concussion protocol was implemented in 2016.

As a fan, I’m sick and tired of seeing players lay on the ice unconscious. The effects of a concussion go way beyond a player’s career, so why are players still going after their opponents’ head? Hopefully this suspension will make them think twice before going elbow-first into a hit.

When the suspension was announced, I saw comments on social media claiming the NHL has changed, and it’s not what it used to be (i.e. 1980s fight club hockey). Do fans seriously want to see a type of hockey that could ruin people’s lives? Unfortunately for them, hockey is changing for the better. I would rather watch an NHL that benefits from skilled players and leaves fighters out of it.

There’s something wrong with people who enjoy seeing players hurt. That’s not what sports are about.

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Colour commentary: Previewing the Montreal Canadiens 2018-19 season

Sports Editor Nicholas Di Giovanni gives his take on his latest in sports with his weekly Colour Commentary

Kotkaniemi, Drouin could make a big difference for Habs

With the Montreal Canadiens season starting on Oct. 3, it’s the time of year to get super hyped about the Habs, only to be let down come November.

This year, I have a different type of anticipation for the team’s first NHL game of the season against the Toronto Maple Leafs. I really don’t know what to expect from these Canadiens, with many new and young players on the roster.

After finishing last season with a 29-40-13 record and fourth-last in the league, general manager Marc Bergevin made several changes. Skilled forward Alex Galchenyuk was traded to the Arizona Coyotes for playmaker Max Domi, while captain Max Pacioretty was shipped off to Vegas for forwards Tomas Tatar and Nick Suzuki, plus a draft pick.

Heading into training camp, I kept thinking how bad the Canadiens would be this year. They didn’t do anything over the summer to make the team better. It looked like they would be heading into a phase of rebuilding, relying on their young players and not worrying about the results.

However, when I started watching them in preseason, the Canadiens looked like a completely different team on the ice. This team can skate, pass and defend well enough. In seven preseason games, they finished with a 4-3 record, scoring 21 goals and allowing 18. I don’t look too much into preseason stats, but they had a 2-6 record a year ago and sucked for the rest of the season.
The offence impressed me the most during the preseason. For so many years, the Habs were known for their lack of scoring. But with Jonathan Drouin moved to the wing, 18-year-old Jesperi Kotkaniemi playing like a 27-year-old veteran, and Tatar returning to his Detroit Red Wings form, I don’t think the Canadiens will have a scoring problem this season.

In a Habs’s preseason game against the Leafs, who are a Stanley Cup contender, Toronto head coach Mike Babcock said, “Right now, [the Habs] are hungrier and a better team than us.”

Hunger—that’s the biggest difference for this year’s Habs, and it could be what makes them a good team.

The Canadiens will also need to rely on goalie Carey Price to be better than last season. When he won the Vezina and Hart trophies in 2014-15, the Canadiens were a top team in the league. All good teams have good goaltending, and the Canadiens need that from him.

I still think the Montreal Canadiens 2018-19 season will be without playoffs, but they could surprise us.  

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Colour commentary: Champions League needs VAR

Sports Editor Nicholas Di Giovanni gives his take on his latest in sports with his weekly Colour Commentary

Ronaldo incident gives a bad name to top club competition

The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) Champions League needs a Video Assistant Referee (VAR). The most prestigious soccer club competition in the world is starting to look really ridiculous without the sport’s latest innovation.

On Sept. 19, in a Champions League match between Juventus and Valencia, Juventus’s Cristiano Ronaldo grabbed Valencia’s Jeison Murillo’s head, in a friendly, non-violent manner following a collision between the two. Referee Felix Brych did not see the incident as it was behind the play, but goal line official Marco Fritz called over Brych to tell him about the situation. He must have suggested a red for Ronaldo because Frych sent the Juventus star off with a straight red.

In simpler terms, Frych gave Ronaldo the red without even seeing anything. He relied purely on Fritz’s word, even though Fritz didn’t even have a good view of the head-grab. If UEFA used VAR, Brych would have been able to watch a replay of what actually happened, and likely wouldn’t have given the straight red.

Errors like this are unacceptable and embarrassing in a competition with millions of viewers around the world. I understand referees can’t see everything on the pitch, and there is human error in officiating, but VAR aims to reduce these errors.

In this past summer’s World Cup, VAR was used for the first time in the competition, with much success. Three of Europe’s top soccer leagues—Germany’s Bundesliga, Italy’s Serie A and Spain’s La Liga—all use VAR. I watch the Serie A regularly, so I saw how reluctant management, players and fans were to use it prior to the 2017-18 season, but I also saw how big of an impact it could have.

Italy is notorious for fans disputing referee decisions for months, even years laters. I know A.C. Milan fans who still talk about a blown goal call against Juventus in 2012. But once the Serie A started using VAR, all the post-game “polemiche,” or controversies, in Italy quickly died down. VAR gives referees a second chance to review incidents that they might not have seen well.

Traditional fans say VAR ruins the game; I really don’t understand that. Can you be so traditional that you would really want human error to dictate a game? VAR only does one thing for the sport, and that’s improve it.

The Champions League needs VAR, and until then, it’s just going to keep shooting itself in the foot.

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Colour Commentary: Humboldt remembered victims the right way

Sports Editor Nicholas Di Giovanni gives his take on his latest in sports with his weekly Colour Commentary

TSN was exceptional in broadcast of Broncos home-opener

On Sept. 13, the Humboldt Broncos returned to the ice for their first game in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) since the team’s fatal bus crash on April 6. The Broncos were travelling to Nipawin, SK for their playoff game against the Nipawin Hawks when the team bus collided with a semi-trailer, killing 16 out of 29 people on the bus, ten of which were players.

When the Broncos had their home-opener at the Elgar Petersen Arena last Wednesday night, it was emotional. Only two players from last year’s team, Derek Patter and Brayden Camrud, played in the game, while Tyler Smith is still with the team but recovering from his injuries. Seven of the crash survivors joined the three for a ceremonial face-off and received a standing ovation from the crowd. Ryan Straschnitzki is still in physical rehabilitation while Morgan Gobeil and Layne Matechuk are still in hospital, nearly six months later.

The game was broadcast commercial-free across the nation on TSN and CTV, and TSN did a fantastic job honouring the victims. The ceremony at the arena was simple, yet beautiful, and TSN transmitted those emotions to the rest of the nation.

TSN spent four hours honouring the victims, telling their stories and remembering them. During the game, Chris Cuthbert and Ray Ferraro were exceptional on the broadcast, and it was clear they prepared for hours before the game. They shared anecdotes about the players on the ice, talked about their careers, told stories about the victims, and most importantly, didn’t pretend it was just a normal hockey game. James Duthie hosted the program with compassion, while Ryan Rishaug interviewed the families of the loved ones, and the past players, with so much class and dignity.  Everyone was so professional and it was amazing to watch.   

On a personal note, it was so hard to watch. All the players who died were younger than me, and they were on their way to play a sport I play. It was heartbreaking to hear the story of Tyler Bieber, the team’s radio announcer, because that’s what I’m in school for.

At the end of the night, the Broncos hung up banners honouring the 16 victims: Tyler Bieber, Logan Boulet, Dayna Brons, Mark Cross, Glen Doerksen, Darcy Haugan, Adam Herold, Brody Hinz, Logan Hunter, Jaxon Joseph, Jacob Leicht, Conner Lukan, Logan Schatz, Evan Thomas, Parker Tobin and Stephen Wack.

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Colour Commentary: The NFL is the one bringing politics into sports

Sports Editor Nicholas Di Giovanni gives his take on his latest in sports with his weekly Colour Commentary

People forgetting the real problem after Colin Kaepernick Nike ad

Colin Kaepernick is making headlines again in the football world with his Nike “Just Do It” ad in which he says, “Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything.” Kaepernick and his San Francisco 49ers teammates famously created a movement in the National Football League (NFL) in 2016. Players started kneeling during the national anthem in protest against racism and police brutality in the United States.

The NFL put a rule in place for the 2018 season, to fine any player that knelt, but the player’s union quickly stopped it. Even after all this, Kaepernick lost his job in the NFL after the 2016 season, and hasn’t played since.

Back to the Nike ad: Kaepernick is facing backlash like he did with the anthem protest. #JustBurnIt and #BoycottNike were trending on Twitter with one protester burning five pairs of Nikes with the national anthem playing in the background. He said he’s boycotting the shoe company simply because “Kaepernick is the face of Nike now.”

United States President Donald Trump joined in on the action, tweeting: “Just like the NFL, whose ratings have gone WAY DOWN, Nike is getting absolutely killed with anger and boycotts. […] As far as the NFL is concerned, I just find it hard to watch, and always will, until they stand for the FLAG!”

There’s the problem—narrow-minded Americans think Kaepernick and the rest of the NFL are protesting the flag. No. They are angry about what the flag represents, and how black people are oppressed in “the land of the free.” Trump and co. make it seem like a military country, like you need to appreciate the flag otherwise you might lose your job, or lose business.

Senator Marco Rubio also said in July: “Most people wish there was a place we could go to get away from politics. And for most people it’s Sunday afternoons in the fall to be able to watch an NFL game.”

That’s another problem: the NFL and the American army are holding hands, and shoving patriotism down fans’ throats. Flags the size of football fields are brought out during anthems, and the NFL has a “Salute to Service” month in November dedicated to the military only. Isn’t that bringing politics into sports?

Yes, the NFL is a private corporation, but the minute the American flag comes out, and the anthem starts playing, they can kiss politics-free sports goodbye. If the NFL doesn’t want players like Kaepernick to make political statements, they should stop doing so themselves.

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Colour commentary: How to survive university as a sports fan

Sports Editor Nicholas Di Giovanni gives his take on his latest in sports with his weekly Colour Commentary

It might be challenging balancing sports and school, but there’s a way to do it

For first-year students, the transition to university can be really tough, even more so for those who want to watch sports. It can be challenging to balance your priorities. I still love to watch live sports on TV, but being in my third year at Concordia, I’ve learned a thing or two about balancing school and sports. Here’s what you need to do to survive university as a sports fan.

1) Know your priorities: Is that Montreal Canadiens preseason game really that much more important than your 3000-word essay due yesterday? Probably not. But what if your football team is playing in the Sunday-night game against their division rivals? Well, that’s a game you can’t miss. As a student, when you want to watch a particular game, you have to decide what you really want to watch. Once you do, you probably have to take into consideration what time it’s at, then you can plan your day accordingly. Personally, I use games as motivation to complete my assignments — my personal deadline is whenever my favourite team is playing.

2) Do not stress: Watching sports is supposed to be relaxing, and as a student, you need that. Everybody has a hobby and clearly yours is watching sports, so just do it! Sometimes you may get swamped with work, but it’s okay to take a 30-minute break to catch the end of a game. Hopefully, if your team wins, it will give you some extra motivation to work. In the middle of writing this, I stopped to watch extra time of the Copenhagen-Atalanta Europa League qualifier. You can’t bury yourself in books all day and forget about your passion.

3) Go out and play sports: Playing a sport is one of the best ways to destress from school. Whether it’s going to the gym or signing up for a team sport, students need that physical activity. Watching sports is one way of taking a break from school, but playing one is also great, and important, for your mental and physical health. I love playing team sports because it gives me that physical exercise and a certain element of socializing that going to the gym doesn’t have. If you’re a student new to Montreal, Concordia has intramural hockey, soccer, basketball, ultimate frisbee, and volleyball that you can sign up for on your own or as a team. Get out there and play!

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Colour Commentary: Athletes do not need to be loyal

Sports Editor Nicholas Di Giovanni gives his take on his latest in sports with his weekly Colour Commentary

Fans need to realize players aren’t bound to their teams

Should athletes be loyal? No, athletes do not need to be loyal to their teams, it’s as simple as that.

For anyone who follows soccer, there were three separate cases of “unloyal” players this summer. First, Brazilian forward Malcom was set to sign with AS Roma from French club Bordeaux on July 23, with Roma even announcing the signing on their website. The next day, while fans waited at the airport in Rome, Malcom received another offer from Barcelona, and accepted to sign with the Spanish club. Just like that, Malcom turned his back on Roma to join Barcelona.

Just a week later, Italian defender Leo Bonucci returned to the club that he left a year ago. Bonucci played with Juventus for seven years before leaving to join rival AC Milan last summer. He even scored in an away game against Juventus last season, and celebrated in front of his former fans. When Milan finished in seventh place, Juventus won the league and then signed superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, Bonucci left Milan to return to Juventus, leaving both Juventus and Milan fans unhappy.

Finally, Belgian goalie Thibaut Courtois left Chelsea for Real Madrid. Sounds like a simple move for the average soccer fan, but during Courtois’ unveiling ceremony in Madrid, he kissed the Real Madrid badge and said,“I’ve never felt like kissing a club badge until today.” It’s not Chelsea fans who were upset by this, although some did call him a snake on Twitter, but Atlético Madrid fans — Real’s cross-city rivals — the club Courtois played for from 2011 to 2014, who were angry.

So between Malcom, Bonucci and Courtois, did any of them have to be loyal? It’s easy to argue Malcom should have kept his agreement with Roma. But that’s business, and who hasn’t bailed on one opportunity to pursue a greater one?

As for Bonucci and Courtois, sports fans create this false loyalty that they believe players must follow, as if they’re bound to the same employer their whole career. Bonucci can bounce between clubs as much as he likes, especially if he sees a better opportunity with his former team. For an athlete, ditching your former team and celebrating in front of their fans is not the most respectful thing to do, but that doesn’t mean the athlete can’t return to their old team. And I seriously don’t understand why Atlético fans are so upset about Courtois when he last played for them four years ago, and he’s been with Chelsea ever since. He can kiss whichever badge he wants.

Like any other person in the real word, athletes are not bound by loyalty to their teams. Sports is a business, and some fans need to realize that.

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