Comments on: Exhale…

By: Kaat

Kaat — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 21:34:23 +0000

Yep. I work in the media, as do you, so I definitely know how it goes. I don’t work for the AJC or have access to their sources or even work in the sports department though. So it’s true, it’s a splitting of hairs — and if you’re a copyeditor, that statement would be argued all day: What does “find me a team” mean? But I am just going by published reports and what the Atlanta Journal-Constitution beat writer and even the dude who works for the team’s website reported and that was: he requested a trade. I asked Ben Wright point blank and he said the trade was requested. Don Waddell indicted that in his post-deadline presser. (Not that I usually believe ANYTHING he says, but he’s out there on the record saying Kozlov asked for it.) But it’s like the entertainment world, which I spent years covering, you don’t know who to believe half the time. Personally, my instinct tells me there is a little face saving going on. Very important in that culture — Russian culture that is.

But, like how many licks it takes to get to the center of a Tootsie Roll Pop — the world may never know! :-)

Whatever the real story is, I hope Slava can work his way back into the lineup. I think he’s earned that much and deserves it. But, as ever, I am incredibly biased because he’s my favorite player.

By: savvy

savvy — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 13:30:50 +0000

Media reports are always convoluted, and IMHO this time of year they get crazier than ever. From what’s been said here, it looks like semantics. Technically you could argue that asking the GM to “find a team” doesn’t *exactly* mean “I request a trade.”

If the Thrashers had been actively shopping him, I think the Bruins might have been interested, but reports here indicate that they didn’t hear anything at all.

I’m sure we’ll never find out what really happened. ;-)

By: Kaat

Kaat — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 01:00:57 +0000

Interesting. Because D-Wad and the paper in Atlanta (and media outlets from here to Timbuktu) repeatedly reported that Slava requested to be traded and even quoted Kozlov to that effect. Something just isn’t right with this story all around if you ask me. The article I linked above probably holds more answers than I can possibly decipher. But…

The beat writer in Atlanta quotes Kozlov on February 26, 2010 as saying: “I asked [general manager] Don [Waddell] to find a team,” Kozlov told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Friday. “I don’t know if I’m going to be on this team or another team. If we can find a team which I like and which is good for me and my family I will go. If not, I’m going to be here. …”

Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Kozlov requests trade due to reduced role

I hate to say it sounds like he and his agent are trying to backpedal to save face. And I hate to say that. I really do.

I just hope Kozzy gets a chance to go out there and kick ass again. ‘Cause he can bring it! Make it rain Kozzy!

By: Savvy

Savvy — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 23:28:40 +0000

I just this moment read a comment on Justin Bourne’s blog from someone who reportedly spoke to Slava’s agent who said, contrary to reports, that Slava never requested a trade, and that he might have been willing to waive his NTC, but he was not asked.