Flyers

Ed Snider Goes Off About Olympics

By Kyle Scott

Published: Feb 7th, 2014 · 9:05 AM EST

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You got to love Ed, if for only one reason– he speaks his mind. Sometimes it’s for the worst, when he talks about a winning culture that hasn’t won in 40 years. And sometimes it’s just downright entertaining. Like when he comes to the aid of a made man in need.

Snider defended his captain after the Flyers beat the Avalanche last night [transcription via the Flyers’ city-leading PR department]:

Are you surprised that Claude didn’t get picked by Team Canada?

“Well it’s a farce. He’s one of the best players in the league. It’s ridiculous. He’s better than half the guys on that team.”

Your team doesn’t have a lot of Olympic players on the top Olympic teams.  Why do you think that is?

“There’s a lot of good players to pick from and I’m proud of the five guys that are on the Olympic teams. I mean, they may not be great teams, but they’re great players and they’re in the Olympics. We don’t pick them but anybody that thinks that Claude Giroux doesn’t belong on the Canadian team, they don’t know anything about hockey as far as I’m concerned. But it’s politics to a certain degree. He had to pick his own guy, and his own guy is good, but Claude is better.”

[Question inaudible]

If I had my way, we’d never go to the Olympics.  We’re the only league that breaks up our season.  Basketball plays in the winter, but they play Olympics in the summer.  It’s ridiculous.  The whole thing’s ridiculous.

Is that only when it’s on the other side of the world, or any time?

I don’t care if it was in Philadelphia, I wouldn’t want to break up the league.  I think it’s ridiculous to take three weeks off or however long it is in the middle of the season.  It screws up everything.

Would you like to see a return to the World Cup format?

I’d like to see anything other than the Olympics.  I mean, I hate ‘em.

Do you think most of the league agrees with you at this point?

I don’t know.  I haven’t taken a poll, but how can anybody be happy breaking up your season?  No other league does it.  Why should we?

Originally you did it because you thought there’d be a benefit on the back end, but you haven’t seen that at all?

There’s no benefit to us whatsoever.  If anything, I can only see negatives.  The players want to play.  The Players’ Association has a lot to say about it.  As an owner, I think it’s ridiculous.

Was this a point of contention [during the work stoppage]?

No. There was no point of contention.  The players wanted to play and the league agreed.  But as an owner, I personally don’t like it.  It’s not good for our fans, it’s not good for our league, it changes the momentum… everything about it is wrong.

You went to the Finals the last time there was a break…

Well, maybe I like it.  I forgot about that.

Ed’s cute when he’s fired up.

Video after the jump.