LARRY'S CORNER- Hamilton's Former Mayor Speaks

Da Rally, Da Media and Di Manno

By Larry Di Ianni
(posted June 22, 2009)

If there is one thing Hamiltonians have gotten used to, it is to be underestimated. Perhaps because of that, this city has had to toughen itself up. As the result, a reputation for grit has been forged in our once-potent steel-mills, our legendary and sometimes violent wildcat strikes, the oft-notorious north-end with its list of dubious characters and the Ti-Cat gridiron, scene of many character-building adventures. This is the backdrop Jim Balsillie has used to advance the city’s long-standing dream of an NHL team. Mr. Balsillie does not hail from this city. He lives nearby, however, and does have friends and family in our town. Most of all he is a hockey aficionado, and judging by his persistence and demeanour, he could very easily trace his roots to Hamilton. Like our town, he is tough, gritty, determined and doesn’t seem to want to take no for an answer. How Hamiltonian is that?

Mr. Balsillie began his quest for a hockey team, in earnest, in 2004 when I was in the Mayor’s chair. I was encouraged by his sincere attempt then; but more than that, I was impressed with his carefully-thought-out plan. The plan is working out, just as had been considered five years ago. Who knew that Betteman and the NHL would play such dirty hockey with the city and Mr. B? However, as the multitude found out on June 19 at a well-attended rally, Mr. Balsillie is not a shrinking violet. He just isn’t back in the fray; he never left the fray even after Judge Baum handed out his court ruling last week.

The rally was a great gesture of support for Jim Balsillie’s quest. The city needed to step up and it did. The event was well-organized. The impetus came from Chris Ecklund, assisted by Terry Whitehead who had the notion of a rally a year ago. In fact it wouldn’t surprise me if Chris, who also started a Facebook account and website on the NHL bid, was also the biggest monetary sponsor of the event. Others rallied around Chris, and Terry, including citizen Michelle Febers. The timing of the event was absolutely right, given the timid court decision. The Mayor’s office also was involved. When they saw the parade forming, they provided assistance. The Mayor’s enlistment of support from Toronto’s mayor and the other Canadian NHL cities was huge. Councillor Whitehead, who chairs the city’s NHL committee, was very inclusive in his comments to the crowd. But the true stars were the absent Mr. Balsillie, and the multitude that showed up. The local media did a wonderful job of promoting the event. The Spectator has been consistently informative and positive in its coverage these last number of months. CHCH has been dutiful; and Donna Skelly and Bubba whipped up the crowd nicely at the rally. CHML has been vigilant with Bill Kelly’s show and broadcast several live events on location. Steve Smith’s addition to the program was a nice local touch. And I was so pleased that Harry Howell received long applause from a crowd, 80% of which wasn’t even born when he retired from the game of hockey.

Even Rosie Di Manno, who writes for the Spec’s sister paper, The Toronto Star, added to the notoriety of the event by bringing in a clownish interpretation of our city into the mix. She wrote a column comparing Balsillie’s lack of testicular fortitude (in not admitting defeat after the court ruling) to a speared hockey player’s overabundance of cojones because he survived a frontal attack on his sack and played again a few days later. What a crude and incorrect analysis, Rosie! Balsillie has been figuratively kicked in the groin and like the hockey player, he is still in the game. But if her logic wasn’t bad enough, Rosie added a verbal shot to the head to the literary kick in the gonads by calling Hamilton ‘a dump’ when a Hamiltonian (Yves Dubeau) took umbrage at her skewed comments.

It doesn’t end there, unfortunately. Another loyal Hamiltonian (Cal Di Falco) wrote a personal e-mail to Ms. Di Manno in defence of his compatriot. The email exchange has been shared with me. He politely rebuked the columnist in very temperate language. And what was Ms. Di Manno’s reply? It was terse; it was crude; and it was somewhat revealing of her character. If this is the kind of thin skin Rosie has, she might be in the wrong business. She is, after all, a columnist. She gives her opinions on things. Sometimes people agree; many times they may not. Surely she is used to that. Here is what Rosie said to a citizen who politely disagreed with her:

“Blow it out your arse.”
Rdm

And this is the person who is passing judgment on our city! Let’s not waste our time getting upset!

Addendum to an earlier column:

In April I wrote a column on “The Church of the Universe and Hamilton Politics” which featured Michael Baldasaro and Walter Tucker. In the piece I wondered how the Church could afford two brand new ‘Harleys’. Well, Brother Michael finally read the article and called me this week. He mostly liked it, but corrected me on two things. The first was on the make of the motorbikes. “They are Honda’s, Lar, not Harleys,” He said. “We are not bikers.” And the second was more serious. He told me about the source of money for the motorcycles. Michael does not want to give the details, but he spelled out to me privately and clearly where the money came from. I will not betray his confidence, but only will tell anyone who may have read the piece that his explanation is very, very believable and plausible. I certainly accept what he told me without one second’s hesitation. Thanks for the information, Michael. And, once again, good luck.

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