Lupe's Troops is simply a rebranding of Luke's Troops which began in 2009 when Luke Schenn (then a defenceman for the Leafs) initiated the program.
I'm guessing that MLSE approved of the idea because a) it is not money out of their pocket and b) it is good PR for MLSE that they do not have to pay for.
Why the military? Well, you'd have to ask Schenn or Lupul why they chose military families as their charity of choice. MLSE is in it because, well, it isn't costing them anything and it is good PR.
Brandon Walker interviewed Schenn and this is how he related it.
Brandon Walker wrote:
In Toronto, most players have enough on their plates focusing on their play, but Luke Schenn sees things differently. "My first year when I found out I made it, I wanted to get a charity going and give back to the community," said Schenn. "After a few recommendations, one of the things we thought of was the Canadian troops. They just don't get the recognition they deserve and they do a lot for our country."
It could just as easily have been cancer surviviors or service dogs.
We can question Schenn and Lupul's priorities even as we do so we need to recognize that they have the freedom to spend their own money as they wish.
We can question why MSLE continues to support the program surely as a business they are not obligated to prevent Schenn or Lupul from spending their own money as they wish or refuse to bask in the PR it generates.
And who is being manipulated by the program? Apart from Leafs fans?
And if it is just Leafs fans being manipulated that's not news is it?
Would I stand in honour of a member of the Canadian Armed Forces at a Leafs home game?
a) The Habs would have to be playing and b) my tickets would have to be free also. If those conditions were met then when in Rome . . .
And to be clear I do not think that our troops are particularly well served by the Government responsible for them. Rob Anders comes to mind for some odd reason.
Grace and peace to you.
John
qwerty
Posted on: 06/04/2013 22:26
Yeah John, I like the bit about the free tickets and the Habs. They say everyone has their price but you drive a particularly hard bargain ...
I wondered if the military was paying the Leaf's for allowing the proceedings in their buildings at their games. Claim the expense in their budget as recruitment and morale building expense. The government is okay with it because it creates the illusion of support they need for failed programs and future military adventures and spending. Lupul was participating for the publicity to increase his fan base and his value for endorsements. Write the charitable donations off as donations or maybe promotional expense and make the money 10 times over on endorsements.
Everybody wins ... except taxpayers.
(I've become such a cynic that sometimes I am disgusted with myself.)
revjohn
Posted on: 06/05/2013 05:54
Hi qwerty,
qwerty wrote:
Yeah John, I like the bit about the free tickets and the Habs. They say everyone has their price but you drive a particularly hard bargain ...
Well since I am on record as saying I won't pay for a ticket to an NHL game and I am avidly anti-leaf the stakes have to be high to get me to even consider going to the ACC.
qwerty wrote:
I wondered if the military was paying the Leaf's for allowing the proceedings in their buildings at their games.
Since they couldn't afford to send the appropriate camo colours to troops initially heading to Afghanistan I would think Leafs tickets are out of budget. Who pays those prices for a team which has been in rebuilding mode since 1967?
qwerty wrote:
Claim the expense in their budget as recruitment and morale building expense.
I fail to see how tickets to a Leafs game can be considered morale building. Possibly it is continued service to the country, it is probably quicker than KP.
qwerty wrote:
The government is okay with it because it creates the illusion of support they need for failed programs and future military adventures and spending.
They hope.
I don't think that anybody at the ACC sees a soldier and thinks that Mike Duffy is suddenly responsible and Harper knew nothing about Wright's incredibly generous gift to Duffy which was $89, 500.00 over and above the allowed gift level.
If Wright had just written 180 cheques for $500 it would have been above board.
qwerty wrote:
Lupul was participating for the publicity to increase his fan base and his value for endorsements.
That only happens for Leaf players after they have been traded to some competitor.
qwerty wrote:
Write the charitable donations off as donations or maybe promotional expense and make the money 10 times over on endorsements.
Not much of a market for Lupul merch outside of TO.
qwerty wrote:
Everybody wins ... except taxpayers.
It is hard to find anything where the taxpayer wins. Unless you end up needing an ambulance ride to the hospital for emergency surgery and then you are probably just breaking even.
qwerty wrote:
(I've become such a cynic that sometimes I am disgusted with myself.)
Sadly the world we live in doesn't go out of its way to discourage cynicism.
Grace and peace to you.
John
qwerty
Posted on: 06/11/2013 10:46
John this thread was an intimate little gathering, I admit , but the conversation was entertaining. As a person who actually watched the game the last time Toronto won a Stanley Cup, I can tell you that I agree with you ... um ... 110% (we're talking hockey ... if you can call it that ... after all).
Comments
revjohn
Posted on: 06/04/2013 15:27
Hi Qwerty.
Not sure how to respond to Salutin's piece.
Lupe's Troops is simply a rebranding of Luke's Troops which began in 2009 when Luke Schenn (then a defenceman for the Leafs) initiated the program.
I'm guessing that MLSE approved of the idea because a) it is not money out of their pocket and b) it is good PR for MLSE that they do not have to pay for.
Why the military? Well, you'd have to ask Schenn or Lupul why they chose military families as their charity of choice. MLSE is in it because, well, it isn't costing them anything and it is good PR.
Brandon Walker interviewed Schenn and this is how he related it.
In Toronto, most players have enough on their plates focusing on their play, but Luke Schenn sees things differently. "My first year when I found out I made it, I wanted to get a charity going and give back to the community," said Schenn. "After a few recommendations, one of the things we thought of was the Canadian troops. They just don't get the recognition they deserve and they do a lot for our country."
It could just as easily have been cancer surviviors or service dogs.
We can question Schenn and Lupul's priorities even as we do so we need to recognize that they have the freedom to spend their own money as they wish.
We can question why MSLE continues to support the program surely as a business they are not obligated to prevent Schenn or Lupul from spending their own money as they wish or refuse to bask in the PR it generates.
And who is being manipulated by the program? Apart from Leafs fans?
And if it is just Leafs fans being manipulated that's not news is it?
Would I stand in honour of a member of the Canadian Armed Forces at a Leafs home game?
a) The Habs would have to be playing and b) my tickets would have to be free also. If those conditions were met then when in Rome . . .
And to be clear I do not think that our troops are particularly well served by the Government responsible for them. Rob Anders comes to mind for some odd reason.
Grace and peace to you.
John
qwerty
Posted on: 06/04/2013 22:26
Yeah John, I like the bit about the free tickets and the Habs. They say everyone has their price but you drive a particularly hard bargain ...
I wondered if the military was paying the Leaf's for allowing the proceedings in their buildings at their games. Claim the expense in their budget as recruitment and morale building expense. The government is okay with it because it creates the illusion of support they need for failed programs and future military adventures and spending. Lupul was participating for the publicity to increase his fan base and his value for endorsements. Write the charitable donations off as donations or maybe promotional expense and make the money 10 times over on endorsements.
Everybody wins ... except taxpayers.
(I've become such a cynic that sometimes I am disgusted with myself.)
revjohn
Posted on: 06/05/2013 05:54
Hi qwerty,
Yeah John, I like the bit about the free tickets and the Habs. They say everyone has their price but you drive a particularly hard bargain ...
Well since I am on record as saying I won't pay for a ticket to an NHL game and I am avidly anti-leaf the stakes have to be high to get me to even consider going to the ACC.
I wondered if the military was paying the Leaf's for allowing the proceedings in their buildings at their games.
Since they couldn't afford to send the appropriate camo colours to troops initially heading to Afghanistan I would think Leafs tickets are out of budget. Who pays those prices for a team which has been in rebuilding mode since 1967?
Claim the expense in their budget as recruitment and morale building expense.
I fail to see how tickets to a Leafs game can be considered morale building. Possibly it is continued service to the country, it is probably quicker than KP.
The government is okay with it because it creates the illusion of support they need for failed programs and future military adventures and spending.
They hope.
I don't think that anybody at the ACC sees a soldier and thinks that Mike Duffy is suddenly responsible and Harper knew nothing about Wright's incredibly generous gift to Duffy which was $89, 500.00 over and above the allowed gift level.
If Wright had just written 180 cheques for $500 it would have been above board.
Lupul was participating for the publicity to increase his fan base and his value for endorsements.
That only happens for Leaf players after they have been traded to some competitor.
Write the charitable donations off as donations or maybe promotional expense and make the money 10 times over on endorsements.
Not much of a market for Lupul merch outside of TO.
Everybody wins ... except taxpayers.
It is hard to find anything where the taxpayer wins. Unless you end up needing an ambulance ride to the hospital for emergency surgery and then you are probably just breaking even.
(I've become such a cynic that sometimes I am disgusted with myself.)
Sadly the world we live in doesn't go out of its way to discourage cynicism.
Grace and peace to you.
John
qwerty
Posted on: 06/11/2013 10:46