Signing Mitchell Miller was a terrible look for the Bruins
Heading into the 2022-23 season, fans and experts alike were skeptical about the direction of the Boston Bruins organization. But the B’s put to rest any doubts by winning 10 of their first 11 games.
Then, when all of the hockey-related headlines in this town had become positive, the Bruins’ upper management decided this past Friday that they would completely destroy the vibe and sign a racist bully by the name of Mitchell Miller.
It’s hard to remember the last time a professional sports franchise received this much backlash from their fanbase in regards to a signing. You’d have to go back to the Patriots’ drafting of Christian Peter in 1996 to find something remotely comparable. Following the move, the Bruins’ front office was faced with overwhelming criticism from the Bruins faithful. How they could give someone like this a chance is beyond comprehension.
Instead of answering for their incredibly tone-deaf decision-making, the cowardly Don Sweeney and Cam Neely decided they’d have their team captain, Patrice Bergeron, speak on their behalf. Here’s what he had to say:
“I had my concerns,” Bergeron said. “I shared my opinion. In a way, I was not necessarily agreeing with it. To be honest with you, the culture that we’ve built here goes against that type of behavior. We’re a team that’s built something about character, character people and individuals. What he did, obviously, is unacceptable. We don’t stand by that.”
Here’s what veteran Nick Foligno added:
“It’s tough. It’s a really hard topic. First and foremost, the organization is not going to do something that would jeopardize that. But in saying that, it’s not something anyone in this room stands for. The culture we’ve built and these guys have built before I got here is one of inclusion. I think it goes against that. I understand he was 14 when he made this mistake. But it’s hard for us to swallow. Because we take a lot of pride in here in the way we act, the way we carry ourselves, what it is to be a Bruin. So that was a tough thing to hear for our group.”
Judging by these reactions, it’s safe to conclude that the Bruins’ players were not properly consulted prior to the decision, similar to how Mitchell Miller never properly apologized to his former classmate Isaiah Meyer Crothers after torturing the poor kid throughout their entire childhoods.
I’m sure you’ve heard it all by now, so it goes without saying that the details regarding Miller’s abuse towards Crothers are disgusting and infuriating. Repeated use of the n-word for years, beating a disabled student and forcing him to lick candy that had been rubbed in a urinal, the type of stuff that only the scummiest person on Earth could even imagine doing, no matter their age.
Does he deserve a second chance? Sure, he can go get another job outside of hockey and work towards becoming a productive member of society in another facet. But the NHL dream should be out the window. Playing professional sports is a privilege that this kid should have lost a long time ago, which is why the NHL did announce Saturday that the 20 year-old is still ineligible to play in the league, and that may never change.
If this is the case, Sweeney and Neely have been bailed out. Still, even considering bringing in this type of character should be a fireable offense for both of them. We’ll see how it plays out.