Montreal Canadiens owner joins Twitter, will soon discover block function
By Mike HalfordJan 4, 2012, 6:10 PM EST
Saying he wants to "connect directly with fans who share my passion for Les Canadiens," Montreal owner Geoff Molson has joined Twitter.
At first glance, this might not seem like a noteworthy development. There are other NHL owners operating their own Twitter accounts, most notably Washington Capitals boss Ted Leonsis — but the timing of Molson's Twitter debut is compelling because of the controversy surrounding him and his team.
As you might've heard, the hiring of non-bilingual interim head coach Randy Cunneyworth brought heat on the organization. Several French nationalist groups called for a boycott of Molson products — the eponymous brewery makes one of Canada's most popular beers — while others have blasted Molson for his ham-fisted handling of the situation. Shortly after the Cunneyworth hire, Molson issued a statement saying, "Although our main priority remains to win hockey games and to keep improving as a team, it is obvious that the ability for the head coach to express himself in both French and English will be a very important factor in the selection of the permanent head coach."
In a related story, I believe tire-au-flanc is French for "lame duck." (There's also the more literal translation of canard boiteux.)
So now Molson's on Twitter (@GMolsonCHC), a whopping two days after his GM, Pierre Gauthier, publicly apologized to anyone that was offended by the Cunneyworth hire. Gee, think there's a PR strategy in play here?
(Image courtesy Twitter.)