I've never come across sports wives, but had a lot of dealings with CEO and other executive wives, who fit very well into the same category.

Some were drunk by 10 am, 1 or 2 I knew committed suicide, also some of the children. The wife of one of them had her head shot off by her husband with a shotgun when he found out she was frequent occupier of the company's "hospitality suite", while he was "making money". She was having fun in the corporate knockshop large businesses keep with tax deductible expenses. The call girls, the booze and fancy meals are also, always tax deductible business expenses.

Power corrupts and the easy access to power provided by money not only corrupts, but also, very often, destroys the users of the power. The men may be born predators and think nothing of it, but the families are often in the same category of victims as the people destroyed by these glorified predators. The "movers and shakers of the economy", the fancy name for organized crime.

I have to admit that my 20-30 years of experience with that crowd has been the main reason making me hate big business with a passion, because I have seen the moral corruption that goes on behind the facades.

Ed Deak, Big Lake.

This is just a case of watch my left hand. The media should be dealing with real issues, such as the move toward a police state. A young man is executed third world style for drinking a beer and the socalled protecter of the citizenry is free and still being paid. Also they should be trying to get to who was behind Maher Aher rendition to to Syria by members of our government.
In the ruling in the US against his lawsuit the judge said it would be bad for US Canada relations that if in findings in the case it was brought to light Canadians officials were complicit after
them denying the fact.
Welcome to the new Canadian police state.

Rick

The poor kid was attacking the cop going backward so he go shot in the back of his head....... according to the official version. Used to be called execution in the bad old days. Now it is self defence.

Ed Deak,

In our land of no capital punishment. Executed for drinking a beer = paid desk job
mass murderer Olsen = $100,000 pay out & still alive in jail.
The kid would have been better off to have had a gun and shot first.

Rick

Feel sorry for them? - uh, not so much.

Hockey is a culture, in addition to being a sport, a business, and a racket.

These women knew exactly what they were signing up for, and had probably been after it for a long time before landing the big one.

The only group who came close to matching the "obnoxious quotient" of the hockey thugs at my Ontario high school were their paris hilton-esque girlfriends.

Something tells me the adult version is the same as the adolescent one, only writ large.

There is no doubt Gretzki was a great hockey player. Looked after him mother and father too. Now sells just about anything going for a extra bucks.

But I feel no sympathy for a wife who can while away the time placing large bets on sports events. Lots of married people spend a lot of time apart, not always by choice. Just ask the folks who have to leave home when a one industry town sees the industry fold. They have to leave to pay the bills and leave their wives and children behind. I was away a lot in the air force. That was different I volunteered, nobody forced me to do that job. I could quit at any time so while away so much of the time my spouse took over the total resonsibility of raising three kids and took two degrees at the local university. Cry no tears for a millionairs wife. I did see a commercial with wayne in a laundrymat, I doubt his other half knows what one of those places are for.

Yeah, yeah, pity the poor neglected trophy wife. Yawn. I grew up on the North Shore, and saw LOTS of these women. And I wouldn't be one for any amount of money. Money can't buy a fulfilling relationship or self-esteem, which is why so many of the ones I knew ended up drinking or on drugs, and were treated like furniture or accessories by their husbands. Who needs that kind of crap?

...just thought I'd offer myself as a kept trophy husband to any takers out there...

yes.

what next... cock fights?

D'uh

Maybe you could find her a place in some mafia type organization... you know... someplace where she fits in?

tks,
rjm

Look at the bright side: Team Canada lost!
maybe we now get rid of that old idol for good?

I wonder if Wayne's wife put down some money on the game. if she was sharp she would have backed the Russians, even though a number of them play in the NHL. I watched the last period and they kept showing Wayne up in the stands looking sort of sad. The Russian coach used to play for the Canucks if my memory sefves me. One of the russian players spoke english quite well, turns out he has been playing in the states somewhere.

In my little world the Olympics is about young athaletes with minimum funding from this country trying to take on others who are selected at around the age of three, and on the countries pay roll from then on. amature sport, sure it is, with millionaires popping up all over the place. Just think, next time we get to hear about the dream team of Us basketball professionals doing their thing.

when a athlete from canada wins a medal , hey it's suddenly canada's medal. One wonders just how many flunkies are there on our countries payroll?

Hmmmmm.....

Maybe there was a reason for all that there shilling by the Pair-O-Nines One.

Oops. Didn't realize this was a People Magazine site.

Poor Wayne,

Guy loses his mom, grandma, janet (forever the yoko to Wayne's John) places bets with bookies, and Team Canada loses.

He just looks exhausted.

Time for a break Wayne.

Oh, please! We are supposed to feel sorry for someone who has someone else clean her house for her, cook the family meals, and do any other mundane tasks that she needs? Is it such a hardship to show up for 40 or 50 hockey games a year? I hope the article was atleast trying to be somewhat sarcastic.

If you wanted me to feel sorry for certain wives then write an article about families where the husband is in the Armed Forces. Long absences, low pay, and the chance that your loved one won't come back alive. Ya, hockey wives don't have it too tough.

OM &^%$^%&* G - Chris H. I agree with your point. I kept looking for the tongue-in-Robertson's-cheek, but it was not there. Women, and men, make decisions for their lives that sometimes work out, and sometimes not.

No one, not one person, should find any sympathy for someone who freely chooses a lifestyle that gives one the freedom to do what one chooses, and then f**ks it up because they are shallow useless tools.

Geez, hubby working elsewhere? I worked for a long time in a different town from my wife and child and saw them only on the weekend. I did not ask for or expect any sympathy, nor did my spouse. We lived with our choices.

Would that time apart have been different if we had unlimited cash? You bet. I sure as f**k would not have wasted a half million gambling.

Janet, or Jim-Bob, or any other spouse of the wealthy can get off their freakin' butts and do something useful. You have the time and freedom to actually do something valuable. Get a job, perhaps? Or, volunteer to help the less fortunate? Or go to school to be a good example to you children?

Naw, I guess your suffering has earned you the right to bitch about your hard life. What a $^&*%$ crock. If the best you can do is whine and gamble, too effen bad.

Get a freakin' life.

Wow!

She has a net worth of one half of 93.8 million $, gets to chooose to live where she wants, without the husband present, gets to gamble and debauch, and SHE's the victim ?

Only in the eyes of a ball-bustin, man-hating dyke.

It goes like this:

The people want bread and circus. bread is dull, steady and you don't get very rich, but you can actually have a sense of autonomy. Tie yourself to the circus, your life becomes just that.

Bon appetit.

Trophy Wife is not the worst job in the world, but you can see the disadvantage.

SHE can never dishonour the moneymaker's name by straying, gambling on Mafia rackets, etc. SHE must remain thin and gorgeous and perfect, while overseeing the home, children and the ancillary staff to keep the moneymaker happy.

If the moneymaker screws around, brings home STDs, blows the dough on stupid investments, and contributes nothing of emotional value to the family, well, it's a man's world baby.

I don't shed a tear for Janet but I do not envy her crystal prison.

...Think I'll join this cat fight for a round or two....
HEY! DPL, what the fu*k are you talking about you blathering idiot? You got one thing right... "In your little world." Bleak and uninformed as it is. Why comment on something you obviously know nothing about. Haven't you ever heard the saying... "better to keep your mouth shut and let people think you're stupid, than to say a few words and prove them right?" A load of pure jibberish if I ever read any....

There, that's better....

Boo Hoo!

I do not care about the "troubles" of the rich.

If it is so bad - leave!

Clubofrome. Thank you for your brilliant analysis of my shortcoming and such a very informative response to a short note I wrote. The only person folks might think is stupid is yourself. I guess its up to them to decide.

So I don't think hockey wives have it that tough? Seems a lot of others have the same opinion.

I cheer for the Olympians who come from lots of places not connected with a lot of money. Young people and some not so young who put their lives on hold to do their best. The fire fighter at the age of 39 wins big, a 21-year-old skater wins no less than four medals. The woman’s hockey team who actually worked very hard to excel. Even some sports announcers state that the Hockey folks seemed lost at times. Their big excuse. The ice was bigger.

Fact seems to indicate that the Russians out skated them most of the time and our favorite goon happened to be in the penalty box when the Russians scored the first and winning goal. The other goal was simply cream on top. And by the way, if you find fault at a family that managed to work for well over 22 years going where the government sent them, and still had time to get a couple of university degrees and the less intelligent one, managed to end up as an engineer, commercial pilot, Instructor,and a couple other trades licenses along the way, (me) I guess we aren’t in your world

Yeah you're right, every idiot has a right to express their opinion here, no matter how ridiculous. You obviously don't get it, as you've repeated the same blunders again. You're the one who started judging others in your barely coherent ramble. Just thought you might like to taste some of your own medicine!

Add to your portfolio of titles "Minister of Silly Talks"

It's funny how the feminine sympathy card is pulled out for a rich spouse caught breaking the law. If it were a rich do-nothing husband instead we'd be berating him for bringing down his wife with his vices...then we'd go digging through his trash to get his credit card receipts. We wouldn't even consider the possibility that the wife could be complicit.

It's a strange pattern that happens when women (as opposed to men) are caught with their finger in the funk. They're held to a diminished standard of accountability relative to men, and a kind of reflexive protection mechanism kicks in.

clubofrome.

I guess you figure you are quite a thoughtful fellow,very thoughtful and of course of extreme intelligence and us lower level folks don't really understand your greater station in life.

Gosh I'm so sorry I offended your sense of what is right and wrong. I'm not to sure what "Blunders" I repeated, beyond being silly enough to show you just how stupid your comments are.

So go on telling yourself the sports idols and their wives you seem to admire so much are much smarter that the average person, especially one who doesn't really take to the idea of so called professionals trying to win some medal before rushing back to the goon show called the NHL. Read back over the comments and you might notice that most of the people who bothered to answer the origional story think diffferently that you. But only you are right, they and of course me, are wrong. You must be living in a bit of a dream world. So dream on. Bet you beleive in the tooth fairy and Santa Claus as well.

DPL
It's Friday, so I'm going to let you off easy. The only thing I've expressed my opinion on is the fact that you have made some silly if not incoherent remarks. Nothing to do with anyones intelligence, but yours.

I had a hunch you might take this attack the wrong way, as you seem to have misread everything from the article on down. So lets get this straight, once and for all! I could care less about this article, or any public figures for that matter. You are the one commenting on the athletes, amateur or professional. I'm attacking your opinion and credibility. I do take offence to stupid remarks like this:
DPL:

Your post went down hill from there. Incredulous as that seems! Was that a quote directly from the National Enquirer or did you think that up all by yourself? Every hockey player that played for his country in the Olympics is a paid professional. The NHL may be a long way from pure amateur sport but it's not a goon show. It's over priced entertainment. Oh enough already...
Just put some kind of thought into your opinions before posting... that way you can avoid a**holes like me from attacking your credibility. With any luck Olympic Hockey will adopt the same approach as FIFA and make it an under 23 tournament after 2010. Hey DPL, I have an idea! Go stand in a hockey arena anywhere and hold up a sign with what you've said here! See what kind of response you get! Geeesh!

I do agree with you on your comment that you are a a**hole. As for the likely hood of me shwoing up at a hocky rink waving a sign is unlikely. Hocky has turned into a bit of a bore with overpaid folks skating around. I do notice that the expected to be famous mens team fell apart and went home to sulk . NO medals for them. Oh well Vancouver awaits them in 2010 and maybe Wayne can be cohersed into running the show for them. The goon I refered to being in the penalty box was the guy who sucker punched another fellow who now seems to ahve permanent neck injuries and is about to sue the shorts off him. The long suspension was a good thing as well. I did read an article from some sports jock that the guy didn't seem that interested in what he was doing. I couldn't tell as I only watched the last period. And it was the big CBC expert who said they found the ice was too big. Seems the rest of the teenms, many who are NHL players, and all the women's teams seemed to do well on that surface. Not being a betting person myslef, I would have bet on the other team as well as most experts who seemed to have the smae opinion on their lackluster performance. any astute gambler would probrably bet as I have suggested. Two of my kids used to pay hockey and quit years ago because of the high sticking and a few overzealous parents. More fun doing soccer so they went in that direction.

Oh, GIVE ME A BREAK!

You'll have to invite someone else to the pity party.

Most loggers on this coast go into camp for weeks at a time, leaving wives at home to care for the kids. Fishermen are gone months at a time...and they aren't making however many million dollars...

LOTS of people have to work "away" and they don't whine and snivel about it. You go where the work is.

See how many latch key kids are going to feel sorry for the Gretzky brood...see how many working women are going to sit down and sob bitter tears for Janet Gretzky's plight... ask guys who are away from home working long hours in construction just how sorry they feel for this poor misunderstood little thing...

BLETCH! RALF!

DPL: I'm not used to reading that kind of drivel here. Most of the posters form intelligent opinions based on some sort of expertise or even logic. You're just nattering which is a waste of time and space. Good day to you.

DPL - Congrats on achieving personal success,(commercial pilot, etc).

Clubofromme - If you find someone's style of writing offensive, be it grammar, bad spelling or what have you, then just say why and leave it be.

Writing, for many, is a difficult task and those who attempt an expression of opinion should not be subject to personal attacks as it diminishes both parties.....unless, of course, the ATTACK IS DIRECTED AT THE EDITOR OF THE TYEE FOR ALLOWING ARTICLES SUCH AS THE PRECEEDING TO APPEAR IN THIS SPACE.

Most of the Tyee's readers have little stomach for this tripe. If the Tyee is looking to fill space then perhaps the editors could/should solicit articles from any of the numerous and thoughtful 'comments' writers. Unless, of course, the Tyee IS trying to become the online PEOPLE magazine

Janet Gretzky indeed! Come on down to your local needle exchange. I'll be happy(?) to show you a dificult life.

D

BeagleBreath: Have some tripe.... If you find my style of writing offensive then just say nothing and then go fuc* yourself. I'm sorry, what I meant to say was, I'll point out bad content when I feel like it. No, on second thought, I was right the first time. Good luck, and have fun playing Tyee policeman!

It's been pointed out that power and money corrupts. I didn't read anywhere in this thoughtful article where the author diminishes Army wives or Loggers' wives. Gambling comments are the same as kicking someone when they are down and can't defend themselves. Even worse when you don't have the facts. You don't have to feel sorry for her or anyone else but if your going to be a sniper eventually someone will shoot back at you.

Janet Jones Gretzky's has not been charged with any crime, nor have the allegations against her been judged to be fact. (Nor will they be judged since she is in effect the collateral damage of showboating prosecutors.) Does that bother any of the flamers here?

Of course it all may be true, and it may even indicate that she has an addiction problem, something that occurs to people in every income bracket. It may even be exacerbated by the lifestyle issue described here by reporter Robertson. Here's another angle (true). A sportswriter friend of mine has a close family member with a gambling addiction. Would we pile on this otherwise anonymous person with such glee, knowing she comes from a typical Canadian family of typical middle-class resources? No, to our limited credit.

Worse than the possibility that The Tyee is becoming a People-like site (not!) is that so many visitors choose it to vent a kind of pity-me bile, that coincidentally often is misogynist as well. (Reporter Robertson is a "ball-busting dyke"? Most of the dykes I know aren't interested enough in balls to go around busting 'em.)

When is class consciousness mere envy, and therefore as reactionary and ultimately poisonous as the mooted crimes of the rich? Read some of the above posts to find out.

The sad news, Tyee readers, is that if you can spew bile because luck and circumstance have put Janet Gretsky any number of rungs up the economic ladder from you, then 75 per cent of the world can view you in precisely the same way.

Maybe even 85% for Pilot, Engineer, Tradesman and Instructor DPL....

Sorry, couldn't resist that one.... Very eloquent Just me, thank you. How do you reconcile the fact that these should be simple rules for life? This is elementary sticks and stones stuff! How do people miss/forget these lessons? Too much People magazine, National Enquirer, Entertainment tonight....? No wonder people are losing faith in the human race. The enemy is Monsanto, everything else is well planned diversion! Don't be made fools of any longer. Stand up and demand accountability in the way we use resources and plan for the future. It will make you better people and better neighbours, it really will. And that's what it's all about. Just ask any Dolphin, right Frank!