After months of harsh criticism of the Montreal Canadiens, its players and its fans, Louis Morissette finally did what was expected of him: he apologized.
Or at least he tried to.
However, his apologies, delivered during his podcast Pear and Cheesequickly turned into unease.
Filled with “yes, but,” they sounded more like a clumsy justification than a real mea culpa.
It all started when his colleague, Jean-Philippe Wauthier, began to imitate him.
“The Canadians, they have to “tank”. Think they’re bad. Think they’re bad? He’s playing like crap. Think they’re not good.”
Then Wauthier recalled that Morissette had disappeared from the airwaves because he was simply too ashamed.
“And then the weeks passed. Little presence from Louis, absent. The last real apologies you made were at Bye Bye 2008. That was the last real apology. Felt.”
Everyone remembers Morissette, in 2008, on the verge of tears to apologize for her controversial Bye Bye:
Louis Morissette, who was laboriously trying to apologize after months of harsh criticism towards the Montreal Canadiens, had to endure the scathing mockery of his colleague.
If Morissette hoped to turn the page, Wauthier did not let him get away with it so easily, choosing to mercilessly recall the comedian’s past statements and his notable absence when the CH began to shine.
These comments sparked laughter from the other participants, but left Morissette visibly uncomfortable.
It wasn’t just a joke: it was a direct way of reminding him to what extent his criticisms had been repetitive, excessive and disconnected from the Canadian’s current reality.
By bringing back the episode of Bye Bye 2008, where Morissette had to apologize publicly, in tears, after one of the biggest controversies in the history of Quebec, Wauthier highlighted the absence of authenticity in the current apology from his colleague.
The parallel was clear: for Wauthier, Morissette was not really sorry, but rather cornered, with his back against the wall, by the situation.
“Louis, where were you when Lane Hutson and Nick Suzuki were proving you wrong? Why wait so long? »
Remember that Louis Morissette has not stopped taunting the CH, Lane Hutson and Nick Suzuki for months. He called Hutson a “Bantam A player” and openly doubted his ability to play in the NHL:
“Lane Hutson is a solid number three defender, but you leave him on the bench when you’re leading in the third period. »
“If he gains 15-20 pounds, he’s going to lose his quickness and fluidity. This guy is going to paddle asti on the ice. »
“He’s got a Bantam A shot and he’s so slow.”
As for Nick Suzuki, Morissette was even harsher:
“Suzuki is the worst captain in the NHL. He doesn’t have the makings of a leader. »
“He’s not a first center. If the Canadian wants to win one day, he will have to find a 1A. Suzuki can be a good 1B, but he’s not the man for the job. »
These statements, repeated in several episodes, had aroused the indignation of fans and even his colleagues, but Morissette had remained firm in his positions… until now.
During her return to the microphone after a long absence, Morissette finally addressed the subject.
-But his apologies, far from being clear and sincere, were peppered with detours, justifications and veiled criticism.
“I have to say that the Canadian impresses me. The character that this team showed was really not there before. But hey, I wanted them to finish last to draft high. »
An attempt to admit your mistake? Maybe. But every positive point he brought up seemed immediately diluted by a “yes, but.”
“Lane Hutson…I was wrong, I admit it. But, for real, he’s going to end up freezing. It’s not sustainable. »
On Nick Suzuki, his tone has hardly changed, even if he conceded progress:
“Defensively, I can’t say anything against Suzuki now. He plays for real. But it’s still not a first center. »
These comments, far from calming the critics, only added fuel to the fire.
On social networks, many fans pointed out the lack of sincerity in his speech.
But the most striking moment of the episode is undoubtedly the intervention of Jean-Philippe Wauthier, who did not hesitate to point out Morissette’s inconsistencies.
“That doesn’t sound like an apology, Louis. It’s not about power or judgment. It’s a matter of admitting you’re wrong, period. »
Wauthier, visibly annoyed by the way Morissette tried to minimize his mistake, continued:
“Lane Hutson, Nick Suzuki… you planted them relentlessly. And now that they’re shining, you still find a way to divert the subject. This is not a mea culpa, it is a clumsy justification. »
Despite Morissette’s efforts to acknowledge her wrongdoing, the end result left a bitter taste.
Rather than repairing his relationship with fans, his apology reinforced the image of a critic who does not know how to admit his mistakes without trying to save face.
“I hope that one day my wife will love me as much as the Canadiens fans love their team”he joked.
An attempt at humor which was perceived as out of place at a time when sincerity was expected.
On social networks, the reactions were not long in coming. While some praised Morissette’s courage to retract her statements, the majority denounced an apology that they consider insincere.
“It doesn’t sound right. Morissette apologizes, but continues to criticize. That’s not admitting you were wrong. »
“Jean-Philippe Wauthier demolished it, and he was right. Morissette is a pitiful sight. »
“If you want to apologize, do it for real. Otherwise, don’t say anything. »
Louis Morissette had the merit of returning to his criticisms, but he did so in a clumsy and unconvincing manner.
His return to the microphone, expected by some as a moment of redemption, transformed into a public malaise where his justifications eclipsed his excuses.
Better late than never, they say. But in Morissette’s case, the manner matters as much as the timing. And this time, he failed to regain the trust of the fans.
For Lane Hutson, Nick Suzuki and the Montreal Canadiens, this saga is now behind them. They continue to prove their worth on the ice, far from criticism and doubt.
As for Louis Morissette, his uncomfortable mea culpa will remain as a reminder that hockey, just like life, always ends up rewarding those who truly believe.
