Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Live Saturday
Interview With Bob Nicholson
Aired December 14, 2002 - 17:42 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Some kids have a real problem with sports, not with the games themselves, but with the way their parents can overreact from the sidelines. A series of public service announcements in Canada is using children to send a message to adults that some behavior is over the line. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: License and registration please.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sure.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You know you made an illegal left turn back there?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, you've got to be kidding. You rule stinks. You stink.
Right, Dad? Tell him. You're not just going to sit there and take this, are you? Stand up to this moron. Tell him that call was crap. Don't hold back, let him have it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Well, those PSAs are from the Canadian Hockey Association. The group's president is Bob Nicholson and he joins us to talk about "Just relax, it's only a game" campaign.
Good to see you, Bob.
BOB NICHOLSON, PRESIDENT, CANADIAN HOCKEY ASSOC.: How you doing tonight?
WHITFIELD: I'm doing pretty good.
Was there a particular incident that you can think of that was the impetus for this campaign, or just the recent spate of rather violent acts and aggressive acts by parents on the sidelines?
NICHOLSON: No, it's really something that we have been working on for about 10 months. And I guess the first thing I'd like to say is that 98 percent of parents are excellent parents. They're supporting their kids, but it's that 1 or 2 percent we're trying to get the message to.
And it's been playing very well here in Canada. It is going to take us some time. We're going to have to work on it to try to make sure that all kids, in all sports, get to play in a positive atmosphere.
WHITFIELD: So many American viewers may have thought this was a really problem in the U.S., but now Canada, apparently, is admitting to it being a problem there, as well. How significant of an issue has it become in households?
NICHOLSON: I think it's really always been there. And I guess the key is it's about parenting. You know, we're using hockey as the avenue to get that message out in Canada, but when you look at the States it's there in baseball and basketball. And we all have to work on it and make sure that we're emphasizing the good parents, but trying to change the attitudes of that 1 or 2 percent, which is a tough challenge.
WHITFIELD: The father of Wayne Gretzky, a hockey great, admitted he saw this problem very much apparent 10, 15 years ago. And it is one of the reasons why he pulled his son -- or allowed his son to go into more private training -- because of what he was witnessing on the ice rink, involving a number of parents.
So clearly, this has been a serious issue for a long time, intimidating an awful lot of kids.
NICHOLSON: Yes, it has been there. And I know that Walter was excellent in our press conference, talking about his situation. And we really need people, such as Walter, who are such a good example to other parents. How do you make sure that kids go into the arena and have a great experience?
Again, we hopefully, these PSAs will help give a tool to the good parents so that they can use these to try to change that 1 or 2 percent.
WHITFIELD: All right, Bob, these ads are so fun to watch. We want to watch one more. Let's take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Come on, Dad. Focus. Widen your stance a little.
Don't slouch! And don't screw up, this is the big leagues. What are you doing? Keep your eye on the ball.
That was pathetic.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sorry.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yeah, well, sorry doesn't cut it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Oh, my gosh, that seems so harsh. But you know what? That really is what is witnessed on some of the sidelines on the playing field. What has the reception been like?
NICHOLSON: It's been really positive. When you go into the arenas across the country in Canada, everyone's talking about it. In some cases they're chuckling about it, but the key is they're talking about it in the hockey rinks. But that's what we want.
And we're going to have to continue to throw out other types of educational messages to the parents, and it's not just the kids. It's about parents, of how they talk to officials and how they communicate to the coaches, too. If we do all of this in a positive way, hopefully, we'll create a positive atmosphere.
WHITFIELD: All right. Bob, underscoring it is a very serious topic, even though the ads offer a lot of laughter. And it's fun that everybody can kind of laugh at themselves, but it is a very serious issue.
All right, Bob Nicholson, thank you very much for joining us. Appreciate it.
NICHOLSON: Great. Thank you very much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired December 14, 2002 - 17:42 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Some kids have a real problem with sports, not with the games themselves, but with the way their parents can overreact from the sidelines. A series of public service announcements in Canada is using children to send a message to adults that some behavior is over the line. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: License and registration please.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sure.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You know you made an illegal left turn back there?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, you've got to be kidding. You rule stinks. You stink.
Right, Dad? Tell him. You're not just going to sit there and take this, are you? Stand up to this moron. Tell him that call was crap. Don't hold back, let him have it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Well, those PSAs are from the Canadian Hockey Association. The group's president is Bob Nicholson and he joins us to talk about "Just relax, it's only a game" campaign.
Good to see you, Bob.
BOB NICHOLSON, PRESIDENT, CANADIAN HOCKEY ASSOC.: How you doing tonight?
WHITFIELD: I'm doing pretty good.
Was there a particular incident that you can think of that was the impetus for this campaign, or just the recent spate of rather violent acts and aggressive acts by parents on the sidelines?
NICHOLSON: No, it's really something that we have been working on for about 10 months. And I guess the first thing I'd like to say is that 98 percent of parents are excellent parents. They're supporting their kids, but it's that 1 or 2 percent we're trying to get the message to.
And it's been playing very well here in Canada. It is going to take us some time. We're going to have to work on it to try to make sure that all kids, in all sports, get to play in a positive atmosphere.
WHITFIELD: So many American viewers may have thought this was a really problem in the U.S., but now Canada, apparently, is admitting to it being a problem there, as well. How significant of an issue has it become in households?
NICHOLSON: I think it's really always been there. And I guess the key is it's about parenting. You know, we're using hockey as the avenue to get that message out in Canada, but when you look at the States it's there in baseball and basketball. And we all have to work on it and make sure that we're emphasizing the good parents, but trying to change the attitudes of that 1 or 2 percent, which is a tough challenge.
WHITFIELD: The father of Wayne Gretzky, a hockey great, admitted he saw this problem very much apparent 10, 15 years ago. And it is one of the reasons why he pulled his son -- or allowed his son to go into more private training -- because of what he was witnessing on the ice rink, involving a number of parents.
So clearly, this has been a serious issue for a long time, intimidating an awful lot of kids.
NICHOLSON: Yes, it has been there. And I know that Walter was excellent in our press conference, talking about his situation. And we really need people, such as Walter, who are such a good example to other parents. How do you make sure that kids go into the arena and have a great experience?
Again, we hopefully, these PSAs will help give a tool to the good parents so that they can use these to try to change that 1 or 2 percent.
WHITFIELD: All right, Bob, these ads are so fun to watch. We want to watch one more. Let's take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Come on, Dad. Focus. Widen your stance a little.
Don't slouch! And don't screw up, this is the big leagues. What are you doing? Keep your eye on the ball.
That was pathetic.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sorry.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yeah, well, sorry doesn't cut it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Oh, my gosh, that seems so harsh. But you know what? That really is what is witnessed on some of the sidelines on the playing field. What has the reception been like?
NICHOLSON: It's been really positive. When you go into the arenas across the country in Canada, everyone's talking about it. In some cases they're chuckling about it, but the key is they're talking about it in the hockey rinks. But that's what we want.
And we're going to have to continue to throw out other types of educational messages to the parents, and it's not just the kids. It's about parents, of how they talk to officials and how they communicate to the coaches, too. If we do all of this in a positive way, hopefully, we'll create a positive atmosphere.
WHITFIELD: All right. Bob, underscoring it is a very serious topic, even though the ads offer a lot of laughter. And it's fun that everybody can kind of laugh at themselves, but it is a very serious issue.
All right, Bob Nicholson, thank you very much for joining us. Appreciate it.
NICHOLSON: Great. Thank you very much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
