By David Edenden
I really don't want to mix sports and politics, but I just want to draw to the attention of Barack Obama that Steven Stamkos is an ethnic Macedonia whose family hails from Greek Macedonia.
His Macedonian family name is Stamkov, but the Greek government, changed all the Macedonian names so that Macedonian identity would be wiped off the map. But you knew this already. didn't you ... Barack!
When the US media decides that they are "soooo" tired of your "new kind of politics" BS mantra and decide to focus on your fervent support of Greek racism against its ethnic Macedonian minority.
What will you say?
What will your supporters say?
What will Samantha Power say?
What will Oprah say?
My suggestion: Practice your weasel words right now!
TheStar.com - News - Steven Stamkos: Hockey player
AARON HARRIS/TORONTO STAR
Steve Stamkos, hockey player
December 30, 2007
Sunaya Sapurji sports reporter
The first arena where Steven Stamkos honed his hockey skills had very limited seating.
It was his family's dining room, carpeted to save the floors from his toddler-sized skates.
The walls, however, were not so lucky. "Those baseboards took a real beating," says Steven's father, Chris. "We had to replace those when we converted the dining room back to its original state."
Now 17, Steven is doing his damage on ice as leading scorer of the Ontario Hockey League's Sarnia Sting, with 30 goals and 21 assists in 32 games. He's the early favourite as top pick for the 2008 NHL entry draft in Ottawa next June.
"There's a little bit of pressure, but I try not to worry about it," says Steven, who plays centre, of the draft. "Sometimes when you think about it too much it gets in your head and you can't perform as well on the ice. I just try to put that in the back of my mind and let my play do the talking for me."
If Steven comes across as mature beyond his years, it might be because he grew up playing hockey against older kids. He learned to skate on public rinks as age 3, with his father and a chair as support.
"My parents, especially my dad, had a big influence on my hockey career," says the 6-foot, 170- pound forward. "He introduced me to the game when I was younger, and I stuck with it."
Chris Stamkos, an American Express employee and first-generation Canadian of Macedonian descent, grew up an ardent Toronto Maple Leafs fan. "I've suffered for the last 40 years," he says, "as so many other fans have."
Growing up without the benefit of hockey schools or skating programs, father Chris got into organized hockey at 13. Still, he was good enough to parlay his talents into playing three seasons at Centennial College.
In the off-season, Steven enjoys playing sports and hanging out with friends in Unionville, Ont., where he lives with his dad, his mom, Lesley, a telemarketing and sales consultant, and younger sister Sarah, 16. An all-around athlete, Steven also played baseball, lacrosse and soccer before settling on hockey. He was the OHL's scholastic player of the year last season, and has an 80-per-cent average in Grade 12 at Sarnia's Northern Collegiate, where, naturally, his favourite subject is gym – though English is a close second.
"One of the things my parents really instilled in me was to have a backup plan in case hockey doesn't work out," says Steven, the first-overall pick in the 2006 OHL draft, who's interested in sports marketing or management.
But so far, hockey's looking like a good choice, since Steven – who turns 18 in February – was recently named one of the youngest players in Canada's world junior squad, now playing for its fourth consecutive gold in the Czech Republic. Back in Sarnia he'll resume living with the Shaw family; conveniently, father Andrew Shaw is an NHL scout for the Columbus Blue Jackets. ""He tells me what I can do better," says Steven, "what certain scouts are looking for, what teams are looking for ... "
And while honoured to be ranked No. 1, he doesn't put much stock in pre-draft rankings. "In the end, it's draft day that counts ... Plus, it's early in the season."
Steve Stamkos is Macedonian. Not Greek. Two different Languages and people.
ReplyDeleteHe was drafted number one in the NHL entry Draft a few hours ago.
Widely regarded as the media's foremost NHL draft expert, Bob McKenzie knows the Stamkos family personally and mentions Steve's nationality in this clip. He says that Steve Stamkos is the first Macedonian Canadian since fellow Macedonian Ed Jovanovski to go first over all.
http://watch.tsn.ca/nhl/clip61545#clip61545
The people calling themselves Macedonian are slavs (-ovskis) which historically, culturally and genetically have nothing in common with the ancient Macedonians who spread their Hellenic culture to the ends of the known world. This issue is just another throwback of communistic propaganda. Know your history, control your destiny.
ReplyDeletethe Greeks are the only Macedonians. propaganda trying get an identity. you will soon be taken by albanians, dont come crying orthodox brothers.
Delete