Perspective: Vaasan Sport made a fool of itself - and it was absolutely right

Vaasan Sport published an exceptional statement on Sunday. In it, Sport gave itself such verbal whipping that the color of the backs of the people of Vaasa fits quite well with the Christmas season. At the same time, the club confirmed what everyone already knew: the clearance sales have begun.

The statement made Sport a laughingstock. When the club admitted its own mistakes, it made itself an easy target. Moralizers, horrified onlookers, and mockers found a reason to crawl out of their holes to beat a downed opponent.

For this reason, in the sports world, few admit their own mistakes as Sport just did. If someone shows weakness, it immediately provides a more substantial fuel for both headlines and public hockey discussions.

Therefore, Sport’s announcement must be admired. Mistakes have been made (huge and unreasonable ones), they have been acknowledged, apologies have been made, and next, it is necessary to think about how to move forward from here.

Many may be horrified that Sport is selling its team empty and investing in the next season. These hockey people have good reasons to be terrified, as such actions are anything but in line with good sportsmanship. Hopefully, the same people will remember to be shocked when an NHL team sells its star to invest in the future, rather than trying to win as many games as possible in the regular season.

After the statement and the sales, Sport has a chance to prove itself. Will the club now manage to seize the opportunity and assemble a credible team for the next season? The previous performances of the people of Vaasa do not inspire confidence, and next season’s mistakes can no longer be fixed with mere statements.