[Report] Chris Faber Joins Canucks as First Senior Hockey Writer

[The Duke]

2 hours ago, tas said:

"respected hockey journalist" = fan from CDC who wrote for a blog.

I’ll take it.  Faber is at his best writing from a homer perspective.  He’s young and open to trying different things - I think he could do great in the role (with the role being what it is.)

 

edit: I replied to this before I saw you getting replied to by a few others - didn’t mean to pile on. 

Edited October 27, 2023 by The Duke

[Locke Lamora]

This makes a lot of sense as obviously it is a step up professionally for young Faber, as I’m sure his take home income just took a serious jump higher. With him just married and mentioning wanting to start a family, smart move that way as well. And let’s face it, unlike most of the cynical Canuck haters in the local media, I don’t think Faber has ever really tried to hide the fact that he’s a fan of the team. So, being an “in-house” writer for the Canucks probably feels pretty good for him as well. Really enjoyed the work he put in following our prospects, and I’ll forgive him in being a bit of a homer and pretty much falling in love with every prospect. Don’t expect him to be all that critical of the team with his current position, but there’s room for some puff piece coverage of the team in the market, especially if he stays on top of the prospect stuff.

 

Congrats to Faber from me. 

[Master Mind]

42 minutes ago, tas said:

I don't like shortcuts. journalists should go to journalism school and work a beat to learn a trade. would you hire a plumber who learned everything he knows by watching youtube videos?

 

Everyone should follow the same path in life eh?

 

29 minutes ago, tas said:

to each their own I suppose. I'll stick with the pros. 

 

edit: my issue with diy journalists is that none of them learn the integrity and ethics they should be beholden to. learning how to write an article is something you should learn in grade 10 English class, it's easy as hell. learning how to be a decent journalist is far more involved.

 

None of them... that's quite the generalization.

 

The envy is really shining through with your posts.

[The Duke]

It’s also nice to see Faber, who really changed the tone of CA (along with Quadrelli) from the previous group running the blog, get a carrot here.  
 

They kept things going without spiralling into a cynical pity party - during some dark times. 
 

If nothing else it’s nice to see one of the more “positive” (I know he was critical at times) writers get a nice gig out of it.

2 minutes ago, Locke Lamora said:

This makes a lot of sense as obviously it is a step up professionally for young Faber, as I’m sure his take home income just took a serious jump higher. With him just married and mentioning wanting to start a family, smart move that way as well. And let’s face it, unlike most of the cynical Canuck haters in the local media, I don’t think Faber has ever really tried to hide the fact that he’s a fan of the team. So, being an “in-house” writer for the Canucks probably feels pretty good for him as well. Really enjoyed the work he put in following our prospects, and I’ll forgive him in being a bit of a homer and pretty much falling in love with every prospect. Don’t expect him to be all that critical of the team with his current position, but there’s room for some puff piece coverage of the team in the market, especially if he stays on top of the prospect stuff.

 

Congrats to Faber from me. 

Beat me by a few seconds and said it better as well.  100%!

[IBatch]

2 hours ago, Ghostsof1915 said:

George Orwell 1984.

It just started 40 years later.

Well i'd say probably 10 or so as far as starting goes, maybe 15. 

[gizmo2337]

2 hours ago, 6of1_halfdozenofother said:

I'm privately hoping Chris Faber is not @Vintage Canuck  

He's not VC.

[Kevin Biestra]

2 hours ago, IBatch said:

So they can control the narrative.   It's marketing 101. 

 

Shutting down their own forum where (oh no) their own fans might have criticism and at the exact same time hiring their first official writer.  Honestly I hope this doesn't become a popular way to siphon away real sports journalists and have them become quasi-propagandists for a 20% raise.

[AatuD2]

1 hour ago, MeanSeanBean said:

 

 

Everyone is entitled to their own opinions, but personally I think this is entirely wrong. Big fan of Canucks Conversation for the exact opposite reason. 

 

Maybe it's the personality, but I've always preferred Quads over Faber. 

[ManbeastMARK]

1 hour ago, tas said:

social media sphere. there needs to be a firm line in the sand drawn between Postmedia/sportsnet/tsn/etc and CanucksArmy/daily hive/twitter conjecture/CanucksWay/all that other stuff that is just hockey fans screaming their know-nothing opinions meaninglessly into the void. 

 

He's commonly a guest with Donnie/Dhalie and so on, and he's treated like any of their other "journalist" guests. I disagree, Canucks Army is much more alike Sportsnet than it is random fans arguing on twitter, if that's what you're trying to say.

[tas]

54 minutes ago, KoreanHockeyFan said:

 

Does every successful entrepreneur go to business school?

 

Faber has a passion for the Canucks, followed the team closely and taught himself how to write about the team with his insights relentlessly on a consistent basis. He's hustled his way up...I don't see an issue with that? As for the Canucks likely hiring him to be his mouthpiece? Yeah, I'd say that's the case, but that's a separate conversation.

 

At the end of the day, Faber's gotta look out for himself, so I wouldn't be surprised if the Canucks are writing him a fat cheque to be the team's Senior Writer. 

the issue is those aren't traits of a journalists they're traits of an editorialist. 

[tas]

1 hour ago, The Duke said:

I’ll take it.  Faber is at his best writing from a homer perspective.  He’s young and open to trying different things - I think he could do great in the role (with the role being what it is.)

 

edit: I replied to this before I saw you getting replied to by a few others - didn’t mean to pile on. 

no worries, I'm comfortable with my opinions not being popular. 

 

and I have no issues with faber writing for the canucks. I also had no issue with faber writing for canucks army or whatever else. I just have issues with calling him a journalist, which he isn't. he was a critic and now he's a mouthpiece. 

[tas]

18 minutes ago, ManbeastMARK said:

 

He's commonly a guest with Donnie/Dhalie and so on, and he's treated like any of their other "journalist" guests. I disagree, Canucks Army is much more alike Sportsnet than it is random fans arguing on twitter, if that's what you're trying to say.

this is a harsh insult to a true journalist like iain macintyre.

[PhillipBlunt]

9 minutes ago, tas said:

this is a harsh insult to a true journalist like iain macintyre.

Mac's burner account confirmed. For the record, I like Iain as well. The only guy who spells his name with an extra i that I like. 

[Curmudgeon]

1 minute ago, tas said:

the issue is those aren't traits of a journalists they're traits of an editorialist. 

 

The issue is you have a bee up your butt because someone, through dint of hard work and long hours, has been given an opportunity to do the work he's always dreamed of doing. Seriously, you are coming across as bitter, twisted and frankly jealous of someone else's success. You must be an unhappy person to spew criticism over what is mostly a good news story. And of course he's going to be pushing out positive stories with no criticism because that's what he's been hired to do. And he is a journalist whether you think so or not.

[MeanSeanBean]

49 minutes ago, AatuD2 said:

 

Maybe it's the personality, but I've always preferred Quads over Faber. 

I'm incredibly on the fence about Quads. Depending on who the new co-host is I may end up dropping Canucks Conversation as one of my daily podcasts. In my opinion Faber was the engine of that pod.

[27 Percent]

3 hours ago, AatuD2 said:

He's put in his time... But he's nowhere close to being one of my favourites. 

 

Has a tendency to put blinders on and go with a narrative despite the numbers pointing otherwise. 

Man I'm glad I'm not the only one who feels this way. 

[27 Percent]

2 hours ago, MeanSeanBean said:

This had actually crossed my mind before as well about Faber. Could also explain why VC isn't active on the unofficial forum if Chris knew about this opportunity for awhile.

Nah, for the longest time VC wouldn't post his opinions about anything. Just reporting stats and updates. 

 

Meanwhile Faber can't help but spew his personal opinion every 4 words. 

[MeanSeanBean]

4 minutes ago, 27 Percent said:

Nah, for the longest time VC wouldn't post his opinions about anything. Just reporting stats and updates. 

 

Meanwhile Faber can't help but spew his personal opinion every 4 words. 

Based on what exactly? I don't use Twitter, but when I have checked it his entire posted feed is almost exclusively Canucks clips or reports on what's happening. Went back a couple weeks and it doesn't look like he posts any personal opinions on his feed. 

[Rusty Shackleford]

Will they let him wear the turtle neck and chain?

[ManbeastMARK]

32 minutes ago, tas said:

this is a harsh insult to a true journalist like iain macintyre.

 

It's 2023. You don't need to be hired by a large corporation to be considered a true journalist. Some of the best journalists out there are independent. Chris Faber in my opinion produces better journalistic content than Iain McIntyre does. By your logic, musicians aren't true muscians unless they are signed by a main stream label. Which is a bad take.

[tas]

25 minutes ago, Curmudgeon said:

 

The issue is you have a bee up your butt because someone, through dint of hard work and long hours, has been given an opportunity to do the work he's always dreamed of doing. Seriously, you are coming across as bitter, twisted and frankly jealous of someone else's success. You must be an unhappy person to spew criticism over what is mostly a good news story. And of course he's going to be pushing out positive stories with no criticism because that's what he's been hired to do. And he is a journalist whether you think so or not.

interpret my stance however you see fit, nothing could matter less to me. 

 

I'm sick of seeing society's standards constantly being lowered and I will not stop saying as much. 

[tas]

3 minutes ago, ManbeastMARK said:

 

It's 2023. You don't need to be hired by a large corporation to be considered a true journalist. Some of the best journalists out there are independent. Chris Faber in my opinion produces better journalistic content than Iain McIntyre does. By your logic, musicians aren't true muscians unless they are signed by a main stream label. Which is a bad take.

it's not about the employer, it's about the path taken. 

 

while this isn't what this is about, I do also think that YouTube musicians are helping to lower the collective standard for musical quality as well. I don't want to get into it here though. 

[MeanSeanBean]

2 minutes ago, tas said:

interpret my stance however you see fit, nothing could matter less to me. 

 

I'm sick of seeing society's standards constantly being lowered and I will not stop saying as much. 

This is such a weird take. Faber is constantly talked about as one of the hardest working guys around. The idea that people who work incredibly hard and grind at everything they do shouldn't be rewarded and instead those who intended a higher education is such an outdated take. But to each their own.

[Mordekai]

Are the Canucks going to use his DAWG rating. That’s the big question here

[Riddikulus]

9 minutes ago, tas said:

interpret my stance however you see fit, nothing could matter less to me. 

 

I'm sick of seeing society's standards constantly being lowered and I will not stop saying as much. 

A person's competence should be judged through the quality of the work and not their credentials. So far all of your criticism in this thread has been superficial. If Faber is an amateur playing at being a journalist, surely you can provide us examples where his work doesn't live up to your lofty standards.