Joe Corvo, upon being traded, stated that the media spotlight was so bright in Ottawa, it was one of the factors that drove him away from the team. Now living in ambiguity in Carolina, Corvo should have no problem with people smiling at him all day and shyly asking for an autograph.
I had a personal dilemma dealing with this topic Friday night while attending the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees vs Toronto Varsity Blues hockey game. Mark Heatley, yes, his brother, plays for the Blues and Dany showed up to catch one of his bro's games.Standing (not sitting) high in stands near an exit, it was clear that Heater did not want to be the spectacle at this game. A few people went to him and said hello, got him to sign some things, and then went on with their evening after a hearty handshake.
As Sports Editor at the U of O student newspaper, I had a reasonable excuse to go and get some quotes from the guy during the intermission about his brother, CIS hockey, and blah blah blah. But shouldn't the guy be able to enjoy an evening to himself?
Yes and no. The dude gets paid an insane amount of coin to skate nicely around the ice and claim glory on a regular basis - his job isn't so bad. People aren't asking much, either. At most, they wanted an autograph (I saw one such instance)... and the crowd around him never grew to more than five people.
But the man is not here to promote himself, the Senators, the NHL, or CIS hockey - he's just a guy enjoying his brother's game. You could leave him alone, but you could also talk to him as you would any other random person at a hockey game.
It's a delicate balancing act with many moral and practical factors.
The difference between Corvo and Heatley? I don't hear Dany bitching about the minor flaws of an otherwise enviable lifestyle.
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