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Originally Posted by Textcritic
My use of the metaphor was clearly with reference to the description in the cited post of the next GM as a "puppet", with strings attached. No need to be so wooden or literal in your interpretation.
Who said anything about the job description being "traditional"? Rather to the contrary, I expect that the organisational structure in Flames management will necessitate some considerable revision of the next GM's responsibilities from those who have in the past held the position. However, I do not for a moment believe that the next Flames GM will be a Burke "puppet".
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What you said illustrates my point. The "GM" title in the NHL carries traditional and customary duties. Those duties include the authority to make hockey operations decisions such as who to sign and making trades. Of course there may be some oversight by someone higher up when it involves committing large dollars or trading franchise players, but GMs are expected to be given the authority to build the team that they see fit. Burke himself has been outspoken about GMs being allowed to manage without much interference. A GM without those traditional duties are GM in name only and could easily hold the title of assistant general manager.
The fact is Burke wanted the GM job. He agreed to take on this role but never for a second was he taking this job without the authority that customarily came with the GM title. A GM who has to run everything through Burke and isn't given the authority to make decisions on his own or given much in the way of deference is essentially a puppet because the GM isn't free to do what he wants to do but have to talk with Burke and reach a consensus. There's a difference between saying "Brian I'm going to take this deal" and "Brian there's this offer that came in and I think it's really good..."
Quote:
Originally Posted by Textcritic
What makes you think that the GM opening in Calgary is "in title only"? It is a conspiracy theory when there is NO EVIDENCE to suggest that Burke wants to hire anything other than a competent, qualified candidate with the best skill set and the right expertise to fill the role of GM. This is NOT what I would consider a puppet appointment. It is a conspiracy theory when outside observers ignore virtually every statement to the media that Burke has made on the subject of the new hire, and make unfounded assumptions about his intentions and resolve that are clearly in contravention of what he has claimed.
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I think the GM opening in Calgary is "in title only" because there is every indication to suggest that the incoming GM will not have the traditional and customary decision-making authority of a GM. If Burke is making all the decisions and the GM is really just doing the "grunt work" involved with the GM job, then the GM is in title only and a puppet because the GM is merely following directions to do things that GMs traditionally and customarily had the authority to do. Not sure why that is so hard to understand.
This has been quoted earlier "Burke indicated he would be fine hiring “either a young guy with great promise and maybe some experience, or just a young star that hasn’t been given a chance. That’s the beauty of this management structure – you could literally take a guy out of uniform if you believed in him and turn him loose, and he could avoid those big mistakes that young GMs make.”
Explain to me how a guy fresh out of his uniform is a competent, qualified candidate with the best skill set and the right expertise to fill the role of the GM? I'm not saying the guy can't be competent and have a good skill set but explain to me how someone fresh out of the uniform would be "qualified" have the "right expertise?"
I've said this when Burke got hired. You can easily name Burke GM and Feaster AGM and it would have made no difference except in title only.