[News] Sportsnet interview with Maloney (2-parter)

[Ashasx]

Originally Posted by mile

https://twitter.com/user/status/1992043546174701670

I thought we were overreacting

[Rhett44]

Sell. The. Team.

[bluejays]

A few points from me (a nobody):
1) For those who hate Eric Francis, this is why we need more poop disturbers in the media. He kept at it as much as he could. To me that was really good journalism instead of letting go early.
2) Don Maloney is the President. For those asking why Conroy isn't there, it's because Maloney answers to ownership and really is the voice of ownership.
3) To me all he's saying here is they don't want to officially announce it as a tank this year. They simply want to have guys compete instead of calling it a day in favour of the tank. He really didn't sell it in the fans favour. He could/should have said that we want a team that competes, and we'll see where we are. Instead he said that in the most roundabout way. Seems unnecessary.
4) He did say they're looking for a competitive team for the new building, so there's that.
5) He did kinda insult McKenna unnecessarily without wanting to, I'm sure.
6) To say fans will turn their back on the team if they rebuild, is indeed a bit of a slap to the fanbases. Terrible if they truly think that. People can stand by hope and talent. I'm again glad that Francis pushed it to him.

[ComixZone]

Francis and Steinberg on Fan 960.

Both are in alignment that it's the fanbase at large that wants a rebuild, which is why Francis' article below uses "defiant" as the title of the article.

- Maloney doesn't want a rebuild, it's direction from ownership
- Bunch of really soft talk around "culture" and how it's the important thing and what they're worried about (which is hilarious, because it's not a winning culture)
- Right now, Maloney is still hell bent on making the playoffs, and Francis says that's tone deaf
- What the Flames want to do (make the playoffs) has only been done once in 55 years considering their current position/hole
- Francis thinks they should change the message, and it doesn't have to be "we're tanking and giving up"
- Gives Maloney credit for saying things that will be wildly unpopular
- Organization is sticking to their guns

<my thoughts -> we are Buffalo West if we continue down this path>

(will keep updating as I listen)

- This horrific start has not changed the Flames plans at all

Steinberg muses "this is what they're saying publicly, but the actions better be different than what we're hearing" is what Steinberg's takeaway was

- Steinberg understands why fans are frustrated
- Steinberg believes this is what the organization is believing right now, but he knows there are big conversations happening behind closed doors right now, believes there is significant debate behind closed doors

<my thoughts -> our 5 managers aren't aligned>

- Steinberg hopes the Flames do pivot direction
- Steinberg believes Buffalo isn't really the risk, because they're the worst run organization and that it's not a good comparison (thanks for that Pat)
- Steinberg goes on to list all the success that stand in opposition of Buffalo's incomptence, really hammering that Buffalo is not what this team should be pointing at
- Steinberg says they can say whatever they want, but what needs to happen is very clear whether the organization is willing to admit it or not

- Francis says there's an exhaustion in this market of the way Flames have been doing business and what has happened here during his time covering the Flames (31 years)
- Francis says those 31 years have been nothing but rinse and repeat over those 31 years
- Francis says fans are justified in wanting a different approach
- Francis argues for embracing this year

- Francis says he knows (and Steinberg agrees) Andersson is getting traded, but downplays what we'll get in return for him
- Francis says they NEED to embrace this year, and says "if you don't adapt in life you die"

- Francis says Maloney told him that if in February we're still sitting here, things will change

<my thought -> I'm cheering for losses and justified in doing so, because this organization NEEDS this failure>

- Steinberg asks Francis if he thinks the Flames will be pragmatic and embrace this season, Francis responds "Yeah, I think they will - will they make all the right moves? No, and we'll debate that for years"
- Francis follows-up "come February, March we will be having this same conversation"
- Francis says Maloney says the GMs (the whole group) have freedom to do what they want, the direction is set by them (the GMs), not ownership
- Francis said requests for Conroy were shot down, and they were said you get Maloney
- Maloney did not receive feedback, and didn't think his last interview (with Parker) went bad/thought it was fine

- Steinberg believes the Flames will end up embracing this season

<everything being said makes me truly believe that Maloney is in fact serious about still making the playoffs - and that we won't see trades before the deadline - and that yes, this whole having 67 General Managers is in fact ridiculous and there are too many cooks in the kitchen>

- Francis says that devoid of action, all fans have is hope, and that Maloney's interviews have killed that hope
- Francis says "not a chance" they trade all of Kadri, Coleman, Andersson this season, he'd be surprised if they traded more than one
- Francis says tomorrow's interview includes Kadri talk, and that Maloney says "we need more Kadri, not less"

- Steinberg says THIS MARKET would support a rebuild, of any market anywhere, this one would do it
- Steinberg believes a rebuild would see ticket sales/jersey sales improve here, not trend down because of the excitement

- Francis adds the Flames are not a hot ticket now, with their current direction and that if they keep marching down this path, they'll suffer on that front without rebuilding
- Francis says how you fix ticket sales is bring in top draft picks
- Francis says what this team needs is what we'd get with the draft, and Maloney didn't agree and that they just need to draft well...<my thoughts -> further pushing me into straight up wanting Maloney fired right now>

- Maloney says they still haven’t closed the door on Andersson, but Francis/Steinberg both “know how this will end”
- Maloney “who knows what happens, we haven’t closed the door” (on Raz)

More coming in part 2 of the interview tomorrow.

[Geeoff]

Originally Posted by indes

It's so pathetic that the Flames think they can't rebuild, or think they have to lie about rebuilding.

####ing bizarre behavior from a bunch of grown men.

I guess one positive interpretation is that maybe they think that talking like this is good for trade negotiations. Like maybe stupid GMs will think the Flames are trying to win and so their players are not for sale unless the offer knocks their socks off.

[Rhett44]

Originally Posted by ComixZone

Francis and Steinberg on Fan 960.

Both are in alignment that it's the fanbase at large that wants a rebuild, which is why Francis' article below uses "defiant" as the title of the article.

- Maloney doesn't want a rebuild, it's direction from ownership
- Bunch of really soft talk around "culture" and how it's the important thing and what they're worried about (which is hilarious, because it's not a winning culture)
- Right now, Maloney is still hell bent on making the playoffs, and Francis says that's tone deaf
- What the Flames want to do (make the playoffs) has only been done once in 55 years considering their current position/hole
- Francis thinks they should change the message, and it doesn't have to be "we're tanking and giving up"
- Gives Maloney credit for saying things that will be wildly unpopular
- Organization is sticking to their guns

<my thoughts -> we are Buffalo West. Baffling levels of incompetence>

(will keep updating as I listen)

- This horrific start has not changed the Flames plans at all

Does Buffalo have the same amount of playoff wins as us in the last 20 years or more? Genuinely curious how people think we are anything different.

[Toonage]

As a fanbase we can’t keep thinking what they say publicly is a smoke screen. At some point we have to accept this is the direction and the mandate.

[Aarongavey]

Originally Posted by Toonage

As a fanbase we can’t keep thinking what they say publicly is a smoke screen. At some point we have to accept this is the direction and the mandate.

Will be interesting to see what their first move to improve the team in 3 years will be. It has been so long since they actually spent any significant assets trying to improve the team that I am fascinated to see what they will do.

[Rhett44]

Originally Posted by Toonage

As a fanbase we can’t keep thinking what they say publicly is a smoke screen. At some point we have to accept this is the direction and the mandate.

Correct and we can also choose to stop spending money on this team if this is the direction. Completely tone deaf and really a slap in the face to fans.

[Finger Cookin]

Is it possible Flames leadership are quite pleased with the work Conroy has been doing on this rebuild, but still felt a need to get the message out that the organization wasn't checked out yet this season. They could give this assignment to Conroy, to have him publicly contradict his own work while attempting to carry the company slogan.

Or you could let Conroy to continue to do his job, and have our rarely seen or heard from President of Hockey Operations fall on his sword in public.

Seems possible?

[JurassicTunga12]

Even this opening alone in the article

the man in charge of the last-place Flames said that while he sympathizes with fans clamouring for a rebuild, it won’t be happening on his watch.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

It's probably true that a real bottom out rebuild would see a drop in gate sales and season tickets. But it's also true that constantly being a mushy middle non-factor, never doing anything of significance, will also hurt interest. It might be a slower burn, but also probably harder to recover from.

Harder to recover from, and with deeper and longer ramifications

[Ashasx]

Originally Posted by Finger Cookin

Is it possible Flames leadership are quite pleased with the work Conroy has been doing on this rebuild, but still felt a need to get the message out that the organization wasn't checked out yet this season. They could give this assignment to Conroy, to have him publicly contradict his own work while attempting to carry the company slogan.

Or you could let Conroy to continue to do his job, and have our rarely seen or heard from President of Hockey Operations fall on his sword in public.

Seems possible?

I guess I'm struggling with the idea of why Maloney needed to fall on any sword to begin with.

[Royle9]

I’ve got nothing.
Maloney doubling down on that terrible Parker interview now trying to do some damage control, but somehow makes it worse by fan-splaining how hockey world works is probably not the best idea.

[Toonage]

Wonder if Connie, who applied for the Sabres GM job before, is watching to see if that becomes available again.

[Burning Beard]

Got a chance to read the article. What the hell is that dude thinking?

[Jason14h]

Can you imagine if this was the Oilers doing these interviews the hysterics that would be coming from this board

We are entering laughing stock of the league territory

[Roko]

#FireMaloney

[MolsonInBothHands]

So is this a Toronto style power struggle, or smoke and mirrors distraction attempt?

How much influence does DM have in formulating the long term plan?

So much cap space, no FA signings, the words don't reconcile with the actions. I still lean towards judging the actions, but if they pull the pin on a proper rebuild, I will find something else that deserves my attention.

[Finger Cookin]

Originally Posted by Ashasx

I guess I'm struggling with the idea of why Maloney needed to fall on any sword to begin with.

I can't argue with you there, or with the notion that saying nothing would have been better than how this came out.

I imagine it's tough threading the needle between telling your players they need to play hard and a certain way game in and game out to have any chance at success, but also to turn around and tell the public that the organization has absolutely given up on this season after a miserable start.

It's a long season. I expect we'll reach a point where the long term considerations of what can be obtained by dealing vets will outweigh the short term considerations of salvaging this season. Most of us wouldn't mind if the organization set that point in time as right now. But even though that hasn't happened yet, continued results like we've seen so far will eventually force the team to focus beyond this season. Will that happen before Christmas? Before the Olympic break? Before the trade deadline? Hard to say, other than it should absolutely happen sometime this season.