[News] Mike Babcock resigning as Columbus Blue Jackets Head Coach

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by Manhattanboy

I find this whole thing quite interesting in today's day and age of smart phones, videos, social media, cancel culture and coddling.

When I see Bruce Boudreau, what immediately comes to mind is the HBO documentary on the Road to the Winter Classic years ago which I think was one of the first times we saw behind the scenes in an NHL locker room - he dropped F Bomb after F Bomb in a tirade.

So what happens now when any player, pro, college, or minor leaguer pulls out a phone and tapes a coach ripping a player for a bad game, lack of effort, no heart, whatever? It gets leaked to the podcasters or posted.

Coaches, teachers, anyone in any position of authority in sports, pro or amateur, are going to be treading very carefully going forward.

How does this have anything to do with what Babcock did previously and was doing this time?

[topfiverecords]

My PR team has drafted up a statement to clarify that I'm not supporting Babcock in any way with the next comment, but Paulie will insist that Babs and I are tight so I need to preface.

Didn't it work though? Babcock could have intended to put Iginla with Crosby in the later games from the outset but did the opposite early on to piss him off as he knew it would do exactly what happened, he'd play great in that role when those games came. He also had more left in the tank and Babcock saved him for the important moments, not a game against Norway he rightly or wrongly expected they'd win either way.

[Manhattanboy]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

How does this have anything to do with what Babcock did previously and was doing this time?

Just an observation of the times we are in. Not re Babcock per se.

[The Fonz]

Originally Posted by Manhattanboy

I find this whole thing quite interesting in today's day and age of smart phones, videos, social media, cancel culture and coddling.

When I see Bruce Boudreau, what immediately comes to mind is the HBO documentary on the Road to the Winter Classic years ago which I think was one of the first times we saw behind the scenes in an NHL locker room - he dropped F Bomb after F Bomb in a tirade.

So what happens now when any player, pro, college, or minor leaguer pulls out a phone and tapes a coach ripping on another player for a bad game, lack of effort, no heart, whatever? It gets leaked to the podcasters or posted.

Coaches, teachers, anyone in any position of authority in sports, pro or amateur, are going to be treading very carefully going forward.

An F bomb tirade or ripping into players does not have any relevance to this Babcock situation. That's not at all what Babcock lost his job over.

[Manhattanboy]

Originally Posted by The Fonz

An F bomb tirade or ripping into players does not have any relevance to this Babcock situation. That's not at all what Babcock lost his job over.

Agreed. I 'm not excusing Babcock at all.

[topfiverecords]

Originally Posted by Manhattanboy

Just an observation of the times we are in. Not re Babcock per se.

The line and whether it was crossed will be determined on a case by case basis and how it's perceived in the public eye.

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by dustygoon

At 29:30 in that SC vid. So a young player was invited to Babcock's house under the auspices of a lunch to get to know him, Babs asks for the phone, flicks through the photos, hands the phone back and says "you are good to go" without any lunch and a chat?

Yeah they should have led with that story when they first shared it last week.

Leading with the Jenner version of the story left enough grey area for it to be seen as more of maybe a getting to know you thing, and also gave the org an easy out when Jenner made his comments.

But inviting a young player over to your house for lunch, going through his phone, and then sending him away with no lunch or discussion at all...that's just some mindgame BS that if I was a GM I'd say WTF are you doing.

And honestly idiotic in this day and age from a coach. Your top young players are your most valuable assets and the most important part of an organization, you don't need to be soft as a coach but you need to at least show a little respect.

[FanIn80]

I don't understand why we have two threads on this.... can they be merged? This whole time I've been posting in both threads thinking they were the same thread. It took me like 5 minutes just now to realize what's going on. I was trying to figure out why my posts were being deleted, but it turns out it's cause I'm a moron who can't tell one thread from the next.

What a mess.

[Cole436]

Originally Posted by topfiverecords

My PR team has drafted up a statement to clarify that I'm not supporting Babcock in any way with the next comment, but Paulie will insist that Babs and I are tight so I need to preface.

Didn't it work though? Babcock could have intended to put Iginla with Crosby in the later games from the outset but did the opposite early on to piss him off as he knew it would do exactly what happened, he'd play great in that role when those games came. He also had more left in the tank and Babcock saved him for the important moments, not a game against Norway he rightly or wrongly expected they'd win either way.

We nearly lost to the Swiss and then lost to the US, costing us a bye. We could have been eliminated from the tournament if the game went the other way in the Swiss shootout. That’s not mind games, that’s just #### coaching.

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

Yeah they should have led with that story when they first shared it last week.

Leading with the Jenner version of the story left enough grey area for it to be seen as more of maybe a getting to know you thing, and also gave the org an easy out when Jenner made his comments.

But inviting a young player over to your house for lunch, going through his phone, and then sending him away with no lunch or discussion at all...that's just some mindgame BS that if I was a GM I'd say WTF are you doing.

And honestly idiotic in this day and age from a coach. Your top young players are your most valuable assets and the most important part of an organization, you don't need to be soft as a coach but you need to at least show a little respect.

I don't think they knew that story when they filmed the episode.

[FanIn80]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

I don't think they knew that story when they filmed the episode.

Yeah, they didn't. They said a few times that the worst bits of the story came to them well after they said their initial piece last week.

[dubc80]

Originally Posted by Manhattanboy

I find this whole thing quite interesting in today's day and age of smart phones, videos, social media, cancel culture and coddling.

When I see Bruce Boudreau, what immediately comes to mind is the HBO documentary on the Road to the Winter Classic years ago which I think was one of the first times we saw behind the scenes in an NHL locker room - he dropped F Bomb after F Bomb in a tirade.

So what happens now when any player, pro, college, or minor leaguer pulls out a phone and tapes a coach ripping on another player for a bad game, lack of effort, no heart, whatever? It gets leaked to the podcasters or posted.

Coaches, teachers, anyone in any position of authority in sports, pro or amateur, are going to be treading very carefully going forward.

I think there is a pretty big difference there though. In the high intensity world of pro sports, ripping into a player for a bad game, lack of effort, no heart, missed assignment, or whatever is fair game in my opinion. I dont think any player would have any problem with that and you become a better player because of it. It aint Timbits anymore for those guys.

Its all the off-ice, off-field stuff like intimidation, power, and abuse which is rightfully getting exposed. Most of it doesnt even have anything to do with the players performance in their sport.

[Jiri Hrdina]

I'm not even sure it's been proven that ripping into players turns them into better players.

[Paulie Walnuts]

Originally Posted by Cole436

We nearly lost to the Swiss and then lost to the US, costing us a bye. We could have been eliminated from the tournament if the game went the other way in the Swiss shootout. That’s not mind games, that’s just #### coaching.

Of course but the great Babcock who can do no wrong knew that would happen.

It was the most genius move ever, pretend to grind an axe against one the nations greatest players so he could let him be the hero in the end.

Saving his ice time, while sending out two of the slowest players in the world in Thorton and Heatley.

The great Babcock knew what he was doing Iggy was a bum who couldn't handle the ice time and needed to be put in his place.

Iggy probably didn't share his phone so he faced the consequences even if it cost Canada gold.

[Manhattanboy]

Just listened to the full SC episode. Glad he will never be coaching again.

[topfiverecords]

Originally Posted by Paulie Walnuts

Of course but the great Babcock who can do no wrong knew that would happen.

It was the most genius move ever, pretend to grind an axe against one the nations greatest players so he could let him be the hero in the end.

Saving his ice time, while sending out two of the slowest players in the world in Thorton and Heatley.

The great Babcock knew what he was doing Iggy was a bum who couldn't handle the ice time and needed to be put in his place.

Iggy probably didn't share his phone so he faced the consequences even if it cost Canada gold.

Put on your big boy pants and reply to my comment instead of using someone else’s post to take a jab at what I said.

[dustygoon]

Originally Posted by topfiverecords

My PR team has drafted up a statement to clarify that I'm not supporting Babcock in any way with the next comment, but Paulie will insist that Babs and I are tight so I need to preface.

Didn't it work though? Babcock could have intended to put Iginla with Crosby in the later games from the outset but did the opposite early on to piss him off as he knew it would do exactly what happened, he'd play great in that role when those games came. He also had more left in the tank and Babcock saved him for the important moments, not a game against Norway he rightly or wrongly expected they'd win either way.

Ya ok. Because it's such a long tournament and there is so much opportunity to mess with lines and play mind games.

It's cool to be a contrarian but only when you actually have good contrarian views.

Give up already.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by topfiverecords

My PR team has drafted up a statement to clarify that I'm not supporting Babcock in any way with the next comment, but Paulie will insist that Babs and I are tight so I need to preface.

Didn't it work though? Babcock could have intended to put Iginla with Crosby in the later games from the outset but did the opposite early on to piss him off as he knew it would do exactly what happened, he'd play great in that role when those games came. He also had more left in the tank and Babcock saved him for the important moments, not a game against Norway he rightly or wrongly expected they'd win either way.

I'm not sure I agree with you, but I see where you're going.

That wouldnt be my strategy because I think thats a really dangerous game to play, but I wouldnt be willing to rule it out of being possible.

Thats one of those moves that the man who thinks he's always the 'Smartest Guy in the Room' might pull. I wouldnt do it, for a cornucopia of reasons but...its not a ridiculous theory.

Sure, it worked out for him but in fairness, again, that team was stacked.

[Paulie Walnuts]

Originally Posted by Locke

I'm not sure I agree with you, but I see where you're going.

That wouldnt be my strategy because I think thats a really dangerous game to play, but I wouldnt be willing to rule it out of being possible.

Thats one of those moves that the man who thinks he's always the 'Smartest Guy in the Room' might pull. I wouldnt do it, for a cornucopia of reasons but...its not a ridiculous theory.

Sure, it worked out for him but in fairness, again, that team was stacked.

That wasn't the strategy its just a the troll trying to defend another abusive coach.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Paulie Walnuts

That wasn't the strategy its just a the troll trying to defend another abusive coach.

I dont think its all that far-fetched.

Knowing what we know about Babcock that kind of thing seems right in his wheelhouse.

I mean...its dumb. If that was his actual strategy then he's a far bigger idiot than even I thought he was, but I wouldnt say its 'impossible.'