Former Sens CEO claims he was fired for swearing at Melnyk

[Flash Walken]

sometimes business owners deserve to be sworn at.

if you've hired me to do a job and won't let me do, #### you buddy. especially if your entire organization is already a disaster based on how you've run things.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

sometimes business owners deserve to be sworn at.

if you've hired me to do a job and won't let me do, #### you buddy. especially if your entire organization is already a disaster based on how you've run things.

And then you’re fired.

[Mightyfire89]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

sometimes business owners deserve to be sworn at.

if you've hired me to do a job and won't let me do, #### you buddy. especially if your entire organization is already a disaster based on how you've run things.

Originally Posted by GioforPM

And then you’re fired.

I resigned my position at two different companies for exactly that Flash...Both of those companies went bankrupt and no longer exist. Not a coincidence IMO.

Melnyk is a control freak and an out of touch, meddling, rich lunatic. No surprise at all that people with a spine encounter problems working for him.

[Puppet Guy]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

sometimes business owners deserve to be sworn at.

if you've hired me to do a job and won't let me do, #### you buddy. especially if your entire organization is already a disaster based on how you've run things.

This sounds SO much like my current situation it's scary.

[sureLoss]

Sens claim they fired him because of abusive behaviour allegations:
https://nationalpost.com/sports/hock...es-allegations

While Little contends he was essentially fired for angrily swearing at Melynk — which generated frustrated amusement among many Senators fans who often blame Melnyk for the team’s rocky performance — the Senators said it was not such a shallow decision.

After the argument and during an investigation into Little’s behaviour, the team discovered that Little’s former spouse published online accounts alleging abusive behaviour during her marriage, the National Post has learned

A team spokesman said there was a direct link between the Valentine’s Day argument with Melnyk, an investigation into Little it sparked, Smith’s allegations and his dismissal.

“The Ottawa Senators can confirm knowledge of the blog post, which was discovered following Mr. Little’s Feb. 14 outburst and as a result of an ensuing investigation into his behaviour, leading up to his dismissal. It was one of the issues that gave the organization grave concern,” said Dan Gagnier, spokesman for the Ottawa Senators in a statement to the National Post when asked about Smith’s articles.

“The pattern of behaviour by Mr. Little within the organization, which violated the team’s code of conduct and the policies of the NHL, coupled with the detailed allegations contained within an online posting discovered subsequently, was extremely concerning given his conduct within the company’s head office,” Gagnier said.

Little, through legal counsel, denied that.

[Erick Estrada]

So after an argument with the boss he gets people to investigate Smith and dug up some dirt on him? Why not do that before you actually hire the guy? Not excusing what Smith may have done but man, Melynik is a down and dirty, greasy guy.

[sureLoss]

Yup it sure seems like Melnyk decided to fire him after the argument and then started an investigation so that it would make the Sens legal and public relation position on the firing stronger.

[powderjunkie]

LOL, this looks even worse on the Sens. I see four broad paths they could have taken:

1. Deny the termination was related to swearing, but not comment further on a personnel matter
2. Say nothing
3. Confirm the swearing was a big part of it
4. Chase some sort of #timesup glory?

Of course they chose the option that makes everyone look bad. Not sure why anyone would want to work for this clown show...I suppose that's why they end up hiring guys like this (whatever the truth is, at the very least Little certainly seems to lack judgment)

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

So after an argument with the boss he gets people to investigate Smith and dug up some dirt on him? Why not do that before you actually hire the guy? Not excusing what Smith may have done but man, Melynik is a down and dirty, greasy guy.

Originally Posted by sureLoss

Yup it sure seems like Melnyk decided to fire him after the argument and then started an investigation so that it would make the Sens legal and public relation position on the firing stronger.

Maybe. Or perhaps this “argument” was so over the top they decided to investigate to see what else the guy had done, to be prepared for the worst. If someone I employ loses it in front of me I have to wonder if they’ve got some other issues I haven’t heard of.

[Huntingwhale]

If I told the owner at my company to fug off then I'd be fired too. So this really is a none story. Instead we would be better suited to find out why he had to say that and the events leading up to it.

I have zero doubt this somehow all Melnyk's fault. Still you can't say that to the guy paying you.

[sureLoss]

https://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/...avirus-spread/

so according to Friedman:
after Little was hired he was getting a lot of praise from fans and media in Ottawa for being blunt on the Sens business troubles
Melnyk did not like what was being said and made his displeasure known and wanted to change the public narrative
this lead to a nasty phone call on Valentine's day that was overheard by many Sens employees
Little yelled at Melnyk for about 10 minutes and one of the things said was "one of the best things that could happen for the Senators is if you disappeared for 12 months"
Sens had a board meeting on Chris Philips jersey retirement night where they served Little papers opening an investigation on the basis of them believing he violated their code of conduct and insubordination

[Roof-Daddy]

one of the things said was "one of the best things that could happen for the Senators is if you disappeared for 12 months"

Truth hurts I guess.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Maybe. Or perhaps this “argument” was so over the top they decided to investigate to see what else the guy had done, to be prepared for the worst. If someone I employ loses it in front of me I have to wonder if they’ve got some other issues I haven’t heard of.

I have no problem with an owner firing an employee that says the business would be better off without him for 12 months. However the smear campaign is a little over the top. To me it comes off as a powerful man using his resources to try and destroy another man.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy

Truth hurts I guess.

Thats not true. 12 months is hardly long enough for Melnyk to disappear.

[Flamesguy_SJ]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

https://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/...avirus-spread/

so according to Friedman:
after Little was hired he was getting a lot of praise from fans and media in Ottawa for being blunt on the Sens business troubles
Melnyk did not like what was being said and made his displeasure known and wanted to change the public narrative
this lead to a nasty phone call on Valentine's day that was overheard by many Sens employees
Little yelled at Melnyk for about 10 minutes and one of the things said was "one of the best things that could happen for the Senators is if you disappeared for 12 months"
Sens had a board meeting on Chris Philips jersey retirement night where they served Little papers opening an investigation on the basis of them believing he violated their code of conduct and insubordination

Interesting, since Friedman himself has said that's exactly what Ottawa needs.

[Coach]

I still don't really understand Little's initial complaint though. If you tell your boss to shove it and that his business would be better off without him, you're begging to get fired.

Investigating and releasing his marital issues is grade A skeeze though.

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by Coach

I still don't really understand Little's initial complaint though. If you tell your boss to shove it and that his business would be better off without him, you're begging to get fired.

Jim Little came out of retirement for this job which tells you all you need to know about how people actually building careers view an 'opportunity' with the sens that has been vacant for a year and had a 3 executive turnover in 5 years.

I've had an owner tell me once 'i built this company and I will burn it to the ground if I want' if it meant not doing things his way, which was literally the only reason the company was going out of business. Employees be damned.

Sometimes the ONLY thing wrong with an organization is ownership.

[Oil Stain]

Originally Posted by Coach

I still don't really understand Little's initial complaint though. If you tell your boss to shove it and that his business would be better off without him, you're begging to get fired.

Investigating and releasing his marital issues is grade A skeeze though.

Because the wording of the press release by the Ottawa Senators made it sound like Little was fired for something more ominous. (Ie. Me too, All the racist stuff surrounding hockey atm)

[Coach]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

Jim Little came out of retirement for this job which tells you all you need to know about how people actually building careers view an 'opportunity' with the sens that has been vacant for a year and had a 3 executive turnover in 5 years.

I've had an owner tell me once 'i built this company and I will burn it to the ground if I want' if it meant not doing things his way, which was literally the only reason the company was going out of business. Employees be damned.

Sometimes the ONLY thing wrong with an organization is ownership.

Yeah I agree. It's not a matter of if he's right about Melnyk. If your owner tells you it's his way or the highway and you flip him the bird, you're choosing the highway. I'm not saying it's the right way to run a business. But he owns the business.

Originally Posted by Oil Stain

Because the wording of the press release by the Ottawa Senators made it sound like Little was fired for something more ominous. (Ie. Me too, All the racist stuff surrounding hockey atm)

I don't remember getting that feeling from the initial release, I'll have to re-read it.

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by Coach

Yeah I agree. It's not a matter of if he's right about Melnyk. If your owner tells you it's his way or the highway and you flip him the bird, you're choosing the highway. I'm not saying it's the right way to run a business. But he owns the business.

Sure, but people with options don't have to put up with that.

The best executive you can have is someone willing to put their job on the line to tell you that you're wrong.

Jim Little wasn't hired because everything with the Senators is great and nothing needs to change.

Jim Little was hired because the freakin' NHL had to intervene on the senators behalf to try to find them a competent executive after their increasingly volatile and unhinged owner continues to struggle to keep the team from being picked over by creditors.

Understand here that Melnyk is such a disaster as an owner that the league is intervening with the franchise to insulate the other owners from significant problems.

I don't know Jim Little, but i can tell you based on the external optics of the situation he would've been justified in telling Melnyk a lot more than what he reportedly said. Just read melnyk's wikipedia entry and decide for yourself if maybe this guy needs to be told to '#### off' every once in awhile.