In a previous life I coached kids hockey with some buddies in Detroit. None of us had kids on the team, rather we thought it was a good way to give back to the community, work with some kids and have a good time. We did it for three or four years working our way up the travel program in Michigan. By the end of our run, we were coaching at a fairly senior level. I stopped coaching for a couple of reasons. First, I moved, first back to Toronto and then shortly thereafter to Miami for law school. Secondly, and perhaps most importantly, I realized at the ripe old age of 25 that I was way too competitive.

When my son asked me to coach his soccer team some 10 years later I reluctantly gave in, again for a couple of reasons. The first reason is that I didn’t know the first thing about soccer (how much trouble could I get in?), secondly, I was bored out of my mind whenever we went to the field for his games, thirdly, I hoped I had mellowed a little bit and could use this as a test for hockey should he ever ask me to coach his hockey team and finally and more importantly, for the simple reason that he asked.

So, this past spring when we signed up for the 2009-2010 hockey season when he asked me to coach him, I agreed. This time for 2 reasons. One, cause I learned in soccer that indeed I had mellowed and yes, more importantly, because he asked. To date I have had a complete blast. I am not the head coach so I have been fortunate enough to only play a small role as one of two assistant coaches. The coaches and parents on our team are extremely lucky. There isn’t a bad kid or parent amongst us. There isn’t a parent or kid in the group that doesn’t have their head in the right place. Everyone is there 100% for their kids to have fun. We all want our kids to learn the importance of team sports, and want our kids to have fun. i have yet to see with this group any thoughts, notions or ideas of grandeur. It’s a relief to say the least.

Tonight, I was reminded however, of the evils that lurke in arenas teaching our kids. I saw first hand the reason why we have problems in hockey here in Canada. I saw a coach with such an ego that he has lost all grip on reality. It was the prototypical case of what we as hockey parents should avoid like the plague, the worst part is the person exhibiting these behaviors has no clue what exactly he is.

Here is what happened. My team, a group of 7 and 8 year old house league boys had a practice scheduled at a local arena for 6:10pm. Our head coach wasn’t going to attend. So myself and the other assistant coach showed up to run the practice. We got to the rink early and immediately found there was a problem. We found a scheduling problem existed on the specific rink we had been told was reserved for us. Another team from our league was also there getting ready to practice. Now, in the grand scheme of things, this type of “conflict” isn’t a big deal right? I mean, keeping in mind the purpose of the exercise, the focus on the kids, how hard could it be to resolve the issue? I mean, even the 7 year old boys could suggest a proposed solution- split the ice.

So when the other assistant coach and I approached the coach from the other team, one would think that given reasonable minds a resolution could be achieved quickly. Instead, this coach, decided in less than 3 seconds, that his team was more important than ours, and that there was NO WAY his team wasn’t going to practice as scheduled. He looked at us and said, without batting an eye, oh no, my team is practicing, we have a playoff game tomorrow. He turned away, walked in to his locker room and slammed the door.

He did this in front of his players, his players parents, our players and our players parents. I mean isn’t this the guy you want to leave your kids with to teach life lessons? This guy had his priorities completely out of whack. Trying to talk to him was like trying to reason with a baby. It didn’t matter that we tried to tell him that he wasn’t in the wrong. It didn’t matter that we suggested that our association double booked the ice. The coach on multiple occasions actually wanted to fight over the ice! Can you imagine that this guy is allowed 10 seconds with the youth of today? In less than 30 seconds he decided that we were wrong and that his team was more important than his.

Finally, he asked us, what exactly we would suggest as a compromise. When we suggested something novel I guess, i mean a really innovative idea called SHARING the ice; splitting it in half, his response was, “that’s really tough to do”! Have you ever heard anything more inane? Unless his kids are lining up for the provincial championship that will decide their entire fate, no 1 practice can be that important to a group of under 10 year olds! I mean who was this guy at the rink for, his kids or his own ego? If this is as freaked as he gets about something so stupid as this, how does he react on the bench when a kid, i don’t know, scores on his own net (you know kids sometimes do that)?

Thankfully, the parents on his team, who were watching this all unfold, were able to speak some sense into this guy. The damage, was already done. While someone was talking to him on his team, we told our kids to go home. It wasn’t really worth it. After about five minutes, we were waiting to make sure that no more of parents showed up, he approached and said that we could share his ice. This was after he showed us his blackberry with the email confirming his ice time. We tried to explain to him that we never questioned whether or not he was told he had the ice. We told him that weren’t made about the mix up. Shit, as they say, happens. We were mad that a fellow coach would act as immaturely has he had. The message appeared to be lost on him. it wasn’t until 5-10 minutes passed and some more folks from his team talked to him that he tried to apologize to us. The damage was, already done.

This is where the problems in hockey start. Within each organization is a person like this. It’s not that they don’t have the right credentials. They aren’t bad people per se. They just don’t see the big picture. They don’t understand that there lessons are being monitored by the kids they are coaching. Their words and actions have huge impacts on the kids. It really isn’t only about winning. Teaching kids how to win and how to lose is equally important.

Proof? I have tried to tell my kids that falling in sports isn’t necessarily a bad thing. When they first learned to skate or ski, I told them that when they fell it meant that they did so because they were trying really hard. In fact, not falling could at times be a sign that they weren’t trying hard enough. I have told my son that practice in hockey for him is more important than the games themselves. It is in these practices where he learns the most. Our coaching group talked up this practice as being important because it was on the eve of our last regular season game. So, as my son and I walked out of the arena, my son looked and me and said, “if we lose tomorrow dad, will it be because we didn’t practice tonight?” Our kids listen, they hear everything we say, even in jest or in passing. The next time you hear the question, whats wrong with hockey in this country, take a look inside the locker room of your nearest arena. I suggest that inside you will find someone coaching a team like I did tonight. That my friend is the problem, that is the evil face of youth hockey. That is where this lack of respect starts. If it is happening at this age, can you imagine how much worse it is as the kids get older?

TSM

@yyzsportsmedia

Greetings and Salutations… Back in Toronto after driving home from Florida over the last two days. I arrived in Niagara Falls in time for the third period and the post game on the radio and was left with a few thoughts and questions for you all.

I have said this a million times, but god bless the guys who do the post game call in shows, some of the comments, calls and questions are just plain moronic. I am stunned that people will sit on hold for as long as they do and still have absolutley nothing to say. Tonight was no different than any other night. However, one caller got me thinking. This guy went off the handle, he sounded like many of us do after yet another loss…totally frustrated. The callers prior to him, he suggested were all out to lunch (in his opinion) in pointing the fingers at the players like Poni, Stajan etc. when the blame should be placed on the GM.

Andy Frost’s response was basically, that whom the finger is being pointed at is a tad immaterial, there will always be blame to go around.

That got me to thinking. First, Burke has been here long enough to make his own changes, it is almost fair to say this is his team. Now he has some “dead weight” that he can’t be blamed for, however he has had time to make changes (and he has). So the question is, and let me ask this very clearly, ASSUMING there is something to blame for with respect to the Leafs perfromance to date- then who is to blame? Does it fall on the shoulders of the players, the coaches, management?

It’s not that easy an answer I don’t think. Ultimately, the buck stops on Brian Burke’s desk. It’s pretty simple if a guy he traded for or signed isn’t up to snuff- that is a mistake he made (and I know that it is too early to judge). Is it fair to say that a guy Burke inherited is also under Burke’s purview simply because Burke decided to keep that player as opposed to any of the alternatives available to him (and yes there are options on every player)? There are several guys who aren’t performing up to expectations who pre-dated Brian Burke’s arrival. Is it fair to say, well Burke made lots of changes, he chose to keep these guys there for he is on the hook for them?

The easy answer is, when you make the type of money Burke is making and are given the term Burke is, Yes- he is on the hook. It is however a little bit like the chicken and the egg.

Similarly, earlier in that same segment Andy Frost said, and this is a direct quote “Matt Stajan is an excellent player”- Frost went on to say that Stajan would be a great 3rd line center however he is being thrust into a 1st line center role and therefore having to assume 1st line center duties. This also got me thinking… Is this the main reason for the success former Maple Leaf players have upon their departure from Toronto? Is the problem not the player, but rather the role that player is being asked to play? If so- and I suspect to a large degree that it is, who’s fault is that? Is it the players? Should a player be blamed for not being able to produce over his capabilities? Is it the coach who is unable to get more from the player than he has shown before? Is it the GM who erred in thinking that because a player can do it elswhere in a reduced role that they can do it in a more prominent role here?

Ron Wilson commented last year about Grabovsky, that we all had to take his success in stride because he was getting top line minutes, the question would be how would he perform when he wasn’t getting top line minutes. The proof is in the Luke Schenn pudding wouldn’t you say? Is it the responsibility of the coach to best use his assets in their most effective way? If Matt Stajan is the an awesome third line center isnt Wilson doing everyone involved a huge disservice by playing him as a first? Doesn’t Burke have to find someone better equipped to play that role if Stajan isn’t?(easier said than done I grant you).

It seems to me that the reason trades and free agent signing go awry in hockey is that guys perform at a certain level in city A and they are brought in to a new city to play a much different role that they simply can’t do. If Tie Domi had been signed by the Red Wings to replace a retired Bob Probert (you know what I mean) then the role expected of Domi would be similar to that which he had previously played. Where teams go offside is taking a defenceman who played exceptionally well as a number 3 or 4, and thrust them into the first or 2nd slot and expect that player to be able to handle the responsibility just because they played so well the year before. It seems the responsibility is in the scout and ultimately the GM for misjudging the capabilities of the player ….

Food for thought…

TSM

@yyzsportsmedia

You have to watch this- and you will love the “Toronto” is calling clip- In any event, if in fact the league guru’s watching the video did call they too blew it and this stuff has to be fixed:

Sitting at Toronto Pearson Airport waiting to board a flight and it occurred to me that Toronto is on a roll, first we won the right to hold the Pan Am games and now after a couple of maple wins, we are well on our way to a Stanley cup parrade! What? You don’t believe that? Well you can bet that you will be hearig lots of comments about Leafs Nation over reacting to the recent success.

You know me, I say bs’ enjoy he wins as they come – one win means little under normal circumstances, when things are bad, enjoy every single ray of sunshine.

More from London

Tsm

Ron Wilson was on with Bill Watters and Greg Brady today here is a synopsis:

Darren Dregger emails, texts me all the time and I never answer him. He asks me about EVERYTHING, what I am eating, whether I wear thongs or boxers and I don’t respond to him-
Getting away won’t be the big relief that everyone thinks. Going to Vancouver not so different than Toronto or Montreal, Burke and Nonis were GM’s there so it will still be pretty intense. The rest of the trip will be better for lots of our guys.
Was looking at clothes asked the tailor if they had something nice when he is buried in his coffin in a few weeks. Need to have a sense of humor. Been through this before, when you are in a bad streak you feel like you will never win another game. One night you get a little bit lucky and then you win a game and then four or five in a row and you feel that you will never lose again. You can’t panic. As Brian says everyone is throwing you anchors when you need life jackets. It’s not wise to make moves because the strong will pray on the weak. We just simply have to play better. It’s amazing that everything has fallen apart. Won’t be surprised if we win tomorrow night. If we do everyone will say Joey McDonald should be our starting goaltender. We try to avoid the press because it’s hysterical. We haven’t contemplated taking Luke Schenn out of the lineup. We need to lessen his workload when he is struggling. The guys we signed need to simplify their games until we feel good about themselves. I could have sat down any number of guys, the numbers I know, Matt Stajan hasn’t been on the ice for one goal for. We tried to shock the team a little bit. Some times it works, sometimes it doesn’t. Every time we did it last year it worked. We need these guys to know how much we count on them. We could have sat Jason Blake. We as a group decided we had to do something and we really wanted to get Tyler Bozak in a game, so it could have been anyone. Lee Stempniak has been our best player. He didn’t finish very well last year. I don’t know how but he turned his whole life around, at least in terms of how he is playing. He was a bubble guy and he is outperforming every forward we have.

So Tie Domi was on Hockey Central At Noon the other day. Here is a recap (the interview is below). it’s pretty funny and for the Sundin Lover in You, you will love it. Tie rips Bill Watters and takes lots of jabs at John Ferguson Jr. and even one at Howard Berger…

Tie Domi: wow does that guy still have the city fooled (Bill Watters)

Was very very close to Mats Sundin- Sundin used to buy dinner for Domi for taking care of him on the ice. Domi last speaker at the wedding. Took the high road, he made everyone feel comfortable from top to bottom, treated everyone the same, wanted to have family atmosphere like Messier did in New York. Sundin’s stats speak for themselves. We had good teams but we didn’t have the luck. Mats is going to live in Sweden so retiring in Toronto not as important to him. Thinks have to change here with the whole culture, Burke is going to do that. Why was it Mat’s job to fix the disaster that John Ferguson Jr. did here? People could have protected Mats better and I think Burke would have done it better. Mats Sundin’s wedding was the best wedding I have ever been to. It was UNBELIEVABLE. Sundin “crushed” that Kaberle didn’t come to the wedding.(likely kidding).. No head table at the wedding, his parents and his wife’s parents sitting together with him and the bride. 140 people at a golf course. When Roberts and Nieuendyk came to Toronto they changed his career, how they prepared and acted, when they left he was crushed. If there was ever a day he wanted to run over John Ferguson that was the day. New guys they brought in are all character guys. It’s been tough watching this team for a long time. Having guys being accountable. Colton Orr had dinner with Tie Domi, they have become friends, he is a good kid. “Berger couldn’t scoop ice cream berger”

Kypreos thinks Sundin is bitter on how things ended here. “wait till maclean is on in the 2nd hour…that guy doesn’t shut up” Colton Orr loooooves to fight..he reminds me of Tie- a little koo-koo.

tiedomi-hc-20090930

Listen to the Chat here

With the Phoenix Coyotes case still sitting with Judge Baum, Jim Balsillie is hoping that an interview Eugene Melnyk did with Bob McCown on Prime Time Sports will help prove a material point that is in dispute with the NHL. According to the Canadian Press, on September 17th, “he noted that he’s not allowed to schedule an exhibition game for the Senators at his OHL team’s arena in Mississauga, Ont., because it falls in Toronto’s territory.”

Now,if there is no territorial rights why would Melnyk say that on national radio here in Toronto? I am not making the argument however the Judge will evaluate it.

Fascinating to say the least……

TSM

@yyzsportsmedia

I am confused. I thought Toronto was a crappy baseball town where no one want to play because the fans are so un-knowledgeable and don’t come out to support them? What, I guess is the question makes a good baseball town vs. a bad one. I clearly don’t know. In my mind, fans know what they know. They smell a rat when they see one and when someone doesn’t perform up to expectations they let him, or her know about it. I don’t think there has to be this unbridled support for a team win or lose. If a team sucks for a LONG time I see where fans don’t go out to the park anymore. There is too much competition for the entertainment dollar that I don’t blame anyone who doesn’t support a loser. Before you go talking about the Leafs, ask yourself this, would anyone blame a fan for not believing any more? Seriously, if people stopped going to a Leafs game people would be saying it’s about time. Hell they do say it all the time. Many a sportswriter in this town call fans idiots, or some similar term for our devotion to the blue and white. Fans who go to games when they stink are loyal and passionate. Not all of them but a good chunk. Fans who are there and boo or rip certain players when they don’t perform are the same. The usually care too much and pay top dollar and are letting under-performing players know it.

Why the minor rant? Well, Richard Griffin has an a piece about the “hell” Vernon Wells has lived in this Blue Jays season:

“Entering last night, Wells’ average with runners in scoring position stood at .197. His average at the Rogers Centre was .211. Worse, the abuse from the stands at home has been mean-spirited and relentless. At age 30, his critics are writing him off as washed up”

I am sorry, mean-spirited and relentless?? What is this cribbage? To quote the Tom Hanks baseball movie, there is no crying in baseball. Hey Vernon, go to REAL baseball market and suck as badly as you have this year and see what happens. With all do respect, what the hell was the guy expecting???? Vernon Vernon he’s our guy if he can’t do it no one can???? This is MLB. He is making big money. He is paid to do one thing, perform. When he can’t, people aren’t supposed to give him the warm and fuzzies, they are supposed to be let down. When you get hero money you are supposed to perform like a hero. And no, it isn’t his fault that he got the money. I hate that argument. The reality is he signed the deal that was put in front of him. As long as he is cashing the cheques, he is on the hook.

“It’s been a shock, obviously, to see the reaction from people that you’ve kind of grown up with throughout your career,” Wells said. “You kind of get a true understanding of how some people are. Some people will jump on a bandwagon either way. The same people who are choosing to get on me now are the same people that will jump on when things are going better next year and back to normal.”

Vernon, that is what fans do. It’s why we are fans. We always love a villain and a goat as much as we do heroes. We need to blame someone. Strike out 5 times, when you come to bat the 6th, you will get booed. Hit a walkoff homerun on that 6th appearance and you are a hero. That is the world of professional sports. If Jeter or Arod sucked as bad as Vernon has at home, there would be security needed for them. This team is drawing 11k fans. Go to a big city and underperfom and just wait to see what you get.

“The thing that bothers me the most from the players’ side, you’re dealing with a tremendous human being that plays every day, that plays as hard as he can every day, that runs the bases hard, busts his butt down the line,” veteran Kevin Millar said. “A fan has a right to boo or say whatever he wants to because he paid for the tickets, but I think sometimes the ignorance comes out if you don’t know the game of baseball. But we get so caught up in this day and age with salaries that dictate jealousy, that dictate whatever in a person. Vernon Wells has never showed a lack of effort. Has never showed a lack of caring and is having an awful year. The last seven years he’s been among the best centre fielders. He’s allowed to have an off year.”

Your wrong Kevin. I will speak for anyone who yaps at VW or anyone else at a game, idiot or otherwise. The crap that comes out of their mouths are to do 2 things, one, get the attention of the athlete and two the audience around them. As a professional athlete you are paid to ignore them. The best athletes do. They know the game. Ignorance of the game is letting an “ignorant” fan get to you. I am sorry, your right, I don’t know what it’s like. Pay me what they are paying VW and I will find a way to deal with it. You have to. The numbers, Kevin don’t lie. It’s the one nice thing about sports. Here’s the harsh reality. Vernon Wells sucks right now. Will he suck next year? No clue. Right now he sucks. Does he deserve to be called every name in the book and have everything yelled at him? Probably not. The reality is, it’s a stupid game. Having said that he has to bigger than this. Look at guys on the Maple Leafs who have gotten way worse than anything VW has. Most recently, Mccabe and Blake. Maybe I am wrong, but I don’t ever remember reading anything like these quote from those guys. In this town, do you think Wells gets recognized ever where he goes like Mccabe or Blake does?? I don’t. Guys who have gotten it from the Leafs fans can’t hide here.

“One thing about players, when they do have bad years they learn a lot of things,” former major-league outfielder Dwayne Murphy said, arguing Wells is far from done. “They learn themselves better. All of a sudden things mentally happen and you tend to work a little harder in the off-season. You tend to make a lot more things different because of the year.”

Agreed. Good players rise above. It’s that plain and simple.

“I don’t expect my life to be miserable at that point,” Wells said. “If it is, I don’t think money is important enough in life to be miserable at the same time. But, like I said, I view this year as one year out of my career – a lost season. Looking back at my past you earmark it, because you don’t want to have to go through this again.”

This isn’t personal Vernon. You don’t cure cancer. You play a game. You’ve made enough money in your life that your great grand kids won’t have to work. Your right, no one should be miserable. The best of people learn and grow stronger. We will see the type of character Well’s is next year.

Read Griffin here

Back in Toronto after a wet weekend in New York. Had a great time but man it was miserable weather wise. So here is what I am hearing this evening on the Kessel front. Burke absolutely wants him. I am told from multiple people that he has presented three different scenarios (I say scenarios because I am not sure an actual offer has been made).

The first you may have seen on the net or twitter tonight, two first round picks and a second for Kessel.
The second is a first round pick plus a top 6 forward on the Maple Leafs who the Bruins are extremely high on and may actually be insisting on in any deal for Kessel, in return the Maple Leafs may actually get a pick back plus Kessel.
The third would involve a mix of prospects and picks in exchange for Kessel.

So there you have it. Personally, I despise the first scenario. I don’t like dealing 1st round draft picks, trading 2 of them has to be for a guaranteed home run. With all due respect to Kessel, he isn’t a guaranteed homerun. I like the second one, as I am not overly in love with any of the Maple Leaf forwards enough to say untouchable. The third scenario makes little sense to me. This is the first time we may actually have any prospects, dealing them now seems way too early. I will be really pissed if Burke deals Stalberg.

Word on the street is that Kessel will be dealt early this week and likely no later than Wednesday. We shall see I guess, but it could get very interesting around here over the next couple of days.

The headline in the National Post is almost laughable: “Agent says Sundin’s NHL future will be decided soon” doesn’t that sound familiar? I mean this must be very hard on Mats, especially after last summer, he hasn’t been mentioned at all this summer. I mean after the summer of Mats last year he must be very jealous of Dan Heatley this summer.

““I’m going to talk to him about his future when I get there,” said Barry, of Calgary-based CAA Sports. “Hopefully, I’ll get a good idea where he’s at. He wants to hear about what Vancouver has to say. He really enjoyed his time there last season. He loves the city and the team.”

hahahahhahahhahaha

Barry must still be laughing all the way to the bank on the commission Mats paid him for half the season last year. I am sure he is going to “talk to him”. “Hey Mats, why not go for another 4-5m this season, hahahahhah”

The best part of the article:

“Barry said Sundin has received serious inquiries from “four or five” NHL teams, including the Canucks.”

SERIOUS….

Not just inquiries, but SERIOUS inquiries….

I’m thinking J.P took a look at his home and said, you know, I could use a new deck, let’s call Mats and see if he wants to play again this year..

In all seriousness, I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if Mats takes until December to decide where he is going to play. I mean he is getting married. Then there will be a honeymoon and clearly he won’t be ready for training camp. So, in December he will decide which team he will play for. Why retire? Just don’t come back to Toronto

You can read the awesome article in the National Post about Mats Sundin’s impending decision on where to play next year here.