Sunday night the Pittsburgh Penguins, my favorite NHL team, fired Michel Theirren as head coach. Much like the Phoenix Suns firing of Terry Porter, it is a dysfunctional move.
Last season was the greatest season since the Mario Lemieux era. They fell short of a third Sir Lord Stanley's Cup. Two games short to be precise. So how do they reward the coach and try to inspire the team? Fire the coach.
I've said it before and I'll say it again, two things are key to building a winning franchise. Stability at the head coach and not let that coach make personnel decisions. If an organization has a strong scouting department, one person to evaluate the talent and a good head coach, chances are an organization will win. Will they win the title? Not every year but they will be a in position to contend.
I'm not saying the coaches shouldn't get fired. Sometimes management and ownership make a mistake and have to make the change. Other times it's sign of impatience, pandering to fans or just a plain dysfunctional organization.
The Ottawa Senators fired Craig Hartsburg 48 games into the current NHL season. This is the same team that lost the Stanley Cup Finals in 2007. They are now on their 4th man behind the bench since then. Current GM Bryan Murray moved up the food chain after he coached the team to the 2007 Cup Finals. His replacement was fired 64 games in the 2007-08 season and Murray took over again. Then Hartsburg took over for the current season and we just witnessed his execution. Maybe moving Murray into the GM spot was not such a good idea. He may be a good coach but as a former coach with personnel decisions doesn't look like it may a be a good idea. Two coaches gone since his tenure at GM.
Which brings me back to the Penguins. It's obvious they have some talent in Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. They are one and two in points scored (assists and goals for you non-hockey fans). They also are obviously a team capable of getting hot and making a deep playoff run. So why fire the coach that got you there. Sure the team took a step back but sometimes that happens.
Reasons cited in both cases of the Suns and the Pens is the players were no longer buying into the respective coach's philosophies. More so the case with the Suns coach Terry Porter. To me it sounds more like the inmates running the asylum. A coach is there to teach, coach, game plan and impose discipline to a team. If the players are allowed to run coaches off, the teams take a dangerous turn toward irrelevance and dysfunction.
I pray that the Penguins are not headed that way. The decisions made between now and the end of the season will make or break a team that seemed to be on the rise.
NFL Draft and Combine Reports
I've already established that mock NFL drafts and the alleged gurus are worthless. So as a fan what does that leave me with? The upcoming combine?
Yes and no on the combine. A friend sent me a text how he just sits in front of the TV and watches the NFL combine. I don't see the point. I'm not a scout or do I know how to grade players. Also the whole thing is boring. No what I like is to read reports and opinions from credible sources. Not the mock drafters and that website a bunch of bloggers and writers put together. Only problem is who to believe. The combine starts soon so I better figure it out.
If nothing else I have my Houston Texans 2009 Texans Draft Central. I'm hoping to find a few more.
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