Getting Wobbly Early

Well, it appears the scenario is set.

If John Ferguson's Leafs get off to a weak start, or have a very bad patch anywhere between October and February, it appears the non-winners who run MLSE are going to hand the keys to the kingdom to Scotty Bowman.

The story refuses to die, the suits haven't hired John Muckler or Harry Sinden to a "senior consultant" job and Bowman continues to leave the door open, saying one thing to some people and another thing to others.

Now, in today's Globe and Mail, he says he'd be open to something "big."

That's probably not the Florida Panthers job, so we can assume it's the Leafs and that the negotiating message is "Show Me the Money." And be prepared to let a living hockey legend have all the power.

It sure doesn't sound like "no," does it?

Interestingly, while MLSE board members continue to undermine Ferguson by allowing this silliness to go on - Richard Peddie et al could kill the story in a heartbeat, but won't - they still may be the ones to balk at giving Bowman all the power.

Money they're willing to waste. They've got lots of it, particularly now that the cap world doesn't force them to spend to their ability.

But authority they jealously guard, having traditionally been unwilling to let various hockey people make important decisions without first getting the okay from people who don't know anything about the sport, namely the board members.

Bowman's a super savvy hockey man, and he wouldn't take the job and be beholden to such people. He's 74 years old with a brilliant record as a coach, but not nearly one so glittery as an adminstrator, depending on how you assess how much he had to do with the decision making process in Detroit under GM Ken Holland. He has been slipping slowly into retirement, but then again, perhaps like Marv Levy he's got the bug again.

The Leafs tried something like this once with Punch Imlach, and it turned out to be a total and complete disaster. Then again, the most influential MLSE suits believe Leaf history began with Nikolai Borschevsky's goal on Tim Cheveldae, so the past has limited impact on them.

Thus this peculiar, destructive dance continues, putting the Leaf organization in a wobbly, unsettled state heading into training camp.

Nope, just can't understand why this team can't win a Stanley Cup. . .

Comments

[Rick Grace]

Scotty Bowman? Bowman has shown he can win when blessed with great teams. Like the 70's Habs, early 90's Pens, and mid to late 90's Red Wings.

But in the 80's he went to Buffalo, to a struggling team similar to the Leafs, to a similar position the Leafs are offering him, and he failed miserably.

So how anybody can think Bowman, now in his 70's, is going to be able to turn this Leafs team into the 70's Habs or 90's Wings is beyond me?

Just say two words. Punch Imlach. And that should be enough of a deterrent to never hire an "old school" guy past retirement age whose best years are behind him.

Those who don't learn from history are bound to repeat it. And its obvious MLSE wants an encore!

[Bill]

Why the insistence in going after some old past his prime coach or GM to oversee JFJ?
Bowman and Muckler are like old has been fighters trying to make a living on past glories (way past for Muckler)
They hired JFJ because he was young supposedly with a fresh outlook and new ideas.
Give him a three year contract and leave him to run the hockey team already.
I don't know who has the power there to stop those two idiots Peddie and Tannenbaum from meddling but please do (the new season is about to start in case you missed it)

[Stephen]

What Bill calls "past glories" for Bowman, I call "experience". Yes, maybe Bowman is indeed too old school for the new NHL, but the last time he was in the game he was doing a pretty dang good job of it -- the man is no Lenny Wilkins. I'd love to find a young budding genius GM a la the Raptors, but there's no way in hell MLSE would actually let anyone other than a big name run the show without interfering, and that's the culture the Leafs need to develop for long-term success.

[alex]

Can't understand why they can't win a cup?? for the answer, have a look at Rosie Dimanno's column today ... the "leaders" of the team's objectives for the season?? .. they won't accept anything less than getting to the playoffs!!! then they can get badges for their jackets that read "playoff participants" ... maybe the NHL can even come up with a trophy for each player in the league so no one's feelings get hurt!! ... now that is something Leaf fans can get excited about!! ... realistic perhaps, but hardly the rallying cry for the start of a new season

[Jim Boyd]

I find it comical, that they want to hire Bowman to come in, and that Bowman wants to clean house,,,, and put his own people in place. And who is he going to put in those positions - more of the old boys club - someone sitting around already phoning Bowman looking for a job.

The NHL is so in need of new blood.
I'm not a Leaf fan, but just what does Leaf managemnt thing Scotty Bowman can do for them?? It's sad that a modern NHL team has no other solution but a 74 year old man who really couldn't give a crap if the Leafs went another 40 years without a cup.

What's he going to do? Spawn a half dozen Sidney Crosbys over night?

[Mark Thomas]

If Bowman is physically and mentally competent, his age is no more relevant than his race, religion or skin colour.

And what is this argument often made that "the game has passed him by", when referring to an older person. What exactly does that mean? Is Bowman incapable of analyzing and adapting to new strategies, or teaching younger players. If so, why? What facts are these opinions based upon as they relate to Bowman?

And what does Bowman have to do with Imlach? Upon what factual basis does one presuppose that one will imitate the other?

Comments dismissing Bowman are based on prejudice and unsubstantiated speculations. I think Leaf fans have seen losers for so long, they don't even recognize a winner.

I'll take the winningest coach in NHL history, thank you very much. You can take, well...someone with lesser credentials.

[Wayne Death]

Until the Leaf ownership are willing to settle for the role of passively watching the profits grow, allowing the experts to manage the product independently, and stop treating the team like a big toy for rich boys, things won't really change. Hence the only place the Toronto fans may ever see "Stanley" is in the Hockey Hall of fame or above the heads of the opposition.

[Guido]

I wish the Leafs would just stop the madness. Have a plan and stick to it, STOP flip-flopping already. Everyone knows that a GM has about a 5 year window and a coach has a 2-3 year window depending on the coaches's past.

Why is it so hard to say when they hire a GM like JFJ:

"OK, John here is what we expect:
- make the playoffs 3 out of 5 years minimum
- make it to at least the conference finals by Year 5"

that's it .. he either hits the goals by year 5 or doesn't. If he does he gets another 5 years, if not he gets fired.

Why is that just so dang difficult??? If a goals = reward situation exists in sports video games surely it can work in the real world. 5 years gives the GM enough of a chance to change the team and see at least 2 drafts feed his team.

Heck who needs Bowman, I should be the President.

[Ian D]

Damian,

Imagine... credibility atop of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Wow. Can you feel it?

Scotty would bring his eons of experience, and maybe most importantly, brings a monstrous helping of credibility. Everyone in the league respects this guy... actually they all nearly worship him.

The joke of course is that the MLSE board will continue to fight amongst themselves about this for months, and Tannenbaum won't be able to close the deal on Bowman until JFJ's team fails on the ice. That may or may not happen and could drag on until April, but we know for sure that it will be an ok-to-mediocre team that barring a Cinderella run to the cup, will win nothing for a very long time.

[Don]

What really needs to change at MLSE is the on going Larry and Richard gong show. It may be a good tandem for the bottom line, which is all that really matters to this board, but it has been a disaster for the team, which is what should really count.
I don't expect any changes at MLSE and I don't expect to see the Leafs win another cup in my lifetime. At least I'm old enough to have seen the last one in '67.
I am a life long fan who has completely lost hope and enthusiasm for this sad orginization.

[Dave]

Jim Balsillie, please buy the Leafs and dump all of the useless chaff at the top of the MLSE organization so that hockey people can make hockey decisions that allow hockey coaches and hockey players to play the game and finally win this city the cup.

Please, please please. The hockey fans of Toronto are begging you.

[Ryan]

anybody is better than what they have now....

[Paul Stephens]

It is not surprising that the Toronto Maple Leafs are dragging their collective feet over the decision of whether to keep their present General Manager. The problem that lies in Toronto is not and never has been their General Manager. Their structure is and always has been flawed. Ken Holland of Detroit and Lou Lamourillo of New Jersey would not succeed in Toronto. A single owner in Toronto would dramatically improve the Leafs chances of a Stanley Cup.

[Steve Barnett]

Anybody else notice the one consistent thing with these comments?
That is that Dick Peddie and his equally challenged adversary Larry Tannebaum are unfit to make hockey related decisions.
The problem being the Teachers just love these 2 self centered bank managers. And we can talk and talk till the condos are done about the team and thier direction. There is no direction, there will be no direction. This team is run by a union of people who could not give a rusty F*#! about performance or results on the ice. If I see Dick on TV giving us his immitation of a hockey man one more time I am gonna puke. Fergie is Dick's man and Bowman is Tannenbaum's man. That fact alone will ensure this never will happen. These 2 make Harold look like Sam Pollack (now there was a hockey man)Until another Connie Smythe comes along we are doomed for mediocrity. Problem is mediocrity is profitable and therein lies the answer to all our problems. Somehow I doubt Steve Stavro would have stood by for all this chest puffing and rhetoric. Because Stavro had a passion for the game and a sense of loyalty to the fans. So folks, unless Ballsille or someone comes along and buys out the teacher's we can badger back and forth all day long. Nothing will change. In spite of the incompetence, we may make the payoffs and win a round maybe. And sadly when the bank statements are in and the teacher's see thier profits it will be deemed a successful season. And do you know why? Bacause it was a successful season. For everyone except the players and the fans. Who are mere parts of the corporate money machine. And as long as Dick and Larry hold the keys to the vault this is as good as it's gonna get.
So simple it's sad.

[mark]

I love reading comments from the ignorant louts who do not recognize the brilliance that is Scotty Bowman. How can anyone question his credentials? How can anyone possibly say 'we need new blood'? Give your head a shake. The Leafs need an experienced hockey mind to take control and deliver the goods. Peddie, Tannenbaum and Ferguson do not fit that job description (individually or as a their current disfunctional management 'team'). Bowman could take the jobs of these 3 clowns (and probably a couple other MLSE stiffs) and deliver the Leafs to the promised land.