The best and the, uh, not so best

It's the great contrast in Toronto, a comparison between substance and style.

On one side, Roy Halladay.

On the other side, Larry Tanenbaum.

Care to guess which one's substance and which one's style?

Halladay, for going on a decade now, has been the city's Quiet Superstar, a title he reinforced again Thursday night with his second 20-win season, another year in which he has been non-complaining and largely brilliant, and the team has been mediocre.

He has been the best player on any team - baseball, hockey, football, basketball - in this city for a long, long time, and probably should have a greater profile than he does based on his accomplishments, demeanor and contributions to the Blue Jays.

Others have been major stars - Chris Bosh and Mats Sundin come to mind - but Halladay has been better than any of 'em, arguably the best pitcher in baseball for three or four seasons, with one Cy Young Award on his resume so far.

That's substance.

Then there's Tanenbaum, a wealthy developer and, it should be noted, a philanthropist.

But when it comes to sports, it's been all style, all talk, no substance.

Hearing Tanenbaum's comments on Thursday that he and MLSE aren't interested in just winning one Stanley Cup, but want years of "competitive" teams based on slow, intelligent and steady growth was just too funny.

Being stuck with a very weak-looking roster, it would appear, has the Leaf chairman in search of a new public pose, and a cynic would not think that by publicly admitting that a lousy season lies ahead, and maybe more than one, the Leafs have just bought themselves another three years - five? - before anyone can demand the appearance of a quality team.

He can't tell you who the GM of this team will be in June. But trust him, MLSE has a plan in place. A new plan.

With Tanenbaum as chairman, the Leafs have, as has been the case for much of their history, squandered first-round draft picks and prospects in search of the quick fix.

Now, suddenly, it's time to build slowly, carefully?

The man's found his new hockey religion?

Then, to suggest Detroit executive Steve Yzerman couldn't possibly fit the bill for a new GM because he would be a "rookie" was not only insulting to Yzerman, but given that the Leaf organization sought to hire a new GM in the spring and couldn't find a single, qualified and acceptable candidate, nearly laughable.

Tanenbaum, as a sports executive in this town, has never accomplished a damn thing.

But he can dismiss Yzerman with a wave of his imperial hand?

It's all MLSE blather, all talk to continually try to placate the customer while urging him or her to keep paying while always promising good times are just around the corner. We've got it all figured out this time, the company line goes. The Leafs, with Tanenbaum as the corporate face of the franchise, have made a big deal about buying out expensive veterans in recent months, suggesting it's a large sacrifice but one that must be made, while at the same time making sure it's all paid for by icing a team that will spend roughly $10 million less on the maximum allowed on player payrolls this season.

All baloney in a $2,000 suit. All sizzle and slick rhetoric. Sadly, some fools find this chatter reassuring, as though their hockey team is finally on the right track with the right people steering the ship even though it's the same people at the top who have been full of it time and time again.

Halladay, by contrast, is a true sportsman of substance, the Quiet Superstar for a city where winning rarely happens anymore, where the best idea anyone has is to try to steal another city's NFL team.

Oh yeah, Tanenbaum's in on that one, too.

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THE MAIL BAG RETURNS!

Damien Cox is back with his weekly Maple Leafs mail bag. He'll answer your questions in his blog every Thursday starting next week. Click here to submit a question.

Comments

[Kerry D. Barton]

Damien,

It's great to see Roy Halliday getting some support and recognition for his work with the Jays. You're right that he really doesn't get enough recognition in Toronto, and would probably be a bigger star in another baseball market, except maybe in Florida.
Yet the reason for that is included in your article. Rather that continue to laud Halliday for another 20 win season, you spend the majority of the article slamming Larry Tannenbaum. Yes he, along with many others at MLSE are the complete opposite of what Roy Halliday is here in Toronto, but there are better comparisons to be made. Instead you might have used Roger Clemens, who with the same type of record with the Jays as Halliday, was not the quiet professional on a mediocre team. This would put the achievements of Roy Halliday in a better light.
As for the Maple Leafs and their management soap opera, do something completely different and don't cover it. Publish the game summaries, box scores, etc. but stop the endless coverage of the off-ice crap. Maybe this will get the attention of the MLSE, since nothing else does. We all know that MLSE could put out monkeys in Leafs jerseys, on skates and the Air Canada Centre would be sold out, but if there wasn't any press coverage the next day, that might wake up a few people. Right now the apparent mindset at MLSE seems to be that any press coverage is good press coverage, no matter what is said.

[leaf fan]

Damien, I couldn't agree with you more. Boy, do I ever wish I could fire Tanenbaum and Peddie immediately! I couldn't believe Tanenbaum was so quick to dismiss Yzerman. All Big Larry cares about is himself and lining his pockets. How tragic! Leafs fans deserve SO MUCH BETTER!

[Steve Barnett]

Best thing you have ever written Cox...Larry and Dick are nothing but snake oil salesmen..And to equate JFJ to Yzerman?
Well that should tell us everything we need to know about frick and frack incorporated.

[Roberto]

I don't for a minute think Tannenbaum has any idea how to build a winning hockey team.

I also don't think for a minute Mr. Cox is capable of being objective about MLSE.

The guy was asked a stupid question, and he gave a stupid answer. What he needs is more media training, not to be second guessed by a cynical, tired and out of ideas columnist.

[victor]

You are SO RIGHT Damian. What scares me to death is that Haliday publicly said at the allstar game he is tiring of being on a mediocre team. If we lose him we lose a legion of fans.
Larry T probaby does want to win the Stanley cup as he says, but come on, what a load of garbage he is feeding us. This is why I refuse to spend any money on Toronto Maple leafs paraphanalia nor spend money to go to games.

[Mike Mouat]

I am convinced that the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Detroit Lions are sports franchise twins. Similar uniform colour schemes, similar records of futility, similar storied histories for those with long memories, and most importantly - same rhetoric from buffoons.
Mike Mouat
Windsor, Ont

[Sandy T.]

Beautiful. Thanks for saying it out loud - and so well.

[Traitor]

I couldn't agree more with Damien here. It's a amazing how many people are buying into what Tanenbaum is saying (according to TSN it's about 50% of the fans). We as fans just rolled over and simply taking right in the back door. It's a genius move on Larry's part though. He covered his back and calmed the fire thats been growing with a simple phrase, and at least 50% of us have bought into it. Thats 50% far too much.

What happened to Toronto's sports teams? Why has the culture of losing become acceptable? Why is it that just making it into the post season is just enough? Raptor fans, you shouldn't be so complacent with a first round exit, not ever. Losing should no longer be acceptable no matter what, when or against who.

[DGL]

Not sure of the point of this article. Are you praising Halladay or bashing Tanenbaum?
I really don't care one iota for Tanenbaum or his comments. But strangely enough, I agree. I wouldn't hire Yzerman as the GM for the leafs at this point in his career either. Leafs just went through hiring a rookie GM. One that I think had more credentials than Yzerman. More education, lawyer, worked inside the business of hockey for years and been around hockey his whole, like Yzerman. Gah, sorry to say but Tanenbaum was right Damien, no Yzerman for the Leafs at his point in time. Really hurt to say that too.
As for Halladay, he doesn't get the credit in Toronto he deserves. He's an amazing pitcher, and sadly it appears Toronto won't acknowledge or realize what we have until he is gone. I usually check to see where the Jays are in the rotation, because I enjoy watching his pitching so much and don't want to miss him. He's a leader on and off the field, just listen to AJ Burnnett talk about him these last few months.

[Ed]

Tannenbaum compared Leafs' plan to Detroit's dynasty. That will only happen if the Leafs change owners!

[Kevin]

Damien,
I too am quite frustrated by the changes in Leaf land over the past few seasons but you must drop the cynicism. I read article after article of your leaf bashing. Ive just had enough - most Leaf fans around the city, while frustrated, have agreed with the Leaf brass and are willing to believe in this lose to win strategy. I think we should spend more time analyzing the talent we have, discussing ways of moving forward and hopefully in a few years discussing what a great move it was back in 2008 to start again. We all know terrible mistakes were made at MLSE, we've been discussing it for the last 4 years - lets just move on.

[Wayne]

Damian,
I am no fan or Larry Tannenbaum but I believe he is accurate when he calls Steve Yzerman a rookie. I agree with him on this as what has Steve Yzerman accomplished as a manager? Picking a team Canada roster pales in comparison to putting together a Stanley Cup team.
Regads,
Wayne

[Conn Smythe]

What was the point of this article? Comparing Halladay to Tannebaum? Style vs Substance?

The team hasn't won a cup in 41 years and you think by attacking their Pres and CEO you are somehow being original and thought provoking?

If the Leafs hired a rookie GM again (like Yzerman) you'd rip them apart and call in short - sighted and repeating past mistakes (like you did, ad nauseam with Fletcher).

How is a rookie GM like Yzerman any better/innovative/refreshing than when the Leafs hired JFJ? Because Yzerman won a few cups? Bowman didn't win a cup as a player but he still commands respect.

[Wayne]

That was a brialliant piece of writing. It lays bare the hypocracy of "rebuilding" that is used quite often these days. It seems to me and quite rightly pointed out by Mr. Cox, that rebuilding is an active process. Not only that, but it "has to be seen" to be active.

How as a fan could you show faith in a rebuilding process that has no measurable outcomes thus far. Rebuilding is both blowing up and adding.

In this case the Leafs have done a mediocre job of blowing up the team and absolutely no rebuilding. In the face of management actions taken thus far, there is no rebuilding. There is only hope. Hope that corporate fans do not revolt. Hope that the public will continue to believe in the value of the franchise. And, hope that the team can finance rebuilding over the coming 3 years with revenues from that fan base.

Management is not feeling pain. Management is unwilling to take the steps necissary to rebuild. They want to maintain access to your money and support with no demonstration of good faith for that support.The only way anything will ever change is to demand change. To withold support.

People will treat you as you demand to be treated.
You will get the relationships that you deserve.

Toronto deserves this franchise because it does not hold management to a high enough standard of excellence in return for the money and support of Toronto corporations or fans.

They are a monopoly and they will act as monopolists as long as you let them.

[Chris]

Damian, thank you for saying exactly what so many of us think.

Larry Tanenbaum is akin to the king who wore no clothes. As long as his advisers and close friends tell him he and his organization look great, the lowly public's opinion will never mean anything to him. With that said, I think its high time for some metaphorical regicide @ MLSE!

[Don]

It's all a shell game at MLSE. This is a business first and foremost, run by suits who don't have the first clue about how to build a winning team.
The fact that they are keeping the door open for Mats to return shows that they are not capable of making the hard decisions to really turn this team around.

[Dave]

Cox, enough is enough. I am getting motion sickness from your Maple Leafs articles that go back and forth, back and forth....

They are now rebuilding, something which you called for last year, and the results of this will not be obvious until several years down the road.

First off, the question was an extremely stupid one. No matter what answer Tanenbaum would have given, you would have written some story this morning chastizing him.

Secondly, you media types have only chosen to show a part of what the original question was.

I do not want a one year wonder team either. I would prefer (and would think that most Leaf fans would agree) them to draft some young character kids, and be competitive year in, year out for the cup. I would think that is what most of us loyal Leafs fans deserve.

[Matthew]

Tanenbaum..... Does he know anything about hockey? Does he care about anything other than profits and money?

This is what happens when you put a non-hockey person in charge of a hockey empire. Same thing with Gary Bettman. To look at him, it's hard to believe he even likes the sport. I know that sounds superficial, but he's just not a hockey person. Which seems ironic given that he's running the league.

MLSE is all about making money, and winning has definitely taken a back seat.

I think it's a mistake to say they're not considering Yzerman. When I heard that, I thought - why not? Of course, you don't hand him the keys after the mess with JFJ. But why not take him on in an apprentice role with Cliff Fletcher for 2 more years or something. Nothing wrong with a bit of seasoning before he takes the main gig. If he refuses to accept a situation like that, with a mentor, then fair enough - he has closed the door - we haven't.

But to close the door on a great hockey person like Stevie Y, is just stupid.

Also, good job giving props to Halladay. He is one of the finest athletes we've ever seen in Toronto I would argue. Not just because of his performance on the field, which is second to none, but because of his ethics, and dedication to winning. He's shown surprising loyalty to Toronto and the Jays.

In anticipation of what Burnett will do at the end of the world series, ie) adopt for free agency, it's refreshing to know that not everyone in sports is in it strictly to make the most $$$ - but rather for the honor and privilege of competing for a championship.

[Andrew M.]

I think Cox hit it right on the nose.

I have been bleeding blue since I was old enough to watch Hockey Night in Canada on Saturday nights and am depressed that in my 32 years of life I haven't seen the Leafs reach the finals once.

Hopefully the Hockey Gods will give the Leafs a break and let them do well this season. If this is the case, it will be no thanks to the management at MLSE

Andrew

[nzk]

Cox, I agree with you once again. Well written. Let's hope that the "lousy seasons" ahead will, at the very least, bear fruit in the form of high draft picks, AND, that these prospects will not be, as you've accurately noted, "squandered in search of the quick fix". Moreover, "slow, intelligent and steady growth" sounds a lot more like a financial plan than one to build a competitive team. Conclusion: Win or lose, only two things will continue to grow in MLSE-land: its net wealth, and the years before the next Cup parade.

[Ryan]

Can you say Apples & Oranges???

So you are comparing a hockey executive who thinks he knows more than he really does about hockey and one of the top baseball players of our day. Is this really the best you can do? If a comparison has to be made, can you at least use 2 athletes OR 2 execs, even from different sports. This is worse than comparing apples and oranges, at least they are both fruits.

[Adam Nathanson]

Tannenbaum bleeds blue, no doubt about it. To disregard what this man has invested personally in the future of Toronto sports is asinine. When the Raptors were in dire straits, with no home, and the Slaight-Isaiah Thomas ownership fracas, Tannenbaum convinced the MLSE group to take control of the situation and ensure the security for the team. And don't forget that also he was one of the major bidders for the NBA team in the first place (having lost out to Slaight). Furthermore, to blast him as greedy for his attempts at an NFL franchise is beyond journalistic integrity. I am sure that (if and )when a franchise is secured, journalists like yourself will have to eat crow.

I understand the frustration inherent in the Leafs situation. To rebuild in the Toronto market has not been an option when merely making it to the playoffs three to four years ago placated fan interest. To realize the limitations of the franchise in the salary cap era has been of slow development for Toronto fans. The board of MLSE has done everything in its power (besides hiring proper management) financially to maintain competitiveness. Nothing like beating a dead horse when it's on the ground, eh Damien Cox.

[chris]

i could not agree with you more .i have been a leaf fan for my whole life .but until the team gets serious and wants to win .they will not get a dime off of me .and i would suggest a message gets sent to mlse. a message that hits the pocket books .quit supporting this team until they get serious about wanting to win .

[Mike]

Damien,

You'd crap on them if he said the opposite. If he said "Sure, we do that in a second." you'd be complaining that they are not committed to their plan.

If they said Yzerman will be considered, you'd be all over him for considering a junior guy.

This is a NON STORY. Media created, media focused.

[John Lake]

Sometimes Damien likes to be devil's advocate.
Sometimes he's a bit of a curmudgeon but
on this one he is right on the money.
Somebody needs to take these morons to task.
These current round of jokers make Pal Hal look like Sam Pollock.
Peddie can manage my RRSP's any day but please keep your greasy little
hands off my hockey team