Fi - re! Sut - ter!
That’s what I heard in my section of the ‘Dome last night when I witnessed first hand the destruction of the Flames by Cochrane boy Mason Raymond… my reaction to that chant? Which Sutter?
http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Hockey/NHL/Calgary/2010/12/02/16409241.html (Not a bad read by Randy Sportak, Calgary Sun 02.12.2010) or http://nhl-red-light.si.com/2010/12/03/flickering-flames-taking-heat-in-calgary/ (Stu Hackel, SI.com 04.12.2010)
IF we were to Fire just Brent… I mean this guy and his staff have now had 2 full pre-seasons and a full season to get everyone on the same play book. Yes, the players have to perform but they also need to know what the heck the system is and the best way to learn it… Why is it that the New Jersey Devils and Red Deer Rebels were so effective under Brent Sutter and the Flames just look like airheads on the ice? Sending a message to his forwards by tiring out his other defensemen on a PP? These hockey players aren’t total idiots and they’re no less smarter than New Jersey, so WHY haven’t they grasped the concept? Brent, your time is almost up… perhaps it’s you! (they made the playoffs under Playfair and Keenan… go figure?!)
If we were to just fire Daryl… This would seem like an answer that everyone would like but there is still a mess and an unwanted rebuild period ahead of the next guy… who in all logic is Jay Feaster. I trust Feaster as much as I trusted Daryl when he moved upstairs permanently but all in all, it’s either blow up and rebuild or piece by piece get younger and more mediocre ’til the contracts run out and he can start fresh. Firing Daryl is a putting a tourniquet on top of the band-aid. Brent would then have no excuse with the players he’ll get…
Firing both Sutters… This would be one of my solutions as it brings in Feaster and an interim Head Coach who can instill some life into this team and have a chance to make a mark on becoming a permanent Head Coach for Calgary. Jim Playfair is my choice to succeed Brent OR Lowry/McGill, and by doing this move, it’s sending a message that the management will no longer tolerate failure, even if they have a deep love and respect for the Sutters.
My Solution? Fire Brent and Make Daryl stand behind the bench… It was what they made Isaiah Thomas do with the stupid contacts he signed as GM of the New York Knicks in the NBA, Jeff Bower was forced to coach his team (the team he built as GM of the New Orleans Hornets) after he fired Byron Scott… same with Kevin McHale and the Timberwolves so why not give Daryl the responsibilty of his own mess? If he succeeds, he’ll get to stick with the Flames Org. as long as he likes, if he fails, it’s his responsibility. Something needs to give and the Flames are falling back at a hurried pace…
Always a pleasure.
naoto
