Out of Their Depth?
Why Both of Edmonton's Major Sports Teams Need Coaching Changes
In addition to the excitement of the moment, Cinderella runs can do so much damage to a pro sports team's future. Any mediocre team can catch fire with the right ingedients. In the Spring of 2005, the Edmonton Oilers were a mediocre team who barely made the playoffs. But once in, they caught fire and went to the final. It's a bloody shame that they lost because it may be some time before the Oilers are in a position like that again. Likewise with the 2005 Edmonton Eskimos. A massively talented and yet underachieving team with a mediocre record that caught fire. A few last minute additions never hurt either. But these kinds of runs can mask serious issues within a pro sports team's makeup. They can also give extra life to a coach's job. Sometimes, that coach doesn't deserve it.
Danny Maciocia is a man who, prior to becoming the head coach of the Edmonton Eskimos, had very little experience in coaching at the pro level. The record is there for all to see. Defenders have always pointed to the Grey Cup of 2005; but honest fans have to admit that the 2005 Grey Cup run was largely made possible by the late addition of Troy Davis from Hamilton, and the yanking of Ricky Ray in the conference playoffs for Jason Maas. Well, it turns out that Maas was the return for Davis, just 2 months later. The fact that the team caught fire and won the Grey Cup in an 8 team league masked some serious problems with how Maciocia had been running things in his first year as head coach. But the chickens soon came home to roost.
After missing the playoffs for the first time in 35 years in 2006, Maciocia plucked Jacques Chapdelaine from the coaching staff of the champion BC Lions. Yet the Eskimos offense has not improved. It has, in fact, gotten worse. An inhumanly stubborn refusal to run the ball, along with a revolving door player personnel policy have been just two of many problems in Edmonton this year. With Ray now out for the season, one has to ask why Maciocia is still around. Considering his total ineptness at assessing player talent, and his complete lack of skill regarding player and asset management, it serves little purpose to kick Maciocia upstairs, as seems to be the plan. Perhaps Chapdelaine can do better has a head coach, but with Maciocia picking the players, he may not have a full canvas with which to paint on.
It does seem that everyone in town can now see the problem. Even the most stubborn Maciocia defenders are now calling for him to be fired. Rick LeLacheur should take notice. The football fans in Edmonton are not used to a loser, and will not stomach it for long. LeLacheur, not having any experience with pro football at all, will likely ignore the home support and keep Maciocia. It is the wrong decision. Attendance and revenue will suffer. Make no mistake, Edmonton has been spoiled, but Eskimo fans will tolerate a "rebuilding". They will not tolerate incompetence.
Down the street at Rexall, Kevin Lowe doesn't have the excuse of ignorance regarding the business he is in that Rick LeLacheur has. One has to marvel at the loyalty that Lowe has shown MacTavish in the last 18 months. Here we have another example of how a Cinderella run can hurt a team long term.
MacTavish has presided over a team with some of the worst powerplay numbers in the last decade. The Edmonton Oilers have started the 2007-08 campaign 0-16 on the powerplay. This despite additions that were supposed to bring a nonexistant powerplay to life. Yet it hasn't happened. It's early days yet, but the slow start is simply a continuation of the status quo. To another team it would truly be a slow start. In Edmonton it's steady as she goes!
MacTavish's worst sin, however, is his complete lack of patience. I predicted to a friend that the Oilers' line combos would be mashed up within 10 minutes of the first period in the first game. That was an exaggeration, but not by much. Already in game 4 of the season Sam Gagner had been scratched even though he had shown a great deal of talent and desire, and the combos were mixed up. I lost count of how many centres Dustin Penner played with against Minnesota. Apparently Raffi Torres is supposed to now score 30 playing with JF Jacques.
The man simply refuses to let guys get a feel for each other. It's "produce NOW or forever hold your peace". It's ridiculous. And you can tell that the players agree with me. How can you play for a guy that can't make up his mind? How can you excel for a coach that shows no confidence at any time in your abilities? And this is why the Oilers will struggle to improve throughout the year. MacTavish will not allow team mates to learn the nuances of each other's playing styles. He expects that he'll throw some guys together and either it works right away or he'll try something else. This is not the mark of a skilled professional coach.
Both men, sadly, need to be fired. Now.
In addition to the excitement of the moment, Cinderella runs can do so much damage to a pro sports team's future. Any mediocre team can catch fire with the right ingedients. In the Spring of 2005, the Edmonton Oilers were a mediocre team who barely made the playoffs. But once in, they caught fire and went to the final. It's a bloody shame that they lost because it may be some time before the Oilers are in a position like that again. Likewise with the 2005 Edmonton Eskimos. A massively talented and yet underachieving team with a mediocre record that caught fire. A few last minute additions never hurt either. But these kinds of runs can mask serious issues within a pro sports team's makeup. They can also give extra life to a coach's job. Sometimes, that coach doesn't deserve it.
Danny Maciocia is a man who, prior to becoming the head coach of the Edmonton Eskimos, had very little experience in coaching at the pro level. The record is there for all to see. Defenders have always pointed to the Grey Cup of 2005; but honest fans have to admit that the 2005 Grey Cup run was largely made possible by the late addition of Troy Davis from Hamilton, and the yanking of Ricky Ray in the conference playoffs for Jason Maas. Well, it turns out that Maas was the return for Davis, just 2 months later. The fact that the team caught fire and won the Grey Cup in an 8 team league masked some serious problems with how Maciocia had been running things in his first year as head coach. But the chickens soon came home to roost.
After missing the playoffs for the first time in 35 years in 2006, Maciocia plucked Jacques Chapdelaine from the coaching staff of the champion BC Lions. Yet the Eskimos offense has not improved. It has, in fact, gotten worse. An inhumanly stubborn refusal to run the ball, along with a revolving door player personnel policy have been just two of many problems in Edmonton this year. With Ray now out for the season, one has to ask why Maciocia is still around. Considering his total ineptness at assessing player talent, and his complete lack of skill regarding player and asset management, it serves little purpose to kick Maciocia upstairs, as seems to be the plan. Perhaps Chapdelaine can do better has a head coach, but with Maciocia picking the players, he may not have a full canvas with which to paint on.
It does seem that everyone in town can now see the problem. Even the most stubborn Maciocia defenders are now calling for him to be fired. Rick LeLacheur should take notice. The football fans in Edmonton are not used to a loser, and will not stomach it for long. LeLacheur, not having any experience with pro football at all, will likely ignore the home support and keep Maciocia. It is the wrong decision. Attendance and revenue will suffer. Make no mistake, Edmonton has been spoiled, but Eskimo fans will tolerate a "rebuilding". They will not tolerate incompetence.
Down the street at Rexall, Kevin Lowe doesn't have the excuse of ignorance regarding the business he is in that Rick LeLacheur has. One has to marvel at the loyalty that Lowe has shown MacTavish in the last 18 months. Here we have another example of how a Cinderella run can hurt a team long term.
MacTavish has presided over a team with some of the worst powerplay numbers in the last decade. The Edmonton Oilers have started the 2007-08 campaign 0-16 on the powerplay. This despite additions that were supposed to bring a nonexistant powerplay to life. Yet it hasn't happened. It's early days yet, but the slow start is simply a continuation of the status quo. To another team it would truly be a slow start. In Edmonton it's steady as she goes!
MacTavish's worst sin, however, is his complete lack of patience. I predicted to a friend that the Oilers' line combos would be mashed up within 10 minutes of the first period in the first game. That was an exaggeration, but not by much. Already in game 4 of the season Sam Gagner had been scratched even though he had shown a great deal of talent and desire, and the combos were mixed up. I lost count of how many centres Dustin Penner played with against Minnesota. Apparently Raffi Torres is supposed to now score 30 playing with JF Jacques.
The man simply refuses to let guys get a feel for each other. It's "produce NOW or forever hold your peace". It's ridiculous. And you can tell that the players agree with me. How can you play for a guy that can't make up his mind? How can you excel for a coach that shows no confidence at any time in your abilities? And this is why the Oilers will struggle to improve throughout the year. MacTavish will not allow team mates to learn the nuances of each other's playing styles. He expects that he'll throw some guys together and either it works right away or he'll try something else. This is not the mark of a skilled professional coach.
Both men, sadly, need to be fired. Now.
posted by Deathsdoorstep at
12:47 p.m.
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