The Split "Captain" Thread

[ruxpin]

@Flyskippy

Hated those commercials. Should NEVER put a microphone to Richards.

[Flyskippy]

@ruxpin

I wasn't going down that road alone. Your post made me think of that hollow desolate place that was the WG BMW commercial campaign. Had to share my journey: "Yea, though I walk through the valley of soulless commercials, I will not fear for thou art with me."

[ruxpin]

Had to share my journey: "Yea, though I walk through the valley of soulless commercials, I will not fear for thou art with me."

That was pretty funny.

Yeah, they'd really have been better off with Droopy Dog. "You know what? I'm happy with my Beamer."

Or Eor from Winnie the Pooh (sorry, yes, I've raised small children.) "Oh bother. Need another Beamer."

But Richards?

"Yes.

I like

my

B............M......W.....

It

nice. Grunt...er....ooh"

[jammer2]

@ruxpin I think there is one single line of reasoning for making Richards and Giroux captains.... When the Flyers won last, they had a young fearless leader...and now the org is locked into this idea that their chances to win are increased when following the young star captain formula.....I really think it's that simple, a "it worked once" kinda mentality.....this management group is frustrating, sometimes it feels as if they popped out of a 70's time-capsule.

Of course, this team also had a star goalie when it won last, but that is accounted for in Clarke's mentality that you don't need a star goalie to compete......and I'm betting Clarke still has input and a high standing in the org. I hate to say it, but until this franchise is rid of Clarke as an executive, his line of thinking will be prevalent throughout the org. We need a clean break from Clarke the executive.

[ruxpin]

We need a clean break from Clarke the executive

Agreed. If we do, can we burn the damn Kate Smith video?

[jammer2]

Agreed. If we do, can we burn the damn Kate Smith video?

I've said for quite a while, I feel it's more of a jinx than a help. Typical Flyers, stuck in the 70's. Kate was great in her hey day....but I think they should stop playing her in the playoffs. How has this video worked for us.....I'm sure the Flyers have a better than .500 record when playing her, but what have we won while playing this video.....didly squat. I want change, out with Kate, out with McCrossin....and anything else that we have held on to for WAY to long, including Mr.Clarke.

[ruxpin]

Out with the flippin' Rocky statue, too. Hated that movie. And out with Michael Barkan.

EVERYONE.MUST.GO.

Their value will never be...oh, nevermind

[fanaticV3.0]

I clearly didn't express myself very well and appreciate the way you took it, but I was attempting to refer to very specific aspects where I didn't blame him. I wasn't attempting to absolve him altogether.

I think we're obviously all trying to blame all parties, so I guess the devil is in "who are we blaming more?"

In the case of Mike Richards, I think 80/20 Richards' fault might be lenient to Richards but I'll place it there.

Here's the thing:

We can blame Flyers' management for a stupid decision in the first place. Somewhere, the brain trust (term used loosely) had anointed him as the Second Coming and they were hell bent on making him captain evidence be damned. But the evidence (to rad and to aziz) seemed to be specific to Richards rather than some general rule about age or pedigree or years of service whatever. That's where the finger points squarely on Richards. It was Richards who was clearly too immature to handle the situation and ultimately lead to failure.

I see it similar to this (bear in mind the analogy really only works on a very limited level): You have a kid growing up in a bad home. Maybe he's poor or maybe bad parents or whatever. He ends up falling in with a lousy group of friends and knocks of a 7-Eleven for money for liquor. On the one hand, you can say "who could blame him?" and focus on blaming the parents, economics, whatever. But ultimately, the blame lies squarely on the kid. He's the one who made the poor decisions and he's the one that knocked off the store..

So yes, management can be blamed for making a decision that put Mike Richards in a position where it was difficult to succeed--but not impossible. It was Richards who not only failed to step up to it but actually not only shrunk away from it but almost proudly shrunk away.

----

The concern regarding Giroux: I think on one level it is odd for an organization that just witnessed its young prize implode following the decision to make him captain to almost immediately do the same thing with its next young prize. But I wonder if the comparison doesn't end there. I think it's clear that the organization went with the attitude "THAT was Richards and THIS is Giroux." I think to its credit to some extent. I think there does need to be an acknowledgement that they are two separate people. The circumstances that are the same is relative age and Philly. Other than that, it's a different set of players, a different mix, a different coach (from when Mike started), etc. They ARE two separate individuals. I personally am scared of a repeat of history, but I do see that there are differences. Forever avoiding doing the young captain thing again would be little different than "well, that last goalie thing was a disaster. Let's just never do a goalie again!"

Actually, now that I think about it...

 

 

I was more against his contract than naming him captain. If I remember correctly, that contract came smack dab in the middle of his breakout year. You don't do that ****. First of all, it's bad enough we live in a society where we all know an athlete is about to get overpaid in a big way after just one good season. We all knew the upgrade was coming at the end of that season. What was the rush? What was the point of giving him that deal before the season even ended? That was a bigger mistake than naming him captain. Giving someone a letter on their jersey is far less pressure than throwing that kind of money at them, signing them for that long, etc.

 

Once he became captain though, he was a terrible leader. They even gave him veteran helped and he bitched and moaned like some emo kid.

 

I can't judge Giroux based on Richards being a douche. I hear what you are saying about him being too young, but I don't discredit somebody simply based on their age, and like you said they're different people.

[ruxpin]

I was more against his contract than naming him captain. If I remember correctly, that contract came smack dab in the middle of his breakout year. You don't do that ****. First of all, it's bad enough we live in a society where we all know an athlete is about to get overpaid in a big way after just one good season. We all knew the upgrade was coming at the end of that season. What was the rush? What was the point of giving him that deal before the season even ended? That was a bigger mistake than naming him captain. Giving someone a letter on their jersey is far less pressure than throwing that kind of money at them, signing them for that long, etc.

 

Once he became captain though, he was a terrible leader. They even gave him veteran helped and he bitched and moaned like some emo kid.

 

I can't judge Giroux based on Richards being a douche. I hear what you are saying about him being too young, but I don't discredit somebody simply based on their age, and like you said they're different people.

Agree with every part of that.

[fanaticV3.0]

You can just keep playing Johnny One Note on the harp.

There are 46 other strings on the instrument, though.

 

I honestly don't know what the hell you're talking about and no, I'm not talking about your reference. Other than coming out and saying I do blame all parties involved, I don't know how else to explain to you I don't absolve management. Ironic that you are referring to me as playing the same old tune considering you are doing that with my point (and completely butchering it in the process).

Edited August 23, 2013 by fanaticV3.0

[fanaticV3.0]

Agree with every part of that.

 

 

Don't even get me started on athletes salaries either or the thread will have to be split again.

 

Oh and I can't f-cking stand the Kate Smith video anymore either.