Florida Panthers

Time for a change! Again!

Being a sports fan in South Florida is unlike any other market. The fans are usually rooting for the opponent from the city where they used to live, virtually giving no support to the local teams that are here. For example, when you go to a Panthers game unless the Flyers, Canadiens, Leafs, Rangers, or Devils are in town, the arena is mostly half full. Unless the team is on some sort of winning streak, then they come out of the woodwork. Also, they complain of the constant changes in management, coaching, and players that move from year to year.
Look, everyone wants their team to win, but what the Panthers ownership needs to realize is that unless you put a team on the ice that is competitive, exciting to watch, and is entertaining, and doesn’t fall apart at the end of games, the fans are not coming out to watch. They haven’t lived here long enough to “adopt” this team, and they will find something else to do. It doesn’t make it right, but that is what is happening. I despise going to a game where you can hear a pin drop during any period. But I was brought up in the best place to watch a hockey game. The old building on Madison Street, The Chicago Stadium.

What seems to be happening now is that the media, and fans via the editorials and team blog sites are beginning to scream for the head of “Uncle Jack” to be chopped off. The locals are starting to finally say that this team is suffering from bad coaching, and that he is not stern enough, and that he is too defensive and that the team doesn’t respect him and that he doesn’t have any control of them. It’s time for someone new they say. Someone who will crack the whip, someone who will hold the players accountable, and not tolerate the nonsense that we have been watching. A coach that will not let his players play scared.

What do you know? The natives want a hard ass it seems! When Uncle Jack was hired, the only good thing about it was that he picked his general manager, which was a very unusual set of circumstances as it’s ususally the other way around. Mike Keenan and Jacques Martin go back a long way, and Uncle jack trusted his friend to help him build this team and get it back on track. Ok, I was very happy with Keenan as the GM, but not happy with Martin as coach. One year after that experiment the trouble started and the dreaded Luongo deal came, which everyone blamed Keenan for, but the story behind that is much deeper, and I promise you Uncle Jack had just as much to to do with it. But I am not talking about that.
Then when it was determined that some of the players didn’t like Martin’s style, Olli, Gary Roberts to name two, Keenan thought that it was time for a coaching change. Well it didn’t happen and ownership used the Luongo deal to oust Keenan. Now two for the price of one as Uncle Jack get both jobs.

Wrong! Wrong! Wrong!
It has become very obvious to any hockey fan in Florida who knows anything that Martin cannot handle one of these jobs let alone both. I will give him credit for the Vokoun trade, and for picking up Jassen Cullimore. But he has done nothing to replace the offense that the Panthers have lost. Mark Recchi would have looked pretty nice in a panthers uniform on the first line with Olli. The fans it seems want a coach that expects more, and is more demanding, and is tougher on the players. Well, I hate to tell everyone, but you had him! Keenan is all that and more. I know he is not well liked by some, but for the players who can play for him you will never hear them say a negative thing about him. You know where you stand, you know what’s expected and you know that your performance must be “spot on” every game. He turned Olli Jokinen into the player he is today. Some players just were not mature enough so they were traded so they could grow up. That’s the difference between Iron Mike and Uncle Jack. Keenan won’t tolerate it, Jack doesn’t want to make waves with it. so he allows it.

So you see here in Florida it’s like fashion, the fans are happy when things are going well (in style), when things go wrong and the losing starts (out of style) they want someone else.
So firing Uncle Jack is a distinct possibility especially if the Panthers don’t make the playoffs and I don’t think they will. So what happens then? Who goes behind the bench? Well the one guy I can think of right now who has the credentials and has won a Stanley Cup is Bob Hartley. I have no problem with him and would hope that he gets a shot. But once again, is he too tough, is he too demanding, is he too much of a dictator?

I don’t know but it sounds like just what the players need. It’s not all coaching, as some of the responsibility is on the players, but the same issues have been allowed for 3 seasons, so it is time for a change. But what happens when the players start complaining that the new coach is too tough, and that practices are too hard?

Such is life here in South Florida for many fans. I myself am not in that category. I want my coach to coach and make demands and motivate me when the time is right and sit my butt down when I am not doing my job.
But mostly I want to win! I want to pay the price for winning, and I want to have my teammates be commited to winning. Sacrifice.

The Panthers team is fairly talented, but they have not been utilized properly and the whole situation of team heart and charachter is beginning to rear it’s ugly head. Many times I am not in favor of firing the coach because it lets the players off the hook, but when a 2 goal lead is not safe and the other team knows it, it’s coaching.

Living in Chicago when the fans wanted a player or coach removed a song could be heard throughout the stadium. In Florida it would go something like this: Bye, bye Martin. Bye, bye Martin. Bye bye Martin. We hate to see you go. Repeat!

Thanks for reading.