I root for my home teams and have been accused of blindly supporting managements' decisions. I cheer for management to do well because that means we will have success and pride and joy with our teams' performance.
This was a stupid move in the sense it was not a hockey move, but based mainly upon the fact that the Bell guy did not like Burke's personality. I think Burke was building (albeit,very slowly) a winner and was a straight shooter, respected for the most part ,in the industry. The move I most disliked was bringing in Carlyle who coaches a stultifying, utterly boring unimaginative brand of hockey. That Ducks/Devils final a few years ago had to be the worst of all time.
I liked Burke and was willing to give him at least this year but not indefinitely, of course, if the results were not forthcoming. (BTW, why does Colangelo continue to get a free pass with laughinstock, dismal results over a longer period time than Burke?) But I don't like this move, especially at this time and that it was done on the basis of personality.
In a total reversal for me, I will cheer for the Leafs to fall flat on their asses. I don't like Carlyle, Nonis or ownership.
If they fire Carlyle and bring in Eakins, that could get me, at least partially, back on board.
I have to disagree with you.
Fucking up the rebuild along with the personality issues got him fired.
If you're going to behave the way he did, and bully people. and talk down to people the way he did, you BETTER deliver.
It;s not even that he didn't make the playoffs, its that he's still not even close to icing a serious playoff team.
I couldn't stand him, but respected him until two things happened.
First, he threw Wilson under the bus like I've never seen before. He was so transparent, it was disgusting.
Second, the press conference at the end of the season, was so embarrasing, I was speechless.
I knew he had come apart, as well as most, and I realized he would say absolutely anything and do anything rather than accept some responsibility.
I think MLSE handled it perfectly.
They took over at the end of the summer, they knew they were going into a lockout and that Burke would be a part of that
process, and when the lockout ended, they showed him the door. I've never seen the hockey atmosphere so poisoned as the last few years.
I was actually dreading having to hear all the same shit about the team once the lockout ended.
I can breathe again.