Pat Quinn Fired, My Take

Well it's been a few days since "The Phat One" Pat Quinn was relieved of all his duties with the business known as MLSE. I have been shocked at the negative responses to this firing coming from Leaf Nation, and the replies from media heads who have been calling for Quinn's head before. I wonder if Steve Simmons from the Toronto Sun knows what he thinks day to day, as is opinions is always changing. He know thinks Pat Quinn was the second coming an JFJ is a moron. Anyways enough of that disgrace or as I aptly refer to him as Steve Strachan.

Pat Quinn, in my opinion was a coach who should have been relieved a long time ago. Did he have success in Toronto...yes, was he a welcome change in 1998...yes, did he do some good things...yes. However did any player improve under Pat Quinn...No, did they have a gameplan.....No, did he once have to go a player short in a playoff game because he couldn't remember Robert Reichel was on his team....Yes. In short Pat Quinn was made to look good by one position on the team and that was goaltending. He didn't have it this year so as like in most of the games he coached when the Leafs were outshot, like they have been since he took over, the goalie position couldn't cover up for his weakness as a coach.

So some in Leaf Nation will blame JFJ for not outfitting the Leafs with the necessary talent, Hmmm I might be out of my mind here, but has JFJ only been on for 2 years, made the scouting department much better with additions like Craig Button, improved the minors by signing Paul Maurice, which has now benifitted in get this....improving young players. And just so I am not mistaken who was the guy in charge before JFJ who only signed FA that were at the end of there careers, gave up on young guys (Steve Sullivan, Jason Smith, Alyn McCauley, Brad Boyes, Fredrick Modin, Danny Markov,) and made such dandy trades that brought in gems like Dmitri Khristich, Robert Reichel, Robert Svelha, Cory Cross, Mikeal Renberg, Jonas Hoglund, Wade Belak, Aki Berg, etc. Could that have been the Phat One? Oh yeah it was. The mighty man who everyone in Leaf Nation and the media thinks is a genius. Isn't this the guy who strapped the organization finacially by paying Mats Sundin more then his worth? Hmm who has the worst track record as a Leafs GM? So when JFJ takes over in the post cap era, who do you think prevented him from buying out players, like McCabe, Belfour, and forcing him to bring back a useless Tie Domi? It was upper management in MLSE. Should I blame JFJ that his hands are tied by the Teachers Pension fund, and some board at MLSE who thinks that a guy who designed Hostess Twinkie packages Richard Peddie, has the wherewithal to run a hockey and basketball operation? Now don't get me wrong here, the book is still out on JFJ, however I feel that he deserves a shot to continue his youth movement and lets see what we get.

Now more importantly let's look at Pat Quinn the coach. Anyone in the world who even understood the remote concept of hockey, could watch one game and realize that Jason Allison could not play in the "New" NHL. Was it a bad signing by JFJ...yes, but lets also remember him being strapped finacially so he took a chance on a base salary with incentives. But the coach does not have to play him the most minutes of any player, that's not a GM decision that's a coaches. Pat Quinn kept sending this god damn stiff on the ice all the time even in Penalty Killing roles....What? The guy is slower then the brain functions of Muhammad Ali. He then takes a promising rookie Centre in Matt Stajan, shifts him to wing, and introduces him to his new linemates.....Tie Domi, and Clarke Wilm.....gives him 7 minutes of ice time, and says Go get them big fella. Let's look at New Jersey who has what people consider a very shrewd GM. He signs Alex Mogilny and Dan Mcgillis for big bucks, and when he finds out they can't play, allows the coach to send him to the minors. Pat Quinn takes this player and gives him the most minutes? Does anyone know that with Allison out of the lineup the Leafs were 9 games over 500? And the reason he was out of the lineup had nothing to do with Quinn realizing the guy stinks, It's due to injuries. He also brings up rookie Dman who look good, and then says wait a minute, I think Wade Belak and Aki Berg are still serviceable...LOL, I mean thats ridiculous. Quinn did this with Alyn McCauley, when he gives bums like Shayne Corson, Robert Reichel, etc. more playing time, and better wingers, and saddles McCauley with Domi, and Gary Valk. It's dumb. Now lets look at the biggest series of the season in Montreal. The Leafs come out in the Thursday game with some spunk, then a horrible giveaway by Luke Richardson allows the Mtl forwards a 2-1 where Aki Berg goes down faster then a crack whore in the Jane and Finch area for $5, It's now a 2-0 and Montreal scores to make it 1-0. So just to make sure everyone understands both D-man made bonehead plays to allow Montreal the goal. It's 1-0 with 12 minutes to play in 1st period, you had played well up until that point. What would you do with the defensive pair after totally blowing a play? I would think 99.99999999% of coaches would probably change the D-Line up to allow them time to regain composure, and start fresh. What does the Phat Man do, Leaves them on. 12 seconds later, Aki Berg and Luke Richardson chasing the same man behind the net, pass out front and it's now 2-0, and see ya later playoffs. The move not to change the defensive pair is bush league brutal and undefensible. When your that out of the game, I am sorry but you should be fired.

Now lets look at the good run at the end, that all fans in Leaf Nation say was a reason why Pat Quinn should not have been fired. Lets look at who got hurt, bums like Allison, Ed Belfour and Alex Khavanov, etc. which then provided time and spaces for youngsters like Matt Stajan, Ian White and Kyle Wellwood. I will ask this; If Allison and and Khavanov were not hurt would they have been playing?....Of course they would, so it was by injuries, not good coaching that the Leafs benifetted, which should say all you should now about the Leafs coach. Good riddance Phat fan.

Now for my not so PC statement. I think I will rant on the Caledonia situation later but for now I would like to say that it's great to see the great people of the Tyendinaga reserve where I used to live near take the time out of there stressful days of sniffing gas, smuggling cigarettes and alcohol, and getting loaded on the taxpayers bill to block the CN railway and prevent hardworking ordinary people the ability to travel by train, so you can protest a land agreement deal made in 1846. Way to go, my hats off to you fine people. Makes you look like the ingrates you are.