About last night ...
posted by Mike Boone at 7h18 EST on Mar 7
I think I'm going to spend a cloudy Saturday in Montreal trying track down a taste of what Guy Carbonneau is smoking.
The Canadiens' coach, in the portion of his post-game scrum that aired on RDS's l'Antichambre, said he liked his team's 60-minute effort. The Canadiens, Carbonneau added, played better and were "less demoralized" than in Buffalo.
It was a fairly tight camera shot so I couldn't see whether Carbo was tugging on his ear lobe to indicate he was kidding.
Because if the "60-minute effort" line wasn't a spoof or a specific reference to Carey Price, who was great for 59:18, the coach is seriously delusional.
Does the second period count as part of the 60 minutes? The Canadiens needed more than seven minutes to get their first shot, en route to a grand total of five.
Do the last 33 seconds of the first period count toward the total? That's when the Canadiens, having just surrendered the game's first goal, had a 5-on-3 man advantage. The coach, in his wisdom, had Glen Metropolit on the power play.
Yes, Metropolit is a right-handed shot – and he's used it to score four goals this season. Andrei Kostitsyn, with 22 goals, and Alex Tanguay, who has 10, watched from the bench.
I mean .... c'mon. Glen Metropolit? This is getting too psychedelic, even for a survivor of the 1960s.
Danny Ozark, who managed the Philadelhia Phillies back in the day and was famous for malapropisms, once was asked if a losing streak had affected team morale.
"At this point," Ozark replied, "morality is no longer a factor."
So the Canadiens are less demoralized?
Maybe it's time for Carbo to wake up, smell the coffee and become seriously demoralized. Maybe it's time for he and his friend the general manager to dial up YouTube and watch a former Canadiens coach offer this candid assessment of his team.
Like most members of the media, I'm a Guy Carbonneau fan. His press briefings always feature intelligent, highly quotable comments.
One year removed from 104 points and celebrating 100 years of the most storied franchises in hockey, Carbonneau can't pull a Therrien.
Carbo can't blithely admit:
"We suck, we're going to miss the playoffs and I have no answers."
Late last night,I got an e-mail from a fellow Canadiens fan:
I don't know about you, but I'm kind of looking ahead to the summer already, and if Gainey picks the right guys, he can completely rebuild on the fly. He'll have a ton of space and manouverability most GMs don't have...especially when added to a young core. There are no playoffs this year. Even if they squeak in, they'll be murdered. But I'm optimistic next year will be better. And, when you think about it...there's an argument to be made that NEXT season is actually the hundredth year...
I've got my doubts about Carbo though.
Here's what I wrote back to her:
Grim. They don't deserve to be in the playoffs. And they give every indication they've quit on Carbo.
Re the summer: Who would want to play here? The team is constantly rebuilding, the media scrutiny is relentless, every cab driver is an expert, etc. ad nauseam.
I respect Gainey but I'm starting to wonder whether he's in the same league as Lamoriello, Wilson, Burke, Shero, Holmgren, Sutter, Lombardi.
I'm not including Holland because there's nothing to wonder about there.
Does Gainey blow up the team? I'm comfortable with Price as a cornerstone, but the D is awful. Two more seasons of Hamrlik? Komisarek is a mess. Gorges tries, but he's not a Top-4. Do you rush Webber and Subban and McDonagh up hoping one or two of them is Luke Schenn or Drew Doughty?
Forwards?
Keep Max-Pac, Lapierre, Latendresse, D'Agostini and hire a Belarusian psychiatrist for the brothers. Give Koivu two years if he'll sign cheap. Everyone else can walk. Maybe hit a home run with a free agent.
OK, my rant was a bit extreme. I was tired and a few beers to the good. E-mail has become the 21st century version of Drink and Dial.
But the Montreal Canadiens are breaking my heart. And in a city that lives and dies with its hockey team, there aren't enough cardiologists to go around.
I can't even bring myself to dissect last night's loss. The Canadiens played lazy, undisciplined, clueless hockey for long stretches of the game.
A team sitting 14th in the conference had eight power plays. And even during 5-on-5, it looked like Atlanta had an extra man.
Saku Koivu, Alex Tanguay and Christopher Higgins were reunited and played well. They didn't score, but it wasn't for want of trying.
Max Lapierre's line always tries – and never scores.
Our ertswhile number one line? They're starting to remind me of the darkest days of Sergei Samsonov.
Gregory Stewart landed a few good ones on Cliff Thorburn. Ryan O'Byrne beat up an 18-year-old kid.Â
The D? Softest in the league. Mike Komisarek and Roman Hamrlik each had one hit last night. Josh Gorges, Mathieu Schneider, Andrei Markov and Ryan O'Byrne had none.
As a team, the Canadiens had FIVE hits.
Steve Bégin will have more than that in the first period tomorrow. And he'll be coming hard for 60 minutes.
Buffalo is in Ottawa and Carolina plays at Tampa Bay tonight. The Rangers are home to the faltering Bruins and surging Pttsburgh visits stumbling Washington tomorrow.
Anyone looking forward to perusing the Eastern Conference standings on Monday morning?
Comments
1234next ›last »
Submitted by budviv on Sun, 03/08/2009 - 19:10.
Every time Kerry Fraser is refereeing a game with Canadiens I shudder. He has something against something. Could it be prejudice?
Why doesn't Gainey, whom I admire, ask the NHL for an investigation.
I would guess that over the last 5 years he has called an obscene number of penalties against Canadians compared with against other teams they play against!!
Submitted by The Cat on Sun, 03/08/2009 - 04:46.
Getting a little melodramatic there Boone. Even for teams clicking on all cylinders, its very hard to go beat Turco and Dallas in their barn on Sundays, so I dont know about using the word catastrophe just yet. If they win just one of the next 4 home games, then I think the word might be fitting.
Submitted by RudeMood19 on Sun, 03/08/2009 - 02:35.
Prediction: If the team plays with heart, we dominate teams again.
Submitted by joestrummer (not verified) on Sun, 03/08/2009 - 03:43.
Seems like there is an I in team.
Enough talk about the players contract negotiations. Dags make $750,000 per year.
You make less, UFA's can kiss my ERRR
How much did the pocket rocket make?
Submitted by The M on Sun, 03/08/2009 - 04:06.
there's no I team, but there's an ME
Submitted by SteveO on Sun, 03/08/2009 - 05:03.
well actually this is Montreal, and there is definitely an I in equipe...
Submitted by joestrummer (not verified) on Sun, 03/08/2009 - 03:45.
NHLPA should buy a team.
Submitted by joestrummer (not verified) on Sun, 03/08/2009 - 02:26.
And I thought it was going to be 1989 all over again. Carbo is not going anywhere. They might make the playoffs, and possibly knock off one the top seeds (wash Bos) but Then they would definitely lose.
BGCarbomulvis knew that. They knew they had a fubar situation before boone. so Carbo stays. He called it. Its a big league and too much to expect that they become another NJ Colorado or Detroit this year. I'm losing organs over this.
Submitted by kovyland (not verified) on Sat, 03/07/2009 - 23:01.
I'm confused about J.T.
I know she's done writing articles, but is she done posting on walls as a fan?
and if yes, why?
Submitted by Xtrahabsfan on Sat, 03/07/2009 - 23:07.
LOL,I for one totally agree with J.T. on this one....Posters should get paid and heck even Unionize,we all would want a job we love and this be it....say No to Scabs.....
Submitted by joestrummer (not verified) on Sun, 03/08/2009 - 02:21.
Go Union!
Submitted by notbigbird on Sat, 03/07/2009 - 23:03.
You could try asking her on her own blog.
http://habsloyalist.blogspot.com/
Submitted by timo (not verified) on Sat, 03/07/2009 - 21:36.
Watching the Oilers Leafs game. On the individual talent basis these 2 teams don't come close to the Habs. But both are playing with a lot of heart and are trying to do the best they can with the skills they have. They suck because they don't have talent but they are not as frustrating to watch because they come to play.
Submitted by RudeMood19 on Sun, 03/08/2009 - 02:32.
dude I completely agree. Why the hell can't we play with heart!!!!?!?!?!
Submitted by craz11 on Sat, 03/07/2009 - 22:23.
With the exception of Koivu and Kovalev, most of the Oilers have more talent than the Habs. That Ales Hemsky is some hockey player!
Submitted by kovyland (not verified) on Sat, 03/07/2009 - 22:43.
how many forwards are better then Akost, Pleks, and Tanguay?
how many dmen are better then Markov?
Submitted by craz11 on Sat, 03/07/2009 - 23:05.
Forwards I would rather have than AK, Pleks and Tanguay:
Hemsky
Kotalik
Horcoff
Cogliano
Gagne
Moreau
Pisani
Markov is one of the best D in the league. The rest of our D is worse than any of the Oilers D.
Submitted by kovyland (not verified) on Sat, 03/07/2009 - 23:18.
I'm not talking about who'd u rather have, I'm taliking about talent.
Moreau and Pisani for sure don't have the same talent
Submitted by timo (not verified) on Sun, 03/08/2009 - 00:10.
But I don't even want to talk about player changes until the coach is gone. I realize that players are to blame for a lot of the current situation too, but there has to be a good solid manager behind the bench for any kind of changes to work. Right now I don't see Habs being any better if they'd got Lecavalier and Jokinen and Bouwmeester. They would still suck just as badly under the current coach.
Submitted by The M on Sun, 03/08/2009 - 04:09.
Lecavalier is a left handed shot, he would have been on the bench in favor of metro
Submitted by joestrummer (not verified) on Sun, 03/08/2009 - 02:23.
Do you really feel that way?
Submitted by Habbu on Sat, 03/07/2009 - 21:52.
That's what disturbs me the most about the Habs. Given that they are professional athletes who are paid very well to play a sport 20 minutes or so every couple of nights, given the time of year, along with where they are in the standings, you wouldn't think they would need any more motivation than that. And yet there is no effort, no character, no determination, no willingness to risk getting a bloody nose. They've quit. All saying 'let the other guy do it'.
Submitted by Yeats on Sat, 03/07/2009 - 22:07.
I couldn't agree with you more. I really think that the problem is that there are no sanctions for poor play. You can't dock their pay, you can't send them down to the A for the most part. Even the alleged "bag skating" after the Buffalo game was utter nonsense. 27 minutes of skating drills for professional athletes? That's abuse? You have got to be shitting me! You go through two hours of freaking suicides after a crappy loss like I did several times in high school and I might have an ounce of sympathy for you. (My coach did have power over us and had no problem exercising it.) Neither Carbo nor Gainey has any leverage on these jackasses. Now in the case of Sergei Kostitsyn they still do. I would send his sorry behind down to the E just to make a point. It might not be fair, but using him as an example might make a point.
Submitted by timo (not verified) on Sat, 03/07/2009 - 22:13.
Physical violence, such as flogging should work as a good motivator too. Or at least a good old foot in the ***. Unbelievable how these guys get pampered everywhere they go and people actually feel sympathy for them. Give me a break.
Submitted by Yeats on Sat, 03/07/2009 - 22:28.
What they really need is a John Ferguson or a Chris Nilan on the team that would run one of their sorry asses in practice. Or, better yet, a coach like Pat Burns who once threw an ash tray at John Kordic's head. Kordic had more balls than the entire team today and Burns would have beat him worse than Rodney King!
Submitted by Yeats on Sat, 03/07/2009 - 21:37.
I agree. I am watching the game as well. I have to think this is the final stop on Gerber's NHL tour. He sucks!
Submitted by Habbu on Sat, 03/07/2009 - 21:16.
Perhaps the players like most of us realize that they simply are not good enough to go anywhere this year. So it's.....why bother? I'll go through the motions and pretend I really give a damn. That's why you get all that pushing and shoving after whistles but no passion between.
Too many are probably pre-occupied with thoughts of how they are going to spend all those tax savings $ they are going to realize playing outside of Quebec next year.
Submitted by timo (not verified) on Sat, 03/07/2009 - 21:15.
So if the current scored hold, both Panthers and Hurricanes, teams that were hopelessly behind Montreal back in January will both be ahead or tied with the Habs. Thank god the team has Bob's vote of confidence.
Submitted by timo (not verified) on Sat, 03/07/2009 - 20:33.
You know, I am actually enjoying a saturday night without the disapointment of having to watch the Habs. I went out and got me a set of new golf clubs today. I can sit here put them in my also brand new bag and think of which of Habs players I'd invite for a round or two come april.
Submitted by shuttle-lemaire... on Sat, 03/07/2009 - 20:43.
What...you would'nt want to go a couple of rounds with Carbo....c'mon T !!
Submitted by timo (not verified) on Sat, 03/07/2009 - 20:44.
Absolutely. My club might occasionally slip out of my hands a couple of times too ;)
Submitted by davelies on Sat, 03/07/2009 - 20:18.
I am stunned by the amount of people who blame Gainey. I almost barfed when I read the name Shero as a GM better than Gainey.
This guy has taken a crap team and turned into what was thought to be a cup contender. He did it WITHOUT the luxury of 1st, 2nd or 3rd overall picks. A monkey could've drafted Crosby, Malkin, Staal and Fleury and traded FOUR good prospects for 1 month of Hossa, and then signed washed up free agents to play with them.
Gainey operates in a very unique environment. Unfortunately, most players want to avoid the pressure of playing under the microscope in Montreal. Still, Gainey has done a great job.
Think back to last summer... First place Canadiens, having led the league in scoring, add Tanguay, Lang and Laraque. NOBODY could have foreseen this meltdown. On paper, the Habs had a powerhouse team. Gainey had done his job. You wanted Jokinen? The price the Flames paid was the equivalent of the Canadiens dealing Higgins, Pacioretty and a 1st round pick. If the Canadiens were playing well, he might have been smart to do it. A cup today is worth more than moderate success over a longer period.
With what's happened, the Habs chances this year are slim, unless all the ALL the slumping players manage to turn it around. Gainey knows it. Why put themselves in a bigger hole? The man knows how to cut his losses.
Blame the players for underachieving. Blame the coaches for not getting the most out of their players. Just do me one favour: when the Habs turn it around, don't praise Gainey. You've lost the right.
Submitted by craz11 on Sat, 03/07/2009 - 22:44.
Ok. Gainey is better than Shero. Better than the idiots in TB.
Not better than many other GMs. Has been unable to secure a bonafide 1st line player to push this team to the top. Has wasted every off-season chasing pipe-dream free agents (Shanahan, Sundin, etc.) Has never signed an impact free agent. Most of his FA signings have been busts (Tanguay, Laraque, Samsonov, Dandaneault). Has only one decent, team improving trade to his credit (Kovalev for Balej). He's blinded by personal loyalty (Carbonneau, Kovalev, firing Julien). Has had to make concessions to correct his mistakes (trading Theodore, Samsonov). Allowed key free agents to walk for nothing (Souray, Striet)
and finally, in my honest opinion, trading Huet at the deadline cost us a chance at winning the Stanley Cup.
I don't see the Habs "turning it around". Not with the team they have, not with the coach they have. There's nothing in the system that is ready to help out right away. There is no star coming up in the system at all. We have no assets under contract to trade for anything, and with no stars in the system we need all the draft picks we can get. We need to face the facts and realize that this team needs to rebuild, as we don't have any solid blocks to succeed. The deadline was our last chance to improve. There will be no draft-day dealing because we have no assets under contract. No stars, no depth, no hope.
Gainey has pulled all kinds of rabbits out of his *** to remedy his mistakes (see above) and I would not be the least surprised if he manages to do it again. If the guy can unload Theo, Samsonov and their awful contracts, I'm sure he's got some magic to work. What bothers me is that fixing his mistakes never progresses the team FORWARD. He just manages to keep our heads above water. Problem is, as Koivu and Kovalev get older, we slowly sink farther and farther away from contention, as they are still easily our best players, as they have been for the past 5 years, with no one even coming close to meeting the level of these guys.
Gainey has done nothing but make mistakes, and fix those mistakes. It's the fixing that makes him look brilliant, but the net result is zero. Just wasted time.
Submitted by Yeats on Sat, 03/07/2009 - 21:03.
At the end of the day, Gainey's position as General Manager makes him ultimately responsible for the performance of the team. If the coach can't get the job done, it is his responsibility to find someone who can. If the players can't get the job done, it his responsibility to get guys who can. Gainey rates a "Gentleman's C." He has done no better or worse than I would have expected of someone in that position.
Submitted by timo (not verified) on Sat, 03/07/2009 - 20:43.
If Gainey is so smart (at least smarter than a monkey) how come we don't have anybody of a caliber of Crosby or Malkin. For that matter, how come we can't for 5 years now address our biggest need of getting a big producing #1 center? I mean, it doesn't look like Flames gave all that much for Jokinen.
And please explain what does "moderate success" mean? Do you mean to say you would rather live with Habs making it to the second round every year from now on rather than winning a cup this year? Personally, I don't like to celebrate and reward mediocrity.
Submitted by The Teacher on Sat, 03/07/2009 - 20:55.
Wow, going by your first sentence, you know nothing about the NHL.
Submitted by timo (not verified) on Sat, 03/07/2009 - 21:16.
Not a thing man. This is why I come to this site to have you fine folks explain things to me.
Submitted by The Teacher on Sat, 03/07/2009 - 22:07.
now you make sense ;)
Submitted by forskis on Sat, 03/07/2009 - 20:55.
I guess the point of the question is this: 1 Cup and struggle for several years (like Tampa, Carolina) or consistency (2nd round with chance to do better each time they reach it)...
We basically said the same thing...all in the interpretation...
Submitted by timo (not verified) on Sat, 03/07/2009 - 21:37.
Third option - consistently suck like Habs do now.
Submitted by doug on Sat, 03/07/2009 - 20:42.
Only ONE thing wrong with Gainey: Carbonneau.
Nothing is going to turn around until Carbonneau is gone.
Submitted by Richrebellion on Sat, 03/07/2009 - 19:12.
Everyone is ready to *** on Carbo for all this eh? I mean ok the team hasnt been playing well and when they do they dont get backup from their goaltending. They get lazt with leads( San Jose) and fall apart when we don't score first lately. But Last year Carbo was coach of the year no offense Bruce. He took a team that many media placed 14th to 1st so what does that say about your hockey knowledge? Everyone is easy to forget that when we played detroit it was his strategy that allowed them to win 3-1 and if not for franzens incredible goal we wud of shut them out. I see potential in this team but injuries this season although not an excuse have hurt this team. Komi is off and Price was too but last night kept us in it. Everyone has had stretches of horrible this season. Plekanec bounced back, Price bounced back, Kostitsyn bounced back, Markov bounced back and so has Kovy. Everyone if off and on but all you need is for everyone to click at once. Its asking alot but its not impossible. It happened last year for pretty much the whole year. So maybe they need to hit rock bottom before they can play their best. Because despite playing on and off all season long we have been in the playoffs all season long. They havent felt what its like to not be in a playoff position. Maybe if they drop out theyll wake up and then everyone hating on carbo will be his biggest fan again. Its easy to say get rid of everyone and to hate when the team loses. To take it apart and insult everyone. Gainey has done nothing but bring this team back. They were so low that no1 wanted to even buy them when george gillet stole the team. Now people wud sell their children for a chance to own a piece. He isnt comparable to those gms hes better. He took Price who looks to be the next great when we had a hart trophy goalie. Hes made trades which look stupid Craig Rivet and now look like the biggest steals. The devils have Brodeur thats all you need to win. Parise has been amazing but what else has he really done? Wilson got lucky with thornton and has made some good moves. Burke landed on a cup winning team and added a guy or two. Well see how the leafs turn out! Even so they tore the team apart and will miss the playoffs for years to come. He took a team that was crap and slowly has turned them around with great drafting and theyve been in and out of the playoffs the whole time. So stop putting the organization down when they hit a bad stretch.
Submitted by doug on Sat, 03/07/2009 - 20:58.
So many questions came up while reading this missive. The most pressing is, which one of the big three - Carbonneau, Gainey, or Gillett - wrote it?
Gainey hasn't anything to apologize for besides keeping Carbonneau, so don't think it's him. Pros of it being Carbonneau are the rant and ultimately unconvincing data. But I think the selling their babies to get a piece of the Habs makes it clear in the midst of the financial crisis you're facing: George, it's nice to have you hear on this forum.
Regarding Carbonneau doing wonders with a bad team last year, he actually did wonders to MISS the playoffs the year before, thereby doing a good job of making it seem like he was awesome when everyone was healthy and they played to potential. This year, he's back to the old Carbo in the face of adversity: he's got nada when it comes to answers or leadership. He's a horrendous coach without much of a track record, and more tenured guys have been fired for less - especially in the midst of a centennial season met with such grave disappointment. Savard was canned seven games in. Therrien and Renney, his compatriots in the underperforming expectations department, got canned a few weeks back. That just leaves our loser Carbo. No track record, no answers, no nothing.
So George, could you lean on Gainey and let him know - rightly so - that his job is secure and that he's done a fine job. And then take him out for a walk in Old Montreal - he'll understand why you're doing it. And ask him if he wants to win or if he wants to put friendship above performance.
Nothing is going to turn around until Carbonneau is gone.
Submitted by nightmare_49 on Sat, 03/07/2009 - 19:26.
RR - Are you the spokesman for the CFID (Clique Formed In Dallas). Gainey, Carbo, Muller and Jarvis.
Submitted by Richrebellion on Sat, 03/07/2009 - 20:43.
Nope I just believe in them! Im a 20 year old kid most people here are older guys in their 40s and are used to the old game. I watch alot of hockey and not only habs games. I also have played them game my whole life was on skates since I was 1. I tend to know alot about the game and notice the little things. I dont follow what analysts are saying and form my own opinion. Most people here not all just follow what they hear on the radio or from other people and pretend to know exactly whats going on. Well I think I do! I might be wrong but for example when we got schneider everyone said we paid too much and he wasnt gonna do much. Since we got him our PP has been amazing, doing as well as last year which I wrote would happen the day we got him. Im not saying i know everything but I think I see alot more than most people do. I could tell streit was gone last year half way through the year. I see why Halak isnt given as much chances as price for the number one goalie like his rebound control and can give you stats to back that up. Halak has faced consistenly 30 plus shots where Price rarely goes over 30 with the same team so either they play better in front of price or those rebounds turn into more shots. Dont tell me last year that Carbo didnt do a good job because he did. They had no injuries last year this year barely anyone has not been injured for a long period of time. Its not easy to coach when you have a player one day and not the next. Everyone hates on him for juggling lines but when players slump thats how you get them out of it. Carbo is a good coach and has shown it even this year. But fans here are too hard and expect players never to go into slumps. Look at Julien leading the bruins this year, igneault for Vancouver, Therrien for the Pens last year. All good coaches who got kicked out too early and now are good coaches for their teams. Our PP was first the past two years for a reason the coaching alot of teams have shots from the point but they dont click like us wonder why? This coaching staff is good and has had to deal with injuries like crazy theres a long list of players who have missed alot of time(koivu,higgins,tanguay,lang,price,komi,bouillon,laraque and dandenault). All im saying is i see good things with this group and I know they can do whats needed to win.
Submitted by nightmare_49 on Sat, 03/07/2009 - 21:30.
RR - I hear what your saying, your a genius at twenty years old but why keep your skates on for nineteen years, arn't they tight.
Submitted by doug on Sat, 03/07/2009 - 20:57.
I wish I had all the answers like you: what should the U.S. do about the economic crisis?
Those old guys in their 40s you're criticizing for not knowing the game? They're the coaching staff, too. . . and actually PLAYED that old game - the one that you suggest makes you prescient and smart and that makes people like us (and them) so useless.
Oh, and "alot" is two words. Used in a sentence: there are a lot of teams that are behind us that are showing up in crunch time, unlike our 40-something year old-coached team. Carolina scored a lot, for instance - up 3-0 ten minutes into the first period. Carbonneau's got a lot of explaining to do.
Nothing is going to turn around until Carbonneau is gone.
Submitted by Richrebellion on Sun, 03/08/2009 - 05:14.
You make me laugh because my rant is about you and it hurts. Youve watched hockey all your life yet don't know anything about the sport. You think because you write on HIO that your all of a sudden an expert and that you shud be the next coach. I never said I know how to fix the team but I know that Firing Carbo at best would be a short term solution. You can hate on him as much as you want and try and insult me too doesnt bother me. Ya I'm telling you about what I have seen and said wud come true because how am I supposed to prove something that hasnt come true yet? eh smart guy? Im not saying all 40 year olds know squat about hockey. Just I've heard it too many times just in the city eating at a restaurant and hear a couple of old guys talking about the stupidest *** that they clearly heard on the team 990. Your gonna insult me for not seperating A LOT rly? Its a blog its not the my final assignment I just handed in thats worth 60% in university! Im not spell checking this and making sure everything is grammatically correct. Boone even says it just above how every cab driver can be the next coach. All I hear on HIO is who to get rid of next when things are bad and I think it's a joke. Stop crying because I hit a nerve and learn something about the game you follow.
Submitted by Yeats on Sat, 03/07/2009 - 21:11.
I spend a lot of time doing forecasting for a living Doug, but this dude is a freaking "Swami!" The number of things he knows now that occurred months ago is truly astounding. Reminds me of the old adage that it's a damn poor man who can't predict the past.
Submitted by doug on Sat, 03/07/2009 - 21:32.
I love that part about "the number of things he know now that occurred months ago is truly astounding". Well played.
I'll be Mr. Rich Rebellion in the retirement community. Look forward to the shuffle board with you and Patrick Traverse, Gaston.
Nothing is going to turn around until Carbonneau is gone.
Submitted by Yeats on Sat, 03/07/2009 - 21:59.
We have to set some ground rules in advance. Do our flannel shirts have to be tied down in the back? Also, how are we going to handle the whole helmet issue? If one of ours comes off, do we go to neutral corners?
Twin six-year-old boys? My guys are twelve. You have no idea what fun awaits you. One of my guys decided to dye his hair blue a week ago. I should have known that something was up when he was wearing a jeff cap around the house. Of course, my wife went mental, but I told her that I will save my bullets for more important issues that will be coming down the road. I did, however, inform them that if they want to get earings they better be prepared to go "full pirate." I will take you to the local pet shop and buy a parrot to sit and crap on your shoulder all day. You will also be required to wear an eye patch and say "arrrrgh" before addressing me. You want a tattoo? Show me your naval enlistment papers.
Submitted by doug on Sat, 03/07/2009 - 22:05.
I'll have to tell you what my dad said about my earring idea by email or live.
Nothing is going to turn around until Carbonneau is gone.
Submitted by Omit on Sat, 03/07/2009 - 21:49.
It's funny how some of you took the time to criticize Richrebellion's opinion by poking fun of him without once offering up an intelligent response to his post. Yet, there are some idiots here who make the most nonsensical comments and they get a free ride. Very classy, guys.
Submitted by doug on Sat, 03/07/2009 - 22:01.
Sorry, Dad. I did write a partial response for why I disagreed above prior to the one in which he said he was Nostradamus. I find many things flawed with the logic and would have written more but then saw the next one which was annoying. This is not a class; reactions will occur off the cuff. If you wish to omit me from your reading list, Omit, please do. It would seem that all you've done - with great irony - is not practice what you preach. Well done!
Nothing is going to turn around until Carbonneau is gone.
Submitted by Yeats on Sat, 03/07/2009 - 21:57.
I agree with you that there is certainly a lot of nonsense posted on HIO, but did you really expect any of us to take the time to address each of the points in that rant, pretty much all of which have been made by others who support the current junta managing the team? Sure, he probably should not have been ragged on. But, we rag on each other with gusto. Why should he get a pass?
Submitted by Omit on Sat, 03/07/2009 - 22:10.
But you certainly had the time to rip into him, probably because you don't agree with him. But he had some very good points compared to a lot of the nonsense I read on here.
Submitted by Yeats on Sat, 03/07/2009 - 22:16.
There was absolutely nothing original in his post. Take some time and read the defenses of the current management over the past two weeks. All he did was reiterate a bunch of those in one big annoying brick of text. Believe me, had he said something novel I would have caught it.
Submitted by doug on Sat, 03/07/2009 - 22:04.
Better response than mine re: the point that there were so many issues raised and so much of them have been covered for so long. I disagreed, and didn't feel like itemizing why. For those of you who find me that fascinating, look through the last three months of posts in which I've disagreed with each point pretty much on a daily basis. . . or wait until my book of fascinating posts comes out in paperback.
Nothing is going to turn around until Carbonneau is gone.
Submitted by Omit on Sat, 03/07/2009 - 22:40.
Well, that one sentence you use as a tag line doesn't take that long to read. And certainly not fascinating, sonny boy.
Submitted by doug on Sat, 03/07/2009 - 23:40.
Used it as a tag line - or used any tag line at all - for exactly 2 days of the two and a half years I've been here. If you haven't enjoyed your two weeks then move on. I can understand that you would like to play traffic cop here but we've been doing fine without you and there's a much longer and richer tradition, complete with friendships, sarcasm, and the sort, than you may be privy to. There are many quality posters, many long-time quality posters, and many long-time quality posters who come and go. If you want to continue to name call and point out your utter hypocrisy relating to calling us out on such then please do.
As for your clever comeback prior to the "sonny boy" (see dictionary under name calling, which is your prerogative but please don't call me out on it then), there's such a thing as sarcasm, and such a thing as self-deprecation. I was saying that if you want to read my rebuttals, and hundreds of others' rebuttals on these topics that have been written about for months on here, then you can read my "fascinating" posts. Clearly a joke.
I'm tired of this now, and hope you are too. I shall refrain from further responses to this and return to hockey. See you around. Or not.
Nothing is going to turn around until Carbonneau is gone.
Submitted by Omit on Sun, 03/08/2009 - 00:01.
Hypocrite? Read back from the first post and see who started what you accuse me of. You even ragged the kid for the use of a lot. You are a condescending boor.
Submitted by doug on Sun, 03/08/2009 - 00:17.
This is ridiculous, Omit. I made some smartass comments and you called me on it and said "very classy". Your point was too say that I shouldn't judge others, and you judged me. In my books that's hypocrisy. If it isn't in yours, then that's fine. I honestly don't care.
The bottom line is that I'm frustrated with this hockey team and have my own perspective as to what is wrong. It's a simple difference of opinion and certainly not personal, and I apologize if I offended you or others. Regarding your last sentence, you're either a total jackass or, more likely, you're bothered by the team as well (why else would we be corresponding with a stranger at 11:15 on a Saturday night in which the Habs did not play) . . I suspect that when cooler heads prevail you'll realize that was a bit over the top. But if you don't, then I accept your criticism and that you have the right your opinion, even if it is formed based on one silly post on one silly day. If this is my final day of judgment and I am to be forever determined to be a condescending boor by you, I'll live to see another day.
Have a good one. This is indeed my last response, having promised that my prior one would be.
Submitted by Yeats on Sat, 03/07/2009 - 23:49.
Doug, I swear that by all that is holy if you post one line combo our first meeting in that retirement community won't be a pretty one!
Submitted by Yeats on Sat, 03/07/2009 - 22:35.
Hey, I thought they were going to publish some of our exchanges as an HIO riff on Frank Sinatra's duets?
Submitted by timo (not verified) on Sat, 03/07/2009 - 20:36.
Oooh... new fun acronym. CFID. Heheh
Submitted by Praj12 on Sat, 03/07/2009 - 18:08.
Good post Mike, I totally agree that the players have lost faith in the coach. We had a great system last year and he goes and changes it, why? Line changes are almost a daily ritual with him. He does not know what he is doing behind the bench. If the coach is lost and searching then the team is also lost and searching. I agree with the weak defense. You can bet that Komisarek is injured and the rest, well they let the other team take the puck in the corner and then they just poke at them. This happens game in and game out. Crush the crap out of anyone that dares to go in the corners on us!! Man I am so pissed at this team right now. They don't stand a chance this year and Gainey states that this team is strong enough to go all the way!!?? what is he smoking up in his office??!! 6-2 stars tomorrow and the habs will be sitting in 7th place on Monday. I wish that the fans in Montreal break the sell out record and stay home like they did 20 yrs ago. We are becoming the leafs, no matter how bad we play,the fans show up for the game. Gees I remember when the fans booed the hell out of the team when they played amful. Now its just a few that feel compelled to boo and boo politely to boot.
I am just about ready to pull the RDS feed to my TV!! I have missed two telivised games this year and I have to tell you that for those that do not get every game, save your money!!
Submitted by timo (not verified) on Sat, 03/07/2009 - 20:39.
Since last year's embarrassment vs Philly in the second round I have committed to not pay to watch the habs. I almost broke that promise this year when they were in calgary but fortunately I still didn't have tickets the game just before the Flames game at which point it would have been jsut stupid to spend a cent to see this bunch of losers.
Teams have to deserve their fans. This one doesn't.
Submitted by doug on Sat, 03/07/2009 - 16:43.
Verbatim advice from my six year old twin boys who are upset after watching game today from last night despite my telling they shouldn't, and evidence they may have more insight at points than the clowns who run the team:
- 'price played well but it isn't right if halak wanted to play, price should retire.'
- 'lang and brisebois are old and should retire. Lang's not going to be able to skate. Schneider should retire too but he's mommy's favorite player.'
- 'I don't want to watch the game against the Stars. They don't try hard enough and it makes me too upset'
- 'can I root for Florida or the Blackhawks? They try hard, and toews is awesome.'
- 'I can't believe mark recchi scored twice today. He's that new defenseman, right? Is it okay if I cheer for the Bruins if they're playing a team you say they need to beat for us?'
- 'I'm very sad. I don't want to watch the Canadiens any more. Let's watch other sports.'
Nothing is going to turn around until Carbonneau is gone.
Submitted by Yeats on Sat, 03/07/2009 - 19:09.
Considering your sons' comments, I just can't figure out how Carbo can remain behind the Habs' bench. He certainly didn't see the same game they did.
Submitted by Bill on Sat, 03/07/2009 - 19:09.
LOL, your boys sound like mine. Out of the mouths of babes ...
Enjoying the Habs again through lowered expectations :)
Submitted by punkster on Sat, 03/07/2009 - 17:53.
Quick, get these two on a plane to Dallas. They have waaaaay more sense than Carbo. With them behind the bench we're playoff bound baby!!!!
Submitted by t1tan5 on Sat, 03/07/2009 - 16:56.
'I don't want to watch the game against the Stars. They don't try hard enough and it makes me too upset'
That says it all.
Submitted by craz11 on Sat, 03/07/2009 - 17:29.
Your kids are brilliant!
Can they do a "Notes" section between periods like JT used to do? Or is it past their bedtime?
Submitted by craz11 on Sat, 03/07/2009 - 16:23.
Gainey doesn't make any moves and states that "with Tanguay coming back from injury is like acquiring a player from a trade". And then we go ahead and get shutout. BY ATLANTA FFS!
Our "coach" is as clueless as it comes, choosing to alienate his veteran players so that plugs like Kostopolous and Metropolit can play 15 minutes a game with time on the PP.
Apparently anyone who throws any body checks is deemed surplus to the point that our entire team gets 5 hits. Begin gets 5 hits in his sleep. If Carbo was a REAL coach, he would realize that the key to waking up a struggling offence is to forecheck like your pants are on fire and you're pissing gasoline. To forecheck effectively YOU NEED TO HIT! The word is fore-CHECK, not fore-WATCH, or for-SKATE, or for-STICK YOUR STICK OUT AND HOPE FOR THE BEST.
Instead we have a clueless buffoon who stands behind the bench with a stupid smirk on his face who implements an ineffective, flawed incredibly passive 1-2-2 system, in which it seems as if they are instructed to go NO DEEPER than the top of the circles on the forecheck.
We have a team full of 4th liners who don't hit. What they bring to the team is really beyond me. No hits, no goals, no hope. Yet our brilliant GM believes we have a good team?
We have a coach who is so confused that he's gone from an offensive system that earned 1st place in the Eastern Conference to a passive defensive system that is so effective that we average over 35 shots against per game; all the while playing guys like Kostoplous and Metropolit as often as Koivu and Kovalev. A coach who is so blind that he sits hard working players like Begin and Dandaneault in order to start a bunch of ice-capades hopefuls who can manage only 5 hits as a team against one of the NHL's worst.
It's time to wake up as Habs fans and demand change for the sake of the team that we love.
Gainey and Carbo must go!
Submitted by vic on Sat, 03/07/2009 - 16:01.
remember what happened to Al Macneil because he could not speak french
Submitted by Xtrahabsfan on Sat, 03/07/2009 - 16:23.
That's not what happened to Macneil, he and Henri Richard had unresolvable differences and the pocket rocket won.............
Submitted by t1tan5 on Sat, 03/07/2009 - 15:53.
Tonight, we have to root for the Blues, Lightning, and Sens. Not very good odds that all these teams win. In all likelihood, we will be in a lower position tomorrow morning than we are today, possibly 8th.
Submitted by CHsam on Sat, 03/07/2009 - 15:37.
THing about getting rid of Carbo, you'd have to take a look at his assistants too-- all of whom are pretty close to Carbo. It'd be hard to put in a new coach, but hey, right now thats looking pretty good.
Submitted by Yeats on Sat, 03/07/2009 - 15:46.
Here's an interesting experiment: Why don't the coaches just take tomorrow night's game off and go to dinner in Dallas. I'm not joking! Let the players figure it out for themselves. Let them come up with the line combos and d pairing just like many of us do at pickup. Let them determine the lengths of their shifts and who should be out on the PP and PK. Let them pick the starting goalie and if they want to split the game between them. I think it would be a hoot to watch and infinitely more entertaining than the crap we have been asked to watch since the All Star break.
Submitted by forskis on Sat, 03/07/2009 - 20:29.
That is a pretty neat idea...although if there are locker room issues, we could see a 1-team bench clearing brawl...
Submitted by Xtrahabsfan on Sat, 03/07/2009 - 16:26.
Good idea ,mAKE breezer the coach and Laraque and Lats an assistant.
Submitted by Gary320 on Sat, 03/07/2009 - 15:43.
More often than not.. When a coach gets fired, the asst and the associates get fired too.
The coach coming in gets his own people in. People who know him or people who he thinks will be right for the job. Remember? Guy hired Kirk Muller.
In this case, if Guy gets fired, it is likely IMO that Gainey will step between the benches and Muller and Jarvis stay.
IMO, Jarvis needs to go, getting in a d-coach who use to be a defence player.. is key.
Submitted by Bill on Sat, 03/07/2009 - 19:11.
Listen, we all know that Gainey is hiring Breeze as the D coach next year. It's coming. Sometimes I can't sleep thinking about the implications of that one.
Enjoying the Habs again through lowered expectations :)
Submitted by forskis on Sat, 03/07/2009 - 20:31.
I do not think so...the only thing I can see him teach properly is getting shots on goal to hit the goal...
Plus the Habs are not the Teamsters...it is not an old boys club, the only people who can do Habs-related jobs are those who have been Habs...everyone else would probably be overcome by all the attention, in theory at least...
Submitted by phillyhab on Sat, 03/07/2009 - 19:24.
I think he'll be a good D-coach. Those that can't do, teach.
Submitted by CHsam on Sat, 03/07/2009 - 16:06.
numero 19... Laaary Rrrobinson!
Submitted by RudeMood19 on Sat, 03/07/2009 - 15:24.
I hate this team sometimes. It's better to be bad than disappointing. You expect more at the disappointing team, and when they fail, they let you down. When you're bad, you're just bad, no one expected any differently.
Wouldn't you rather root for a team with crap players but lots of heart? Or a team with tons of talent who doesn't try?
I'm liking the former at the moment because the latter is an utter disgrace.
Submitted by Yeats on Sat, 03/07/2009 - 15:41.
You hit the nail right on the head. This team is an utter disgrace! You would think that they would have just a modicum of professional pride. I exempt Price from the above. He turned in one of his best efforts of the whole season last night in Atlanta and what did he get for it? The offense decided to take the night off and the Habs' alleged "all-star" defense pair hung him out to dry on the only one that got past him. How Gainey could assemble a roster of such useless players just boggles the mind. How Carbo could talk about the team the way he did after last night's effort makes him a poster boy for random drug testing of coaches in the NHL.
Submitted by RudeMood19 on Sat, 03/07/2009 - 16:49.
I think they need a new coach too. I like Carbo, he's been successful, but nothing he does works.
Submitted by timo (not verified) on Sat, 03/07/2009 - 20:32.
Please name Carbo's successes as a coach? I think right now we can safely conclude that the 1st place in the east last year (which at best means nothing) was a fluke.
1234next ›last »
Habs Inside/Out main RSS feed