Other recent articles: |
Published June 8, 2010 What A Guy… Thanks a Lot, Ya Jerk“Hello?” “Hi, this is Scott Howson calling for Scott Arniel. Is he in?” “Just a moment…” <pause> “Hello?” “Scott? Scott Howson here… how you doing?” “Great. Yourself?” “It has been an interesting day…” “Yeah. Saw the news alert on my BlackBerry. So, what’s on your mind?” Of course, the above conversation did not actually happen. But seriously? How bloody awkward can a phone call be? The Guy you want to hire (and give the weekend to think about it) turns down the job. Then it’s your job to call the next dude – the second choice -- and offer him the job. Chances are, for any other job, if you’re the second choice and you get the call, YOU probably don’t know you’re the second choice, let alone millions of hockey fans across the U.S. However, the search for a coach is a pretty public forum. I don’t envy Scott Howson one bit. I would guess (just at first impression, I may think of more later) that for any other job outside of working for a major league sports team, if you’re the second choice and you get that call, you probably don’t know you’re the second choice, let alone the millions of hockey fans across the U.S. However, the search for a coach is a pretty public forum. But, that’s how it goes. Guy Boucher said no, so Scott Howson called Scott Arniel. So, the buzz starts going around – oh, the Habs counter-offered to keep him or something. It’s hard to argue with a team doing that, right? Sure. Whether or not that was the case, now Boucher has decided mere hours later – per TSN and other sources – to take the reins of the Tampa Bay Lightning. So, Scott Howson is forced to make the awkward call to his second choice. Thanks, Guy. That’s terrific. Jerk. But… fine. Now I’ve vented, and we can move on. Regardless of when Howson called him, life with Scott Arniel looks like it will be positive. The Hockey Writers seem to be absolutely in love with him, filing (at least) two posts last week talking about why he would be such a terrific fit for a young team like Columbus. The resume certainly looks good, with his Manitoba Moose team getting to the Calder Cup Finals last year, not to mention his 2009 AHL Coach of the Year honor. AHL success translating to NHL success is certainly not a gimme by any means, but he seems to be a good “player development” kind of guy. It certainly can’t hurt. Life with Scott Arniel looks like it will be positive.... He seems to be a good “player development” kind of guy. It certainly can’t hurt. So, Guy Boucher can have Tampa Bay. I’m guessing there is some exciting stuff going on down there: Steve Stamkos, new GM Steve Yzerman… hey, maybe that’ll bring some people back to the St. Pete Times Forum, after a couple years of futility. Good for them. They can have him. Enjoy. The Columbus Blue Jackets have a coach, and now at least we know what’s happening there. Now we can concentrate on the NHL Draft on June 25, free agency on July 1, and then struggling through an offseason of fiending for hockey. The Scott Arniel Era in Columbus begins today. Go Jackets! Check out the latest on the Hawks-Flyers series and more hockey blather on the MartiniHockey blog.
|
Add a Comment
Please be civil.