More than any other single trait, a person in management needs to set realistic expectations. Optimism is great for fans; we should all start each season with a renewed sense of hope. A manager being optimistic to the point of delusion is a recipe for disaster.
Consider the audience it was intended for. That quote was directed at two entities; the team and the fans. Feeding optimism to fans is what anyone in an entertainment industry must do, and all do it. In sports, being optimistic to the players on a team is what, sadly, is needed for morale.
He's also setting the bar high, and there's nothing at all wrong with it. All competitive people set the bar high. In other interviews, notice we don't get a direct quote from Heika so we're assuming Heika actually understood what Nieuwendyk was saying and correctly interpreted it, Nieuwendyk has been both optimistic and realistic. He's stated there are holes and areas for improvement on the team. He stated he wants improvement on last season. He did not, however, indicate he expects the team to win the Cup, but rather compete as best they can for it.
Consider the audience it was intended for. That quote was directed at two entities; the team and the fans. Feeding optimism to fans is what anyone in an entertainment industry must do, and all do it. In sports, being optimistic to the players on a team is what, sadly, is needed for morale.
He's also setting the bar high, and there's nothing at all wrong with it. All competitive people set the bar high. In other interviews, notice we don't get a direct quote from Heika so we're assuming Heika actually understood what Nieuwendyk was saying and correctly interpreted it, Nieuwendyk has been both optimistic and realistic. He's stated there are holes and areas for improvement on the team. He stated he wants improvement on last season. He did not, however, indicate he expects the team to win the Cup, but rather compete as best they can for it.
Feeding optimism is one thing, but at the risk of rehashing a past debate I still contend there is no reason to act like we're retarded, which I personally feel is what he/they are doing when they tell us that they feel like 2010-11 is Stanley Cup or bust.
On the competitive person note, I agree. However, feeling confident and feeling that you can win cannot be separate entities from dealing with the reality of a situation. While I thought playoffs were out of sight well before the Olympic break, and that the pre-break "streak" (if you can call it that) was fool's gold, obviously the team was technically only a few points out of things and thus still theoretically alive.
In my mind he made the mistake of believing in that fool's gold once, which is understandable. But, if he doesn't learn from those mistakes and start coming to grips with the reality of where the Stars are in the Western landscape, he will continue to miss opportunities to "move forward" (his catch phrase the last few weeks).
How anyone worth their salt in hockey circles could have realistically thought that a team incapable of stringing together any more than two consecutive wins in the regular season could magically start winning in the postseason if they were to somehow, some way make it there is beyond me. The self-justifying answer is that it would have taken a few winning streaks of three or more wins at a time to get into the playoffs, and that a team capable of doing that is capable of winning in the playoffs. This is where the uber-optimism comes in and conflicts with reality.
On the competitive person note, I agree. However, feeling confident and feeling that you can win cannot be separate entities from dealing with the reality of a situation.
Once again, note the audience he was talking to, a point which you didn't address. He's already made other conflicting statements, therefore it's entirely reasonable to conclude the comments to Heika were for the benefit of fans, perhaps to the players, on a day when there was a bit of a black cloud on the organization and not to his own staff. Optimism to fans is part of the business. It's one incredibly important way to market a team.
Once again, note the audience he was talking to, a point which you didn't address. He's already made other conflicting statements, therefore it's entirely reasonable to conclude the comments to Heika were for the benefit of fans, perhaps to the players, on a day when there was a bit of a black cloud on the organization and not to his own staff. Optimism to fans is part of the business. It's one incredibly important way to market a team.
You make it sound like his actions betray his words. This is not true. His actions, or lack thereof, reinforce what he is saying regardless of audience.
After another piece of crap first round draft pick I am done with him. His hiring of Crawford, awful. Even the thought of trading Ribs, which now seems to be something he is forced to do, is awful. The way he has dealt with Modano, awful. His contract with Ott, awful. I know ownership is part of the problem but come on. He has set this team back even further.
Fire Nieuwendyk
I was a firm believer in Joe, at first, but after the way Mike was and has been treated in the passed, I am completely on board with your firing of Niewendyk. I can't believe we could not find a spot for him, on this roster, but we have room for Barch. I also read that Joe is still interested in bring back Lehtinen. Injured for the last 2 season, but bring him back and not your leader. I been a fan since 1980, and am disgusted in this move. Even considered cheering for the team that signs Mike. I am that angry. Also when is Hick's going to sell this team?
I was a firm believer in Joe, at first, but after the way Mike was and has been treated in the passed, I am completely on board with your firing of Niewendyk. I can't believe we could not find a spot for him, on this roster, but we have room for Barch. I also read that Joe is still interested in bring back Lehtinen. Injured for the last 2 season, but bring him back and not your leader. I been a fan since 1980, and am disgusted in this move. Even considered cheering for the team that signs Mike. I am that angry. Also when is Hick's going to sell this team?
Barch and Modano are two different players, who fill different needs. If the Stars did sign Modano, they would have this logjam up the middle: Richards, Ribeiro, Benn, Wandell, Modano, Sutherby. Who does Modano steal his minutes from? Because that's what would be happening. He is not even 4th best in center depth. Are we suppose to accommodate him and move other players around so he can his one-more-year-of-glory? Modano didn't even attend practices anymore regularly. His motivation and commitment were inconsistent. So after all that, how could you possibly offer him another contract, unless putting the best product on the ice isn't top priority?
Barch and Modano are two different players, who fill different needs. If the Stars did sign Modano, they would have this logjam up the middle: Richards, Ribeiro, Benn, Wandell, Modano, Sutherby. Who does Modano steal his minutes from? Because that's what would be happening. He is not even 4th best in center depth. Are we suppose to accommodate him and move other players around so he can his one-more-year-of-glory? Modano didn't even attend practices anymore regularly. His motivation and commitment were inconsistent. So after all that, how could you possibly offer him another contract, unless putting the best product on the ice isn't top priority?
The way I see it, we're screwed anyway. Why not have our franchise-player collect $1-1.5 million for putting up 30 points (which he still can) for one more season? Ott will put up those numbers for 2-3 times the salary.
BTW, we missed out on Jody Shelley, who went to Philadelphia. Shucks!!! We could have had 2 enforcers to make up for the lack of "fighting spirit" that we're going to see in this team in the immediate future.
Last edited by StarsFan74: 07-01-2010 at 01:38 PM.
Barch and Modano are two different players, who fill different needs. If the Stars did sign Modano, they would have this logjam up the middle: Richards, Ribeiro, Benn, Wandell, Modano, Sutherby. Who does Modano steal his minutes from? Because that's what would be happening. He is not even 4th best in center depth. Are we suppose to accommodate him and move other players around so he can his one-more-year-of-glory? Modano didn't even attend practices anymore regularly. His motivation and commitment were inconsistent. So after all that, how could you possibly offer him another contract, unless putting the best product on the ice isn't top priority?
No one. Benn moves back to wing. Ok well possibly Wandell, if only because the lineup at the beginning of last season looked good before the Sutherby/Wandell/Brunnstrom line was axed and replaced with Barch and Petersen.
The funny thing with Nieuwendyk is that he has a better success rate so far on his "big picture" moves. Cutting ties with Turco, Modano, and Tippett were all gutsy, smart choices. Making the move for Lehtonen was fairly bold.
When it comes to the minor moves though he's horrible. It's almost like he's delegating responsibility to someone else.... Provenzano?
Some of these recent signings are as if he's not even aware of who is on the roster and already under contract.
Hey just curious, I had Glennie in a Keeper league and traded him, why are you guys hating on him? I don't know much about him but I thought he was supposed to be a pretty good prospect?
Hey just curious, I had Glennie in a Keeper league and traded him, why are you guys hating on him? I don't know much about him but I thought he was supposed to be a pretty good prospect?
It's because people have been arguing against this pick for one year (wanted MPS or Kulikov), he didn't do that great this past season and too few realized he was battling injuries most of the season and even though the Oilers, who drafted right after Dallas, wanted Glennie too many here think he was a reach because he wasn't on Bob McKenzie's prospect list at 8 or higher.
As I drift around the HF boards, I'm realizing NOBODY anywhere is happy with what they have, it's absolutely ridiculous. So much negativity about teams, I'm always on the Leafs HF boards and I want to shoot myself haha
As I drift around the HF boards, I'm realizing NOBODY anywhere is happy with what they have, it's absolutely ridiculous. So much negativity about teams, I'm always on the Leafs HF boards and I want to shoot myself haha
I'd want to shoot myself too if I was on the Leafs board . . . no, I'm just joking. Yeah, it's pretty high here too. But you have to realize one important factor. Everyone on the HFBoards knows more than any GM, scout or player, so those moves made against one person's belief are automatically the worst move ever made and ground for firing/waiving.
It's nice to have such a large group of experts in one place.
