All-Purpose Hockey Thread II

Er ... the Flyers needed to fire Bobby Clarke five years ago. Or is 10?

 

They went to the Cup finals six years ago (I think), so probably 5. But it doesn't matter, Clarke needs to be gone, yesterday. Fucking asshat! He hates good goaltending [/bitterhostilefangirl]

 

Esche isn't the problem. I believe on the right team he can be a good backup goalie. Hell, on this team, he should Nittymaki's backup. The problem is that team cannot skate to save its life. Clarke still believes that a team has to be big and nasty to win. But, what worked in 1974 doesn't work in 2006.

The Flyers' defense corps cannot skate, which the Sabres exposed in the playoffs. Instead of signing and/or trading for a fleet-of-skate defenseman, Clarke decided to get even slower on the blueline. And the Flyers are paying the price. Teams are gallavanting in the Flyers' zone and the team that introduced senseless goonery to the sports' most beautiful game is helpless to do anything.

 

Clarke's mishandling of the entire Lindros episode, from beginning to end, turned that franchise into a joke. Stanley Cup appearance or not.

 

Stop talking sense, dammit! I wanna blame the goalie and Clarke for hating goalies!

 

The Lindros debacle was after the Cup run.

I still hate Clarke.

 

Blame Clarke. That's fine.

Actually, blame Ed Snider. He allows this travesty to go on.

 

Uh, I'm referring to the debacle that was his entire tour of duty in Philadelphia, beginning with his acquistion from Quebec City following the 1991 draft and Clarke's subsequent inability to cut off the head of the snake that was Mrs. Lindros. I believe that all happened before the Cup run of 1996-97.

 

I would agree with that. Same as Harry Sinden Syndrome in Boston.

 

Lindros was the best thing to hit that franchise in years until the concussion made his mind mush. Yes, he was difficult, yes, he had idiot parents, but the guy was a hell of a player. People tend to forget that.

 

I didn't say he wasn't a talented player. He's an unfortunate victim of an over-inflated ego brought on by his strange inability to cut the apron strings. Just ask Alanis Morrissette.

 

Bob Clarke was a great leader on the ice but he needs to be roughed up by the Broad Street Bullies now.