Blame the coach. If it’s not directly the coach’s fault, they likely could have prevented it by exercising more team control. In the short-term, it may be the responsibility of individual players but in the long-term, the burden falls out the coach’s shoulders. Whether it is minor issue like high school players who come late to class after practice or serious case such as professional teams that blow 3-0 series leads, the root cause is usually something that the coach could have resolved. Likewise, give the coaches credit when credit is due. José Mourinho proved to be an expert coach …
16? Not Like That
In 2008-09, both the Toronto Raptors and the Montreal Canadiens experienced disappointment. Both teams began their seasons with high hopes, both fired head coaches during the campaign, and neither achieved playoff success. In addition to those superficial parallels, there are several significant similarities between the two. Each organization believed that they were a step away from championship contention when they actually had a much longer path to travel. General Managers Bob Gainey and Bryan Colangelo both traded key players (goalie and point guard respectively) for younger and cheaper replacements. The new starters were not able to perform at the same …
I Wrote this While Watching House on DVD
The Trailer Park Boys Movie featured a major new character: Sonny, owner of the nearby Gentlemen’s Club. The Simpsons Movie introduced Russ Cargill of the Environmental Protection Agency, who appeared far too frequently. These prominent characters could have been replaced easily (Cyrus and Ten-Gallon Hat Man are two possibilities) and should have been excised from the films because they fell flat in their roles (whether furthering the plot or attempting to make a joke.) When asked to explain his team’s recent success on the road (five points in three games), Alexei Kovalev said that, “On the road, [the Montreal Canadiens] …