Babcock allegedly asking for player's phone and showing images on his office TV. CBJ investigating UPD Babcock resigns

[LadyStanley]

Invasion of privacy at a minimum.

Click to read more...

 

[Golden_Jet]

Invasion of privacy at a minimum.

Oh no, and I thought he might have learned his lesson.

 

[Tom ServoMST3K]

Players association/league apparently investigated and found nothing untoward in their initial talks.

"What was being reported by Paul Bissonette -- or at least his characterizations of what transpired -- isn’t consistent with what the players are reporting to the Players’ Association, including that none of them felt that the interactions were at all inappropriate or impromper."

"At this point in time, that's what we know," Daly said.

Is the NHL satisfied that this a non-issue?

"At this point, yes," Daly said.

 

[Chileiceman]

The Spittin Chiclets guys have always hated Mike Babcock in part because of reports from their friend Mike Commodore.

 

[LadyStanley]

Coach and player describe what happened. "Blown up out of context".

I don't listen to that podcast.

 

[Tom ServoMST3K]

I'm not inclined to believe either the team or the podcast in this case.

I also don't think hockey players would report bad behaviour by a coach - especially this coach - to the PA if they asked.

 

[LadyStanley]

 

[Jay26]

I could not give a shit about this if I tried.

The thing is, these are grown men presumably with a basic degree of agency who consented to this. If there's anything to worry about, let them worry about it.

And it's not like Babs stole their phones or forced them via threat to hand them over. I just think there's nothing to see here and except an outrage quota needing to be filled on the internet.

 

[TheLegend]

Bissonette based his outburst on a text he received from one of Babcock's former players. Biz provided the screenshot of the text on X/Twitter and it clearly wasn't a current player on the Blue Jacket's roster.

Right now this is a bad chapter of "he said, she said".

 

[LadyStanley]

This was a topic of today's 32 thoughts. Daly also addressed incidents

 

[LadyStanley]

AFAIK this is the first significant action of the new ED



Not the first time

 

[GKJ]

Bissonette based his outburst on a text he received from one of Babcock's former players. Biz provided the screenshot of the text on X/Twitter and it clearly wasn't a current player on the Blue Jacket's roster.

Right now this is a bad chapter of "he said, she said".

I find it hard to believe Biz is full of shit out of hand though. Because he isn’t an actual reporter, I do think he may be and is prone to being heavy-handed since that’s not how typical journalists operate. But his platform is too large and he has too many connections, especially to players, to be intentionally dishonest. He will look real bad if he ends up having to back down given his TNT gig, but there are players willing to put their name to Babcock’s side. If the PA has nothing he’s either going to have to apologize or players are going to his people are going to have to put their names to it.

Interesting to watch unfold though.

 

[jkrdevil]

This seems to be a both a nothing story and a story that illustrates why Babcock’s second go around as a coach could be a disaster.

A nothing story as it seems like what he actually did was not a big deal in terms of asking players to share photos of their family. However, what is the story is that the rumor mill among the league churned about it to the point where it got blown up. That doesn’t bode well for Babcock’s future success as it shows knives (possibly within the Blue Jackets org itself) are already out.

 

[TheLegend]

I find it hard to believe Biz is full of shit out of hand though. Because he isn’t an actual reporter, I do think he may be and is prone to being heavy-handed since that’s not how typical journalists operate. But his platform is too large and he has too many connections, especially to players, to be intentionally dishonest. He will look real bad if he ends up having to back down given his TNT gig, but there are players willing to put their name to Babcock’s side. If the PA has nothing he’s either going to have to apologize or players are going to his people are going to have to put their names to it.

Interesting to watch unfold though.

I think there's some truth to both sides.

My point is Babcock has done this for years and, on occasion, intentionally used it to slight or embarrass a player. Even if his intent in this case was to create something positive, it should have been obvious to him it was going to bring out those times when it wasn't and not the best idea for him to do it.

 

[red devil]

 

[Tom ServoMST3K]

The PA escalating tells us something - what it tells you depends on your personal preconceived notions.

As I posted before, I really am not in a hurry to believe either side at this point - but my biases tell me I bet players downplayed the whole incident so much, that the PA is now suspicious.

 

[red devil]

 

[LadyStanley]

 

[red devil]

 

[TheLegend]

(“I’m not saying he’ll be fired but….”)


“Hear Ye, Hear Ye!… “

“The Court of Pubic Opinion is now in session!”

“Please rise for the Honorable Judge NHLMedia.”

 

[TheLegend]

This looking like it was more than just putting pics up on a TV….

 

[LadyStanley]

 

[TheLegend]

Wyshynski on the situation.... (paywalled to ESPN+/Disney Bundle subscribers.)

 

[TheLegend]

Statement from the ownership.....

 

[MeHateHe]

The resignation is probably the best outcome for the club, but there's no reputational savings to be had for Babcock to resign as opposed to him being fired. Wyshinski's piece makes it pretty clear:

Babcock is done as an NHL head coach, full stop. No media interviews to cleanse his reputation, no vows from new employers about how he has changed -- none of it could wash away the toxicity of parting ways with a team before training camp even starts.

He's a coach. His new team worried he could no longer successfully coach the players. That about does it.

Unless there was something in the investigation that might have led to some criminal investigation or even a lawsuit, what's in it for Babcock to resign. So what's in it for him to fall on his sword? Did the Jackets offer him a one-time payment to go away? Has anyone asked that question of the club?