News Article: Carrera: Washington Capitals’ problems began long before their playoff streak ended

[FloridaCap]

lmfao @ Oates going to address Ovechkin's stick curve this offseason. Yeah, let's "fix" the one thing that is NOT wrong with Ovechkin. ****ing moron.

That quote from Prior alone is enough to can Oates. Show this egotistical maniac the door, and soon. Worst coach in franchise history, and I'm sticking to it.

 

[EroCaps]

McPhees "if they knew the game they'd be in it" is going to be AWFULLY ironic when he's fired.

 

[Langway]

I wonder how much harder it will be for McPhee to get his next job because of this article.

Unless McPhee already has his next gig lined up then I think he'll need to get his side of the story out there at some point. He could probably take down Patrick if he really wanted to...or at least put enough out there that would necessitate ownership taking a substantial step back in how they operate. That might go counter to his nature generally but that's a really damning attribute the article puts out there to have associated with yourself. Maybe that can be managed by having your Associate GM handle all of that stuff but it's just such needlessly petty, self-sabotaging baggage. It seems personal and categorical to the point where you wonder how easy he is to interact with or whether you can really trust his decision-making.

Leonsis has long joked that he's scared of the guy and that's awkward enough in itself since there's probably truth to it. It's just weird. It sounds like a guy who has had the job for way too long and has become unable handle it on a fundamental level. We've heard snippets that indicate some of that like how he has stated publically that players should come to him directly with trade requests. It's needlessly intimidating and, again, petty.

McPhee could very well be lost elsewhere without Ross Mahoney and perhaps Don Fishman. Unless he has a readymade quality scouting operation in place or can bring Mahoney along elsewhere I really don't know that he would do much good. Maybe he'd be a better fit as a President than a GM given all that apparent baggage.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

And here we though there were no big UFAs coming because it was an organizational directive, now it appears to be an anchor around the neck of the organization preventing them from getting big names.

It's funny but I remember in the past NBTW fighting the notion that Washington was unattractive to big name UFAs....can't remember who was suggesting it, ironic that it was McPhee the whole time driving them off.

 

[Zoidberg Jesus]

The Erat and Penner stuff looks way worse for Oates than for McPhee. Yeah, the disconnect is fundamentally McPhee's fault, but Oates is the passive aggressive, massive-ego'd control freak who decided he just wasn't interested and then showed so without giving a ****.

Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me. The fact that he traded for Penner after the Erat debacle (not to mention how Wilson was utilized after he traded Perrault to fit him into the lineup) is just odd. He should've figured out Oates by then. Either he was totally oblivious, or... I don't know, maybe he did it to spite Oates? Whatever it was, it looks pretty bad for McPhee.

 

[IafrateOvie34]

Sad stuff mainly because this article is a few years too late.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

How about like communicate with the damn head coach. "Adam, here's a list of guys I think I can get. What would you do with em? Let's walk through each option and talk about how you could or would use them if acquired. Any you don't want, prefer, etc?".

How hard is that? Yet it seems like it was one guy trading for pieces with no communication with the guys who had to insert them into the lineup successfully. Tons of blame to go around at all levels.

 

[Calicaps]

Sad stuff mainly because this article is a few years too late.

Late, but not necessarily too late. Ted needs to act.

 

[BobRouse]

The organization has to be involved somehow. To go from the Post's saccharine, company-line coverage to this overnight is a clear sign, to me, that someone in the organization decided to talk or at least push the Post in a certain direction. If that's not the case then shame on Katie and the Post for not writing this article, or one like it, sooner.

Seriously where was all this stuff about McPhee hidden exactly? First time our crappy reporters decided to do a hard hitting piece or what?

I mean Free agents or name your place type trade players automatically scratching Washington off their lists? Really? The organizational dysfunction has to be pretty bad when a talented team is getting that treatment. That's unforgiveable.

Yeah this is definitely coming from inside. There is no way this info could have been around for years and Katie just "suddenly" wrote about it.

To me this is great news...this marks the level of displeasure Ted has for whats going on. He's angry as Ted can be angry. I now have a strong level of confidence even Patrick will be relieved of his duties. It was already apparent GMGM and Oates were on the way out.

 

[Devil Dancer]

How about like communicate with the damn head coach. "Adam, here's a list of guys I think I can get. What would you do with em? Let's walk through each option and talk about how you could or would use them if acquired. Any you don't want, prefer, etc?".

How hard is that? Yet it seems like it was one guy trading for pieces with no communication with the guys who had to insert them into the lineup successfully. Tons of blame to go around at all levels.

I hate that ****, that was one of my big problems with Hunter. Communication is easy, especially when you work in the same building. Send an email, shoot over a text, pick up the phone, or, you know, WALK INTO YOUR COACH'S OFFICE AND ASK HIM WHAT HE NEEDS!

 

[g00n]

Yeah this is definitely coming from inside. There is no way this info could have been around for years and Katie just "suddenly" wrote about it.

To me this is great news...this marks the level of displeasure Ted has for whats going on. He's angry as Ted can be angry. I now have a strong level of confidence even Patrick will be relieved of his duties. It was already apparent GMGM and Oates were on the way out.

I think it's entirely possible that much of this was an open secret in the newsroom but nobody felt comfortable writing about it.

I'm not saying he's done it recently, but Ted has had issues with the media and has responded with biting criticisms of reporters and even the Post itself in the past. When his ticket was the hottest in town he had leverage to cow the press into submission if they wanted access to his growing empire and even his facilities. If I'm a reporter for the Post and my job depends on that access, am I going to continually trash the organization and post quotes and rumors that drag it down? If you're a fearless journalist you might. But a lot of people wouldn't. Especially if the team keeps making the playoffs, has excuses every year, and has yet to be proven a failure.

 

[DCRedhawk21]

This is pretty brutal.... definitely did not expect this from Katie. It will be interesting to see what happens this off-season.

 

[Ovechkin]

I think it's entirely possible that much of this was an open secret in the newsroom but nobody felt comfortable writing about it.

I'm not saying he's done it recently, but Ted has had issues with the media and has responded with biting criticisms of reporters and even the Post itself in the past. When his ticket was the hottest in town he had leverage to cow the press into submission if they wanted access to his growing empire and even his facilities. If I'm a reporter for the Post and my job depends on that access, am I going to continually trash the organization and post quotes and rumors that drag it down? If you're a fearless journalist you might. But a lot of people wouldn't. Especially if the team keeps making the playoffs, has excuses every year, and has yet to be proven a failure.

I would imagine that unless a reporter was making stuff up or making personal attacks, that they'd band together if one of their fellow reporters was blacklisted in Teddytown. Ted couldn't wage war and ban all reporters. The negative press via places like ESPN alone would cause the NHL to step in.

Plus if you get banned you instantly have daily material against the franchise. You could do daily Caps assault against the freedom of the press watch, do daily counts.

 

[BobRouse]

I think it's entirely possible that much of this was an open secret in the newsroom but nobody felt comfortable writing about it.

I'm not saying he's done it recently, but Ted has had issues with the media and has responded with biting criticisms of reporters and even the Post itself in the past. When his ticket was the hottest in town he had leverage to cow the press into submission if they wanted access to his growing empire and even his facilities. If I'm a reporter for the Post and my job depends on that access, am I going to continually trash the organization and post quotes and rumors that drag it down? If you're a fearless journalist you might. But a lot of people wouldn't. Especially if the team keeps making the playoffs, has excuses every year, and has yet to be proven a failure.

Could be true and I thought of that too so good point.

But ..the Post had no issues alienating Dan Snyder and the Redskins. I doubt they'd have much issue with the Caps. Seems to me that if they were going to say F it and write whatever about the Skins with the potential to get less access that they'd take the same chances with the Caps.

Seems like it could be that way..but more likely its Ted's people.

 

[Brian23]

I think it's entirely possible that much of this was an open secret in the newsroom but nobody felt comfortable writing about it.

I'm not saying he's done it recently, but Ted has had issues with the media and has responded with biting criticisms of reporters and even the Post itself in the past. When his ticket was the hottest in town he had leverage to cow the press into submission if they wanted access to his growing empire and even his facilities. If I'm a reporter for the Post and my job depends on that access, am I going to continually trash the organization and post quotes and rumors that drag it down? If you're a fearless journalist you might. But a lot of people wouldn't. Especially if the team keeps making the playoffs, has excuses every year, and has yet to be proven a failure.

That logic still holds true now. If your job is to get information from the team, appeasing the people who'll give it to you is a smart business move.

Unless she was on her way out of the job, doing this without someone giving you the okay for it from the organization is a pretty risky move. Following that up with how the media has always handled the Caps makes it pretty easy to assume this wasn't her idea to write but someone from within the Caps getting the word out there to casual fans.

 

[Brian23]

Could be true and I thought of that too so good point.

But ..the Post had no issues alienating Dan Snyder and the Redskins. I doubt they'd have much issue with the Caps. Seems to me that if they were going to say F it and write whatever about the Skins with the potential to get less access that they'd take the same chances with the Caps.

Seems like it could be that way..but more likely its Ted's people.

To be fair, they're also pretty far behind in every story with the Redskins. The difference is the Skins are a massive nationwide entity, the news involving them gets out fast and easy so they don't need to be really in with the entire organization to get it.

Its also easy and fun to bash the Redskins in media for any and everything.

 

[Zoidberg Jesus]

I would imagine that unless a reporter was making stuff up or making personal attacks, that they'd band together if one of their fellow reporters was blacklisted in Teddytown. Ted couldn't wage war and ban all reporters. The negative press via places like ESPN alone would cause the NHL to step in.

Plus if you get banned you instantly have daily material against the franchise. You could do daily Caps assault against the freedom of the press watch, do daily counts.

They don't have to be that open about it. Just give nothing but boring quotes to them, go to their competitors when they want something leaked, tell the players not to be candid with them, etc. If you limit their access while their competitors are getting scopes and interesting stories, they're going to lose readers and eventually their jobs. None of the hockey reporters in this town have the reputation and respectability to fight back against something like that, especially when on the surface, the team is going strong and making the playoffs every year. A team like the Skins where everyone knows they're dysfunctional, sure, but not the Caps over the past few years.

 

[ChibiPooky]

Based on this article, I'd say it's a safe bet that the reason the Caps ended up with Martin Erat instead of a bigger, better name for Forsberg is that nobody else would waive for Washington. And Erat regretted it almost immediately. That's likely also factored into the organization's inability to fill the holes at D and C.

 

[Jacoby4HOF66]

Another benefit of the Caps missing the playoffs:

No more of the Caps #FOMOH commercial. Laich saying "FOMOH" is like finger nails on a chalk board.

Or is it a regional commercial that will be spammed throughout the playoffs? I hope not.

 

[g00n]

I would imagine that unless a reporter was making stuff up or making personal attacks, that they'd band together if one of their fellow reporters was blacklisted in Teddytown. Ted couldn't wage war and ban all reporters. The negative press via places like ESPN alone would cause the NHL to step in.

Plus if you get banned you instantly have daily material against the franchise. You could do daily Caps assault against the freedom of the press watch, do daily counts.

Well that's more or less what happened every time Ted tried to clamp down on critics. There was always some kind of backlash but for a long time it didn't stop him. He'd get into beefs with local and national media over comments they'd made and a war of words would ensue that often included dismissive comments about the writer's career or his employer.

And in some cases, it appears to have resulted in repercussions against those reporters and their employers, as was the case with WTEM losing the Caps after negative comments (covered in examiner link below, which lists a LOT of Ted's battles with the media):


http://www.examiner.com/article/the...-vs-media-owner-increasingly-willing-to-fight

I recall hearing the Sports Reporters back then saying they didn't want to make Ted mad because they wanted the press setup they were expecting prior to the playoffs. The message was sent: say something bad about Ted or his organization, and he'll come after you and even punish your bottom line.

There are other incidents involving message board posters that I will not repeat here for those reasons.


Ted's recent criticism of the Post:

http://www.politico.com/blogs/media...gton-post-must-admit-its-not-that-174469.html

So it's no surprise that the most biting criticisms to come from the Post the last few years have been this newest piece which was written ONLY when it was SAFE to do so, and a few shots by T.E.B. when he was doing guest spots for Katie.

 

[g00n]

They don't have to be that open about it. Just give nothing but boring quotes to them, go to their competitors when they want something leaked, tell the players not to be candid with them, etc. If you limit their access while their competitors are getting scopes and interesting stories, they're going to lose readers and eventually their jobs. None of the hockey reporters in this town have the reputation and respectability to fight back against something like that, especially when on the surface, the team is going strong and making the playoffs every year. A team like the Skins where everyone knows they're dysfunctional, sure, but not the Caps over the past few years.

Well said. Exactly.

 

[kicksavedave]

How about like communicate with the damn head coach. "Adam, here's a list of guys I think I can get. What would you do with em? Let's walk through each option and talk about how you could or would use them if acquired. Any you don't want, prefer, etc?".

How hard is that? Yet it seems like it was one guy trading for pieces with no communication with the guys who had to insert them into the lineup successfully. Tons of blame to go around at all levels.

Nope, just one level, the top! While the article exposes the ugly underbelly that Oates and McPhee have left this team with, none of this stuff happens with an owner who is a leader, a winning manager, a true owner. That other agents can't stand dealing with McPhee should have gotten him fired 4 years ago, but Ted wasn't paying attention. That Oates is a clown who was way over his head and had zero leadership skills, should have been obvious to McPhee just like it was obvious that Bruce Cassidy was also a clown. That Dale Hunter wanted nothing to do with this organization after spending 6 months here should have been a clue to any owner that was in touch with his business.

But all along, Ted has been asleep at the wheel. He allowed a culture of excuses, underachievement, dysfunction to foster without seeming to have any clue it was happening. None of the things KAtie reported are brand new developments - its been growing like this for years. The four styles of play in four years should have been a clue that GMGM didn't know how to really win in the NHL playoffs, Ted should have seen that but he was asleep.

Bottom line is, Ted can clean house - fire DP, GMGM and AO. He may get lucky and find a new team president or GM who knows how to build a culture and forge an identity, because DP obviously doesn't. If he does get lucky, he won't know why. And as this article clearly shows, if he makes the wrong pick, it may be a decade before he figures it out and makes any changes.

Wanting to win, and knowing how to win, are two different things. It takes an owner who knows HOW to win as an organization. Ted doesn't. The buck stops there.

 

[txpd]

A number of things Oates and McPhee have done escape me in their lack of common sense. But this insight into Dave Pryor's firing has got to take the cake.

Wasn't it Pryor's coaching that was instrumental in Kolzig's play, his Vezina and therefore the Caps' only run to the Stanley Cup?

So they not only fire him, but replace him with the one person who should have valued his instruction-Kolzig-who apparently did not.

What? Is this ego or?..

How about realize that the goaltending hasn't been great because you evaluated your talent poorly and traded your best young netminder...

kolzig had a simple choice. same one prior had. quit/be fired or coach what oates was demanding.

by all evidence kolzig was coaching prior's program as the assistant.
its a tough decision

 

[Ajax1995]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sport...c8ede6-c0f5-11e3-b195-dd0c1174052c_story.html

That is hands down, without a doubt the best piece Carrera has ever written about the Caps.

There was an unbelievable amount of information in that article that would have been amazing to know a whole lot earlier, the Prior/Oates and McPhee/agents issues in particular. Oates referring to Orlov as a minor league defenseman I'm sure will endear him to the team also.

At this point I don't care who they bring in to manage and coach this team as if for no other reason change just for the sake of change will be a good thing in both areas without a doubt...

 

[The Consiglieri]

There's a whole lot of ugly in that article. Great piece. Carrera got some contacts I guess.

It's a sinking ship. Loose cannons everywhere finally being revealed for what they are.

Glad guys like Alzner "put their name on it".

Doing that stuff anonymously would have made me feel there was no hope. Having guys quoted, is a sign there willing to take whatever comes for speaking truth to power (well, a poor man's version anyway).

It's horrific. I had always kind of liked GMGM until recent years, and this was just one more joke too far after that hideous trade last year.

Got to run all of them out of town.

Whose available?