Management FULL VIDEO - Contrite Cam Neely casts blame across Bruins organization while apologizing for signing Mitchell Miller (MOD Warning post #1)

[bruinsfan]

Let's be honest here, who are we kidding if no one has been fired yet, it's not happening. Status quo...

 

[Kate08]

How about Ray Bourque?

How about someone that has never laced up the skates for the team, has a background in business, and is a hockey geek?

No idea who/if this person exists, but I am very, very done with putting hometown heroes on the ice in a suit and tie and sticking them in the front office.

 

[Gee Wally]

According to this, I cant vouch if accurate, Harkins is the Bs USHL scout out of Ohio.

 

[WhalerTurnedBruin55]

How about Ray Bourque?

Bourque hasn't done much hockey exec stuff, Post NHL he has a a restaurant, and last "news" i heard about him was a DUI.

Honestly, Bruins should just stop hiring ex-players or people connected to the org.

May or may not be coincidence, the first time they won a cup in about 50 years... was when they had an outsider GM.

 

[UConn126]

How about Ray Bourque?

Ray might not want to do anything like these. He's had plenty of time to join the organization if he wanted and he hasn't. While I think it would be awesome to have him back here, I think someone younger would be optimal. Chara would be awesome, but you need to let him work some lower roles before you immediately inject him into a GM or President spot.

 

[WhalerTurnedBruin55]

Have they placed him on waivers yet for termination yet? I know there's a lot that needs to happen before he can be terminated; but I'd think waiving him at least gives the signal he's no longer wanted in the organization.

 

[Olden McGroin]

 

[LouJersey]

yeah....because we all know Cam has no empathy for anyone.

Yeah a guy who has spent more money and time helping cancer patients then probably all of us combined has zero empathy HAHH

 

[UConn126]

According to this, I cant vouch if accurate, Harkins is the Bs USHL scout out of Ohio.

Definitely gotta fire Harkins at least. I've been calling for Sweeney and Neely to go but I think it's becoming increasingly clear that isn's happening.

 

[Therick67]

Bourque hasn't done much hockey exec stuff, Post NHL he has a a restaurant, and last "news" i heard about him was a DUI.

Honestly, Bruins should just stop hiring ex-players or people connected to the org.

May or may not be coincidence, the first time they won a cup in about 50 years... was when they had an outsider GM.

Agreed. We don't need to recycle every former Bruin for every job.

 

[Alicat]

Dan Shaughnessy writes

There’s honor in the brand of the Boston Bruins, perhaps more than the team’s ownership has ever understood.

The Bruins and their fans have always stood for something around here, a tad different from our other three franchises. The Bruins have been around much longer than the Celtics or Patriots and play in a house populated by rowdy, respectful, demanding folks who probably make less money but tip better than fans of our other three teams.

The Black and Gold have lived up to the love of their fans most winters since they first skated here in 1924. They are usually competitive, traditionally pugnacious, and ever-accountable. And Cam Neely — a big, tough, skilled leader first brought here by Bruins godfather Harry Sinden in 1986 — has been a worthy steward of the franchise since taking over as team president in 2010.

All of which made it so crushing to see Neely and the Bruins blunder into one of the worst decisions in team lore, bringing distraction and dishonor to the Hub Home of Hockey just when the surprising Bruins were off to their best start (10-1-0) in franchise history.

Entire column is attatched

Shank with another article showing why he's one of the best when it really matters. Top notch stuff

 

[Dellstrom]

If he’s a Blue Jackets fan, hope they can set something up to send him and his family on a vacation to see them, meet the players, etc. And of course meet Bergy and the others if they want to come to Boston, or the next time they’re in Columbus.

 

[Number8]

According to this, I cant vouch if accurate, Harkins is the Bs USHL scout out of Ohio.

If that’s the case, perhaps it’s not surprising that a guy who pretty regularly sends out dismissive tone deaf tweets was involved in a tone deaf situation like this.

Not that it’s necessarily related to this decision, the person who heads up communications needs to go. Lots of talk about the junior HS level game notes lately, people have been complaining here about Harkin’s tweets for ages, and it appears that Willie O’Ree was either not consulted or ignored.

That’s PR basics — and serves to underscore that Bruins didn’t have their ducks in a row with regards to vetting the story, or managing it when it came out.

My vote: Harkins (his tweets alone are insulting), head of Communications, and one of the big guys.

Anything else is going to appear like the Bruins just sorry they got caught in a sloppy mess — nothing more.

Oh and sleazy Gary for sheer duplicity.

 

[Therick67]

Harkins seems like a knob..

 

[Dellstrom]

According to this, I cant vouch if accurate, Harkins is the Bs USHL scout out of Ohio.

If true, that’s disgusting and he better be gone.

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

According to this, I cant vouch if accurate, Harkins is the Bs USHL scout out of Ohio.

Why was Miller allowed to play in the USHL?

Isn't that the top US junior league?

 

[Bruinfanatic]

Move the team to Canada,

Give us an expansion team, that way everyone will be happy

We will gladly take them .

 

[Gee Wally]

Why was Miller allowed to play in the USHL?

Isn't that the top US junior league?

beats me.

 

[brighton]

Absolutely ridiculous situation; it's funny that so many of us, myself included, are surprised they even went back on it at all.

Unfortunately I can imagine a timeline where Neely instead decided to try and sweep it under the rug and drag the org's name through the mud indefinitely

 

[Therick67]

Why was Miller allowed to play in the USHL?

Isn't that the top US junior league?

good question...

 

[Gonzothe7thDman]

Why was Miller allowed to play in the USHL?

Isn't that the top US junior league?

I am sure Sweeney and Neelys extensive investigation could answer that.

 

[Over the volcano]

The moral of the story to me is that everyone makes mistakes, it's what you do after them that is the difference.

Take ownership.

Stop the bleeding.

Make it right.

I'd rather see something positive come out of this like real $ to organizations that promote diversity and anti-bullying, and some some clear words by the management team about how things will be different and real clear actions by the organization to back them up. To me that's worth a lot more than just letting some scout go or shuffling management titles. Do something real.

 

[McGarnagle]

If that’s the case, perhaps it’s not surprising that a guy who pretty regularly sends out dismissive tone deaf tweets was involved in a tone deaf situation like this.

Not that it’s necessarily related to this decision, the person who heads up communications needs to go. Lots of talk about the junior HS level game notes lately, people have been complaining here about Harkin’s tweets for ages, and it appears that Willie O’Ree was either not consulted or ignored.

That’s PR basics — and serves to underscore that Bruins didn’t have their ducks in a row with regards to vetting the story, or managing it when it came out.

My vote: Harkins (his tweets alone are insulting), head of Communications, and one of the big guys.

Anything else is going to appear like the Bruins just sorry they got caught in a sloppy mess — nothing more.

Oh and sleazy Gary for sheer duplicity.

I still don't understand what Willie O'Ree has to do with this signing to be completely honest. People keep mentioning that he should've been consulted or something, I don't get it.

 

[LouJersey]

Why was Miller allowed to play in the USHL?

Isn't that the top US junior league?

I thought the same thing.

 

[Beesfan]

Have they placed him on waivers yet for termination yet? I know there's a lot that needs to happen before he can be terminated; but I'd think waiving him at least gives the signal he's no longer wanted in the organization.

This is surely a delicate legal situation. The Bruins are probably trying to negotiate a reasonable severance and mutual termination. I personally don't want Miller walking with $3 million in an arbitration victory if this is done improperly.

The fan base should have patience with the contract side. Neely has said the Bruins and Miller are parting ways. Who cares if his contract remains listed somewhere. I personally don't care if they pay him his $95k minor salary to sit at home and it stays on the books for the next three years. Ignore it.