Identify your team's phase of the fanbase-coach relationship cycle

[Big Daddy Cane]

Honeymoon - There is a sense of excitement that the prior coach is out. The new coach will get a pass for the failure to meet expectations. If naturally increasing expectations are met, this phase is maintained.

Afterglow (If Applicable) - The team has exceeded expectations or met the highest available. The praise for the job the coach has done is effusive.

Trouble in Paradise - The team starts or continues to not meet the expectations set. Fans start to pick at the coach, but discontent does not yet rise to the level of desiring change, at least at the top level; change of assistant coaches may be desired.

Prelude to Divorce - The team again continues to not meet the expectations set. Fans put the blame squarely on the coach and/or yearn for a new voice.

Click to read more...

 

[hubnester]

Flyers are having a rocky honeymoon. AV is very frustrating and a lot of the same problems are persisting but it's still an obvious improvement over Hakstol.

 

[Ryan Michaels]

 

[Kcb12345]

Right now somewhere between Afterglow and Trouble in Paradise. At the beginning of the season it was the prelude to divorce stage. It'll change several more times this season

 

[Ctrain2k]

Definitely honeymoon for the oilers.

 

[Hynh]

The Oilers and Tippett are in the honeymoon phase.

 

[boredmale]

Barry Trotz is a god among men, or maybe even better an Al Arbour among men

 

[Hatfield]

None of the above for Todd Reirden. Unique situation having lost Trotz after winning the Cup. Reirden’s been okay, though last season was a letdown. We might start getting antsy for change with another early playoff exit.

 

[TeslaCoilFan]

Prelude to Divorce - The team again continues to not meet the expectations set. Fans put the blame squarely on the coach and/or yearn for a new voice.

 

[aufheben]

I feel like you’re missing a middle period.

 

[Fern111]

Panthers are like on the plane going to the honeymoon. We're gonna arrive there after january.

 

[Avs44]

Bednar has had an interesting cycle...he just sort of skipped the whole honeymoon thing and decided to kick his tenure off with a historically appalling season, so he sort of went straight to "Prelude to Divorce in Hell." He then upgraded to "Trouble in Limbo" for season two, and currently might be in a happy Afterglow.

 

[Benedict Kovalchuk]

Trotz is closer to winning some sort of prize while already on your honeymoon. You think it can't get any better? It can!

 

[Deen]

Plenty of very good coaches get fired. It's on the Players to perform.

 

[hangman005]

Vegas, doesn't really fit into any of the categories. There is dissatisfaction with how we've played thus far into the season, but especially at HFVGK I don't believe anyone is close to wanting Gallant gone. We've looked a bit better the last couple of games... but we'll see if we can sustain any kind of momentum.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

We just came off Willie D. I'm pretty sure I could take the clipboard right now myself and we'd still be in the honeymoon phase.

 

[NyQuil]

Sens are having champagne on the Champs-Elysee.

 

[Big Daddy Cane]

I feel like you’re missing a middle period.

That’s fair. I went with the beginning, middle and end structure, along with the occasional rare period in which fans are over the moon about their head coach (see Islanders’ fans and Trotz in this thread).

A hybrid phase on both sides could work here. I was planning on doing another one around the 60 game mark to see how things have changed.

 

[Blackjack]

Devils fans are at the "aiming a rocket ship at the sun" phase.

 

[wintersej]

Bruins are between honeymoon and afterglow. Right in the "prime" of the relationship.

 

[Big Daddy Cane]

Plenty of very good coaches get fired. It's on the Players to perform.

It's also on the GM to give the coach the players he needs to succeed.

Still, finding fault with the coach is part of hockey fandom seemingly.

 

[Deen]

It's also on the GM to give the coach the players he needs to succeed.

Still, finding fault with the coach is part of hockey fandom seemingly.

Look at Calgary this year. No notables in or out. They went from winning the West to bottom dwelling. James Neal leaving didn't cause that, it's on the player to play for their coaches job.

 

[Seanaconda]

i think for the oilers cuz we have gone through coaches like crazy if we dont finish with a lotto pick /make the ploffs itll stay honeymoon / afterglow for a while.

 

[Big Daddy Cane]

Look at Calgary this year. No notables in or out. They went from winning the West to bottom dwelling. James Neal leaving didn't cause that, it's on the player to play for their coaches job.

I should clarify that I agree with you. Sometimes, it's that the players need to perform. Other times, it's that the players aren't good enough. Bill Peters in Carolina is an example. The Canes were a middling team because they had middling talent.

 

[Blueston]

Afterglow for Blues. #StanleyCupWinningCoach