Confirmed with Link: John McDonough Fired

[Blue Liner]

Trying to learn more about the McD situation here and have a question about his management style. I see many people here talking about his old school approach (hand shakes, no sandals, suits to zoom meetings, etc) and how that makes him an egomaniac; what are the other folds to this story that separate that kind of behavior from someone like Lou, who seems to get praised for the tight, old school ship he runs?

Thanks guys

There’s “old school” and there’s egomaniacal belittling and intimidation of staffers. Long gap in between.

 

[tiburon12]

There’s “old school” and there’s egomaniacal belittling and intimidation of staffers. Long gap in between.

Right, I hear you guys saying vagueries like that, are there any stories out there? Hard to get a grasp of the situation

 

[LordKOTL]

Trying to learn more about the McD situation here and have a question about his management style. I see many people here talking about his old school approach (hand shakes, no sandals, suits to zoom meetings, etc) and how that makes him an egomaniac; what are the other folds to this story that separate that kind of behavior from someone like Lou, who seems to get praised for the tight, old school ship he runs?

Thanks guys

I think it depends on the level...like when things devolve into ridiculousness.

McD wanting to put the team forward as a professional organization with handshakes, etc. is fine. I know my company has a policy about how you're supposed to dress when meeting clients. On the flipside they are more lax when you're not--when you're chained to your desk being gristle for the machine. The gist I got was that McD was so megalomaniacal that when they had internal videoconferencing meetings at home that he still expected people to be dressed 100% professional...which to me is ridiculous. IMHO if you're not in a front-facing situation there's no need to bust out the suit and tie--and this coming from someone who does dress as he would if he was going to go into work everyday (it puts me in the right mindset).

In my opinion haranguing employees to dress-up when they aren't front-facing just smacks of being power-hungry and having a superiority complex.

 

[x Tame Impala]

I’ve always thought that “all male employees must have a cleanly shaven face everyday” thing was so asinine. It’s nothing but a power flex by your bosses.

 

[GaryU]

I’ve always thought that “all male employees must have a cleanly shaven face everyday” thing was so asinine. It’s nothing but a power flex by your bosses.

Yep. Years ago I worked for Northern Trust (wear your jacket to lunch, the bathroom,anywhere out of your department). I think the same family that started it in 1870-something still own it. A little stiff.

 

[clydesdale line]

Why Kane felt Sharp could land in Hawks' front office

 

[ColdSteel2]

My assumption is Bowman, Colliton, Kelley are going to interview for their own jobs once a new president is hired. I hope it’s a hockey guy this time, maybe Mike Gillis. Hopefully whoever it is, Rocky gives the new president free reign to make changes.

 

[Mrfenn92]

Judd sirott on the score at 3:30pm

 

[Pez68]

My assumption is Bowman, Colliton, Kelley are going to interview for their own jobs once a new president is hired. I hope it’s a hockey guy this time, maybe Mike Gillis. Hopefully whoever it is, Rocky gives the new president free reign to make changes.

Mike Gillis?

 

[GaryU]

Mike Gillis?

vurp.

 

[Blue Liner]

President shouldn’t be a hockey guy unless said hockey guy has a serious business background and experience. President is responsible for way more stuff in the organization than hockey operations, and quite frankly probably shouldn’t have anything to do with hockey decisions, largely. If they want to go the President of Hockey Ops route and then move up Blunk into the President role or something then that’s different. Have a Shanahan type at the top who hires a GM or like Epstein and Hoyer with the Cubs. Most “hockey guys” would have no idea how to run the day to day that McDonough did.

 

[HawkeyTalkMan]

President shouldn’t be a hockey guy unless said hockey guy has a serious business background and experience. President is responsible for way more stuff in the organization than hockey operations, and quite frankly probably shouldn’t have anything to do with hockey decisions, largely. If they want to go the President of Hockey Ops route and then move up Blunk into the President role or something then that’s different. Have a Shanahan type at the top who hires a GM or like Epstein and Hoyer with the Cubs. Most “hockey guys” would have no idea how to run the day to day that McDonough did.

Yep, get a sports exec that knows more about the business side of things. Its why mcdonough was successful jumping from MLB to NHL. To your point, when you have McD starting to walk down to the ice give his two cents on his eye test of hockey evaluation is when your butthole should pucker up.

And people suggesting Edzo for that role are out to lunch too. He would be learning on the job the business side of sports too much. Rocky needs those people to work on the affiliate partnerships, league revenue, state and city arrangements for permits and taxes, real estate expansion, charities, developmental programs, vendor relations, press and pr, marketing, special events, etc

So much stuff that will fill up an executives day and night where there is no way they have enough time to keep an eye on the league, prospects, other team scouting, etc

 

[HawkeyTalkMan]

Mike Gillis?

Yeah, never forget his dumb "stats" rant about the penalties for/against in 2011 playoffs against Vancouver

No thanks

 

[ClydeLee]

Yep, get a sports exec that knows more about the business side of things. Its why mcdonough was successful jumping from MLB to NHL. To your point, when you have McD starting to walk down to the ice give his two cents on his eye test of hockey evaluation is when your butthole should pucker up.

And people suggesting Edzo for that role are out to lunch too. He would be learning on the job the business side of sports too much. Rocky needs those people to work on the affiliate partnerships, league revenue, state and city arrangements for permits and taxes, real estate expansion, charities, developmental programs, vendor relations, press and pr, marketing, special events, etc

So much stuff that will fill up an executives day and night where there is no way they have enough time to keep an eye on the league, prospects, other team scouting, etc

Shouldn't after a dozen years there be most of that business side taken care of and being handled by multiple long term high up execs that worked in the staff. Unless McD was really so overuling he handled everything and didn't establish an order of staff handling many tasks, i don't think the team is going to need an overhaul like when he was hired. Unless he doesn't want to or the liquor side is deemed more important I don't see why Danny Writz and the upper staff would need some new business executive to come in.

 

[HawkeyTalkMan]

Shouldn't after a dozen years there be most of that business side taken care of and being handled by multiple long term high up execs that worked in the staff. Unless McD was really so overuling he handled everything and didn't establish an order of staff handling many tasks, i don't think the team is going to need an overhaul like when he was hired. Unless he doesn't want to or the liquor side is deemed more important I don't see why Danny Writz and the upper staff would need some new business executive to come in.

Yes but you still, as president, oversee all of it and have to have a grasp of it enough to agree/disagree with the direction because ultimately Rocky is tapping you on the shoulder when something goes sideways

 

[Blue Liner]

Yes but you still, as president, oversee all of it and have to have a grasp of it enough to agree/disagree with the direction because ultimately Rocky is tapping you on the shoulder when something goes sideways

Exactly. Those duties don’t stop existing just because you’re not in a full overhaul of an organization. The day to day is still multi, multi-faceted and any successful business is constantly looking to grow, have new plans, new outreach, revenue streams, etc. You’re overseeing every single employee in the organization right down to the ticket clickers at the entrance. The non-hockey Ops oversight is massive. You can’t have someone who handles that and hockey ops, and no single-role hockey ops person like Olczyk (who I want no part of in a GM or President role, by the way) is going to be capable of doing all that by themselves, let alone that and hockey operations. You need someone to take McD’s business role, if Danny Wirtz isn’t keeping it. Then that person either has to hire a new hockey Ops lead in some form.