Mike Commodore goes off on Babcock (Mod warning in OP)

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FelixTheCaT29

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Feb 22, 2019
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He doesn’t, the media does.

Babcock has a philosophy and he’s consistent with it. He doesn’t care about the heartwarming stories, he cares about winning.

Shore was better in camp and although they’ll rotate, Shore earned first shot. Giving it to Spezza would be inconsistent with the message he’s been sending.

They’re trying to create a winning culture. Compromising the integrity of that so Jason Spezza can play to his family and friends is completely outrageous.

Jason Spezza is a 4th line player and should be treated as such.

If that is his philosophy how do you explain Marleau's ice time last year?
 

Willchel Marlynder

(philer bozel)
Jul 15, 2010
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He doesn’t, the media does.

Babcock has a philosophy and he’s consistent with it. He doesn’t care about the heartwarming stories, he cares about winning.

Shore was better in camp and although they’ll rotate, Shore earned first shot. Giving it to Spezza would be inconsistent with the message he’s been sending.

They’re trying to create a winning culture. Compromising the integrity of that so Jason Spezza can play to his family and friends is completely outrageous.

Jason Spezza is a 4th line player and should be treated as such.

Every coach in the league has the same philosophy. Every coach cares about winning first everything else second (unless it's a young team with a focus on development). The difference between coaches is how they go about carying out their philosophy.

Babcock's was able to win the cup which is a huge deal for any coach. However, this was 10 years ago when the game was very different. My fear with Babcock is his stubbornness. I'm not convinced he can adapt in a way that will take this team to the ultimate goal. This season will be huge for him.
 

sparxx87

Don Quixote
Jan 5, 2010
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Toronto
If that is his philosophy how do you explain Marleau's ice time last year?
I’ve been over this several times but Marleau, Hyman and Matthews were the only forwards who looked like they wanted to win.

I would have done the same.


It would have been nice if Par Lindholm wasn’t traded for a 5th line winger - Babcock needed Nylander at centre when Kadri went down and it really limited his options for line shuffling... Otherwise, you probably would have seen some different looks.
 

Nineteen67

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He doesn’t, the media does.

Babcock has a philosophy and he’s consistent with it. He doesn’t care about the heartwarming stories, he cares about winning.

Shore was better in camp and although they’ll rotate, Shore earned first shot. Giving it to Spezza would be inconsistent with the message he’s been sending.

They’re trying to create a winning culture. Compromising the integrity of that so Jason Spezza can play to his family and friends is completely outrageous.

Jason Spezza is a 4th line player and should be treated as such.
So why didn’t he just say that? .....and don’t give the BS “he doesn’t have to say anything to media fans...yada yada crap”.
Seem illogical to lie to the fans for sake of lying.
 

sparxx87

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Jan 5, 2010
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Every coach in the league has the same philosophy. Every coach cares about winning first everything else second (unless it's a young team with a focus on development). The difference between coaches is how they go about carying out their philosophy.

Babcock's was able to win the cup which is a huge deal for any coach. However, this was 10 years ago when the game was very different. My fear with Babcock is his stubbornness. I'm not convinced he can adapt in a way that will take this team to the ultimate goal. This season will be huge for him.
That’s all fair.

I don’t know whether he is or isn’t, I just want to see what he can do with a legitimate contending team. I don’t believe any coach would have won with this group.
 
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sparxx87

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Jan 5, 2010
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So why didn’t he just say that? .....and don’t give the BS “he doesn’t have to say anything to media fans...yada yada crap”.
Seem illogical to lie to the fans for sake of lying.
I agree. In a roundabout way I think he was trying to play it off as a PK tactic/strategy that was no big deal in effort to protect Spezza, but nobody bought it.

Tell the truth or make no comment, but don’t feed some bs as if we’re all idiots.
 

Leaf Fans

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Sep 29, 2017
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So why didn’t he just say that? .....and don’t give the BS “he doesn’t have to say anything to media fans...yada yada crap”.
Seem illogical to lie to the fans for sake of lying.
He said he wanted Sezza to get more reps on the penalty kill. He also said: "I talked to him quite a bit about this and what we’re doing," said Babcock. "We’re on the same page moving ahead. We’re going to have a rotation on a few guys this first little bit until we figure out what we’re doing."
Spezza himself admitted as much explaining:"I need to get more reps on the PK to earn that comfort level with him. For me, it’s just working every day and being prepared. It’s a long season. It’s obviously disappointing, you want to play to open the season, there’s no doubt about that. Spezza 'disappointed' by scratch, but knows he needs to win over Babcock - Sportsnet.ca
 

stuart5035

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Apr 9, 2017
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He said he wanted Sezza to get more reps on the penalty kill. He also said: "I talked to him quite a bit about this and what we’re doing," said Babcock. "We’re on the same page moving ahead. We’re going to have a rotation on a few guys this first little bit until we figure out what we’re doing."
Spezza himself admitted as much explaining:"I need to get more reps on the PK to earn that comfort level with him. For me, it’s just working every day and being prepared. It’s a long season. It’s obviously disappointing, you want to play to open the season, there’s no doubt about that. Spezza 'disappointed' by scratch, but knows he needs to win over Babcock - Sportsnet.ca
I’ve held off as long as I can, but after listening to Commodore for 30 minutes, thinking about the Spezza treatment, the Modano treatment, the numerous other players, the visit to Matthews a few summers back-enough, why is he still the coach?
Give us avplayers coach, a Berube clone? He is choking the team with his ego.
 

Leaf Fans

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Sep 29, 2017
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I’ve held off as long as I can, but after listening to Commodore for 30 minutes, thinking about the Spezza treatment, the Modano treatment, the numerous other players, the visit to Matthews a few summers back-enough, why is he still the coach?
Give us avplayers coach, a Berube clone? He is choking the team with his ego.
What were those treatments?
 

The Apologist

Apologizing for Leaf garbage since 1979
Oct 16, 2007
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I’ve held off as long as I can, but after listening to Commodore for 30 minutes, thinking about the Spezza treatment, the Modano treatment, the numerous other players, the visit to Matthews a few summers back-enough, why is he still the coach?
Give us avplayers coach, a Berube clone? He is choking the team with his ego.
YES, BRING BACK THE MUSKOKA FIVE ERA!

Leaf nation loved those days!
 
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Rants Mulliniks

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Jun 22, 2008
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The Modano story is true. Craig Button, who knows Modano well has confirmed the story on TSN radio, and was pissed about how Spezza was treated as well. Babcock is an extremely overrated coach.

Unless the story presented changed from the others going around then no, it is not true. You, Craig Button, Mike Modano, Mike Commodore and anyone else can verify it in under 2 minutes by going to NHL.com, click the magnifying button and type "Mike Modano", click the link, click game logs 2010-11.

Yes he did get scratched for a game but no it was not at 1499. He got scratched for several games including multiple times in the playoffs. Given the playoffs are basically what the whole season is about, one should probably ask oneself why? Is the theory that he intentionally tried to ice a worse team? For what reason? I mean, at that point 1500 wasn't a thing, right? The other question you have to ask yourself is "what is the big deal about 1500"? It literally means nothing to anyone in the hockey world. Doesn't increase your HOF odds. No one remembers anyone for having hit it. At the end of the day, it's literally a hissy fit over a completely arbitrary number. It's also about nothing but the individual. If someone told you "Player X thinks coach Y is a terrible human being because they didn't let them play game 1362 and they finished with 1361", what would your response be? My guess is the exact same as it should be for 1500.
 

Rants Mulliniks

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Jun 22, 2008
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Nobody knows why he creates needless controversy. Decent people will do the decent thing when everything else is equal. He didn’t, and then doubled down trying to insult most people’s intelligence with his reasoning.
As Daisy asked, decent by whom? Why does one person take importance over another?
 

Rants Mulliniks

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Jun 22, 2008
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Remember Valteri Filpulla refusing to come to Toronto because of Babcock
There have been several people refuse to come to Toronto and in most cases, that has worked out in spades for Toronto (i.e. they haven't missed out on much).

That said, Filpulla was directly quoted as saying that Toronto has a good team and a good coach but that he wanted to stick with his trade list.
 

sparxx87

Don Quixote
Jan 5, 2010
13,834
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Toronto
People fail to consider that Mike Modano couldn’t play anymore and that Detroit was jockeying for playoff position. Mike Babcock put the team above Modano’s personal accolades. It’s outrageous that anyone other than Mike Modano is mad at that... He doesn’t put anyone above the team and never has.

Commodore also failed to mention that he was close to 20% body fat (he blamed the test) and looked absolutely terrible. He got hurt in camp and didn’t get in for a few weeks. Once he finally did, he was terrible. The game was too fast and he couldn’t play. CBJ saw it, Babcock saw it, and the Lighting saw it once he was eventually traded there. He spent the next year in the AHL and was KHL bound after.

Everyone else was wrong except him, I guess.

Commodore is delusional and I sincerely hope he gets the help he needs. That was actually painful to listen to. CTE and nobody cares enough to take him off the air and get him help - they’d prefer to put him on the radio and laugh.

Pretty unfortunate situation. I feel bad for the guy.
 
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Daisy Jane

everything is gonna be okay!
Jul 2, 2009
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YES, BRING BACK THE MUSKOKA FIVE ERA!

Leaf nation loved those days!

I'm really just laughing.
There are a chunk of people posting here who was screaming how blue and white disease needed to end, and how there needs to be accountability and people earn their spots in the line up now screaming how Spezza deserved to be given something simply because he's fromToronto and signed a good contract and how he was embarrassed.


why a 4th line person would automatically assume he's playing in the home opener knowing there is a platoon going on is beyond me. like i said unless Babcock told him he was playing then yanked the rug out of him which is a horse of a different colour.

As Daisy asked, decent by whom? Why does one person take importance over another?

Note - No one is ever able to answer this? I've been asking this every time this is pointed out. like let's be honest. people want the "Toronto Kid feel good story." over the "Guy carves out a second chance but he's NOT from Toronto ." story. that's it. (they are also holding on heavy on the "vet took less money to be here." like that owes him anything. (also,also - note how people like Shore are also people we need to attract - those who will take league minimum and take bit roles, vs. taking more money and wanting more playing time).

Remember when John Tavares cited a great coach as part of the lure in signing with Toronto?

he was clearly lying.

I’ve been over this several times but Marleau, Hyman and Matthews were the only forwards who looked like they wanted to win.

I would have done the same.


It would have been nice if Par Lindholm wasn’t traded for a 5th line winger - Babcock needed Nylander at centre when Kadri went down and it really limited his options for line shuffling... Otherwise, you probably would have seen some different looks.


i will point this out. Marleau at several times didn't look good last year, and Babcock did himself no favours into overworking him. But i will say - his major issue was simply not jelling with Matthews. (which they both said was an issue several times). they simply didn't have that on ice connection.

Babcock was wrong not to rest him more, or putting him out there in the last minutes of play and my thing is. we don't know everything that resulted because of those decisions. (ie: maybe he and Dubas had a come to Jesus moment in regards to those actions - ie not rotating more etc).

and i have to laugh truly, because if Babcock said something Saskatchewan-y, people would have been ticked off.
if Babcock flat out said "I hate Spezza screw him blah blah." people would have been ticked off.
If Babcock said "well Ottawa sucks, so i'm wanting Shore against them, and use Spezza against the better team."people would have been upset.

so he goes in a Babcockian-"i'll give them something to say which is kinda dumb but probably somewhat true." and people are ticked off.
 
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