I’m trying to picture you with super powers...
Captain Obvious?
In sports, the moment that GM’s and coaches get hired, you can start the countdown until they are fired. It’s the nature of the business.
If Chia and Julien were really “dead men walking” as you seem to want us to belive, Neely would have ****-canned them after they blew a 3-0 lead against Philly in 2009/10. He had just been named Prez (after being VP since 07) and what better way to send a message that he was the new Sheriff in town?
I think you are trying too hard on this one, even with your keen powers of observation and deduction.
in 2011... as we go to the overtime in round I... the announcers on the telecast are saying if montreal scores this goal Julien and Chiarelli will be fired
honestly I doubt it was a huge secret to most people. the boards here were screaming for his firing
the previous year... we actually went to round II before that collapse. it was a bit of an upset. no one thought we would get past buffalo after the injury to Thomas. sure we eventually did lose but Savard and Bergeron were both injured or playing hurt... Seidenberg missed the playoffs after being a late pickup... the kessel thing happened without being able to find a replacement... then krejci our best player gets taken out with a dirty hit
it would be hard to fire Chiarelli under those circumstances
and before that... what success was there for neely to claim? Chiarelli was making great moves. firing him premature might lead to a disaster. much smarter to allow the team to get on solid footing and then fire him when the team is on the verge of winning it all
our cup win in 2011 caught everyone by surprise. im sure that was the year that Chiarelli and Julien were supposed to be fired according to the master plan
it sure played out that way as I watched the show unfold