News Article: Steve Buckley: Charlie Jacobs on the hot seat

[Fenway]

Steve Buckley's interview with Charlie Jacobs confirms my worst fears.

Papa Jeremy is calling the shots.

http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/...015/10/buckley_charlie_jacobs_on_the_hot_seat

Indeed, even a casual conversation with Jacobs reveals he knows his way around town. He laments the closing of a dim sum place on Route 9 he and his wife used to frequent on Sunday mornings. They’re frequent fliers at the local Sarni dry cleaners and a nearby Eaton Apothecary, and they’re fond of Coach Grill in Wayland.

Jacobs, who worked several years in California before moving to Boston, did slip up when he made this comment about his daily commute to and from Weston: “What I love about it is that it’s so close. What I hate about it is that it’s taking me an hour these days to get to and from work because of construction on the 90, which is driving me batty.â€

Construction on the 90? But let’s not quibble: Jacobs has been among us for a long time.

Yet he wants to make one thing clear: He’s not the final word on decision-making.

“That’s a loaded question,†he said. “I hired Peter Chiarelli, and I had to let Peter Chiarelli go. I hired Don Sweeney. We have discussions about player personnel — Don, (team president) Cam Neely and I. I do not meddle in whether they feel ‘X’ player deserves a promotion over ‘Y’ player. I leave that to them.â€

Does everything go through Buffalo?

“When I had to let Peter go?†he asked. “Yeah. I mean, that was a process that took some time. . . . I absolutely have to say, ‘This is something I’d like to do, and here’s why.’ Build a case for it. Not that I build a case to submarine a guy, but here’s what I see that I don’t like. And we went through the process.â€

During the almost 45 minutes we spoke, Jacobs never referred to Jeremy Jacobs as “my father.†It was always “the chairman.†As in, “I’m in Buffalo one day a week. I have an apartment there. I meet with the chairman and my brothers, and we go over just about every line of our family’s businesses.â€

So far, Jacobs has been guarded with his comments about this season, which begins tonight with the Bruins hosting the Winnipeg Jets.

“Everyone wants to hear, ‘Does Jacobs think the Bruins can make the playoffs?’†he said. “I’m trying to avoid saying this team is either a playoff contender or, if it doesn’t make the playoffs, it’s a failure. That€™s not our goal. Our goal is to win the Stanley Cup, and if it takes growing pains along the way, then we have to be a little patient.â€

Click to read more...

 

[DitClapper]

Charlie looks like he's about to cry every time he's asked a question at the podium.

 

[Fenway]

Charlie looks like he's about to cry every time he's asked a question at the podium.

Charlie is the youngest son and he was given the keys to the least important part of Delaware North - the Boston operation. His older brothers got the keys of everything else Delaware North controls.

 

[Alicat]

As long is JJ is alive, he's still going to have some role with the team.

That said, I interpreted the quote just as Charlie answered it. No business, JJ is the advisor/ chairman and in order to do what he wanted to do, he had to present his case and all their options before the final approval was given.

As long as JJ is alive, he is going to have some say in what is going on with the team and rightfully so.

 

[Fire Sweeney]

It was always only about Jeremy Maurice's money... Also the only reason why Sweeney was named GM and Clode is still employed

 

[GloryDaze4877]

As long is JJ is alive, he's still going to have some role with the team.

That said, I interpreted the quote just as Charlie answered it. No business, JJ is the advisor/ chairman and in order to do what he wanted to do, he had to present his case and all their options before the final approval was given.

As long as JJ is alive, he is going to have some say in what is going on with the team and rightfully so.

Agree.

I don't think there is anything unusual or nefarious here. Want to fire your GM, you need to build a case for it and discuss.

The horror...

 

[OutspokenMinority*]

Chuck, call me up, b. i can offer services for very reasonable rates ($175 / hr). i will not, however, do facebook stuff. i do not care what you are offering in that regard. i am not a prostitute.

 

[Morris Wanchuk]

I would say overall for the future of this franchise, I am glad to see it was Charlie that wanted Chia fired. JJ is not going to live forever and this shows me that Charlie had a better handle of the situation than his father.

“When I recognized [Chiarelli] wasn’t prepared to make the changes that needed to be made. But that wasn’t so much my recognition as it was Cam and Charlie’s,†said Jacobs. “That’s their leadership that you have to talk to.â€

http://www.csnne.com/boston-bruins/jacobs-chiarelli-firing-right-move-franchise

 

[Fenian24]

I would say overall for the future of this franchise, I am glad to see it was Charlie that wanted Chia fired. JJ is not going to live forever and this shows me that Charlie had a better handle of the situation than his father.




http://www.csnne.com/boston-bruins/jacobs-chiarelli-firing-right-move-franchise

Don't bet on it. Evil rich folks tend to live very long lives. I wouldn't expect JJ to be cashing in his one way ticket to Dante's Inferno anytime soon.

Wouldn't surprise me if he is the male version of Elizabeth Bathory

 

[Scotto74]

Personally I like how that sounded. Everything has to be thought out in detail and a case has to be built to support the decision and presented in a manner that convinces the audience of the move. That is in the case of a GM change.

He also said that they play no part in the day to day decisions on the players and who is promoted and who is not which means that is all in the hands of Cam/Sweeney/Julien.


I have no issues with that arrangement. That leaves a lot less room for knee jerk reactions and emotional moves like something Mad Mike used to do to destroy teams.

 

[4ORRBRUIN]

Steve Buckley's interview with Charlie Jacobs confirms my worst fears.

Papa Jeremy is calling the shots.

http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/...015/10/buckley_charlie_jacobs_on_the_hot_seat

I wonder how often he called the sox owners by their last names in his crappy baseball articles. Totally disrespectful in my eyes regardless of the story.

Stick to writing boring stories about the boring sport you know so much about ,Buckley.

 

[bob27]

“I’m trying to avoid saying this team is either a playoff contender or, if it doesn’t make the playoffs, it’s a failure. That’s not our goal. Our goal is to win the Stanley Cup, and if it takes growing pains along the way, then we have to be a little patient.â€

So he's basically confirming that they are doing half-assed rebuild?

 

[Alicat]

I wonder how often he called the sox owners by their last names in his crappy baseball articles. Totally disrespectful in my eyes regardless of the story.

Stick to writing boring stories about the boring sport you know so much about ,Buckley.

Just seems that Buck has an axe to grind.

I've already seen some of the reaction on social media and lets just say it is misinformed.

 

[Therick67]

Maybe had JJ taken this approach in the Sinden years, we might have seen a cup or 2 - instead of just letting Harry do as he pleased.

 

[Danton Heineken]

So he's basically confirming that they are doing half-assed rebuild?

Are you upset that a Jacobs family member is preaching patience?

 

[Eddie Munson]

So he's basically confirming that they are doing half-assed rebuild?

I found those comments to be comforting that the team management group all have an understanding of the current situation rather than an indictment on the rebuild. It has quickly changed from "playoffs or else" to "growing pains are expected". They realized that to build the playoff powerhouse they had for a decade took a couple years of tweaking IE the Thornton trade, the Dave Lewis experiment, drafting and developing young players, signing top free agents. These things took years and eventually yielded a cup. This retool and revamp with a change in style and philosophy is going to be similar to when Chiarelli took the reigns. There's already been some growing pains but again this team is in a position to move forward and start working again towards the ultimate goal and the fact that management complete backs the process is a positive, not a negative IMO.

 

[Kovi]

no offense, but I really dont see where theres been meddling lately.

 

[whatsbruin]

no offense, but I really dont see where theres been meddling lately.

Haters gonna hate.

 

[GloryDaze4877]

So he's basically confirming that they are doing half-assed rebuild?

Not sure I would call it half-assed?

If the B's struggle and end up moving guys like Kelly, Sides, Loui at the deadline, how would it be half-assed? And if the team does well and challenges for a playoff spot while having beefed up the prospect pool with players that help them win a Cup (hopefully), isn't that mission accomplished?

 

[incidental otter]

Steve Buckley's interview with Charlie Jacobs confirms my worst fears.

Papa Jeremy is calling the shots

This really surprises you?

Charlie cares far more about his horsies than he does about the team. He skipped at least one playoff game to attend an equestrian event.

I've always assumed JJ is smart enough to recognize that his son is more stable boy than boardroom shark.

 

[Artemis]

What owner in professional sports doesn't have the final word? It is his team. "Calling the shots" implies that JJ is a Steinbrenner, but that doesn't appear to be the case.

 

[jgatie]

The entire premise of the article is absurd. How in the H-E-Double-Sherwoods could Charlie Jacobs ever be "on the hot seat"? Does Buckley really think CJ's job is in jeopardy if the Bruins fail to perform? Tori Spelling had more of a chance of being kicked off 90210 than Charlie getting canned from the Bruins.

 

[JoeIsAStud]

Maybe had JJ taken this approach in the Sinden years, we might have seen a cup or 2 - instead of just letting Harry do as he pleased.

I believe JJ let Harry do as he pleased during those years.

Yes if Harry was going to do something like field a 100 million dollar payroll and take a 50 million dollar loss, the JJ would step in, but I believe Harry was allowed to set a budget and do whatever he wanted within that budget.

 

[ReggieMoto]

The interpretations of what was meant out of what was said is interestingly all over the place.

My spin on what was said:
1) Jeremy Jacobs keeps a pulse on all of the businesses the family owns and operates. I find this hardly surprising.
2) The owners think this is probably a bubble team this season. They are looking for a Cup but understand it may not happen.

If those are accurate reads, nothing seems unusual or out of place to me.

 

[mikelvl]

Steve Buckley's interview with Charlie Jacobs confirms my worst fears.

Papa Jeremy is calling the shots.

What shots is he calling? Approval to fire the GM? That was Neely's and Charlie's shot that he approved as the boss of the whole enchilada. Nothing surprising about that at all. If anything, he let Sinden and O'Connell stay way too long. He was in danger of doing that again. I don't see the issue here.