* Well, the ax finally fell on Randy Carlyle and I predicted back in September he wouldn't make it past January. All of the numbers show that the Leafs were regressing as far as puck possession and shots on goal. Leafs President Brendan Shanahan indicated last week that it was during the team's 10-1-1 streak that management began to consider making a change. The Leafs needed to make this move if they were going to utilize Shanahan's commitment to bring analytics into the team's mindset in evaluating players. Carlyle was coaching to save his job and not necessarily to let the young kids grow and become better players.
* After the Carlyle firing, an overwhelming majority of the mainstream media in Toronto focused their attention on Phil Kessel. Kessel is uncoachable. You can't win with Kessel. If the Leafs are to progress they must trade Kessel. What a joke. Kessel is the best scoring winger that the Leafs have had since Lanny McDonald. He has scored 30 goals or more for four of his five seasons with the Leafs and had 20 goals in the 48 game season in 2012-13. He is clearly the most talented player on the team yet he is the reason why this team has problems. It's a bunch of crap. As EJ Hradek said Monday morning on TSN1050, the Leafs have failed to provide players around Kessel that would allow him to be what he is: a top ten scorer. He's not a Selke Trophy candidate and those Gasbags in the Toronto media know better. Part of the problem is that many in the media don't like the fact that Kessel is not comfortable around them. He also is an American and that irritates some because he is the highest paid player on the team. The geniuses in the media also equate making the most money meaning that you are the team leader. Kessel is being paid to be a goal scorer and a point producer. In case they haven't noticed, he doesn't have a C or an A on his jersey. If you want to complain about how much money he makes then place the blame where it belong which is on Dave Nonis.
* If the Toronto Gasbags want to look for who's responsible how about focusing on Nonis. It was Nonis who extended the current contracts to Kessel, Dion Phaneuf, Jake Gardiner and Tyler Bozak. He is also responsible for the terrible contract given to David Clarkson. Speaking of which, how come there isn't as much finger-pointing at number 71 as there is at Kessel? Maybe it has to do with him being a Mimico boy.
* The Toronto Gasbag media was getting on Shanahan for his press conference last week. Oh they were saying he should have came out on the day when Carlyle was fired. But these are the same morons who got on Brian Burke for being so loud and out front. Shanahan's explanation was a good one: he has a GM and it was his responsibility to address the firing. He also indicated that he said all along that he would address the media at the beginning, the middle and the end of the season. The other criticism was that Shanahan did not spell out what his plans were for the team, ex.: who will they possibly look to coach the team next year,etc. Really?? No general manager or top executive of a team is going to share that type of information, particularly during the middle of the season. But, Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment is an easy target and the Toronto Gasbags love to take shots at them when they can.
* Funny how the same media types who hated Ron Wilson when he coached the Leafs were now welcoming him with open arms when he said that "Phil is 2 weeks on and then he's 2 weeks off." Oh, the TO Gasbags thought they had just received enlightment from the Dali Lama. As Brian Burke noted, he never heard Wilson complain about Kessel while he was head coach.
* The Dave Feschuk-Phil Kessel interaction on the day when it was announced Carlyle was fired was typical rat-bag Feschuk. What was more funny was how everyone in the Toronto mainstream media defended Feschuk.
* Kyle Shanahan leaving the Browns does not bother me. Quite frankly I felt that his play calling in the second half of the season, particularly in the red zone was putrid. However, reports that Shanahan wanted out because of interference from the "personnel people", including the texting to the sidelines on what plays to call sheds a different light on his departure. It's also being reported that Shanahan was against putting Manziel in after the Indy game. Kudos to Shanahan for taking a stand. Unfortunately the dumpster fire that is the Cleveland Browns continues to burn thanks to the "personnel people". I would love to know who are these "personnel people". Is it Ray Farmer? What role does owner Jimmy Haslam have to play in all of this? It all leads up to the fourth offensive coordinator in four years.
* The Denver Broncos firing of John Fox was surprising. This guy has had an outstanding record and has had an outstanding coaching staff. Now with Fox gone, Defensive Coordinator Jack DelRio going for his second interview with the Oakland Raiders and Adam Gase being pursued by the 49ers, this team is looking at a major shake-up. I guess the genius John Elway has it all figured out.
* Many arouund the NFL believe that John Fox may end up in Chicago as the Bears head coach. The Bears need to rebuild their defense and Fox is a defensive-minded coach. He also has a relationship with Bears advisor Ernie Accorsi. This would be a good move for the Bears.
* Many arouund the NFL believe that John Fox may end up in Chicago as the Bears head coach. The Bears need to rebuild their defense and Fox is a defensive-minded coach. He also has a relationship with Bears advisor Ernie Accorsi. This would be a good move for the Bears.
* With the upheaval in Denver, it makes you wonder if this will be the final straw that forces Peyton Manning into retirement. While it's been reported that Manning was suffering from an injury which was more serious than reported, I'm not sure if that was why he looked like an old quarterback struggling to hang on. Manning was non-committal on whether he would come back for another season. Time will tell but from what I saw on Sunday, Manning should call it a career, He has nothing further to prove.
* Rex Ryan's decision to accept the Buffalo Bills' offer to be their head coach was surprising. Ryan is a defensive minded coach and Buffalo's strength is their defensive unit. What was his undoing with the Jets was an unproven quarterback which is what he inherits in Buffalo along with no first round draft pick in this year's draft. From the Bills perspective, this was a great hiring. Ryan is an established head coach and he got a raw deal in New York. He took the Jets to 2 conference championships with Mark Sanchez as their quarterback. For years, the Bills have never hired an established NFL head coach. They have now and it remains to be seen how Ryan will be able to deal with an offensive unit that has major question marks. The first sign to look for is who he hires as his offensive coordinator. Rumor has it that Rex may be interested in Marc Trestman, who failed miserably as an NFL head coach but has been a good offensive coordinator in the NFL.
* I'm not an Urban Meyer fan but I have to acknowledge the job that he did this year with Ohio State which was capped off by their 42-20 victory over Oregon giving the Buckeyes the National Championship. It's incredible how Meyer was able to get this team to reach the top of the college football world with a third string quarterback. The Buckeyes are going to be good for a long time and the Big Ten is back on the map in college football.
* The New York Yankees have hired two hitting coaches (Jeff Pentland and Alan Cocknell) and an infield coach (Joe Espada). Espada will also be the third base coach, Tony Pena will be the first base coach and Rob Thomson will be the bench coach. Despite being interviewed, Willie Randolph was not hired as Brian Cashman indicated that Randolph would be an asset to any major league coaching staff. Any staff except the Yankees, a team and organization that Randolph loved as a player and as a coach. Another example of how this current Yankee regime could careless about one of their own.
* And finally, I can't wait to see and hear the interactions between Rex Ryan and the Buffalo Gasbags like Paul Hamilton and the other GR dopes. Could be very entertaining.
* Rex Ryan's decision to accept the Buffalo Bills' offer to be their head coach was surprising. Ryan is a defensive minded coach and Buffalo's strength is their defensive unit. What was his undoing with the Jets was an unproven quarterback which is what he inherits in Buffalo along with no first round draft pick in this year's draft. From the Bills perspective, this was a great hiring. Ryan is an established head coach and he got a raw deal in New York. He took the Jets to 2 conference championships with Mark Sanchez as their quarterback. For years, the Bills have never hired an established NFL head coach. They have now and it remains to be seen how Ryan will be able to deal with an offensive unit that has major question marks. The first sign to look for is who he hires as his offensive coordinator. Rumor has it that Rex may be interested in Marc Trestman, who failed miserably as an NFL head coach but has been a good offensive coordinator in the NFL.
* I'm not an Urban Meyer fan but I have to acknowledge the job that he did this year with Ohio State which was capped off by their 42-20 victory over Oregon giving the Buckeyes the National Championship. It's incredible how Meyer was able to get this team to reach the top of the college football world with a third string quarterback. The Buckeyes are going to be good for a long time and the Big Ten is back on the map in college football.
* The New York Yankees have hired two hitting coaches (Jeff Pentland and Alan Cocknell) and an infield coach (Joe Espada). Espada will also be the third base coach, Tony Pena will be the first base coach and Rob Thomson will be the bench coach. Despite being interviewed, Willie Randolph was not hired as Brian Cashman indicated that Randolph would be an asset to any major league coaching staff. Any staff except the Yankees, a team and organization that Randolph loved as a player and as a coach. Another example of how this current Yankee regime could careless about one of their own.
* And finally, I can't wait to see and hear the interactions between Rex Ryan and the Buffalo Gasbags like Paul Hamilton and the other GR dopes. Could be very entertaining.
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