Sold 'Em Down The River

Waking up from a long alcohol-induced night's sleep, still bleary-eyed and trying to get into a killer mindset for work, I hear something strange coming out of my clock radio.

Breaking News...The Flyers decide to blow up their front office...General Manager Bob Clarke resigns, and head coach Ken Hitchcock is fired following a franchise worst 1-6-1 start...Owner Ed Snider has called an afternoon press conference...

That's about as far as I got before everything behind my eyes went white.

Ten seconds later, when I came to my senses, I could almost smell the guano being shoveled by the South Broad Street PR machine in preparation for the end of this charade. Since I was covered wall-to-wall at work watching the NFL at 1 and 4 PM, I didn't get to see how it all played out on radio and TV until late last night. This morning's papers made it all the clearer, though.

Bob Clarke is the valiant warrior whose time had come, and didn't realize it until it was too late to stop malaise from creeping in. The burn-out got so bad, he couldn't even bring himself to fire a trainer this summer after the decision was made. He also wasn't geared up enough to deliver the bad news to Ken Hitchcock. So, Ed Snider's favored son was able to come out of this with a resignation, basically having fired himself. Hitch, however, bore the full brunt of a firing, the major scapegoat for a moribund season, shown the door in a terse and shocking end to a relatively successful three-plus season stint.

With a day between and several off-hours to assess the situation, I find both men were to blame, victims of the very same character traits (and some might now say major flaws) that propelled them to success.

Clarke, ever the valiant fighter, basically turned into a clinically-depressed Nero fiddling while Flyerdom burned. It is a testament to his personality, built on nothing but relentless hard work and ability to flesh out loopholes to use for his advantage, that submarined him. He knew nothing but to soldier on, either blind to the symptoms of his self-described burn-out or convinced it was a phase he could quickly pass through. Knowing his state of mind, it becomes all the more disturbing how the last two off-seasons played out. Not only was the two-time GM unable to comprehend how the new rules affected his player choices, but it also seems like he was too willing to pass the buck, or go home and hide under the covers until the right move presented itself. What is all the more shocking, is that Clarke's position within the organization became so entrenched, and his demeanor so nondescript in the face of such an inner crisis, that no one could have recognized the signs, or no one who did could have gone to a higher level of management to let them know. In effect, his realization became more of a blessing that the 57-year-old came to his senses when the Flyers were a league-worst 1-6-1, instead of drawing out the drama further until the Flyers punctured the floor of the Seventh Level of Hockey Hell.

The head coach bears more immediate blame. In spite of the misguided moves the front office made to the on-ice product, it was Hitchcock's job to turn the mishmash of new kids and seasoned vets into a Cup-contending force. He failed miserably. Frankly, I'm not surprised. He came to Philly in 2002 with the promise of a willing bunch of veterans trying to get a shot at the silver chalice, and the total backing of the front office to do what he will to make that happen. However, as Clarke swiftly remade an aging team into one that's barely out of diapers, Hitchcock's coaching style and demeanor did not change to suit the times. Nobody seems to voice the fact that his Cup team, the 1999 Dallas Stars, had five potential Hall-of-Famers on the roster, guys who would have killed their own mothers to win the title. Players who have seen the grind of countless seasons with plenty of playoff disappointments will willingly put up with an abrasive personality like Hitchcock's for one shot at glory. It took less than three seasons post-Cup for that approach to flame out in Dallas, as virtually the same group of players rebelled against the constant friction. Hitchcock, a winner since juniors, did not come ready-made with his brand of biting, sarcastic verbiage intended to motivate his players, but he did sharpen it as Dallas rose from also-rans to Best in the West. He transferred it successfully to a hungry 2003-2004 Flyers team, who nonetheless could not reach the Cup finals.

However, with the swift roster transition, Hitchcock's approach remained unchanged, and its mind-bending effect on his new players' psyches totally backfired. With veterans, you trust they buy into your system and philosophy, and throw in some barbs when they perform below expectation. With youth, a successful coach needs to know when to use the velvet touch as well as the whip, to know when to dig in and teach in a hands-on manner while hammering home the need for discipline and focus. It is obvious that Ken Hitchcock applies a more regal, detached, and aloof approach behind the bench. It is also obvious that the youth did not, and probably could not process whatever was taught, and translate whatever was said effectively into on-ice performance. It is also obvious that when subtle mindgames become increasingly more obvious and public, like that with goaltender Robert Esche, the seeds of discord are ready to bloom. This unfortunate episode should not tarnish Hitchcock's reputation, nor should it bring about any stigma on his value as a winner. It should, though, be a lesson for the man to take to heart - that while prior reputation may give you the keys to the kingdom for a team that needs a stern hand to learn how to win, it does not absolve you from gaining the wisdom and insight to change when necessary. Almost 15 years ago, Hitchcock began his meteoric rise by crafting a formula to be a winner in the Western Hockey League, coaching 16-20 year olds. He parlayed that into a Stanley Cup and two high-profile coaching jobs. With the new-NHL so youth-oriented, he may do well to adjust his formula (along with attitude and philosophy) again to ensure success in what the league hopes to become.