Babcock fired by the Leafs discussion

[colchar]

Why are you mocking him? He was undefeated in his tenure in Columbus. Can any other coach say that?

 

[Puckstuff]

It’s crazy to think how someone can have a friendly and principled persona, where people think he’s a great leader, but then behind the scenes he’s a complete tyrant. Our political system is full of people like this. People actively trying to destroy the country, but smiling on T.V like they’re not doing anything wrong.

 

[Divine]

Some more information coming out from various sources.

Such as this:

Mike Babcock resigns as Columbus Blue Jackets coach after NHLPA investigation

The Blue Jackets’ Mike Babcock era barely lasted three months and is over before the controversial coach could run the bench in a single game.

www.dispatch.com

A source told the Dispatch that one of the biggest things that changed the team's thinking was a player telling the NHLPA that Babcock held his phone "for an uncomfortable length of time," during a meeting in Columbus held somewhere other than Nationwide Arena. The player said Babcock looked through photos for "several minutes" and there was concern the coach would search his text messages.

Attempts to reach Babcock were unsuccessful.

A similar report on Sportsnet, citing "multiple" sources, nearly mirrors what the Dispatch was told. It said the alleged incident was "beyond the scope of what was initially understood to have occurred," which changed the team's stance.

 

[kb]

Why are you mocking him? He was undefeated in his tenure in Columbus. Can any other coach say that?

Agreed. Conversely, we could say he also never won a game in his Columbus tenure.

 

[kb]

Just gonna put this out there. Babcock wasn't a Dubas hire, and Babcock was protected here for the longest time. Dubas wasn't allowed to fire him.

Is it any wonder none of the stars wanted to take a discount to play for Babcock??

 

[BrannigansLaw]

I actually ran into Babcock in Boston back in 2018. He was nice enough to let me take a picture with him. Glad he didn’t ask to see the rest of the pictures on my phone. That’s just f***ed.

 

[ACC1224]

I actually ran into Babcock in Boston back in 2018. He was nice enough to let me take a picture with him. Glad he didn’t ask to see the rest of the pictures on my phone. That’s just f***ed.

I met him in front of Nationwide Arena in Columbus after the morning skate.
He pretty much ignored me and my daughter. I'm one of the few lucky ones to have had the opportunity to call him an ass to his face.

 

[Niagara Bill]

Imagine already getting caught and publicly shamed for this once before, and then not learning your lesson and then it happens all over again. The guy is sick. He can’t stop himself.


That’s not what this is. He has a history of using blackmail to manipulate, control players and destroy careers. That is the case if you listen to Mike Commodore, anyways.

Maybe true what you say, but Commdore has been an activist in every team he played for. He is not credible. Gaudreau had no problem and was happy to share his life and family with a coach who wanted to know them.

I disagree. He is just playing his dumb mind games. He doesn't care about the player's families.

And you know this how?

 

[al secord]

Has anybody checked in on Hunny?

 

[Nineteen67]

Does the public know what happened? Will these players that were “hurt” get picked on during games? Or did they tell him to Eff Off and he (Babas) was holding it against them?

 

[ShaneFalco]

Never disliked a coach more

 

[ACC1224]

Does the public know what happened? Will these players that were “hurt” get picked on during games? Or did they tell him to Eff Off and he (Babas) was holding it against them?

That's the odd part, why would anyone hand over their phone if they had an issue with it?

 

[Nineteen67]

That's the odd part, why would anyone hand over their phone if they had an issue with it?

Unless he was threatening playing time. Walsh got involved and we know he’s unsavory, what did he say or threaten?

 

[ACC1224]

Unless he was threatening playing time. Walsh got involved and we know he’s unsavory, what did he say or threaten?

Can't bench them all, the players should have shown some solidarity.
Guessing most didn't think it was a big deal until they dug deeper into the issue.

 

[Primary Assist]

Just gonna put this out there. Babcock wasn't a Dubas hire, and Babcock was protected here for the longest time. Dubas wasn't allowed to fire him.

Is it any wonder none of the stars wanted to take a discount to play for Babcock??

Now that's a very good point - the old adage is that people don't quit bad jobs they quit bad managers, and if a player still under RFA restrictions can't quit then it's no surprise they'd ask to be financially compensated as much as possible if other quality of life perks in the role (such as your boss making you uncomfortable) weren't up to par. Given how popular Dubas was in the room I think it is fair to question how much Babs and his dinosaur ways may have set back this franchise

 

[Peasy]

Babs definitely didnt help with the Matthews/Marner contracts thats for sure.

The ironic thing is, I think this will be beneficial to CBJ in the long run. I wouldn't want him near any of your young stars.

 

[Obo]

Starting from about 2000 years ago (probably longer).

Kids today think mastodon will hunt itself.

 

[ACC1224]

Now that's a very good point - the old adage is that people don't quit bad jobs they quit bad managers, and if a player still under RFA restrictions can't quit then it's no surprise they'd ask to be financially compensated as much as possible if other quality of life perks in the role (such as your boss making you uncomfortable) weren't up to par. Given how popular Dubas was in the room I think it is fair to question how much Babs and his dinosaur ways may have set back this franchise

Players were looking to sign for 8 years though. I don't think they were too worried about the coach, they knew(as shown) how to have him removed.
Dubas owns the contracts, no one else is to blame.

 

[banks]

Babs definitely didnt help with the Matthews/Marner contracts thats for sure.

The ironic thing is, I think this will be beneficial to CBJ in the long run. I wouldn't want him near any of your young stars.

Yep. The CBJ fanbase just dodged a bullet. I can't think of a coach I'd want less.

I don't think anyone can say for sure how inappropriate Babs was with the players' privacy. But getting fired like this shows that it wasn't just nothing. And I'm sure glad he was finally fired here when he was, because he was clearly a problem behind the scenes.

 

[Nineteen67]

Yep. The CBJ fanbase just dodged a bullet. I can't think of a coach I'd want less.

I don't think anyone can say for sure how inappropriate Babs was with the players' privacy. But getting fired like this shows that it wasn't just nothing. And I'm sure glad he was finally fired here when he was, because he was clearly a problem behind the scenes.

What did he do? I haven’t heard anything concrete reported other than asking to look at pictures on a phone. There has to be more.
The guys on TSN1050 have deduced it was the right decision and in the next breath they hope to find out what actually happened. They don’t know what happened, yet the can decided the punishment is fair. How?

 

[usernamezrhardtodo]

When and where did he say this? I would love to hear it.

It was on his podcast a while back on the SDPN network. I can't remember what prompted him to tell the story TBH. It was not right after Babs got fired..that much I remember. It was a few years later.

 

[Nineteen67]

Can't bench them all, the players should have shown some solidarity.
Guessing most didn't think it was a big deal until they dug deeper into the issue.

What if boiled down to one player? Colaiacovo using the mental health crutch is big red flag to me.

 

[TheTotalPackage]

The whole Babcock dynamic amazes me. He is a very decorated coach, who I do believe is a very good coach despite the way he goes about it, who was the crown jewel of coaches not even a decade ago (the time when the Leafs hired him).

When the initial reports came out and it was merely asking for family photos, I thought it was much ado about nothing. To actually ask for players' phones so he can go scrolling through them borders on sociopathy. I don't even let my wife look at my phone, let alone scroll through it. So no clue what the hell he was thinking.

Realistically though, this isn't independent to Babcock. The whole culture of hockey is disgusting, and it is finally slowly being broken down. From hazing rituals which have always been completely unnecessary and disgusting, to coaches like Babcock, Peters and Tortorella with archaic mentalities. But it is far deep rooted than that -- this "bullying" of younger players starts the moment when they are conducting their pre-draft interviews with teams. Some of the things asked is disgusting mind games being played with vulnerable kids (which they essentially are still). And that includes coaches like Babcock sitting through those interviews.

 

[ACC1224]

What if boiled down to one player? Colaiacovo using the mental health crutch is big red flag to me.

I don't get the reference but safe to say the bad man will most likely never be heard from again.

 

[Clark4Ever]

Very odd circumstances for Babcock to leave the NHL for good.

Regardless of his intentions though, he brought this upon himself.