Babcock resigning as CBJ Head Coach *Mod note, post #687*

[Bacon Artemi Bravo]

Is Babcock and abusive asshole, yes. Is he a perv that only wanted to take a look at nudes? No, I don’t think so unless proven otherwise.

I dont think the nudes thing matters. Its an uncomfortable ask from a position of power. Thats coercion and frankly its abusive in my opiniom.

 

[Beau Knows]

Yeah, but there's no indication that naked pictures are the issue here.

Whether or not any sensitive information was seen doesn't matter. If Babcock was going through players phones he opened up the possibility of encountering it and created an inappropriate situation. You just can't do that.

Babcock is a classic coach who uses psychological pressure on players as a coaching method. This kind of action is designed to enforce conformity on the team and put players on their toes.

If that's the case it clearly backfired spectacularly.

 

[brentashton]

You're a big man.

Why go through life spending energy being spiteful, vindictive and full of hate? Just saying, it doesn’t work for me nor do i see it being particularly helpful to people caught in that cycle. Just my perspective man.

 

[johan f]

Where is it specifically said that Babcock scrolled the phones? I got it as he asked players to show photos of family/wife/gf. I assume players holds up a chosen photo. But it is weird anyhow.

 

[Royale With Cheese]

I don't really like Commodore, and maybe he was washed up at the time, but if you were living your dream and you felt it was cut short wrongfully, and deliberately by one person, would you ever let that go?

Mike Commodore strikes me as a troubled person. No reasonable adult would do what he continues to do on social media regarding Babcock. Heck, a 15 year old wouldn't keep doing this.

 

[Coaches Coroner]

Is Babcock and abusive asshole, yes. Is he a perv that only wanted to take a look at nudes? No, I don’t think so unless proven otherwise.

He doesn't have to be a nude seeking perv for this to be an issue. Unacceptable behaviour in the workplace. Had no right to look at their phones period. Full stop.

 

[Kranix]

Why go through life spending energy being spiteful, vindictive and full of hate? Just saying, it doesn’t work for me nor do i see it being particularly helpful to people caught in that cycle. Just my perspective man.

I don't think Commodore is particularly bright or insightful, but every time he crawls out of the wood work to slag Babcock, people are like, "just let it go." When you think for a moment on what he perceives to have happened, which in his mind has gone unresolved, I think I would probably never forgive the guy. Teemu Selanne said the same thing about Randy Caryle. And we don't know Commodore spends his days staring at the wall dwelling on Babcock.

 

[Coaches Coroner]

Mike Commodore strikes me as a troubled person. No reasonable adult would do what he continues to do on social media regarding Babcock. Heck, a 15 year old wouldn't keep doing this.

I find the older set are very hung up on social media posting. It makes me think they believe it is significantly more effort than it is. You could tweet about something 1 time per month, and people would really think you are obsessed with it 24/7.

 

[Suntouchable13]

I dont think the nudes thing matters. Its an uncomfortable ask from a position of power. Thats coercion and frankly its abusive in my opiniom.

I agree about that, but I don’t know if we should accuse him of trying to creep for nudes on the players phones.

 

[brentashton]

I don't think Commodore is particularly bright or insightful, but every time he crawls out of the wood work to slag Babcock, people are like, "just let it go." When you think for a moment on what he perceives to have happened, which in his mind has gone unresolved, I think I would probably never forgive the guy. Teemu Selanne said the same thing about Randy Caryle. And we don't know Commodore spends his days staring at the wall dwelling on Babcock.

Well, we can at least agree on one thing.

 

[LiveLongandProspal]

I wonder if Gallant will go back

 

[Royale With Cheese]

I find the older set are very hung up on social media posting. It makes me think they believe it is significantly more effort than it is. You could tweet about something 1 time per month, and people would really think you are obsessed with it 24/7.

It doesn't have anything to do with effort or even social media specifically. I just find it very odd that a grown man will not let this go and continues to have pent up rage about one person. The dude hasn't played in the NHL since 2013. At this point, his anger is borderline delusional.

 

[TMLeafer]

What a gong show. The thing is, it very well could have been a productive get-to-know-you opportunity, if he approached correctly (hey I'd love to see your boat). But leave it to Babcock to make a meal of it. He probably framed it as a way to find his "gud pros" and "good men" on the team. It's not the worst thing to ever happen, and I think some coaches survive this, but this guy doesn't get the benefit of the doubt. I'm imagining he probably had the resignation conversation referring to himself in third person.

 

[Ianturnedbull]

Where is it specifically said that Babcock scrolled the phones? I got it as he asked players to show photos of family/wife/gf. I assume players holds up a chosen photo. But it is weird anyhow.

If only this was as innocent as showing 4x6 pics of your kids, etc. Babs did something far more invasive/strange/controlling. Why would he resign if it were nothing but a "chosen photo"?

What a gong show. The thing is, it very well could have been a productive get-to-know-you opportunity, if he approached correctly (hey I'd love to see your boat). But leave it to Babcock to make a meal of it. He probably framed it as a way to find his "gud pros" and "good men" on the team. It's not the worst thing to ever happen, and I think some coaches survive this, but this guy doesn't get the benefit of the doubt. I'm imagining he probably had the resignation conversation referring to himself in third person.

lol.

 

[Kranix]

Where is it specifically said that Babcock scrolled the phones? I got it as he asked players to show photos of family/wife/gf. I assume players holds up a chosen photo. But it is weird anyhow.

It's been reported by all the insiders, the local newspaper and the national newspaper. He held a player's phone longer than normal and looked through it in another room. Seravalli is going as far as saying he bullied and intimidated multiple younger columbus players - I always suspect Seravalli of embellishment, and don't know where he's getting that, but he just published it.

 

[MacMacandBarbie]

Being a professional is absolutely a career, but a job and it’s comparable to anyone that reaches the apex of their profession. Business is a game when played at a high enough level, so is Law.

It’s not at all. It’s more comparable to influencers and social media stars. People trying to compare it to a job in the accounting department or at a law firm are way off base here.

 

[Beau Knows]

It’s not at all. It’s more comparable to influencers and social media stars. People trying to compare it to a job in the accounting department or at a law firm are way off base here.

Doesn't that make going through their phones even more of a minefield? These guys a public figures, the contents of their phones could be spread all over the internet if in the wrong hands.

 

[TheMoreYouKnow]

It doesn't have anything to do with effort or even social media specifically. I just find it very odd that a grown man will not let this go and continues to have pent up rage about one person. The dude hasn't played in the NHL since 2013. At this point, his anger is borderline delusional.

For some people someone like Babcock will be the worst person they ever encountered. It can be very difficult to deal with someone professionally, and to realize that person has absolutely no interest in your happiness or well-being. All that matters for them is that you 'function' Now, people put up with a lot of if there's a reward on the other side, but for Commodore that reward wasn't there. He was washed up, the Wings' run was over.

The ruthlessness of coaches like Babcock was once commonplace in pro sports, but it always accepted 'collateral damage' in the form of guys who basically couldn't take it. There's a lot of money on the line, and the ends have always justified the means. The question sports - and the arts - have been grappling with the last decade or so is whether normal societal standards about workplace conduct and relations should apply in a setting where (1) the protagonists are all richly rewarded and (2) there's an unusual degree of pressure to succeed that requires extraordinary efforts on everyone's part.

 

[cbcwpg]

"Our players deserve to be treated with respect in the workplace,” NHLPA executive director Marty Walsh said, via NHL. “Unfortunately, that was not the case in Columbus. The club’s decision to move forward with a new head coach is the appropriate course of action.”

 

[Rebels57]

This whole story is impossibly funny. Only in the NHL. What a weird league.

 

[Kranix]

It’s not at all. It’s more comparable to influencers and social media stars. People trying to compare it to a job in the accounting department or at a law firm are way off base here.

An NHL team is a corporation, and the players sign employment contracts. They're unionized and collect paychecks for doing things for the corporation. Do you understand? You're seeing the perks and attention and think pro sports isn't an industry?

 

[HFpapi]

I don’t like Babcock at all especially after his stint in Toronto.

But his resignation could mean anything. It could mean that he just doesn’t want to have everything he does under a microscope or scrutinized. And decided coaching in the NHL isn’t worth the headache/stress.

It could mean Columbus doesn’t want to deal with him anymore and gave him that option as opposed to firing him.

It could mean the NHLPA found something. It doesn’t really tell us anything about the situation. It doesn’t necessarily mean he did anything wrong.

Well known POS with a recorded history of abusing his players is being investigated for, once again, being a POS and abusing his players. Reports indicate the investigation isn't looking good for Babcock and he "resigns."

"This could mean anything!"

Why avoid the most obvious explanation to give plausible deniably to a man who has done nothing to deserve the benefit of the doubt?

 

[MacMacandBarbie]

Have you ever heard of the NHLPA and collective bargaining?

I have. Have you heard of ‘right to work’ laws? It’s what the majority of us fall under when we talk about a job, and a union job, especially that is governed under a CBA, can’t be compared to 90%+ of the jobs.

 

[robertmac43]

How is CBJ's management still there? Jarmo failed epically on this hire.

 

[Tripledeke333]

Because of the firing, I believe the situation was more “I demand everyone let me go through your phone, or you will have less ice time” and less “please everyone submit one photo that represents who you are so we all can bond”.