12/03/2019 at 12:40pm EST
Yeah. I've been watching. And it's been tough. I'm not talking about the losing. We expected that and I have like 5000 percent confidence in the Rightful GM and what he will do for us and our famililes.
No. I'm not talking about the losing. I'm talking about our Uncle Mike and some revelations that aren't really all that revelatory. None of us are incredibly surprised that Babcock is, was and probably always been an a-hole of the highest order.
If memory serves, it's why we dug him for as long as we did...or at least one of the reasons.
Frankly, reading about Mike Babcock and the way his players in Toronto reacted to him made me look deeply at my own leadership style. Babcock's (my) style in 2002 doesn't translate to 2019. This generation of player (Sailor) is different. They were raised differently. Society (the Navy) is a little more accepting of young people who ask "why?". I've recognized that and slowly (some would say much too slowly) changed my approach. I'm not sure Uncle Mike did.
So, I read the reports from Toronto. I read the quotes from Franzen and Chelios today. If the reports are accurate, his treatment of the Mule was just not acceptable...by any generation.
It's very easy to believe the players we followed so closely did not harbor much affection for my Uncle Mike. I believe Franzen. I believe Chelios. I believe the Toronto kids and I even believe Mike Commodore.
I also believe that Andy Strickland was, and is, a garbage reporter with a vendetta against the Wings. Then, now, always.
I too was verbally attacked and intentionally intimidated by Mike Babcock outside the Red Wings dressing room back in 2007. Former Detroit video coach Jay Woodcroft brought him to me. Had me up against a wall while screaming and pointing in my face b/c of a story I had written
That's Strickland today, via Twitter and re-reported by Detroit Sports Nation.
It got me to remembering. I googled myself back to 2007 and found an A2Y entry that explains why Babcock may have wanted to kick Strickland's ass, and it even comes complete with a full defense from the Diggers via email and their published reports.
Do I believe the Wings and the Leafs and any other players who dealt with Babcock? I do. Do I believe Andy Strickland has inserted himself into this in true 2019 fashion, literally aligning himself with guys who were actually victimized/treated poorly, unjustly due to his childish dislike of the Wings and Babcock, personally? Absofrigginglutely. The guy was a tool in 2007 and remains a tool today. Believe the players. Do not believe a word Andy Strickland writes. Garbage then. Garbage now.
Here's the A2Y post from '07.
Oh, and?
Faith in Yzerman: get it. Keep it.
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