According to the Daily Freeman's Stan Fischler, the recently-deceased Al Arbour stands as the best coach in all of sports:
Alger (Al) Arbour, who recently died at age 82, ranks — in my estimation — as the absolute, all-time top coach — or manager — in professional sports history.
And my memory goes back three-quarters of a century, alias 1939, when I saw my first hockey game.
I’m aware that there are critics out there who’ll vote for football’s Vince Lombardi — fair enough — and perhaps even lobby over Casey Stengel, honoring his championship skein with the Yankees.
The trouble with a Stengel vote was his clownish persona. Too often The “Ole Perfesser’s” double-talk act detracted from his conduct of a ball team.
But this column is not meant to stir Arbour-Lombardi-Stengel arguments but rather recall the gentleman, scholar, generalissimo and hockey impresario that embodied Al’s work as Islanders coach.
Fischler continues, but he avoids comparing Arbour to Scotty Bowman...
Create an Account
In order to leave a comment, please create an account.