Does saying No, ever enter the player mind? 

As in, "Lemme see your phone. Ummm, No. Next question?" 

Instead we get Ima calling Biz!!

A leopard doesn't change his spots......

Well that didnt take long.

If it is true or not, the guy is a total fruit loop. I said this a hundred times on here, I did not like Badcock in Anaheim I did not like him on the Wings (grateful he helped bring us a cup) and I will not like him anywhere. 

via Kristen Shilton of ESPN,

This isn't the first time Babcock's conduct with players has come under scrutiny.

As coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs from 2015 to '19, Babcock requested in a private meeting with Mitch Marner that the forward rank his teammates' work ethic, and then revealed the rankings back to the team. Another former player Johan Franzen, accused Babcock of being verbally abusive over the decade he played with the Detroit Red Wings.

Babcock's past didn't deter Columbus from hiring him on July 1 to replace the previously fired Brad Larsen. In an interview with ESPN on Tuesday, Blue Jackets star forward Johnny Gaudreau said his experience with Babcock has only been positive and felt the allegations levied against him were "shocking."

"Personally, I had a great meeting with him," Gaudreau said. "We got to share things together, pictures of our family. I was a little upset to see the way it was handled and how it came out ... but nothing you can do about it. We got off to a great start, had a great meeting with him and looking forward to working together."

Bissonnette, at least, is standing behind what he reported on Tuesday's podcast.

"Tell Babs to knock off the bulls---," Bissonnette posted to X, formerly known as Twitter, in response to Babcock's statement. "Enough with putting guys on the spot in the coaches room asking them to link their phones up to airplay mode and grilling them. I've had tons of players confirm it."

via Aaron Portzline of The Athletic ($),

(Bissonnettes version) couldnt be anything further from the truth, Babcock told The Athletic. They sit in my office, their phone in their hand, and they scroll through.

Asked directly if they shared only the pictures they chose to share, Babcock replied, 100 percent.

I met with Boone first because hes the captain, Babcock said. He showed me things about his home, his farm He was about to get married, so (pictures of) his fiancee, too. It was a great conversation we had, a real good meeting. To think it was any other way is a huge mistake.

This is me trying to get to know them and them getting know me. When I met with the Blue Jackets (to interview for the job), I introduced my family the same way. I think its important for them to get to know me. Im not checking up on anybody. The season hasnt even started.

Jenner issued a statement through the club that read: While meeting with Babs, he asked me about my family and where Im from, my upcoming wedding and hockey-related stuff. He then asked if I had pictures of my family and I was happy to share some with him. He showed me pictures of his family.

I thought it was a great first meeting and good way for us to start to build a relationship. To have this blown out of proportion is truly disappointing.

Jenner, in a brief conversation with The Athletic, said it was up to him to decide which pictures to share.

Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen declined to make a statement, but said he also was asked to share family pictures with Babcock as part of an early meeting.

Ive been doing this practice for a number of years, Babcock told The Athletic. As youre trying to get to know the players, theyre trying to get to know you. Youre sharing stuff about you. Theyre sharing stuff about their families, whats important to them, where they come from

We had a program like this in Detroit and Toronto. It was a really positive thing. I think its really important to get to know the guys and for them to get to know you. What was portrayed on a podcast today was just so far from the truth it isnt funny. Its actually offensive.

from Luke Fox of Sportsnet,

Gaudreau, a 10-year veteran and leader on the team, said "not a single person" on the team approached him to express discomfort with Babcock's photo access requests. He believes if a teammate does take issue with Babcock's approach, they will feel at ease going to Gaudreau, Jenner or Zach Werenski.

"It was his way of kinda getting to know me, and I got to get to know him," Gaudreau said. "I wasn't uncomfortable at all. I was showing him pictures of my family. If I had (a) problem with it, I would've been like, 'I don't think I'm comfortable with that.' But I had no problem with it."

Gaudreau, 30, explained that Babcock initiated the exchange by saying, "I want to get to know you. Show me some pictures of your family, what you like to in the summer, things you did this summer. So, I pulled up pictures."

Gaudreau says he was happy to share photos of his 10-month-old daughter, Noa; his mother and father; his brother; his beloved and recently deceased grandmother; and his dog.

more

Bissonette looks like he's got a personal thing going here. He's a dbag so no matter what, it's tough to take him seriously. 

If bj players are coming out publicly, with their names associated to this, and saying there's no problem... Well, I think that's the answer. 

If the end result in this is Bissonette is no longer on the tnt broadcast, that'd be a win. 

Sounds like a mostly-made-up tempest in a teapot. It used to be common practice to show ppl pics of your family, even business associates. Now ppl use their phones instead of their wallet foldout.

A nothing burger.

biz is standing by the story, but the text he posted doesnt even look like its from a current player.

and commodore, whose only claim to fame is that Babcock treated him poorly, is also trying to back the story.

Watch the video at Sportsnet,

Elliotte Friedman joins Sportsnet Central to discuss the recent locker room allegations towards Mike Babcock aired out on the Spittin Chiclets podcast and how it's hard to dismiss the problem with the veteran coaches history of issues.

Much ado about nothing. Someone just looking for a little attention. Deserved or not, this is what will follow Babcock given his history and the desire of the "press" to manufacture a story.