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Maybe the Islanders Do Have it Right |
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Next to beating a dead horse, one of the hockey media’s favorite pastimes is “applying the easy knock.” Otherwise known as kicking a man -- or a team, or both -- when they are down. The “easy knock” also, is disguised by these puerile hockey journalists, goes under the heading of legitimate criticism.
Exhibit A happens to be none other than the New York Islanders, their owner Charles Wang and their latest general manager Garth Snow. To say that Wang, his Islanders and Snow have been getting killed by the press would be the understatement of the half-century. And why not? The Isles franchise has suffered many a traumatic blow since John Pickett sold the team way back when. There was the John Spano farce followed by the Milstein brothers’ circus until the club finally was rescued by Charles Wang.
Not only has Wang rescued the franchise, but he has sunk endless millions into improving the product, whether the standings show it or not. When an owner does what he did, he has an unalienable right to do with his franchise what he pleases. As it happens, it pleases one to be a hands-on owner, ala George Steinbrenner. And gorgeous George just happens to be the most successful as in money-making • in all of sports.
What annoys many NHL people •and the media critics • is that Wang is doing things HIS way, not the traditional hockey modus operandi. Maybe his functioning by committee won’t work in the end but it certainly is an interesting approach.
That very approach worked for Dwight D. Eisenhower when he made out plans for D-Day, June 6th,1944. In this case Wang is the Supreme Commander while Garth Snow, Ted Nolan and Ken Morrow are the four-star generals.
Wang claims that he laid out this plan for Neil Smith and the latter approved it enough to take the GM job. Whatever happened between them is irrelevant and academic: Wang put out the spark rather than waiting for the bong to burn down.
Which brings us to former goalie Snow, the butt of many hockey columnists. How easy it was for them to ridicule his appointment as general manager. After all, the New Englander never general managed before in his life.
Then again neither did Serge Savard who leap-frogged from the Canadiens defense right to a GM’s desk and won a couple of cups in the process. Maybe Snow will trip on his galoshes and be a failure, but I have a feeling that the big guy is going to surprise all the media jackals who’ve been feeding on his carcass, Wang’s and the body of the franchise in general.
The again isn’t that the definition of an “easy knocker.” You guys may want to keep on kicking him and have your perverse fun. Me? I’ll go with Snow!
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