AJC > Sports Thrashers > Blog > Archives > 2008 > April > 06
Sunday, April 6, 2008
‘07-‘08 Post Mortem Pt. 3 of 3
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Again we find Rawhide in the morgue…he has retrieved the remains of “’07-’08 Corpus Thrashers” from the cooler and begins the final discussion of its demise.
Finally, we come to the root cause of what went wrong with this past season. Previously we explored some symptoms…but today, we deal with the source.
It stems forth from the office of the general manager.
Now, I first have to point out that Waddell is, for as much as I can tell, a very nice, personable guy. Most people who I talk to who know Don… like him. The two times I’ve met him he has been very cordial to me. So this isn’t a personal thing. But the fact of the matter is that with positions of responsibility comes accountability. Ask Bob Hartley.
But when you dig around in this cold body that was this past Thrashers season, you will find that everything leads back to one place, the GM’s office.
Who was responsible for the players that were put on the ice? Waddell.
Who did not adequately address the blueline and #1 center positions last summer? Waddell.
Who put the “smaller”, “faster” product on the ice? Waddell.
Who decide to fire Bob Hartley six games in? Waddell.
Who talked ownership into allowing him to stay behind the bench instead of hiring a new head coach, (as Bruce Levinson has confirmed)? Waddell.
Who was not able to convince Marian Hossa that the organ-I-zation was committed to winning and making strides in that direction? Waddell.
Who is it that cannot seem to attract big-name defensive players to Atlanta? Waddell.
Who has been the one constant in the 10-year history of a franchise who has seen it’s team outscored by opponents seven out of nine seasons, with one playoff appearance and yet to win it’s first playoff game? Yes, Don Waddell.
You get the picture.
This is not even to say that everything Don Waddell has done has been bad. I thought he handled the Danny Heatley as well as could be expected given the situation and the moves he made prior to last year’s trade deadline helped propel Atlanta to the post-season, (although we seemed to have paid that piper this season).
Last February, I had voiced concern regarding the deal that sent Marian Hossa and Pascal Dupuis to Pittsburgh in return for two forwards, a center in the juniors and a draft pick. Now, looking at it without the fog of playoff possibilities, I think we did pretty well, (and Waddell does deserve credit in that aspect). But what I questioned at the time was why, when we possessed the player held in highest regard for trading, why did the GM not move to get help where it was desperately needed in return? How could Don Waddell tell us that this team was still poised for a run at post-season with the defensive corps we had assembled? Made no sense at the time.
But what caused me to scratch my head more than that was all the comments implying that trading for a…say, Brian Campbell…was a bad idea because he would only be a rental player and we would see him walk this summer, thus we would lose Hossa for nothing.
I thought to myself…”What the…”?
However, in retrospect, that very thought process was dead on the money. I mean, if you are Brian Campbell, or any other top UFA defender, and you’re looking at $7-8 million in Atlanta or the same amount in, I dunno, Montreal or San Jose or New York or Calgary….where you gonna go?
And if indeed the answer is not Atlanta…then isn’t that the most damning piece of evidence regarding what the problem is and where it emanates?
Certainly the problem isn’t the city. Atlanta is one of the premier markets and one of the greatest places to live. The issue isn’t the location…it’s the organ-I-zation.
And who has been in the one person in position to shape the perceived status of said organ-I-zation since its inception?
That’s right…Don Waddell.
Now, unlike the second part of this post mortem, I think most people share my observations the Don Waddel should be dismissed as GM. But the one group of people who can make the change that so many feel are necessary are those in the Atlanta Spirit Group. And if you take Bruce Levenson’s word for it…that change will not be forthcoming.
This is a scary proposition. For if he does give Waddell another season, what gives anyone the faith that anything will be different? Because the next time he places the primary focus on defense as the foundation from which to build a winning franchise…it will be the first time!
This team faces the prospect of “rebuilding” for the future. Every franchise does that, is the nature of the business. However in most instances the rebuilding comes after a prolonged run of success. The Thrasher will enter it’s second decade of existence needing to “rebuild”…and the run of success it can point to is… being swept in the first round of last year’s playoffs after barely missing post-season the year before.
And that’s about it.
If Waddell is indeed given the job of rebuilding this team…I fear we will not see a re-birth of the franchise. Rather it will be more like something Dr. Frankenstein would construct…digging up these remains, injecting new, artificial life into it…and we will be here again at the end of another season similar to this and rehashing the same findings in yet another post mortem autopsy.
I hope I’m wrong. Yes, I do hope that my fear of no changes being made in the general manager position is proven incorrect. Moreover, if indeed Don Waddell’s services are retained for another season in that capacity, I hope we are proven wrong and he brings in, finally, a couple of bluliners that will make a major impact for us and I hope he addresses, finally, the #1 center position.
But alas…
zipping up the corps of the ’07-’08 Thrashers season…
We are looking at the remains of his work.
gravediggers come and take the body away for burial
Put this one in the farthest corner of the cemetery. Make sure the hole is deep…10 feet, no…10 miles deep! If you strike bedrock or oil…keep digging. I don’t want this ever coming back to haunt us again.
