AJC > Sports Thrashers > Blog > Archives > 2008 > May > 12
Monday, May 12, 2008
Waddell Movin’ On Up?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The storyline surrounding the Thrashers is starting to look more like a daytime soap opera these days. Call it, The Bold and the Blueland.
See, a few days ago we read about Atlanta Spirit co-owner Michael Gearon, Jr. discussing how ownership was considering changing Don Waddell’s role with the Thrashers. Speculation was that Waddell was moving on up the ASG ladder and possibly a new GM would be on the way.
That news was then followed up Friday with this piece by Scott Burnside in which an unnamed source close to the team indicated that Waddell was being asked to give up his GM duties to take another management position. If he refused, the story goes on, then he would be relieved of his duties and shown the door.
“Just look at the facts, the record”, the unidentified source said, “What choice do you have”?
Indeed.
This is a win-win scenario, eh? A new coach AND a new general manager for the Thrashers? Oh happy day! On top of that…Waddell remains with the franchise in a capacity to help them run a profitable business, (something he has done well during his tenure), and ownership doesn’t have to dirty their hands firing the only GM the Thrashers have ever known.
Then comes Saturday…Craig Custance reports in, (while dipping his toes pool-side and sipping on drinks with little umbrellas in them), and lets us know Gearon called him to say that the whole thing about D-Dub being asked to promote himself up and out of the GM office is “completely false”.
However, what has not changed is the fact that ownership is looking to expand Waddell’s role into a different position with the ASG. Gearon pointed out that Waddell may fill the position of team President that became open last January. Also, any additions will be made for support reasons, not to replace Waddell.
Uh…WHAT?
I thought that Bruce “right direction” Levenson conceded the fact that it was a mistake to split Don’s time between the bench and GM role. Now Gearon is saying that he could split his time between being GM and President?
I think if there is one thing we can all agree upon…it’s that Don-splitting is un-good!
So, in the span of about four days, we go from reading that Don Waddell may be promoted to a higher office in the organ-I-zation, to hearing that Don is going to be “asked” to vacate the GM role and promote himself up or get canned, to hearing that the previous is not so…but DW will stay on as GM but will take on additional roles with the team…even though not too long ago ownership was admitting that splitting Don’s time between the GM office and elsewhere was a bad thing.
Personally, I think Gearon’s latest comments are just an attempt to shut down the chatter while certain logistics are worked out for the transition. And Waddell’s recent relocation to former ASG president Bernie Mullin’s office furthers the thinking that something is indeed up.
However, there is one person who has the ability to put an end to this speculation…Don Waddell himself. He should take charge of this situation and announce that he’s voluntarily stepping away from being GM and concentrate on being Executive VP, or whatever he and the ASG feel would be appropriate. End the speculations and questions and begin the process of moving this team forward.
One of the main points his detractors make of his tenure as GM has been poor drafting, misguided trades and the failure to attract big-name free agent signings, especially on defense. His supporters will point to the organ-I-zation’s ability to run a profitable business, thanks in part to Waddell himself. Making this decision would, in theory, allow him to concentrate on what is good for the bottom line while making way for someone new to deal with the on-ice product.
Is there something fishy about “promoting” someone after 10 years with the track record of “success” that comes with Don Waddell? Uh, yeah…sure there is. A logical question to ask here would be, “Why place Don in a position where he, in effect, has any kind of authority over the person who replaced him”? Yes, I hear ya. But let’s face the facts here. The ASG wants to save face after giving their support to DW and defending him. It is very apparent that if they haven’t released him already, especially after last season, they have no plans on doing so in the foreseeable future.
To me, this should not only happen, but should happen soon. That way that the team can place a new GM as well as the new coach in time to coordinate their activities in time for the upcoming draft and the opening of free-agency season on July 1.
Certainly it should be done before Waddell learns that Jason Blake may want out of Toronto and he goes and trades someone like Little or Stuart and a first round draft pick for the 35-year old forward set to make $4.5 million next season with 4 years left on his contract. (OK, I’m half-way joking…but there IS history to go on with things like that).
There are quality candidates available to fill the void in the front office. But if Gearon, Levenson and the rest of the ASG drag their feet, then guys like, say…David Nonis, are going to wind up in a place like Toronto. Certainly there are other qualified types out there, but you get the picture.
The candidate for coach which most people feel is most likely to be the choice for Atlanta, John Anderson, could be only days away from being officially available as the Wolves find themselves in a tough playoff series with the Rockford IceHogs. So, things could start moving quickly in that regard.
The time is right for the change…and Don Waddell should do the right thing…right now.
