Major news from the Blackhawks would be one of two things. Brett Hull is hired. Chris Chelios is fired. Everything else is just playing paper dolls.
Of absolutely no concern to anyone is the condition of Bob Murray’s stomach. “Turning” is, I believe, the word he used to describe it. This because he had just fired the Blackhawks’ coach, whose name will come to me by and by.
Sympathy does not rush to the executioner. And not to such a cipher as the guy sent out to announce the beheading.
Not that it isn’t impressive. It is amazing that Murray’s lips are generally in sync with his words. Bill Wirtz and Bob Pulford have done a swell job with their front sniveler.
It is such a good job that you cannot be sure where autoanimatronics end and Pulford-Wirtz begin.
Blackhawkland is so Oz-ish, I was tempted to pull down the Blackhawks banner behind the podium, certain to find some guy pulling levers.
Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain.
The point is, whether it was Murray’s stomach or his spine that was aching, learning that Craig Hartsburg had been let go was like finding out that rakes rust.
The thing could have been handled by fax, which it was, sort of. Murray was just there to look wounded and feeble. And to make hollow promises.
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“I am going to do my job,” Murray said. “If I’m fired, that’s the way it is.”
Self-incrimination is bad form in those who remain employed.
Murray’s job is, by title, general manager. In fact, his job is blame-placer. Which brings us back to Mr. Chelios, the one Blackhawk who can still rally the fan base.
My reading of Murray is that he blames this lost season on Chelios. Murray throws Chelios in with all the veteran players as not holding up their end of a bargain they never made.
But when he says “veteran players,” even when he names Tony Amonte, Eric Weinrich, Alex Zhamnov, Cam Russell as being unhelpful, he means Chelios.
“A lot of players had bad years,” Murray said, “starting with your captain.”
That would be Chelios.
Chelios did not support Hartsburg. Maybe that lack of support is what cost Hartsburg his job?
“Players do not have a say in what happens with this hockey franchise,” Murray said.
Pause.
“Some think they might.”
Pause.
“I’m not speaking of Chris Chelios.”
For somebody not speaking of you know who, he spent a lot of time speaking of you know who.
“He was distracted this season,” Murray said. “I don’t know why. Chris Chelios leads by example. On the ice. Off the ice, that’s different. He is not the first star player that finds it difficult.”
Should he be the captain?
“We’ll have to have discussions about that,” Murray said.
Murray wanted the older players to make the younger players better. It is only coincidence that the younger players were brought in by Murray and the older players were not.
“I was a veteran player and you love to have kids with their enthusiasm,” Murray said. “Maybe the money is just too important.”
Older players, Chelios most notably, are paid less than their worth, while younger players–because of the changing economy of hockey–are overpaid for their potential.
I do not know what sport, or what business, where people whose jobs are at stake are eager to help those who are trying to take them.
And for Murray to blame the Blackhawks failures on the older players not warming up to the young means he must be from a different world than the real one.
“Cheli doesn’t get along with any coach,” Murray said, “until they are gone. Then he likes ’em.”
So, Hartsburg, at least, has made a new friend.
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