Nolan implies racism keeping him from return to NHL

[The_Philster]

Ted Nolan is nine years removed from his first and only head-coaching job in the National Hockey League, and he has theories why he has been kept out of the game's top loop since winning the Jack Adams Award as the coach of the year with the 1996-97 Buffalo Sabres (http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/clubhouse?team=buf).His most shocking supposition is that he has been excluded because of the color of his skin.
"I look different. I'm not one of them," said Nolan, a member of the Ojibwa Indian tribe from Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, and now coach of the Memorial Cup host Moncton Wildcats. more (http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=2455528)

Personally, I don't buy it...but there's definitely some reason with little merit he hasn't gotten back into the NHL

[Stoneludlow]

sOME MAY SAY THE "NO GOAL" GAME MAY HAVE DONE HIM IN,ALSO.

[Ebenezer]

Personally, I don't buy it...but there's definitely some reason with little merit he hasn't gotten back into the NHL


Anybody notice that John Muckler is still a GM in the NHL?? Dollars to donuts says that he is the root of the blackballing.

[gannd]

The reason why his is not back is because he went over the GM's head to get him fired. What GM in the league wants a guy like that.

He screwed himself but it is a shame he won't be back, he was a decent coach.

[chernobylwraiths]

he has also had chances to get back in and turned them down. I like Ted Nolan and feel he got an extremely raw deal here with the Sabres, but he has to look at himself as well as others for why he is not coaching.

I do think there is a blackballing issue in some places though.

[chernobylwraiths]

The reason why his is not back is because he went over the GM's head to get him fired. What GM in the league wants a guy like that.

He screwed himself but it is a shame he won't be back, he was a decent coach.

That's just crap. That kind of stuff has happened before and guys still get jobs.

[generalmills]

I believe that it comes down to the simple fact that Nolan was unable to bridge the gap between the front office and the star player(s) (Hasek). The world of pro-sports is one dominated by the star athlete. If you as a coach cannot keep these guys happy, then you cannot survive.

[The_Philster]

sOME MAY SAY THE "NO GOAL" GAME MAY HAVE DONE HIM IN,ALSO.
Lindy Ruff was the coach at the time of No Goal so I'd love to know how anyone could come to that conclusion :huh:

[Dozerdog]

Losing teams desperate for good coaches don't blackball guys who will allow them to win.



He f'ed up somewhere bad and everyone must know it.

[Dozerdog]

Does Nolan's style even fit today's NHL?

I don't recall athletic skating teams being his forte'

[Stoneludlow]

Lindy Ruff was the coach at the time of No Goal so I'd love to know how anyone could come to that conclusion :huh:

Thanks for the Sabres Education I'm just starting to get to know the NHL after not following it for quite some time.
Last time I followed the NHL the Islanders were Cup Champions (81-82). No true rooting interest until this year.
Was a bandwagon Pens fan, but they haven't done any thing great in 15 years.:sorry:

[chernobylwraiths]

Does Nolan's style even fit today's NHL?

I don't recall athletic skating teams being his forte'

I think he was more a motivational coach who got the most out of his players. Pat Lafontaine loved him and so did just about every one of his players with one exception.

I think he is screwed with the wrong guy in the old boys network. I don't see Muckler having any problem landing jobs even though he hasn't gotten results. And I see him as a guy who holds a grudge.

[RockStar36]

Maybe he isn't a coach because he whines all the time and comes to crazy conclusions like this one.

[Dr. Lecter]

And also because he is too good to be an assistant.

His accomplishments with the Sabres were pretty limited. One playoff series victory, and that came as a #2 seed beating a #7 in seven games.

Maybe he was over-rated.

[YardRat]

Just another case of playing the only trump card you've got left in your hand. If Nolan was really any good, he'd of landed another job by now.

Nice points, Doc.

[RockStar36]

I had nice points too damnit.

[YardRat]

Yeah, but yours were obvious. Lecter's are so few and far between, he deserves some praise when he actually comes up with something.

[RockStar36]

Very true. No sense in complimenting my good points when every post I have is a good point.

[Dr. Lecter]

Tsk, tsk.

Jealousy from you two is so unbecoming.

[RockStar36]

I'm jealous?

[chernobylwraiths]

I guess the longer he is away from the game, the more people will call him overrated, a whiner, or limited as a coach. But I remember the people in this area loving the guy and being pissed about the screw job he got. Sure maybe he should have bitten the bullet and taken a lesser job since, but you have to admit that he took a team of nobodys except for the goaltender and made them into something. Ruff took Nolan's team and took them to the brink of a Stanley Cup. While you may not credit Nolan with much, you must credit him with that much. It's like saying that Tony Dungy didn't have anything to do with Tampa Bay's superbowl victory and Jon Gruden deserves all the credit.

Point is, Nolan took a very bad team and had them playing for each other and like a decent team that fought (sometimes literally) for everything they got. He was honored as coach of the year and since he has barely gotten a sniff of a job in the NHL. There is something seriously wrong with that.

[Dr. Lecter]

He has had job offers in the NHL. He turned them down because his ego was oversized.

And Ruff deserves credit for taking the team to the brink of the cup. Nolan could not do so. And he did not get screwed. Look at the situation Reiger was in. You are a first time GM. The coach you are inheriting just worked to get the previous GM canned and can't along with a number of players (It was more than Hasek). What are you going to do? Take a guy blindly that is willing to stab Muckler in the back? What would he do to you?

The fact is, Nolan was not a great coach to win championships. His knowledge of the game was not conducive to winning playoff hockey. The first year Ruff was in <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Buffalo</st1:place></st1:City>, the team vastly improved in the playoffs.
<o:p> </o:p>
People are so bitter over this (not you) it is pretty sad. Anybody see the letter in the Buffalo News this past Sunday? Nolan is like Flutie. People remember the good and forget that neither was as great as some remember or was Nolan or Flutie will tell you.

[Dr. Lecter]

The Ted Nolan saga
still resonates

Congratulations to the Buffalo Sabres on a brilliant comeback and for an exciting season. Lest anyone forget, they've been this close before.

I remember how, in recognition of his doing the impossible by getting them to the playoffs, Ted Nolan won the distinction of being named NHL Coach of the Year. I also remember how much class the Sabres demonstrated in the way they chose to show him their appreciation.

There are some of us who, while hoping they don't win the Stanley Cup, recognize that even if they do, on some basic level, they'll still be losers.

Go Sabres.
Glen Tate
Buffalo



http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial/20060521/1066778.asp

[JD]

I heard Nolan was banging Hasek's wife :idunno:

[Earthquake Enyart]

Orval Tessier was NHL Coach of the Year too.

I don't see him whining and crying.

[Bill Brasky]

Jinkies... I wish I was a little darker... that way when I'm a headcase or not qualified for a job I can cause a stink and get hired. Unbelievable how everybody seems to be using this as a cop out in recent years.

I feel bad for the people in situations who are actually victims of racism... these instances of boy-crying-wolf are turning the "racism" excuse into a joke.

[chernobylwraiths]

He has had job offers in the NHL. He turned them down because his ego was oversized.

And Ruff deserves credit for taking the team to the brink of the cup. Nolan could not do so. And he did not get screwed. Look at the situation Reiger was in. You are a first time GM. The coach you are inheriting just worked to get the previous GM canned and can't along with a number of players (It was more than Hasek). What are you going to do? Take a guy blindly that is willing to stab Muckler in the back? What would he do to you?

The fact is, Nolan was not a great coach to win championships. His knowledge of the game was not conducive to winning playoff hockey. The first year Ruff was in <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Buffalo</st1:place></st1:City>, the team vastly improved in the playoffs.
<o:p> </o:p>
People are so bitter over this (not you) it is pretty sad. Anybody see the letter in the Buffalo News this past Sunday? Nolan is like Flutie. People remember the good and forget that neither was as great as some remember or was Nolan or Flutie will tell you.


This isn't the spin zone where we try to pass off opinion as fact.

[chernobylwraiths]

The Ted Nolan saga
still resonates

Congratulations to the Buffalo Sabres on a brilliant comeback and for an exciting season. Lest anyone forget, they've been this close before.

I remember how, in recognition of his doing the impossible by getting them to the playoffs, Ted Nolan won the distinction of being named NHL Coach of the Year. I also remember how much class the Sabres demonstrated in the way they chose to show him their appreciation.

There are some of us who, while hoping they don't win the Stanley Cup, recognize that even if they do, on some basic level, they'll still be losers.

Go Sabres.
Glen Tate
Buffalo



http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial/20060521/1066778.asp



I read that. He is an idiot and doesn't speak for many people.

[The_Philster]

This isn't the spin zone where we try to pass off opinion as fact.
:spit:

[Dr. Lecter]

This isn't the spin zone where we try to pass off opinion as fact.
Really?

Sure maybe he should have bitten the bullet and taken a lesser job since, but you have to admit that he took a team of nobodys except for the goaltender and made them into something. Ruff took Nolan's team and took them to the brink of a Stanley Cup. While you may not credit Nolan with much, you must credit him with that much.

[chernobylwraiths]

Really?

I don't understand. Besides Hasek, what great players did he have on that team that took them to a division championship? I don't see any opinion there.

[Dr. Lecter]

For one, Peca won the Selke that season.

Secondly, the statement about giving Nolan credit because Ruff took the team to the brink of a Cup.

Why does Nolan get that credit and not Ruff? I don't see why a coach two years removed gets credit in that situation.

[Dr. Lecter]

I read that. He is an idiot and doesn't speak for many people.

I think more people feel that way than you might think.

[chernobylwraiths]

For one, Peca won the Selke that season.

Secondly, the statement about giving Nolan credit because Ruff took the team to the brink of a Cup.

Why does Nolan get that credit and not Ruff? I don't see why a coach two years removed gets credit in that situation.

I never said Ruff doesn't deserve any credit. Hell, Ruff has stuffed it in my face this year and proved to me that he is a damned good hockey coach getting these kids to play. Ruff deserves a LOT of credit, but I don't think you can totally exclude Nolan from credit for that team, that's all. Peca cut his teeth in the Nolan years and I think Nolan might have had a big effect on him then.

[chernobylwraiths]

I think more people feel that way than you might think.

I am a huge Nolan supporter as you can see but never would I hope AGAINST a Stanley Cup. Ruff had nothing to do with Nolan leaving. I more blame Reiger for that and don't hold him in very high esteem. What's done is done and I have moved on, but it doesn't mean I have forgotten.

And anyone who doesn't want the Sabres to win because of what happend to him is either an idiot, not a Sabres fan or both.