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Nolan making a difference

ROY MacGREGOR

From Saturday's Globe and Mail

Latest comment posted at 3:30 PM EST 09/12/07

Islanders coach back in the NHL and his club is better for it ...Read the full article

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  1. Montgomery C. Burns from Springfield, Canada writes: What an inspirational story! It's a shame that Ted Nolan was seemingly blackballed by the NHL for 10 years. The Sabres had a great year when he won the Jack Adams and he may have brought success to other teams as well.
  2. georg heuck from Presently in Madeira, Canada writes: Hockey has had many great stories of young men struggling to make it to the 'show'. This is one of those great Canadian stories. This is a great life lesson for anyone!

    G. Heuck
  3. Rene L from somewhere, Canada writes: Its unfortunate it took a nutbar like Charles Wang to bring Ted Nolan back into the NHL where he belongs. Everyone involved with NHL management during the 10 years he was blackballed should look himself in the mirror and question themselves.
  4. Jasper the Black Lab from Vancouver, Canada writes: I was really hoping Ted Nolan would be hired as Canucks coach when they cleaned house before last season. (But this Vigneault guy is doing O.K. too)
  5. Jack Jones from Canada writes: Ah let's call a spade a spade folks. It was flat out racism that kept Ted Nolan out of the NHL. I mean look at him, he's not white and gasp he's a coach! Kind of like the African American quarterback in the NFL. Visible minorities cannot be in positions of power or leadership, players won't follow orders. I mean how else can you explain this guy winning coach of the year one year and then being without a job the next. Something just isn't right, right? Right.
  6. Kevin Desmoulin from TO, Canada writes: I am glad to see straight up comments about the whys, it is too bad they held him back in a sense they held back the NHL and our fans by not allowing this guy to coach.
    stuff like this should never happen.
  7. D M from Canada writes: No denying he's a great coach and is doing wonderful things. Too bad it's the Islanders and no the Leafs...

    But, it said he was never offered a position? Last year, in G&M it was reported that Esposito in Florida had tried to hire him but he turned it down (years ago). Said it was for family reasons, didn't want to be far away from New England/Eastern Canada. Fair enough. Is he a victim of racism? Sure, but is EVERY GM rasist? If he turned down Esposito (one offer) for Florida being too far away, then what's the GM in LA, or Anaheim, or Colorado, or Pheonix, or wherever going to do? Might be part of the reason... maybe not paint the whole league with the same wide brush.
  8. Angus McPherson from Burnaby, BC, writes: It's good to see a really good guy receiving the Karma that he so richly deserves. It is difficult to see what faults he has at this time.

    An excellent role model
    A dedicated father, husband, coach and friend
    A humble and generous teacher

    All descriptions are apt.
  9. Allan Martel from Canada writes: Certainly credit is due to Mr. Nolan. Credit is also due to whoever got rid of Alexi Yashin - you'll recall that they bought him out and sent him packing. getting rid of that negative was also a positive step for the Isles.
  10. DW Miller from Glen Head, NY, United States writes: Great article.
    And besides all the minefields Nolan has had to contend with, he coaches what is termed the #2 or 3 team in the NYC area, with what has been termed as the 1a oddball owner in the NHL. [1b owns the Knicks and Rangers]. Plus they play in the Nassau 'Mausoleum' that seems to only come to life these days when its half full of Rangers fans.
    Ted and his group try hard - he's always available for interviews, does a lot of community outreach and so on. He runs a clean team.
    His is one of the greatest comeback stories in what can truly be termed in the US as a comeback league. I hope for big things for Ted Nolan in the coming year.
    FYI the article is being linked from the New York Times new 'Slap Shot' blog covering all of hockey.

  11. George BrownIII from Christmas Island writes: Me thinks the Maple Leafs can only ever again touch the Stanly Cup with Nolan as coach. As for the NHL it should look deep into itself and admit that racism is an ingrained ingredient element of their sub culture, just like it is in Quebec and the fact that most non white players endure it from novice all the way in the NHL.
  12. R Moore from Canada writes: Great story about a great man who stuck in and made it. Buffalo blew it with him and he came back. I grew up in the Sault and went to school with natives and they are some of my fondess memories.
  13. Maxwell Maxwell from Canada writes: OK 'John Smith', tis your moment to talk the talk. I'm guessing the phone rang and you couldn't finish your story. Now's your chance! C'mon, step up and enlighten all of us who have 'no clue' as you say.

    We're obviously not in the loop and you must be an 'insider', to know what the other 29 owners and presidnets know. Tell us 'everything that went on',what Nolan 'didn't come clean about', why 'he's a fake'.

    Surely you're not into yellow journalism. Let's hear the expose. Help us clueless people understand.
  14. Jasper the Black Lab from Vancouver, Canada writes: It is quite clear what Ted Nolan did in Buffalo: he offended 'John Smith'.
  15. Proud Canadian from Canada, Canada writes: As far as I know, the problems Ted Nolan had started with that cry baby goalie they had in Buffalo, some bafoon named Dominic Hasek. Gave the Sabres the alternative. Its either him or me. They took the bafoon. And what did he do, he left the next year. Ted Nolan has forgotten more about being a person than Hasek will ever be. Granted, he is a great goalie, but a person he is not. Next best thing to describe Hasek is a skum bag. He'd put a knife in your back without putting butter on it to help it get thru. A despicable character, Detroit boys, dont turn ur back on that p r , he'll knife ya. Watch out.
  16. Open Mike from Vancouver, Canada writes: If you want to find a major sports league which has any class at all, the NHL would likely be the last stop on anyone's search route. So I'm glad that the vile small men who run the NHL didn't have the final word on Ted Nolan. I'm glad this classy guy finally got the second chance he's always deserved and been denied. Now, who else is there unfairly out in the cold right now because the brass in their sport are screwing them out of a career for the basest of reasons? Who else is waiting for their second chance? Or maybe even their first? And why aren't there sports journalists uncovering these stories, even if it means losing their seats on the team bus?
  17. Maxwell Maxwell from Canada writes: 'John Smith', why you're 100% correct!! I don't know any scouts, workers or trainers, or any other inside people. Like the owners and presidents that you previously referred to regarding Ted Nolan. But you do.

    So, at the risk of repeating myself, skip the personal attacks on Nolan, and stick to the facts please. Again, what specifically 'went on' with Nolan in Buffalo? Why is he 'a fake'? What spefically is it that 'Nolan didn't come clean about?' C'mon buddy, help a less-connected, out-of-the-loop, not from Buffalo fan understand what were the REAL FACTS about Nolan and Buffalo? Please skip the personal attacks - even we clueless people get it that you're not a Nolan fan. The facts please. We continue to wait for 'John Smith', the insider to set us straight. Thank you in advance for not side-stepping the question a second time.
  18. Lloyd Hawkeye from La Ronge, Sask., Canada writes: Nolan was blackballed after a fight that involved Muckler and Hasik. Is this racism? Probably not. It's office politics. And in office politics things get vicious, backstabbing rules, and rumours abound. It happens to people regardless of race. Think about it. If the NHL was so racist then Nolan would not have been hired to coach in Buffalo in the first place.
  19. B.C. Expat from Ottawa, NCR, Canada writes: The most racist GM in the world still would have hired Nolan if he thought it would help his team. That explanation is thrown around a bit much considering the far more plausible explanation that GMs were afraid that he would undermine them. We don't know the full details of what went on with Hasek and with Muckler, but either of those characters probably had way more to do with Nolan's dismissal and blackballing, respectively, than some league-wide racism.
  20. R. Carriere from Maritimes, Canada writes:

    Ouch!! Tough thread:

    Perhaps, and most probably, the truth of the Sabre management/ Nolan fiasco lies somewhere in the middle-and hopefully all have learned from their alleged mistakes and misrepresentations.

    The bottom line is that it appears Nolan is a better than average coach. He apears to have that unique and uncanny ability to get his players to overperform. I thought they would be toast this year....

    With the exeption of a few, several players appear they would go to war for this guy. Good luck!
    .
  21. A non-Imus from Canada writes: And yet the Mike Keenans of the world keep getting hired. Go figure.
  22. jeff johns from Cape Croker First Nation, Canada writes: I am an Ojibway from the Chippewas of Nawash First Nation near Wiarton. I am very proud of Ted Nolan and have followed his career since he was a coach with the Sault Grey Hounds. I am an educator and feel the important message for kids is to get an education. Ted Nolan went back to school and got a uninversity degree and I have always been impressed by his determination to continue in the face of adversity. I played a high level of hockey in Richmond Hill growing up and several players I played against went to the NHL but I always took education seriously because of the support of my parents. Ted Nolan is an inspiration for Aboriginal youth and as an educator of Aboriginal students I will always tell my students how Ted Nolan persevered despite all of his setbacks.
    Proud Ojibway,
    Geoff Johnston, Chippewas of Nawash

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