Was it Wise for the Canucks to Fire Dave Nonis?

Posted by Karl
Filed in Sports
April 14, 2008

One of the benefits of listening to sports talk radio is that you hear about breaking news shortly after it breaks.

Although what I heard today shocked me and compares with the Roberto Luongo trade, it wasn't as uplifting -- Vancouver Canucks GM Dave Nonis was fired.

Hearing calls for Nonis' head is nothing new; the same degenerates who call in with "Fire Dave Nonis" takes think that Luongo's wife doesn't like it here and that we should trade old Louie.

Makes perfect sense, why would a woman endure a difficult pregnancy amongst her family in Florida when she can be by her lonesome in Vancouver? But I digress.

The Vancouver Canucks didn't really give reasons besides the standard, "It's not acceptable to our fans or to us as owners that our team isn't in the playoffs, yadda, yadda, yadda."

Yes, Nonis was not owner Francesco Aquilini's man and he (with hindsight being 20/20) hamstrung the team with long-term deals to Naslund and Morrison but the thinking was he was going to make a splash this offseason.

The firing also raises more questions:

- Nonis was very close to signing Swedish prospect Fabian Brunnstrom, what now?

- Who will be his replacement? Pat Quinn, Steve Tambellini, Hockey Canada's Bob Nicholson or even Brian Burke? It's the playoffs and the pickings are slim.

- What does this say about Francesco Aquilini? I was always under the impression that he was a hands off owner, but is he? I don't subscribe to the Jerry Jones, George Steinbrenner School of sports ownership.

- Are we going through another rebuilding process again?

A poll on sports talk radio station TEAM 1040, as of about 9 pm PST, shows that 62 percent of people are against the firing.

The worst part about it, the degenerate fans who were calling for Nonis' head, and will also call for his replacement's head as well during the team's next slump, got what they wanted.

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"Hearing calls for Nonis' head is nothing new; the same degenerates who call in with "Fire Dave Nonis" takes think that Luongo's wife doesn't like it here and that we should trade old Louie."

The idea of Nonis' head on the chopping block was nothing new, and I strongly disagree with the concept that those who already speculated about the GM's future were also calling out Lou. Wondering about Coach V's future is more plausible.

Nonis made a killer trade two years ago and was good on the books but it was really no surprise that people would be upset with his lack of action and inability to get the Canucks any fire power toward the end of the season.

"The worst part about it, the degenerate fans who were calling for Nonis' head, and will also call for his replacement's head as well during the team's next slump, got what they wanted."

I think by the end of the season fans, ("degenerates" or not) were not on a witch hunt. The season ended with a whimper not a hard-fought bang and lacked emotion on the ice and in the stands.

.... and Burke still has a year left in Anaheim so if he's a candidate, what do we do until then?

Posted by: Rebecca at April 14, 2008 10:54 PM | Quote Comment

".... and Burke still has a year left in Anaheim so if he's a candidate, what do we do until then?"

I think Anaheim ownership is quoted as saying they wouldn't stand in the way if Burke decided to go. Not 100 percent sure though.

Besides do we want to tread old ground? Why not bring back Harry Neale too? ;)

Posted by: karl at April 14, 2008 11:03 PM | Quote Comment

Harry Neale? Awesome. Hey, isn't Larscheid retired from the radio broadcasts now? hhhhmmmmmmmmm ;)

Posted by: Rebecca at April 15, 2008 5:52 PM | Quote Comment