What in the world? Just when you thought you have seen everything something like this happens. Devils General Manager Lou Lamoriello has named not one, not two, but three men to replace Peter DeBoer as head coach of the franchise.
According to multiple reports, Lamoriello has decided to name former Washington Capitales coach Adam Oates and Devils legend, Scott Stevens as co-head-coaches. And in case you are wondering, Lamoriello will oversee this from the bench as a third head coach. Like I said, now I have seen everything.
Lamoriello believes in order to replace an embattled head coach, he's better off putting nobody in charge rather than fixing the problem with one voice. He expects Oates and Stevens to split duties, with Oates handling the forwards and Stevens the defense. I never heard of anything so ridiculous. If there is an old saying in sports if you don't have one solid player at a position you don't have any, the same applies to the head coach.
How does Lamoriello expect this to work? Both Stevens and Oates have their own egos, their own philosophies, and both will try to instill that into the team. This makes for quiet a controversy with both men trying to upstage the other.
If Lamoriello thinks that having duel head coaches would make the Devils look like the NFL's '85 Chicago Bears, he has another think coming. Sure, historians have reevaluated that team as a group with two head coaches, Mike Ditka on the offense and Buddy Ryan on defense -- but there was no question where the buck stopped: Ditka. Oh, just for reference both Ryan and Ditka hated each other.
There is no such thing as co-managers, co-head coaches, whatever in sports. It doesn't work. Teams look to one leader and one leader only to lead the franchise. Having multiple voice not only leads to dissension and division among the ranks, it leads to total confusion as well. I am stunned that both men agreed to this to begin with.
Lamoriello is making a big time mistake, he should choose one now and see what happens. If he fells Oates is most qualified now because of his coaching experience, then he should be the head coach, and the head coach alone. Otherwise its a circus.
According to multiple reports, Lamoriello has decided to name former Washington Capitales coach Adam Oates and Devils legend, Scott Stevens as co-head-coaches. And in case you are wondering, Lamoriello will oversee this from the bench as a third head coach. Like I said, now I have seen everything.
Lamoriello believes in order to replace an embattled head coach, he's better off putting nobody in charge rather than fixing the problem with one voice. He expects Oates and Stevens to split duties, with Oates handling the forwards and Stevens the defense. I never heard of anything so ridiculous. If there is an old saying in sports if you don't have one solid player at a position you don't have any, the same applies to the head coach.
How does Lamoriello expect this to work? Both Stevens and Oates have their own egos, their own philosophies, and both will try to instill that into the team. This makes for quiet a controversy with both men trying to upstage the other.
If Lamoriello thinks that having duel head coaches would make the Devils look like the NFL's '85 Chicago Bears, he has another think coming. Sure, historians have reevaluated that team as a group with two head coaches, Mike Ditka on the offense and Buddy Ryan on defense -- but there was no question where the buck stopped: Ditka. Oh, just for reference both Ryan and Ditka hated each other.
There is no such thing as co-managers, co-head coaches, whatever in sports. It doesn't work. Teams look to one leader and one leader only to lead the franchise. Having multiple voice not only leads to dissension and division among the ranks, it leads to total confusion as well. I am stunned that both men agreed to this to begin with.
Lamoriello is making a big time mistake, he should choose one now and see what happens. If he fells Oates is most qualified now because of his coaching experience, then he should be the head coach, and the head coach alone. Otherwise its a circus.
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