mankie
Joined: Unknown
Posts: 0
Long overdue....
December 10, 2003 at 06:08 PM UTC
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Capitals Fire Coach Bruce Cassidy
By JOSEPH WHITE
AP Sports Writer
Coach Bruce Cassidy was fired Wednesday by the Washington Capitals, who are mired at the bottom of the NHL standings despite one of the league's highest payrolls.
Assistant coach Glen Hanlon will replace Cassidy. Hanlon joined the staff last season after spending three seasons as coach of the Portland Pirates, Washington's AHL affiliate.
The Capitals are 8-18-1-1 with 18 standings points, tied with Pittsburgh for fewest in the league.
Washington has struggled with an inexperienced defense and also has had trouble scoring despite a lineup that includes Jaromir Jagr, Peter Bondra and Robert Lang.
Cassidy replaced Ron Wilson in June 2002 in a hiring that was seen as a gamble by general manager George McPhee. Cassidy had no NHL coaching experience, and the best line on his resume was that he was an AHL coach of the year with the Grand Rapids Griffins.
Cassidy arrived to find that his in-your-face style did not always mesh with the NHL's highly paid players. The Capitals made the playoffs last season but were eliminated in the first round by Tampa Bay.
This season, Cassidy has clashed with players, but he also had to deal with a severe talent drain. The money-losing Capitals, looking to trim payroll, no longer have defensemen Calle Johansson (retired) and Ken Klee (departed via free agency). Captain Steve Konowalchuk was traded to Colorado early in the season.
sonickteam2
Joined: Unknown
Posts: 0
Re: Long overdue....
December 10, 2003 at 06:12 PM UTC
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well they won 5 games this year!!! what more do they want.
cant wait to see the Bruins / caps game on thursday, we have tickets on the glass right on the Bruins goalline. hot shit.
ggw
Joined: December 16, 2001 at 06:01 AM UTC
Posts: 14237
Re: Long overdue....
December 10, 2003 at 06:13 PM UTC
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Of all the cities with professional hockey, basketball and football teams, Washington DC has the worst collective record this year.
brennser
Joined: October 21, 2002 at 05:01 AM UTC
Posts: 3760
Re: Long overdue....
December 10, 2003 at 06:14 PM UTC
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espn.com headline was funny…."hop along, cassidy"
ratioci nation
Joined: November 22, 2002 at 06:01 AM UTC
Posts: 4463
Re: Long overdue....
December 10, 2003 at 06:18 PM UTC
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I am glad that on the day that my favorite college basketball team appears to be facing huge penalties, 2 pro coaches got fired to take away some of the spotlight. :D
Oh… and the Blues won again.
ggw
Joined: December 16, 2001 at 06:01 AM UTC
Posts: 14237
Re: Long overdue....
December 10, 2003 at 06:30 PM UTC
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Originally posted by sonickteam2:
Originally posted by ggwâ?¢:
Of all the cities with professional hockey, basketball and football teams, Washington DC has the worst collective record this year.
but DC has the most influential rich old white men in America. doesnt that count for something?
huh?
vansmack
Joined: October 04, 2001 at 05:01 AM UTC
Posts: 19725
Re: Long overdue....
December 10, 2003 at 06:34 PM UTC
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Originally posted by ggwâ?¢:
Of all the cities with professional hockey, basketball and football teams, Washington DC has the worst collective record this year.
I thought it was Chicago, then Washington.
Bears: 5-8 (skins 5-8)
Blackhawks: 6-14-5 (Caps 8-18-1)
Bulls: 5-15 (Wiz 7-13)
Chicago: 16-37-5
Washington: 20-39-1
Just edging out the powerhouse trios of…
Hawks, falcons, and Thrashers
and
Coyotes, Suns and Cardinals
You folks should be so proud.
sonickteam2
Joined: Unknown
Posts: 0
Re: Long overdue....
December 10, 2003 at 06:40 PM UTC
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the thrashers are doing quite well this year, and although they are in the piss division of the NHL, at least they are leading it :)
vansmack
Joined: October 04, 2001 at 05:01 AM UTC
Posts: 19725
Re: Long overdue....
December 10, 2003 at 06:51 PM UTC
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Originally posted by sonickteam2:
the thrashers are doing quite well this year, and although they are in the piss division of the NHL, at least they are leading it :)
Only 2 wins over teams with a better than .500 record is indicative of how good the Thrashers team is and both were at home and one is an OT win. I don't feel like doing the research, but I'm guessing at least one of those wins was on the back end of back-to-back games for the visitor.
The Thrashers leading the division is indicative of how bad the Caps are.
ggw
Joined: December 16, 2001 at 06:01 AM UTC
Posts: 14237
Re: Long overdue....
December 10, 2003 at 06:55 PM UTC
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Originally posted by vansmack:
I thought it was Chicago, then Washington.
Well when I heard it last week it was probably true.
At least nobody has surpassed us in rich old influential white men :roll:
Rhett Miller
Joined: November 15, 2001 at 06:01 AM UTC
Posts: 17762
Re: Long overdue....
December 10, 2003 at 07:03 PM UTC
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So which free agents are the Orioles going to snag?
vansmack
Joined: October 04, 2001 at 05:01 AM UTC
Posts: 19725
Re: Long overdue....
December 10, 2003 at 07:27 PM UTC
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Originally posted by Rhett Miller:
So which free agents are the Orioles going to snag?
Nodoby if they insist on waiting until the winter meetings start. Them and the Dodgers - unbelievable how poorly run they've become.
Rhett Miller
Joined: November 15, 2001 at 06:01 AM UTC
Posts: 17762
Re: Long overdue....
December 10, 2003 at 07:32 PM UTC
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Yes, I agree. They need to stop sitting around grinning and start making offers. If the Sheffield thing falls apart with the Yankees, the Yanks will snatch up Vlad. Or the Marlins will beat the O's out.
Originally posted by vansmack:
Originally posted by Rhett Miller:
So which free agents are the Orioles going to snag?
Nodoby if they insist on waiting until the winter meetings start. Them and the Dodgers - unbelievable how poorly run they've become.