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JB* · 11-07-2005, 06:19 PM

I know this is a bit old, but was never discussed. It's this CRAP that continues to keep the Hawks from being a top notch organization. After all the positive moves it looked like they were doing this offseason... this :censure: again...

Hawks sluggish start leads to tension

Quote:

As much as this Blackhawks season was supposed to be different, everything looks very familiar.

A 3-6 start is bad enough for a team that hopes to challenge for the division title. But less than a month into the season, rumblings of discontent are running within Hawks management.

A published report alleged that Bob Pulford, the team's senior vice president, tried to undermine coach Trent Yawney's authority while Yawney was away last week tending to family business after the death of his father-in-law.

The report also said Pulford had general manager Dale Tallon address the team, openly questioned players' roles and had Tallon try to get Yawney back from Saskatchewan to coach the team Sunday against Minnesota.

"It's a typical story," Pulford said Wednesday.

Pulford said Tallon did address the team in Yawney's absence, but not at Pulford's direction. He also said Tallon did talk to Yawney while the coach was away, but not to direct him to return to Chicago earlier.

Yawney confirmed that he had talked with Tallon about the team while he was gone and that Tallon had inquired about the number of flights to Chicago. Yawney said he told Tallon he was four hours from the airport and would be unable to get back any sooner than after Sunday's game.

"I want to put this whole thing to bed," Yawney said.

Yawney said he had given no thought to having his authority undermined. He did acknowledge not always seeing eye to eye with Pulford but said he was going to coach the Hawks the way he felt was best and that Tallon had assured him it was his team to coach.

"If Pully doesn't like what I'm doing, my door is open," Yawney said.

Perhaps more than any team executive in town, Pulford has been the magnet for the failures of the Hawks since joining the franchise in 1977. He said being blamed for everything that has gone wrong is "annoying, but I can live with it."

He said he hasn't been an active GM since Bob Murray took over in 1997, with the exception of the interim between Mike Smith's departure in late 2003 and Tallon's promotion this year. Yet many consider Pulford the stealth GM whose imprint is on every decision. Pulford denies that he interferes.

"I don't meddle," he said. "I try to work with the people involved."

Pulford said he makes suggestions, people are free to accept or reject them and he never has told anyone to do it his way. He believes he has the right, as second in command to team President Bill Wirtz, to make those suggestions.

"I'm in charge of the hockey," Pulford said. "Dale reports to me."

Pulford said he thought Tallon and Yawney have done "super" jobs so far.

Like everyone associated with the organization, Pulford is disappointed in the start.

He said injuries have "really affected us. To have your top four skaters go down ... no team can take that kind of knock."

cruiser · 11-07-2005, 07:26 PM

A former neighbor of mine played Juniors with Pully and always said he was a back stabber. Doesn't surprise me one bit if he's working behind the scenes to undermine Yawney and Tallon. Ask Mike Smith what he thinks of Pulford.

Pully is the most hated man in the Hawks organization-other than Dollar Bill
himself.

How Pulford made the HOF is beyond me.

KB in Kelowna · 11-07-2005, 07:41 PM

sad but not surprising. The Hawks were once a premier organization in the NHL and its players were Kings of Chicago in the 60's. Pulford was also a big backer of Alan Eagleson and look how that turned out.

TimmyTabasco · 11-07-2005, 07:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KB in Kelowna

sad but not surprising. The Hawks were once a premier organization in the NHL and its players were Kings of Chicago in the 60's. Pulford was also a big backer of Alan Eagleson and look how that turned out.

Chicago looked promising before the season

-Signed Aucoin to a big deal
-Signed the Bulin wall
-Signed Barnaby, Lapointe, and Brown
-Signed Spacek, and Cullimore

Plus they have young stars in
-Bell
-Ruutu(top 5 scorer one day)
-Arnason
-Seabrook(Twassen boy)
-Vorobiev
-Vandermeer
-Calder

They have the right tools to be a solid team. I guess they just have zero chemistry. Plus Daze is always injured, and Ruutu has had troubles staying healthy

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