OT: Flint Firebirds Owner Suspended 5 Years
The Flint Firebirds saga has been well documented during the year but for now it has come to an end.
The franchise is in its first year after moving from Plymouth. Early in the season the entire team quit after the owner fired the entire coaching staff over his son's ice time. The coaching staff was re-hired, only to be fired a few months later.
Now the OHL has stepped in and suspended the owner for five years with the league taking over the team. They'll also lose a 1st round pick in Saturday's draft and have to pay a fine.
Good - he deserves it...
I get suspending the owner (though I would argue that 5 years seems a bit short); I'm not clear on why the team is being fined and losing a draft pick. This seems like a classic 'punish the organization once the culprit is gone' situation (i.e. pretty much every NCAA punishment ever)
Agree about the draft pick.
is when you have to purchase a team to ensure your child gets playing time. Pretty much guarantees son will be as much of a dickhead as his father.
Actually, maybe that was the second red flag. I am certain he must have come off as nothing other than what he is, a man of means who will spend foolishly to fulfill an unnecessary wish.
Wish I had the passion many of you do for hockey, but then again, maybe not such a good thing. Tend to go overboard in my fandom.
The owners son was included in the group of players that turned in their jerseys and quit. It seems to be more along the lines of a grown man trying to live vicariously through his son.
Glad to hear that. Some, despite what they are exposed to, are able to decipher what is right and what is wrong. Glad his son is one of those.
"Everybody's Talkin'"....about Flint these days...
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
The original was from a guy named Fred Neil, 3 years earlier.
To be even more dated and obscure:
Flint had a minor league baseball team from 1948-51 called the Arrows. So, any reference to "Me and My Arrow" wouldn't be completely off the mark.
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
Five sets the precedent(longest an owner could have a son in the league), he gets an opportunity for appeal after three(when his son ages out)
He wanted to buy his son a chance at big time hockey.
He bought a team. Thought Bcuz he owned the team that he could buy his son into the Bigs.
It didn't happened how he thought it should...tried to roll heads inappropriately..got called out on it.
Here we are!
PS- the first time his dad pitched a fit when his son wasn't playing enough he semi-fired the coach. The players all quit because they all knew the coach was being mistreated. The son of the the big money owner even walked off at that point because even he knew he didn't deserve playing time.
After while the whole world knew the owner/rich guy that knows nothing about hockey talent was no longer a viable hockey owner because he only wanted to buy a hockey team so that his son could maybe have a chance at being a hockey pro...
Or so that was how it was explained to me. So it MUST be true.
Whew.
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
The Firebirds have been a flaming mess all season. In November, Nilsen fired the entire coaching staff because his son wasn’t getting enough playing time, only to re-hire them after the entire team quit in protest (including his son). In February—with the team sliding in the standings—he fired the entire coaching staff again, resulting in Nilsen and his handpicked coaching staff being suspended by the OHL.
I can only imagine what this guy's lemonade stand must have been like growing up. It probably involved the odd pitcher being thrown at neighbors who were unwilling to pay the steep prices demanded by Nilsen, usually a sign that someone may be a good candidate for courses at the Steinbrenner Institute For Sports Management.
I get that the owner sucks but shouldn't the league just let them live with the consequences. If he wants his kid on the team and they blow because of it, wouldn't that sort it out rather than trying to force him to run the team a certain way. If I owned the Tigers and spent billions of dollars for it, couldn't I put whoever I want on it.
It became a toxic environment for the players. This isn't a pro team, these are kids.
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
Someone needs to make a movie about this story
Is the least of the team's current worries. A reporter (can't remember who) said that he's spoken to a few agents who've said that their clients won't show up if drafted by Flint.