Dallas Stars Podcast @ www.dallasstarspodcast.com
For the Fans, By the Fans
Scooter & The Wall podcast a weekly show at DallasStarsPodcast.com. Between shows they and their blogging team will post periodic blogs here to fill in the quiet time. Want to join the Scooter & The Wall's blog team? This blog is read by many of the Dallas Stars Podcast listeners and we're looking for regular contributors. Let us know you're interested and we'll consider bringing you on board!
HomePodcastsOur MusicPhoto GalleryThe FansLinksAbout UsContact Us

Saturday, June 13, 2009

And The Page Turns - thoughts from the Cheap Seats

So now we have a new GM and a new coach.

What do we think about that?

Here are some general thoughts and points - let us know what you think below.

Obviously, there is a lot unknown. Would Tippett have been able to continue to have success in the regular season? Probably. Would he have been able to have success in the playoffs? Maybe. Maybe even probably. I think the conventional wisdom after Joe Nieuwendyk was brought in to be the lone GM in place of Les and Brett was that Tippett would be allowed at least a pre-season and a fair run in the relguar season to prove himself.

Didn't happen.

Earlier this week, Marc Crawford was named as the new gaffer for the Dallas Hockey Club, and now the questions are about his goals - how does he want to play, who does he want to play, how is he going to manage all the personalities.

Publicly he has said he wants a more offensive system, and it sounds like he wants to roll three - not the Dallas Stars traditional four - lines.

Crawford comes in with some significant skins on the wall.

Then again, those skins aren't hot off the presses, either.

Fair or not, some are going to look at this as "Marc had better win in the playoffs" - i.e., had better than Tip had been with his very consistent regular season success. Are you in that camp? I'm not sure I am, but I certainly see the validity of it.

Me? I like the fact that GM Joe is reputed to be smart, Bob Gainey-like. Obviously, that is a name that is well respected not only in Dallas, but throughout the game.

And I want to see GM Joe do with the Stars what we've (probably....) seen with the other Hicks team, the Texas Rangers - build the kind of foundation that is set for success for a long period of time.

And as we know, the Stars aren't - or, weren't - that far two seasons ago. How much of that was lost last season? Hard to tell.

But from my cheap seat, if GM Joe thinks we need to take a slight step back to redirect and have a more successful road ahead, and that means that Crawford takes a season to instill a new philosophy, management sees who gets on board and then fills the gaps, then I'm willing to give them the space to do that.

Now, I'll admit some trepidation - obviously, it is scary to walk away from what we knew was in all likelihood another solid regular season and, most likely, a good playoff push. There is a queasiness even as I write this. But the intellectual side of me is the stronger - at least in this discussion.

But enough about me and my egg-head. Where are you?