rr ry

Pat Quinn:

ONE good thing hap-
pened to Pat Quinn as
a result of losing his
job with the Canucks,
back in early
November. For only
the second time since
he was 15 years old was
he able to have a real
family Christmas gath-
ering.

Now 55, rising 36, he
doesn't need to be reminded
that Chrismas and the hock-
e¥ season were Never meant
to facilitate such get-togeth-
ers. This time, though, with
nothing much to do other
than catch upon his reading
(“lishe stulf, mostly fiction”),
he was able to have his par-
ents in from Hamilton and
both daughters and a grand-
son at the table.

Only in the Russia of
Soviet times could a high-vis-
ibilicy person become a non-
person as quickly as he can in
professional sport. Since Nov.
4, the day he got the bad
news, Quinn has ceased to
exist On sports pages and
radio and TV sports pro-
grams.

He reports, however, that
he’s alive and reasonably well
and now has the time to
have, sometime in the com-
ing weeks, what he’s put off
for so many years — a hip
replacement. Also time to
contemplate his future: either
to stay in hockey and move
elsewhere; or stay in
Vancouver and find another
line of work.

If he gets the opportunity,
no doubt he'll move on.
With four new teams coming
into the league by 2000 and
hockev the only business he
really knows, he'll likely get a
call. In the meantime, while
he declines to get into any
controversy on the subject of
the Canucks, he dees defend
himself on a couple of items.

For instance, he denies
charges of cronyism i his
hiring, practices, pointing out
that he inherited and kept the
entire scouting statf trom the
previous regime,

Then he goes on to say it
has done a good job and sug-
gests if the reporter would
care to took up the draft
picks, he'd find the Canucks
did as well as anyone.

1 spectator

What they did with sante
of their picks, he admitted,
did't always turn out the
wav he hoped. Sisnificantly,
Mike Peea, Mike Wilson and
a firse round dratt choice for

Alex Mogilny. At the time the

league, in solems Convo.
tion, had decided that
obstruction and interterence
away trom the play niust be
abolished.

So, he traded to turn the
Canucks inte a speed team.
What happened, of course, is
that in no time at all the
league's good intentions
evaporated and the game
deteriorated once more into
what most teams have cur-
rently made it — a defensive,
trapping bore. Nonetheless,
Quinn's still glad he made
the deal for the Russian
winger.

Bat the Canucks” continu-

ing lack of success has him
puzzled, He teels the parts
are there, but obviously the
chemistry is not. And he's
willing to bet that Mike
Keenan is equally puzzled.
And this, he insists, is nota
cop-out

Mark Messier came here,
he savs, because the veteran
hardrock star honestly
believed the Canucks had the
potential to go all the way.
“If it was just money,” he
adds, “there was a bigger
offer out there he could have
taken.”

Quinn appears to be less
worried about his future than
about the future of a league
that will be even more
watered down by the turn of
the century; a league where,
more and more, Gary
Bettman’s goal of parity can
be translated into mediocrity.

Quinn sees Canadian kids
dropping out too sean, con-
vinced they're not good
enough, a natural conse-
quence of the junior age limit
going down from 21 to 18;
Rot fo mention major jumor
scouts making decisions on

din: ari

ng

S$

Siness

ORTH SHORE

Wednesday. January 7. 1998 — North Shore News — 13

FE

Life after the Canucks

NEWS phote Ann Hamilton

WEST Vancouver’s Pat Quinn seems, according to News columnist Jim Kearney, more worried about the
future of the NHL than his own uncertain future. Quinn was dismissed as Vancouver Canucks GM on Nov. 4.

the futures of kids when
they're only 15.

Acase in point, he says. is
Phil Esposito, the NHL's top
scorer two decades ago. He
was 19 before he was able to
make it at the junior level.

Ifthe 18-year-old dratt
had been in effect back then,
Espo likely would have spent
the last 20 years carrving a
lunch backet to work in Sault
Ste. Marie.

Could it be pushed back
to 21 again? Not a hope. The
kids want the biz, money as
soon as possible, And the
union chief. Bob Goodenow,
wouldn't deny them. The
eventual answer to the talent
shortage -- not to mention

the crazy sellers’ market —
must be in making the game
more popular around the
world; in getting more kids
in more countries plaving it.
To that end he'd have the
NHL. supplying equipment,

money and expertise to ¢ aun-

tries anxious to build a hock-
ey culture bat without the
means.

For instance, he says with
awry smile, Kazakhstan, the
country that knocked off our
nauvonal junior team last
week.

An even bigger worry, the
continued presence of
Canadian-based teams in
what is new an American
operation, “Teams up here

must continue to press for
cost-sharing. It’s the only
way they can survive as long
as the Canadian dollar stays
at 70 cents and American tax
writcoffs remain more gener-
ous.

He amends that to
exclude Toronto, Montreal
and Vancouver, John
MeCow’e middle name is
Croesus. In Toronto, che
Leaiv’ local TV and radio
contracts provide them with
S18 million annually.
Compare that with the
Canucks $2 million and even
tess in Edmonton and
Calgary.

As tor the current season,
Quinn's still rooting for his

“Once you ve a chtid’s self image beatin to
imprave you will sec siqnuificant qains i all
arcas af achiewment, but more tuportautly vou
will sec a child whe ts beginning to enjoy life.”

SEVERAL weeks ago I penned an
article on the subject of kids and iit-
ness.

It attempted to outline the importance of
wellness for our youth and the role it can and
does play asa positive force into adulthood,

As necessary as the actual physical training
may be, the person or persons teaching, are at
least. as important in the development of
young people, both as athletes and as human
beings. These individuals have an enormous
effect on kids that can, and often does last 3
lifetime, so itis critical to make sure the
proper messages are being sent out.

A situation occurred recently where a
Lower Mainland rep hockey coach allegedly
looked on whilst a “hazing” ritual was aking
place in the locker room tor a new £3-tear
old team member, the end
result being a broken arm tor
the player concerned. This
same cotch has been criticized
on previous occasions for his
lack of sensitivity to kids and
win-at-all-cost attitude. Even
though letters have been sent
by parents to the board
responsible, this individual
continues to coach (at least at
the time of writing).

Any individual that berares, insults pub-
licly and doesn’t respect every kidd in their
care has no business being around them in

any capacity.

old team. “I feel for those
guys. [ don’: know why
they're playing the way they
are, except that when vou're
losing and changes are in the
air, fear takes over and things
get Worse.”

He points out the obvi-
ous. There are only four solid
performers in the 13-team
Western Conference —
Detroit, Dallas, Colorade and
St. Louis. Phe rest are emi-
nently catchable, even by the
Canucks, a team playing a
dozen games under .300.

Quinn doesn’t say it, but
thi, aw to be a preter sad
commentary on what's being
served up these days as major
feague hockey,

This kind of “coaching” has been around
forever and unfortunately it will undoubtedly
exist into the future, but what really should
coneern parents is the organizing body that

doesn't take charge and cor-
reet the problem. This partic-
ular toothless tiger scems to
ignore parental sentiment and
complaining in the vague
hope it will go away and
evervthing will be just fine
thank-vou. He doesn’t ge away
until somebody asstuines the
responsibility and realizes the
irreparable damage that can
be caused to the children
exposed to this sort of behavior. We spend
more time picking out a pair of shoes than
concerning ourselves about the qualitication
and qualities of the people that teach our

kids. This has wot to change.

There are some terrific volunteer coaches
out there and they should be congratulated
for their commianent and be given every
support and encouragement from parents.
Those that mean well but lack the skills, tech:
nical or otherwise, te develop the voungsters
in their trust should be oftered appropriate
help and support soas to bring their knowl
edge and communication skills up to the
desired levels,

For every negative story there are many
more positive and moving caamples. One
that comes to mind concerns a young
American swimater who wanted to join and
train with an elite swim prograin int
California, In the mid ‘60s this young lady
approached Santa Clara swim club and asked

See Coaches page 3