Tuesdays With Hildy: These Kids Today

by hildymac on Jan 5, 2010 5:26 PM CST

Today was my first day back at work surrounded by the lovely leaders of tomorrow, so this is why this week's is a bit late - I'm still recovering from the shell shock that they're going to run America one day.

But how they act, coupled with what was said about Murray - and what Andy Murray said regarding them - got me thinking. How much, exactly, does maturity have to do with ability to play? Not physical maturity, but mental maturity as a person. Does not having that fully formed frontal lobe (the decision making/impulse control region of the brain) impact how they act so much that it makes them difficult to coach or difficult to direct? And, does how you handle that - with understanding, an iron fist, or hovering micromanagement, well... does that have more to do with the on-ice project than anything else?

After the firing of Andy Murray, the locker room interviews of the players began. All of them had very kind words to say regarding Murray as a person. Quite a few of them, mostly vets who know what they "should" say to the media gave canned responses that directed the blame to the team and away from Murray, to spare him any further issues in the press. Brewer was particularly stoic and flat, shockingly enough.

The kids, though, well - kids today. It's not that they have no tact, because about 12 of them do (one of them I think might be Erik Johnson), but they're just so much more prone to say the first truthful thing that comes to mind when asked about issues - and they did. Janssen mentioned no one knew where they stood. Oshie said that practices were looser and more up-tempo; more fun. The general consensus from the 25 and under crowd was that Murray was a good guy, but that they just weren't able to go out and improvise and play their style.

There's nothing wrong with saying that. It's not like they pointed the finger of blame at him, or called him an awful coach. They just had questions. We all question why our boss does what they do, or at least assume (if you have a good one) that they're doing things for the good of the company, regardless of the method. That's how the kids obviously viewed Murray. But they still realized things weren't quite working right, and when asked their opinion, well - out it came. They didn't think about what they said 100%... because they're kids.

Murray asserted after that interview (and apparently this was on the radio, I can't find anything about it in print, and I'm getting info here and there on Twitter, so sorry if the details are wrong) that really the situation was the kids' fault - they didn't focus, didn't care - were more interested in going home and playing XBox, goofing off, or going over and having fun on the East Side after games (Sean mentioned something about that before, if I remember correctly). Murray felt that they weren't showing focus.

He was right, they probably weren't. Why do kids drink and drive? What's up with the stupid risky behavior (sexual and otherwise) of youth? It's just how they're wired. It mostly isn't intentional. Those of you with teenagers - has your kid ever done something stupid, and you asked why? Was their response: "I dunno"? They're not making an excuse. It's the truth. There's even an outstanding Frontline special on the whole thing (Caution - you'll want to throw something at the computer when you see the first kid - even my students hate him).

Murray coming out and seeming to retaliate against the players' comments by flinging dirty laundry and blame is petty, and it shows a lack of understanding behind what the kids meant with what they said. Janssen apologized even though he wasn't in the wrong to diffuse the problem. That showed more maturity and a better understanding of the situation than Murray mustered up.

In case you're wondering where the hell this came from, I'm back to teaching AP Psychology this semester, and I just watched all 22 episodes of Buffy this weekend. I now consider myself an expert on the teenage noggin.

Poll

Is what the Blues' kids said - the published quotes - acceptable regarding Murray?

Sure - they're kids, and it wasn't that bad.

51 votes

Have they not learned to tow the line? God, I bet you they skipped cliche class to go do a kegstand.

27 votes

78 votes | Poll has closed

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Comments

Ok i will put the AM radio interview link here

murray really does not address the youth to much (a bit at the beginning) but when it comes to Cam. . . well he did not hold back as he ought (so if we are blaming the 25 and under group’s comments on their age, what is his excuse)

(scroll to audio, under “andy murray”)
http://www.kfns.com/martinradio.aspx

by breibird on Jan 5, 2010 5:36 PM CST reply actions

Thank you for posting it!

CamSmash is still 25… but I chalk most everything out of his mouth to be “too many hits to the head” related than anything else.

Reporter: There`s a "stamp out the Beatles movement" underway in Detroit. What are you going to do about it?

Paul McCartney: We`re going to start a campaign to stamp out Detroit.

by hildymac on Jan 5, 2010 5:51 PM CST up reply actions

while

they didnt interview kt and pk and the like in that story, they did talk to non kid janssen who was actually the least respectfull in many ways. so not a kid issue, i dn’t think

i did find it interesting that perron basically said he “always plays his game” hence his dog housing? hence his point scoring? its a dynamic dyo when a kid has a game he “always plays”

A strong anvil fears no hammer

by Childhood Trauma on Jan 5, 2010 5:46 PM CST reply actions

The only thing Janssen said that he shouldn't've...

… was that people were going downhill with Murray being there – bit too much truth. He probably could have phrased it better, but I don’t think he meant it maliciously.

Perron strikes me as kind of that kid. We talked about that here before – his tweets are almost always about equipment, hockey stuff, or playing NHL10 on XBox live and challenging Twitter followers to a game. He’s a hockey nerd; he’s like the kids I teach who are soooooooooooo into debate that they shut everything else out and just do their own thing because they just know how to. That’s why he kept scoring – Perron’s got some weird innate sense of just exactly what he needs to do, which is why I think he’s probably going to be our scariest player in about 3 years – maybe less. I honestly don’t think that Murray, or anyone else on the team, really understands him.

Reporter: There`s a "stamp out the Beatles movement" underway in Detroit. What are you going to do about it?

Paul McCartney: We`re going to start a campaign to stamp out Detroit.

by hildymac on Jan 5, 2010 6:01 PM CST up reply actions

yeah

But I see guys like Syd, EJ, Tj Berg, Cam, Winny and DJ (and I am sure many other teammates of his) giving him respect. . .
I went to both practices since C.DP (that would be Coach Davis Payne) came up here. . . the team looks extremely different. . . they actually seem to be a team. . . watched C.DP and DP57 have a one on one convo at center ice. . . you could tell it was serious, but still light, and both were smiling when done talking (that did NOT happen with murray).
C.DP has shown a great respect to all of the players, and took all of the top scorers aside at the end of practice today, working with them as a group (PP), even though it seems he has different long term plans, he seems to be putting the responsibility to score on those who have placed it upon themselves

In case you are still doubting, Backes was hitting the net w/ much more accuracy this week, and Boyes (who has been high and wide ALL season) had a good two min period where he was hitting the net EVERY time. . . I am not sure if they have had enough time to fully rebound from the ruin that was left after their last three home games, but there are signs that the cloud that the team has been playing under has finally gone (I do not believe it will be gone for good, until we win two back to back home games. . .)

by breibird on Jan 5, 2010 6:26 PM CST up reply actions

I really think the lighter mood will help.

You can have a friendly relationship with someone and still respect their leadership position. I’m sure that Perron (and others) will benefit from not worrying about talking to their coach or asking questions. Intimidation or lack of approachability only gets results for so long,

Reporter: There`s a "stamp out the Beatles movement" underway in Detroit. What are you going to do about it?

Paul McCartney: We`re going to start a campaign to stamp out Detroit.

by hildymac on Jan 5, 2010 9:09 PM CST up reply actions

you think what Cam said was disrespectful. . .

the whole of the STL community could have told you that was going on in the locker room. . . the surprise was that Cam was apart of the group having issues w/ Murray. . . how hard is it to tell a guy who is an enforcer his role in the team. . . Murray was quite frank in his thoughts on Cam. . . Murray did not believe it was worth the effort to explain things to Cam because he is “not a details” guy. . . come on, I know you do not treat all players the same, but you better show them the same amount of respect. . . and Murray clearly did not respect Cam (or Perron)

Murray also implied that Cams thoughts/quotes were not of the value of guys like Walt, Jacks or Brew. . . I get that these are leaders on the team, but that does not diminish the importance of the other players and their thoughts. . . Cam was maybe not the typical “stock professional” answer, but he is also not a typical player. . . Cam is going to talk to fans like a fan. . . and sometimes he will talk to reporters that way. . .
and after Andy Murray crapped all over Cam. . . Cam called up to the show and apologized for his original statement. . . sorry, I am seeing a lot more maturity (and professionalism) from Janssen, not Murrray. . .

by breibird on Jan 5, 2010 6:41 PM CST up reply actions

Yeah...

… Cam’s “not a details guy” and he’s a “2 or 3 minutes a night player.” Classy. Basically, in coach speak, he’s stupid and useless except for fighting.

We’ve noticed a few times on here how, when given the chance, Cam was playing more well rounded and actually setting up plays with his hits – not to mention that the team has more spring in their step when he’s out there. Murray obviously didn’t understand that, or didn’t care. Janssen was underused, and the way that Murray said what he did makes me think that he was underused out of disrespect. If Murray honestly felt this way about one of his players, then God knows what he felt about the others.

If his attitude was that snarky and shittastic every time someone questioned something he did, no wonder there were issues.

Reporter: There`s a "stamp out the Beatles movement" underway in Detroit. What are you going to do about it?

Paul McCartney: We`re going to start a campaign to stamp out Detroit.

by hildymac on Jan 5, 2010 9:07 PM CST up reply actions

and here AM interview about the "kids"

this is from 101.1 espn. . .
(scroll down to “Fastlane-andy murray. . .”)
http://www.101espn.com/

I do not have a link yet, but JD responds to this interview later w/ Bernie Miklasz. . . I have not listened to it yet, but apparently JD defends the kids calling out AM

by breibird on Jan 5, 2010 6:47 PM CST reply actions

FWIW, I heard JD telling Windbag Slaten {shudder} that he was ticked off about Janssen’s comments (“Andy’s office door is always open. Go talk to him”) and said he wanted to talk to him about it.

Lighthouse Hockey: Eyes on Tavares, mug full of Moulson.

by Dominik on Jan 5, 2010 11:05 PM CST up reply actions

I believe JD did talk to Cam

Cam knows management was not necessarily happy about his comments. . . and he addressed that. . . but lets be honest. . . it does not matter if the coach’s door is open, if the coach does not believe you are worth his time. . . and if that is the case (which I believe from AM’s comments, not Cam’s) then I am glad to see AM leave. . .

by breibird on Jan 6, 2010 10:04 AM CST up reply actions

The coach's door may be open

but if his mind is closed …. does it really matter?

.... formerly "Tim" of StLouisGameTime.com

by CrossCheckRaise on Jan 6, 2010 12:41 PM CST up reply actions

I like Murray

But dude occasionally just doesn’t know when to shut up. Maybe that’s part of why I like him, since I’d probably be in the same boat, but regardless (thankfully my job doesn’t get media attention so I can talk shit on clients to my bitter heart’s content). The best possible thing for him to do is to just get out of the limelight as quickly and quietly as possible and move on to whatever next awaits him. The back and forth about the kids and their work ethic, or lack thereof, is certainly not going to win him any points towards a future coaching job (and could pre-emptively alienate him from young players on a future team).

I was a little surprised to see Janssen’s comments at first, but it makes sense. I’m not surprised at all that he didn’t really get Murray, I doubt (and from these interviews it seems to be true) that he ever really bothered to give Cam much attention. If it was Walt or EJ making the comments he made, maybe I’d feel it was a bit of a misstep, but for a player in Cam’s position to make them seems pretty benign – everyone understands where he’s coming from. I actually think the Blues would benefit from just making Cam an official fan liaison, maybe give him a once weekly internet Q&A or even just a “state of the locker room” type thing.

by Perrowned on Jan 5, 2010 7:28 PM CST reply actions

Cam Janssen is a man

Speak your mind, man. This is America. Look, Murray said that whoever wins the training camp shootout thing, would get in the regular rotation. After Cam did well, Murray was like yeah … that’s not gonna happen. Cam worked his butt off to become more well-rounded and was rewarded with 3 shifts a night, and none in the third. I think Cam was told do do things, did them and didn’t get what should have come his way.

Besides, as a member of the notepad brigade, I’d rather an athlete say something honest than “Both teams played hard.” Who cares if it was pointed, Cam was being honest. It’s OK for Murray to constantly call out his players, but Cam can’t answer a question that was asked of him. Come on.

by averagejoe on Jan 5, 2010 9:14 PM CST reply actions

the cam bit

is about we all know damn well cam don’t need no explaination or anything else. cam’s got about a 3 sec game meeting which is either “your dressing, drop emearly”. or “your sitting.”

so when cam goes out of his way to publically bitch that AM told him exactly what to do but would never tell him why to do the day AM gets fired, its a knife to the back, and nothing else :)

“He’d tell you what to do, but on the other hand, he didn’t talk to you for you to understand what he was saying. " is a flat out dig.

don’t get me wrong, i don’t always mind player saying things. but lets call it what it was. it was a vet. and it was a poke. in public,

A strong anvil fears no hammer

by Childhood Trauma on Jan 5, 2010 10:29 PM CST reply actions

If all AM was giving Cam was a 3 sec pre game meeting. . .

or even a 30 sec. meeting. . . then AM was failing as a coach. . . and alienating players. . . I’f you are going to ask a guy like Cam to sacrifice himself in a fight (I know, it is his role and he likes to do it) but you better show him some respect and answer ANY questions he has. . . that is a part of Murray’s job. . . Cam might not be able to sense when a D-man is open on point, and be able to make a blind pass back to him. . . But he can sense a crowd. . . he instinctively knows the difference between a fight thats primary goal is to energize the crowd and one that is to defend a team mate , and when the best time is to drop the gloves. . . If Murray is a “details guy” then he would have a plan, even on the fights, who to take, when, why . . .
This is about respect. . . Murray it seems had guys on this team he did not respect and his treatment of them was different, not because they were different types of players, but because he did not see the need for them in his “big picture view” of the team. . .

by breibird on Jan 6, 2010 10:18 AM CST up reply actions

Murray doesn't believe in "momentum..."

… which makes me wonder if he really ever fully realized Cam’s role on the team – momentum’s his middle name when he gets going.

Reporter: There`s a "stamp out the Beatles movement" underway in Detroit. What are you going to do about it?

Paul McCartney: We`re going to start a campaign to stamp out Detroit.

by hildymac on Jan 6, 2010 12:33 PM CST up reply actions

heh.

I’ve always enjoyed that bit, about AM not believing in momentum. However, I’ve also always imagined that being said with a wink and a nod. I don’t know, that’s just speculation on my part.

But now that you mention it, that little joke and Cam’s role on the team are probably related. Good on ya, lass, for connecting those dots. I would never have done so.

.... formerly "Tim" of StLouisGameTime.com

by CrossCheckRaise on Jan 6, 2010 12:46 PM CST reply actions