The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
This week the panel was asked to give their thoughts on local hockey icon Bob Clarke, who quit his job as general manager of the Philadelphia Flyers as he felt he could no longer do his job properly. The move happened at the same time the team chose to fire coach Ken Hitchcock. Here's what the panel had to say. Brent Lethbridge: As usual Bob Clarke tells it like it is. His heart wasn't in it so he essentially does the equivalent of firing himself and resigns. Always keeping the team's best interest in mind. From a personal standpoint my parents bought season tickets for the Bombers for the first time in 1966 because my dad heard about a good local kid that was going to play for the Bombers. I was fortunate enough to watch Bob play his three years of junior hockey. Naturally when he went to the Flyers we all became Flyers fans. Then we all watched him play for Team Canada, win consecutive Stanley Cups and play in two other Cup finals and take a team to the Olympics. There is more. He managed teams that went to the cup finals five times (three times with the Flyers, Minnesota North Stars and Florida Panthers??). A lot of us lived vicariously through Bob's career. In some ways it is and end of an era in the NHL. The man has been involved in the NHL to one extent or another for 38 years. He's done it all. There is nothing left to prove, he was, is and will always be, a winner. Bob's name has been synonymous with Flin Flon and the Bombers. An ambassador for the city and the game. And a family man and a real Flinonian. You may not have agreed with Bob Clarke. He may have offended a few with some of his comments and you could have questioned some of his hockey decisions, but I think we all felt to some degree that he is our Bob Clarke and he reflected a lot of the values we hold dear in our community. So I am a little sad this era has come to a close as one of our own is moving on. And maybe we will see Bob up here this August doing some of things he loves, playing hockey at the Whitney Forum and being with his family. Because after all, that's one of the things guys from Flin Flon like to do. Jason Mandes: I'm really disappointed that Bobby Clarke resigned his position of general manager of the Flyers. I loved the way he stuck it to Lindros, cut his son in-law, and tried to steal Kesler from the Canucks. I've watched some of his game footage and he played like a warrior. What I'm going to miss the most about Bobby Clarke is his inability to sign an elite goaltender. Since they are always weak in this position, an early playoff exit is a guarantee. Watching the Flyers lose is almost as gratifying as watching the Oilers win. Things might change with someone else managing the team, but not likely. Tanner Brough: Well half the town will want my head after this, but I think Bobby Clarke may have done the Flyers a huge favour by resigning. No wonder he lost interest in his job, he's lost, he had no idea what the "NEW" NHL rules would actually do to the game. He went and signed two dinosaurs in Hatcher and Rathje to $3.5 million multiple year contracts when the rules changed to speed and finesse. Hatcher is only effective when someone is standing in front of him, and Rathje is pretty much the same. They couldn't out skate an eight-year-old, and all of a sudden they are starting defense in a league that took away their meal ticket (hooking/holding) for exciting, entertaining hockey. That had to be Bobby's worst move ever, and from that point on I knew that he didn't know anything about today's game. It's too bad because he's been somewhat of an icon in Flin Flon for what he did during his playing days. To play at such a level while having diabetes is outstanding. Winning two Stanley Cups and the '72 Series are great achievements, it's just too bad a lot of people will remember him as the GM who couldn't win.10/30/2006
