Leave it to the Canadians to drag the some of the best comments out of Robert Earle Clarke (aka, Bob Clarke, former GM of the Flyers) in recent memory. Today, Clarkie appeared on a Canadian talk show "Off The Record" and when asked about the sucker punch incident with Steve Downie, he provided the following:
After today's comments, I take back anything bad I ever said about the guy. Maybe I can even forgive him for throwing away last season with his horrible off season plan. I might also forget that he tried to kill the team's chances when the league returned from the lockout by signing Mike Rathje and Derian Hatcher to long term salary cap killing contracts or that he continually was unwilling to upgrade the team's goaltending situation in years the team was a Cup contender. In any event, I just wish Clarkie was so forthcoming over the years. It could have made his stay as GM so much more delightful.
I also come away from this interview with other thoughts. How does this guy still have office space at the Voorhees Skate Zone? When he forced to step down as the GM and moved into a "figure head" type front office position, I thought the guy was put out to pasture and given a golden parachute. I figured his belongings were probably moved to a cube down on the floor with the junior ticket sales reps. Based upon the video, I guess I was wrong. Apparently, years of dedicated service to the Flyers organ-I-za-SHUN mandates that one keeps his office even if he is forced out of a job that had seemingly passed him by.
Plus, I love how the interviewer continually says he holds a Senior position with the Flyers, but Clarkie quickly dismisses him by saying he's basically "a professional fan" and has no contact with the players. Sounds like a pretty sweet gig to me. If he's going to continue to be this entertaining, maybe Comcast can get rid of Al Morganti and Chris Therien and let Clarkie take over.
The "new Clarkie" seemingly has unlimited potential. I just hope the hockey world doesn't let it go to waste.
"When he went after Blake, I loved it. Blake was a guy who had no problem going out and saying (Downie) should be suspended for life or suspended for the year. When you say something that stupid, why shouldn't this kid go after him for it? The kid did what every hockey player should do. If a player like Blake who's been around as long as he has wants to criticize a player then he has to go on the ice with him and suffer the consequences."He also added the following regarding Downie's 20 game suspension handed down in the pre season:
"My own personal feelings is that Colin Campbell overreacted. The hit that Downie threw on McAmmond was not a whole lot different than the hits we all admired, including myself - that Scott Stevens used to do on open ice. He hit lots of heads and hurt lots of people and we said it was great. What Downie did was, it looked like Colin Campbell took it personally, (thinking) 'I told these players they couldn't do that and he did so I'm going to get him.' To suspend him for 20 games is ridiculous. McAmmond was a veteran player who was skating and watching his pass and got nailed. Sorry for it, too bad he got hurt but it was his own fault as much as it was Downie's."Here's video of the interview, in case you're interested.
After today's comments, I take back anything bad I ever said about the guy. Maybe I can even forgive him for throwing away last season with his horrible off season plan. I might also forget that he tried to kill the team's chances when the league returned from the lockout by signing Mike Rathje and Derian Hatcher to long term salary cap killing contracts or that he continually was unwilling to upgrade the team's goaltending situation in years the team was a Cup contender. In any event, I just wish Clarkie was so forthcoming over the years. It could have made his stay as GM so much more delightful.
I also come away from this interview with other thoughts. How does this guy still have office space at the Voorhees Skate Zone? When he forced to step down as the GM and moved into a "figure head" type front office position, I thought the guy was put out to pasture and given a golden parachute. I figured his belongings were probably moved to a cube down on the floor with the junior ticket sales reps. Based upon the video, I guess I was wrong. Apparently, years of dedicated service to the Flyers organ-I-za-SHUN mandates that one keeps his office even if he is forced out of a job that had seemingly passed him by.
Plus, I love how the interviewer continually says he holds a Senior position with the Flyers, but Clarkie quickly dismisses him by saying he's basically "a professional fan" and has no contact with the players. Sounds like a pretty sweet gig to me. If he's going to continue to be this entertaining, maybe Comcast can get rid of Al Morganti and Chris Therien and let Clarkie take over.
The "new Clarkie" seemingly has unlimited potential. I just hope the hockey world doesn't let it go to waste.
1 comment:
You flip flop more than a fish out of water. For years I heard about how terrible Clarkie was and how he had his head buried in the sand and was stuck in the past. Now after one interview you love him? After hearing about Downie and watching the highlight reels on YouTube, I was told by a certain PSP not to get excited about him. Now he plays 4 NHL games and you love him too? Is that sound you hear on the boardwalk all of the flip flops or is that PSP coming?
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