1. Away hat tricks are always less hatful, but the record book is the record book.

2. We talk in terms of shoe tricks at our ECHL games-- toss shoes if the trick is an opponent's.

3. The Crosby thing. I have a lot to say there. Work with me here--

What bothers me most about Sid-worship is that it leaves a young kid without proper coaching. You cannot mold what you worship.

Specifically, Sid and his linemates. The established pattern is that potential linemates do great the first week or two, with Sid. Then their scoring drops off sharply and a schneid develops. This morning, I think I know why and how.

When they first arrive they are inspired and Sid is hopeful. They elevate their game without quite knowing how. He simplifies his. They meet in the middle. Magic happens. The coach is thrilled.

Then Sid quite naturally gets itchy to have even more fun, more magic-- he's a kid! He starts to fancy up his game. He has the talent for it, and the youth. They don't. The scoring begins to drop off.

This freaks out everyone. They all TRY HARDER.

The downward spiral accelerates-- everyone tried harder and it works less and less, as confidence plummets. Eventually that affects Sid's playing as well, and his goals vanish, too.


During the whole thing you hear the exact same things from Sid. His comments, while appearing to be reasonable and mature, are less and less accurate and relevant as this spiral descends.


How can you have a kid as the Team Captain if he cannot fathom the world of the skilled journeyman, because he has never been one?

He would need to simplify his own game, and then raise his expectations of the linemates and stop making allowances for what he must logically know is a talent gap.

He needs to be able to assess what they might actually be able to do, and then expect one level above that.

~Susan