The Unofficial Fire Ron Wilson/Ron Wilson is the Greatest Thread

[Corn Flake]

i want to see what he can do with a full season of this team.

I would like to see what he can do with reliable goaltending right out of the gate, onward.

I want to see him throw Nazem under the bus again, so we can christen this new site with vile hate for Ron Wilson.

I sense an "Under the bus" drinking game coming. Every time its mentioned here, drink!

[hockeyfan1]

i want to see what he can do with a full season of this team.

I would like to see what he can do with reliable goaltending right out of the gate, onward. 

Good article.  Looks like Wilson & staff are intent on forging an "identity" for the team, as well as for themselves, to translate it into something positive, on ice.....

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/assistant-coaches-look-blend-leafs-staff-help-team-222234615.html

TORONTO - The seeds started being planted at Ron Wilson's off-season home in South Carolina.
That's where the Toronto Maple Leafs coaching staff gathered for a couple days last month to not only try and chart a way back to the playoffs for the team, but also to get to know one another.

The changes made behind the Leafs bench could end up being almost as important as any personnel move made by general manager Brian Burke over the summer. In explaining the rationale for replacing Tim Hunter and Keith Acton, Burke said he thought the coaching staff had grown "stale."

Gordon and Cronin each bring a wealth of experience to the position — at every level from NCAA to the AHL and NHL — but expect it to take some time to carve out their own niche alongside Rob Zettler, the lone holdover assistant.

At least in the beginning, all aspects of the game will be handled by committee. The staff will grow and evolve together.

One of the major discussion points the coaches kept coming back to during their retreat at Wilson's house was the importance of having a team with an identity — something everyone will be working towards as the regular season draws closer.
"I think the identity's going to evolve over the next month or two," said Cronin. "That's what we were trying to gather from that meeting down in South Carolina: 'What are we right now? Where do we want to go with this group? And what can we do as a staff to assist in that development?'"

[hockeyfan1]

The Pranksters, starring Ron Wilson & Brian Burke......

http://www.thehockeynews.com/articles/41763-Kennedy-Brian-BurkeRon-Wilsons-prank-war.html




..... decades-long prank war Burke and Wilson have waged against each other......

The first great story in the friendly rivalry harkens back to those Providence College days. The Friars were playing a tournament over the Christmas holidays, so the whole team stayed in the same dorm at school. Providence is a Catholic school and though Burke is part of that denomination, Wilson is not. Burke led a contingent to Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve and while he was gone, Wilson broke into his room and changed the alarm clock.

To Burke’s credit, he was only five minutes late for practice the next morning, but late is late. Lamoriello’s punishment was for Burke to have an extra on-ice workout at 4 a.m. – under the coach’s personal supervision.

“We thought it would be a one-day punishment,” Wilson said. “But it ended up lasting six or seven days.”

When the Friars did two-a-days, Burke would be on the ice three times – the third always coming at four in the morning.

“He didn’t know it was me who changed his clock,” Wilson said. “But he should have known.”

Wilson waited until the two were out of college before he eventually fessed up.
                                         .................
...Wilson came into Burke’s office, he asked his former college roommate if he had any coffee. Burke quickly obliged, ducking out down the hall to grab some for his pal.

“I don’t know why I would ever leave Ronnie alone in my office for two minutes,” Burke said.

After the two chatted, Wilson excused himself and Burke quickly realized his dress shoes had about a one-inch layer of shampoo in them.

[Zee]

The game last night was brutal, fire Wilson.

[Corn Flake]

The game last night was brutal, fire Wilson.

Agreed!

The funny thing is, if things go sour, Wilson's replacement is already standing right beside him.

[cw]

The game last night was brutal, fire Wilson.

But how could he be wrong dressing six 'righties' on the D!! ?? 

[Zanzibar Buck-Buck McFate]

The game last night was brutal, fire Wilson.

Go tell it on the mountain!

Over the hills, and everywhere!

[Bender]

The game last night was brutal, fire Wilson.

But how could he be wrong dressing six 'righties' on the D!! ?? 

It worked the game before will all lefties. Maybe we should get rid of all our righties

[RedLeaf]

The Pranksters, starring Ron Wilson & Brian Burke......

http://www.thehockeynews.com/articles/41763-Kennedy-Brian-BurkeRon-Wilsons-prank-war.html




..... decades-long prank war Burke and Wilson have waged against each other......

The first great story in the friendly rivalry harkens back to those Providence College days. The Friars were playing a tournament over the Christmas holidays, so the whole team stayed in the same dorm at school. Providence is a Catholic school and though Burke is part of that denomination, Wilson is not. Burke led a contingent to Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve and while he was gone, Wilson broke into his room and changed the alarm clock.

To Burke’s credit, he was only five minutes late for practice the next morning, but late is late. Lamoriello’s punishment was for Burke to have an extra on-ice workout at 4 a.m. – under the coach’s personal supervision.

“We thought it would be a one-day punishment,” Wilson said. “But it ended up lasting six or seven days.”

When the Friars did two-a-days, Burke would be on the ice three times – the third always coming at four in the morning.

“He didn’t know it was me who changed his clock,” Wilson said. “But he should have known.”

Wilson waited until the two were out of college before he eventually fessed up.
                                         .................
...Wilson came into Burke’s office, he asked his former college roommate if he had any coffee. Burke quickly obliged, ducking out down the hall to grab some for his pal.

“I don’t know why I would ever leave Ronnie alone in my office for two minutes,” Burke said.

After the two chatted, Wilson excused himself and Burke quickly realized his dress shoes had about a one-inch layer of shampoo in them.

When does Burke wake up and see Ron's been playing his biggest, most elaborate practical joke yet on him, for the past 4 years. His impromptu impersonation of an NHL coach.

[Highlander]

Geez, one bad exhibition game and the hounds are loose. The night before you would have given Ron (one of the most winning coaches in NHL history) the Keys to the city. Lets all relax until Thanksgiving when we have several real season games to chew on. Also don't forget that Ron almost won gold at the last Olympics except for the heroics of one "Sid the Kid"...

[Saint Nik]

Geez, one bad exhibition game and the hounds are loose. The night before you would have given Ron (one of the most winning coaches in NHL history) the Keys to the city. Lets all relax until Thanksgiving when we have several real season games to chew on. Also don't forget that Ron almost won gold at the last Olympics except for the heroics of one "Sid the Kid"...

No, I'm sorry. I'm going to have to insist that he get fired immediately. This is serious business.

[bustaheims]

Geez, one bad exhibition game and the hounds are loose. The night before you would have given Ron (one of the most winning coaches in NHL history) the Keys to the city. Lets all relax until Thanksgiving when we have several real season games to chew on. Also don't forget that Ron almost won gold at the last Olympics except for the heroics of one "Sid the Kid"...

I'm super cereal about this. Ron Wilson must go. Rabble rabble rabble.

[Zee]

He's earned a reprieve for now.  I'm still watching though...

[Saint Nik]

ESPN posted a bit on ten pressing questions for the upcoming hockey year and one of the topics they touched on was which Coach is on the shortest leash. They were unanimous:

7. Which coach will have the shortest leash this season?

Burnside: There are lots of coaches with high expectations, like Terry Murray in Los Angeles and Lindy Ruff in Buffalo; but for us, Toronto's Ron Wilson has to show immediate improvement, especially with the Leafs' perennially awful special teams, or he's in trouble.

Custance: Wilson. You can miss the playoffs only so many times before it costs you your job, even if your boss thinks highly of you. The Leafs are young and counting on James Riemer to repeat last season's breakout performance. It's quite possible he does; if not, the Ron Wilson era will be coming to an end.

LeBrun: Wilson. He's a terrific coach, but the Leafs have been out of the playoffs every season he's been here, and GM Brian Burke not extending the coach's deal this summer was a telltale sign. Wilson needs a strong start to the season.

[Strangelove]

I doubt he'll make it until Christmas, personally.  I don't think he has what it takes to motivate a young club.  And without Kabs on an already terrible powerplay, well...