Burke Fired

[Redleaf]

I don't know, I find the recent surge of anti-Burke sentiment unfair.  I liked the guy, I liked what he did for this team, and I think his legacy endures.  He went through some really difficult times and that may have impacted some of his behavior.  But I'm not sure how anyone can say that he didn't at least "help set the table" for the moderate success the Leafs are enjoying this year. 

I will no longer comment on Dave Feschuk or read his articles for that matter.  Of all the crap, biased Leaf reporting I've read, this is likely the worst.  When he says:

Nobody's saying Burke didn't make significant contributions to the organization. But his mistakes far overrode his successes...

I can't help but feel there's something more to the commentary because this is just, frankly, not true.  Hate Burke's approach, hate his personality, whatever.  But he did some good things for this team and, in my opinion, appeared honorable in doing so.

For anyone interested, here's the full article: link

I really don't see any other GM turning the team around as nicely as Burke has done with the Leafs. It could have been another 2-3 years before we saw a team as good as we have right now. Look at the Oilers. They may have more talent, but they are still a ways a way from being a playoff team. Call it a fast approach rebuild or what have you, it is starting to take shape, and is looking really good, and with plenty of futures in the cupboard to boot.

 

[Zee]

I don't know, I find the recent surge of anti-Burke sentiment unfair.  I liked the guy, I liked what he did for this team, and I think his legacy endures.  He went through some really difficult times and that may have impacted some of his behavior.  But I'm not sure how anyone can say that he didn't at least "help set the table" for the moderate success the Leafs are enjoying this year. 

I will no longer comment on Dave Feschuk or read his articles for that matter.  Of all the crap, biased Leaf reporting I've read, this is likely the worst.  When he says:

Nobody's saying Burke didn't make significant contributions to the organization. But his mistakes far overrode his successes...

I can't help but feel there's something more to the commentary because this is just, frankly, not true.  Hate Burke's approach, hate his personality, whatever.  But he did some good things for this team and, in my opinion, appeared honorable in doing so.

For anyone interested, here's the full article: link

I really don't see any other GM turning the team around as nicely as Burke has done with the Leafs. It could have been another 2-3 years before we saw a team as good as we have right now. Look at the Oilers. They may have more talent, but they are still a ways a way from being a playoff team. Call it a fast approach rebuild or what have you, it is starting to take shape, and is looking really good, and with plenty of futures in the cupboard to boot.

I can't help but think the right coach in Edmonton would make all the difference.  I have no idea who that is, but look at the Sens and how they're overachieving with McLean.  OK they've gotten stellar goaltending and that's always a difference maker, but he has that team overcoming many issues to win games.

 

[Highlander]

I was at the Oilers Coyotes game a few weeks back and can say that Edmonton is dripping in talent...but no chemistry...all I have said all along is Burke has brought together the pieces that  have created a chemistry. When have we been at the point in the last 6 or 7 years when bringing guys back like Frattin or Lupul was a challenge?

Was at the Coyotes/Stars game on Saturday and I can say the Coyotes are a very well coached team...enjoyable to watch

 

[princedpw]

The problem for Edmonton is that their best defenseman is a rookie.  And while he is an incredibly good rookie, it is pretty much impossible to be a good team if your best defenseman is a rookie.

 

[lamajama]

I don't know, I find the recent surge of anti-Burke sentiment unfair.  I liked the guy, I liked what he did for this team, and I think his legacy endures.  He went through some really difficult times and that may have impacted some of his behavior.  But I'm not sure how anyone can say that he didn't at least "help set the table" for the moderate success the Leafs are enjoying this year. 

I will no longer comment on Dave Feschuk or read his articles for that matter.  Of all the crap, biased Leaf reporting I've read, this is likely the worst.  When he says:

Nobody's saying Burke didn't make significant contributions to the organization. But his mistakes far overrode his successes...

I can't help but feel there's something more to the commentary because this is just, frankly, not true.  Hate Burke's approach, hate his personality, whatever.  But he did some good things for this team and, in my opinion, appeared honorable in doing so.

For anyone interested, here's the full article: link

I really don't see any other GM turning the team around as nicely as Burke has done with the Leafs. It could have been another 2-3 years before we saw a team as good as we have right now. Look at the Oilers. They may have more talent, but they are still a ways a way from being a playoff team. Call it a fast approach rebuild or what have you, it is starting to take shape, and is looking really good, and with plenty of futures in the cupboard to boot.

I like your comments but do disagree with a few points. I agree that for the way that Burke decided to rebuild the Leafs, he probably did the best that anyone could have done.  I still disagree with the way he approached the rebuild, and the unforgivable way of structuring the Kessel deal. I think that Edmonton is lacking the foresight to round off that team (I believe that they need to turn 1-2 of the younger kids into a stud D man and to a lesser extent a #1 goalie. Get a proven coach and in my opinion they are years ahead of the Leafs.  I also do not see plenty of futures either (Morgan Reilly is the only Leaf prospect with a true shot at stardom).
They have drafted better but I see no 3rd to 6th round stars that came out of the blue - you know - the kind the media goes "and to think they drafted him 168th overall!" They have drafted what I believe will be serviceable NHLers - which I agree is better than trading the picks away like they did in the past.

These are not shots at your opinion, just my own thoughts. I hope the Leafs can keep it up but to me, they are still quite a ways away as evidenced by the Bruins game. They may have "been in it" perhaps but in a 7 game series? Yikes.

 

[Kin]

I don't know, I find the recent surge of anti-Burke sentiment unfair.  I liked the guy, I liked what he did for this team, and I think his legacy endures.  He went through some really difficult times and that may have impacted some of his behavior.  But I'm not sure how anyone can say that he didn't at least "help set the table" for the moderate success the Leafs are enjoying this year.

Is anyone saying that though?  Even the Feschuk article that you disliked so much has him saying that Burke made "significant contributions" to the organization and I don't think I've seen anyone disputing that Burke is responsible for the majority of the roster currently.

Where I objected to the "set the table" quote was that unlike what you say it wasn't "help" set the table. It was Burke set the table full stop. Even then though all I happened to say was that it's a little misleading not to acknowledge that the guy "eating the meal" did a lot of the work as well.

As to the larger point what the difference seems to be is, as HS so wittily put it, isn't in who "set the table" but the quality of the meal.

I will no longer comment on Dave Feschuk or read his articles for that matter.  Of all the crap, biased Leaf reporting I've read, this is likely the worst.  When he says:

Nobody's saying Burke didn't make significant contributions to the organization. But his mistakes far overrode his successes...

I can't help but feel there's something more to the commentary because this is just, frankly, not true.  Hate Burke's approach, hate his personality, whatever.  But he did some good things for this team and, in my opinion, appeared honorable in doing so.

I don't think what you're saying here and what Feschuk said is all that different. Again, Feschuk said Burke did some good things but the bad outweighed the good. That may not be your opinion but I think it's a legitimate debate or, at least, if you don't think it's a legitimate position that Burke ultimately wasn't very good as GM of the Leafs then you are saying that a reasonable number of fairly good posters here, myself notwithstanding, are off their rockers.

 

[Kin]

I think that Edmonton is lacking the foresight to round off that team (I believe that they need to turn 1-2 of the younger kids into a stud D man and to a lesser extent a #1 goalie. Get a proven coach and in my opinion they are years ahead of the Leafs.

One thing to keep in mind about the Oilers is that they've taken the building through the draft concept to its extreme. Everyone talks about how they've had the #1 pick three years in a row but what gets lost in the shuffle is that in those three years they've had 4 first round picks, 5 second round picks and 5 third round picks. They don't have much in the way of defensemen now but in those three years they've chosen defensemen at #19, #32 and #46 so there's at least a promising group in addition to guys like Alex Plante and Colten Teubert who are former first rounders on the blue-line in their system.

The thing about Edmonton is that they're in a fairly unique position where they have to build their team while keeping an eye on the cap and dealing with their particular disadvantage in terms of attracting free agents. Because of that I don't know if they are a fair comparable for just about any other club.

 

[Champ Kind]

[I don't think what you're saying here and what Feschuk said is all that different. Again, Feschuk said Burke did some good things but the bad outweighed the good. That may not be your opinion but I think it's a legitimate debate or, at least, if you don't think it's a legitimate position that Burke ultimately wasn't very good as GM of the Leafs then you are saying that a reasonable number of fairly good posters here, myself notwithstanding, are off their rockers.

I've think the anti-Burke opinion has ramped up a bit lately.  I also think it's a stretch for you to say that since I believe Burke did a pretty good job in Toronto I am therefore saying that those who believe he did zippo are nuts.  You're trying to set up a dichotomy that doesn't exist for me.

With that said, I'll reiterate that Burke's positives outweighed the negatives.  I also thnk that Burke's dining metaphor will prove more accurate as a few more years progress.  While the whole thing is self-aggrandizing, it's not inaccurate.

I think Feschuk's article is clearly unbalanced and, frankly, I'm sort of amazed you're trying to rationalize such a hack-piece.  And I'd also say that if you're honestly saying Feschuk and I are saying the same thing then you've either not read the article or you - of all people - are exhibiting elevated levels of sarcasm.

 

[Kin]

I've think the anti-Burke opinion has ramped up a bit lately.  I also think it's a stretch for you to say that since I believe Burke did a pretty good job in Toronto I am therefore saying that those who believe he did zippo are nuts.  You're trying to set up a dichotomy that doesn't exist for me.

I'm not saying that. What I'm saying, broadly, is that there are no people who think that he did "zippo". That, to the best of my knowledge here on the board at least, the negative opinion on Burke only extends to the negatives outweighing the positives.

What it read to me like, based on your quote from the article that basically seemed to be saying nothing more extreme than that was that you were saying that was an outlandish and clearly incorrect position when it's really just reading the balance sheet slightly different than you are.

I think Feschuk's article is clearly unbalanced and, frankly, I'm sort of amazed you're trying to rationalize such a hack-piece.  And I'd also say that if you're honestly saying Feschuk and I are saying the same thing then you've either not read the article or you - of all people - are exhibiting elevated levels of sarcasm.

I didn't read it(I tend not to give page views to something when it's mentioned as being a terrible article), I was just referring to the quote you chose. To my mind anyway, one person saying that there was good and bad but the negatives outweighed the positives and the other saying that there was good and bad but the positive outweighed the negatives aren't necessarily miles apart.

 

[rdowdall]

[I don't think what you're saying here and what Feschuk said is all that different. Again, Feschuk said Burke did some good things but the bad outweighed the good. That may not be your opinion but I think it's a legitimate debate or, at least, if you don't think it's a legitimate position that Burke ultimately wasn't very good as GM of the Leafs then you are saying that a reasonable number of fairly good posters here, myself notwithstanding, are off their rockers.

I've think the anti-Burke opinion has ramped up a bit lately.  I also think it's a stretch for you to say that since I believe Burke did a pretty good job in Toronto I am therefore saying that those who believe he did zippo are nuts.  You're trying to set up a dichotomy that doesn't exist for me.

With that said, I'll reiterate that Burke's positives outweighed the negatives.  I also thnk that Burke's dining metaphor will prove more accurate as a few more years progress.  While the whole thing is self-aggrandizing, it's not inaccurate.

I think Feschuk's article is clearly unbalanced and, frankly, I'm sort of amazed you're trying to rationalize such a hack-piece.  And I'd also say that if you're honestly saying Feschuk and I are saying the same thing then you've either not read the article or you - of all people - are exhibiting elevated levels of sarcasm.

Okay..so lets start at the the beginning.  There was good and bad.

 

[Jay-Mar]

Nonis should hire Burke as his assistant GM

 

[Rebel_1812]

Nonis should hire Burke as his assistant GM

I'd love to see how he would phrase that to his superiors to get their approval for the move.

 

[Jalili]

Burke is suing the online community.

http://globalnews.ca/news/515329/former-leafs-gm-brian-burke-files-defamation-suit/

 

[Kin]

Burke is suing the online community.

http://globalnews.ca/news/515329/former-leafs-gm-brian-burke-files-defamation-suit/

People saying untrue things on the internet? Well I never...

 

[Jalili]

Among those hit by Burke's lawsuit are "Poonerman" and "Sir Psycho Sexy"

 

[Brian Glennie]

Among those hit by Burke's lawsuit are "Poonerman" and "Sir Psycho Sexy"

It was on this very board that I first heard about a smutty rumour involving Brian Burke but it was just posters commenting on posts that had been removed so I went straight over to another Leaf-related forum, got the whole story and totally believed it!

 

[Rick C.]

It was on this very board that I first heard about a smutty rumour involving Brian Burke but it was just posters commenting on posts that had been removed so I went straight over to another Leaf-related forum, got the whole story and totally believed it!

Our moderators style has always been to get rid of player 'personal life' rumours.  And they do a great job of it!

 

[Zee]

I didn't always agree with Burke's moves as GM, but I'm loving how he's making some internet posters scramble now.  A bunch of guys on some Canucks message board are suddenly "turtling" after fearing they'll get sued for their made up stories.  So good.  Internet tough guys suddenly backing down and saying "hey it was just a joke".

link

 

[Leaflifer]

I didn't always agree with Burke's moves as GM, but I'm loving how he's making some internet posters scramble now.  A bunch of guys on some Canucks message board are suddenly "turtling" after fearing they'll get sued for their made up stories.  So good.  Internet tough guys suddenly backing down and saying "hey it was just a joke".

link

Yup. I was totally disgruntled when Burke was named GM. Hated his ego and always felt it would stand in his way of making the right choices.

However...

His choice to call out these scumbags gave me a new respect for the man.

 

[WhatIfGodWasALeaf]

Glad nobody ever posted that stuff here. ;D