A terrific read from Bob McKenzie's Keefe chapter of "Hockey Confidential"
The Road to Redemption
https://www.tsn.ca/from-bob-mckenzie-s-hockey-confidential-the-road-to-redemption-1.1401391
(the history with David Frost)
"There was, however, huge incentive for Keefe to not be associated with Frost in any way. From the moment the fertilizer hit the fan in Pembroke in September 2006, Keefe knew his only hope to survive was to prove to everyone he was his own man. His entire future in Pembroke hinged on it.
"I remember a meeting in town with some of the most influential business leaders," Keefe said. "I was trying to get their blessing and [get them to] back me in the community, but it was a tough time. It was to the point where some of these gentlemen were going to pool their money to [buy me] out of there. I pleaded with them to have lunch with me, I asked them to understand my perspective, I assured them there would be nothing more to do with Frost, how I knew I had zero chance of success if I wasn't being honest. A lot of those gentlemen became major allies. One of them came to my wedding in Arizona.
...
"The moment when I really knew Sheldon was different, that he was for real, was when I met his wife [Jackie] and kids," Futa said. "I was at a rink and I saw this woman and her children in the hallway, and [Jackie] came up and introduced herself and the kids to me. She knew who I was and she thanked me for helping out Sheldon. When I saw her and the children, when I saw how happy they were, that's when I realized Sheldon was for real. If he wasn't [for real], he'd be throwing away this [his family], and I just couldn't imagine him doing that. That's when I knew, that's when I felt really confident [about Keefe]."
...
"I figured there would be jealousy and resentment from his peers because he was so successful," Dubas said, "but I was shocked to find out how well respected Sheldon was. They were basically saying to me that they thought it was a travesty he's not coaching at a higher level.
Dubas also went to former Pembroke players and parents, digging hard to find out if there was any dirt on Keefe. He couldn't find it.
"Even the kids who got cut by Keefe had good things to say about him," Dubas said. "It was remarkable."Five days before the actual hiring, Dubas and Keefe met for six hours. A copious note taker, Dubas didn't write anything down. He just asked questions, listened and tried to judge for himself whether this man before him was worthy of being entrusted with an OHL franchise.
"What struck me more than anything else was how brutally honest Sheldon was about his past," Dubas said. "I knew after meeting him he was the right man for the job."
.jpg)
