Hi, this is Fred Wallace with ” Off the Wire ” brought to you by Auto Logic, the Logical Choice.
In their first season of existence, the Flint Firebirds of the Ontario Hockey League managed to generate more ( bad ) publicity than the Detroit Ambassadors- Detroit Junior Red Wings- Detroit Whalers and Plymouth Whalers ever did.
In a move that made Harold Ballard’s 1979 ” Paper Bag ” for Roger Neilson scheme seem rational, Firebirds owner Rolf Nilsen fired his coaching staff after a weekend in which they won 2 out of 3 games.
The flash firing of John Gruden and staff was reportedly due to a lack of ice time for Nilsen’s son, Hakan.
A mutiny by the Firebird players and a quick trip to Flint by OHL Commissioner Dave Branch restored calm and Nilsen did the ” Flint Flip Flop ” and reinstated Gruden and staff, admitting he made an ” irresponsible mistake ”
A team mutiny in hockey is rare,……. but not unheard of.
Just last year, my understanding was the Knights of Meaford refused to board a bus for a road game unless there was a change in coaching and in ownership.
And even more famous in my view, was the revolt by the Alliston Hornets some 5 years ago.
Trailing in a playoff series and facing elimination against Penetanguishene, the story I heard was the Hornets players refused to get on the team bus following a post season game unless there was an immediate alteration at head coach.
The players got their wish as Norm Costello was replaced by Darrin Shannon and the Hornets rallied to eliminate the Kings and advance in the Schmalz Cup Playoffs.
A team mutiny in hockey is rare, but in Alliston, Meaford and lately in Flint, the revolts were rewarded.
I’m Fred Wallace