Ever heard this one: “A new broom can sweep clean, but the old brush knows all the corners.”
When it comes to gaining an edge in a shortened season, history suggests that experience at the helm might be the difference between good and championship-caliber campaigns.
The great Mike Arace (can’t remember whether he’s the Woodward or the Bernstein) of the Columbus Dispatch researched the coaches who competed for championships in various sports during seasons that were shortened due to labor strife. What he found is quite enlightening. (He specializes in enlightenment – and pissing people off. The truth sometimes offends, but always sets you free.)
Coaches who appeared in league championships during shortened season:
Dick Williams
Sparky Anderson
Tommy Lasorda
Bob Lemon
Joe Gibbs (twice)
Don Shula
Dan Reeves
Greg Popovich
Jeff Van Gundy
Jacques Lemaire
Scotty Bowman
Rick Carlisle
Erik Spoelestra
Coaches who won shortened season championship
Dick Williams
Tommy Lasorda
Joe Gibbs (twice)
Greg Popovich
Jacques Lemaire
Erik Spoelestra
The only deviation from the rule that high-level, experienced coaching is the key to victory would be the most recent championship. The Miami Heat and their relative neophyte head coach Erik Spoelestra rolled to a ring last year. Of course they did employ some some guy named Lebron who is what NBA observers refer to as a “Baller”.
So which team(s) does this Golden Bench Boss Rule favor in the current Lockout shortened NHL season?
CHI - Quenneville
STL – Hitchcock
NYR – Tortorella
BUF – Ruff
Of course there is also a small percentage chance for the “Spoelestra – Just Stay Out Of The Way – Exception To The Rule” to come into play, but I’d go ahead and breath while waiting for that.
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