I am completely floored buy the dismisal of Tommy Mac. This guy has been hockey in Huntsville for several years from 8 year olds to 20 year olds. Very few people have dedicated themselves to a cummunity hockey program to the extent Tom has and I suspect the ones that do get Keys to the city or Rinks named after them, not the axe. My boy played for Tom two seasons and learned a whole bunch about Hockey and life. My son is a better man from knowing Tom which in my opinion the highest compliment a coach can be given. Put aside winning records, division championships and regular playoff appearances for the Otters under Toms direction. Even forget Tom's selection to represent the conference at the allstar game. Please remember the man who ran youth hockeys schools. Please remenber the man who made it his mission in life to take 16 or 17 year old boys and turn them into decent 20 year old youg men. It has been posted by Otter representatives on this sight that managment thought is was time for a change or new direction. Someone please check the stats because this team is coming off a 3 year run which would be the envy of most clubs in the league. Bad start this year, for sure, but sending Tom down the road is a blunder that the Otters will be a long time getting over. If mangement is thinking of a new direction they might be better served by attending games, talking to fans and taking the time to know thier players. I suspect that had they done that Tom would still be behind the bench and they would not be looking for general managers, other support staff and volenters to keep this program alive.
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Your sentiments are shared by a lot of people around the Huntsville team. I first got to know Tom in Mississauga. He seemed to really care and wanted so much to give back to the game. He has had his challenges and would share his wins and losses with anyone that he thought might learn and avoid the pratfalls of Hockey and the Life.
But not to worry. Tom is a realist and he is also one incredible scout, developer and coach. IF he wants he will be back on a bench he will and can whenever he wants. He liked the Otters. But the team was never as important as the group of players he worked with.
Tommy would say it's just part of the game.
Others will now benefit from knowing him. So many teams could use his help.
Happy landings Tommy!
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I feel for the players, Yesterday Tom had planned for a meeting with the Leafs for their practice which didn't happen.
Last Saturday was suppose to the Team camping trip that Tom takes them on every year, that didn't happen.
Tom was more then just a coach to his players.
I would like to know how the new coach or any coach can drive 2-1/2 hours everyday one way (crazy). How do they interact with the community (which Huntsville loves)when they have a 2-1/2" hour drive home. How do they really know what's going on with their players when they aren't on the ice (say 1-1/2 hours per day max) do they just listen to hearsay.
Small towns are successful with Junior hockey because the Team (and staff) are part of the community.
Huntsville unlike other Junior Teams has never given their players even a hockey stick. What they gave them was Tom McCarthy which was obviously worth way more then pay checks, new skates, hockeysticks etc. to the players. Lots of our past superstars like Corey George, Jon Whitelaw, Dan Pinkney, McConny I know had big offers elsewhere and chose TOM.
Mr. O'Leary, If you read these Forums, I am hoping for everyones sake you work out. All NEW coaches come into town and say they are Strict (as you have) most usually try to prove it by Trading a really important Team guy.....just to show who's in charge......then a few players don't follow in line and more trades occur. Before you know it there's a new team, less community interest and it takes 5 years minimum to get back to where the Team was.....if they don't fold first.
I hope you are not like this.....I hope you can get these guys on side and bring in a few new players which are needed
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1 correction the otters met with the leafs today. yesterday was for town officials and today was for the hockey team. all players were in attendance along with staff/volunteers
Craig Shaw
Huntsville Otters
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Tom McCarthy is the Otters
September 30, 2009
I would like you to read a quote from an article featured in the Huntsville Forester on May 2, 2007 regarding the sale of the Huntsville Otters to Jason Armstrong and Kris House:
Armstrong said that getting McCarthy to begin negotiating a long-term deal played a huge part in their decision to buy the Otters. Tom is an integral part of the team. Without him we wouldnt have been interested.
The reasons for this are obvious. Tom McCarthy is the Huntsville Otters! He, in many cases, is the sole reason players move to our town. Just ask them! Tom once said to me its like having 25 children every year, and thats exactly how he relates to his team. Educating both on and off the ice, he has helped many of his players to become better people through hockey.
Tom has contributed to this community on so many different levels, utilizing the ability to give back through the Otters organization. Along the way he has formed a family of players, coaches, staff and volunteers. These individuals give their time and efforts every week because Tom motivates them to be part of something that makes a difference in our town.
The Huntsville Otters are a business owned by businessmen, but it takes more than a businessman to run a successful hockey team. Whats shocking is that Toms dismissal from the team was referred to as a business decision. Huntsville is the only team in the north that has been able to create a consistent fan base and operate as a successful club while being a top competitor in the league. How is it good for business to fire the individual responsible for the creation of that team?
You cannot replace morals with money in a town like Huntsville and as sad as it is, this is whats happening with our Huntsville Otters. I, for one, will no longer be donating my time or efforts to an organization that supports the sacrifice of personal relationships for selfishness.
Katie Peleikis
Huntsville
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tom is one of the good guys in hockey.
he was the sole reason that talented kids went and stayed in huntsville.
the future of the otters is questionable from an on ice perspective as it will be more difficult to attract talent.
tom was always willing to talk hockey with anyone that approached him and the players gave back exactly what they recieved from tom 100% effort and loyalty!!
loyalty is a word not heard much around hockey these days.
good luck tom !!!!
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I guess the next question is what 1994 or 1995 born kid's parent bought the Otters and saw good coaching as a obstacle in having their kid on a future team?????
Sounds like a common occurrance in the OHA now if that is indeed the MO...
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The mind boggles at the actions taken recently by the Huntsville owners. It has taken nearly 6 years to rebuild the hockey club, an effort that has taken the blood, sweat and tears of coach Tom McCarthy. He has given countless hours to the community and regained the faith of the Huntsville hockey fans that at the end of the Wildcats era, was to say the least dismal. At the end of the 03/04 season, the Wildcats were lucky to attract 50 fans to a game and sponsorship was non-existent.
Through Tom's efforts, he not only built a winning club, the attendance and corporate support for the team became the envy of the league. Now the entire bench has bailed along with countless volunteers. I suspect the players themselves will have difficulty mustering any enthusiasm as they try to improve their slow start to the season. Most of those boys went up to Huntsville to play for Tom for an opportunity to develop their skills at the hand of someone who really knows the game and genuinely cares for his players. I suspect that the poor patsy that is the new coach will have a much greater challenge ahead of him than he even imagines!
It's really unfortunate for the game when owners without a flippin' hockey clue call the shots to detriment of the players, the fans and the community. What has taken 6 years to build can easily slip away with bone-headed decisions like this one.
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Huntsville 10/01/09 Exell, Terry () relieved of duties
Huntsville 10/01/09 Magee, Kevin () relieved of duties
Huntsville 09/30/09 McCarthy, Tom () relieved of duties
Huntsville 09/30/09 Magee, Ted () relieved of duties
Huntsville 09/30/09 Hanman, Charlie () relieved of duties
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if i was a huntsville resident and supporter i would boycott the home games for a month totally unless these owners come absolutly clean with their reasoning behind all of this. if this is another case of play my kid, i would make the drive to seguin and throw all my support behind them!!!!!!!!
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how about being more rational and support the players. dont punish them for the deeds of others. they are the victims really no matter who is to blame and narrow-minded boycott protesters only ultimately hurt the players more. yah thats not smart thinking but shocking low even for wingfan.
the truth will come out as to whats exactly going on we all know it. hockey is a small community and the story will find the light of day. i dont have any special insight here but i suspect there is 'more than meets the eye' here very very few things are random and craigshaw's silence and continued support of the team says something!
$$PM87$$
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i would just like to reply that i support the players and continue to help out for them 100%. those kids are the reason i am involved in hockey and i would not bail on them.
Craig Shaw
Huntsville Otters
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Another question comes to mind with the total absence of home town leadership and guidance, who the heck will be overseeing the players for the 90% of the time they aren't on the ice??
Three quarters of the team is billeted and let's face it, 16 to 20-year olds can tend to get into quite a bit of mischief if not supervised. In a small town like Huntsville there's a lot of trouble to get into where the boys are treated like rock stars and everything and anything is available to them. I know that over the years Tom and the other coaching staff put quite a bit of effort into keeping the boys in line. Who will do that now?
In such a remote location with the new coach living miles away and no one left on the bench, it seems like just looking after the wellbeing of the players will be a serious challenge.
How likely are parents to be confident in entrusting their sons to a team that won't be able to provide daily direction and supervision. It certainly doesn't seem like a lot of thought has gone into this change of direction.
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Your statement is kind of below the belt isn't it "truth"!!
I know McCarthy personally and would back him anytime.
You obviously don't agree with people being given a second chance and their record being past history. If you agree with that statement then you must not think very much of someone on the Duke's coaching staff, is that correct?
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smc i based my decision not on whether or not it was right or wrong to remove tom as coach but based on whats best for the players on our team.
tom is a great coach and a good friend of mine and i support him 100% in what he does in the future. i think he will find a new job coaching and continue on helping out the players in this league.
Craig Shaw
Huntsville Otters
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I totally agree with you Craig, my prediction is that Tom will be coaching in the "O" or the "Q", maybe not this season but definitely next season. My guess is he may end up on the bench with the Erie Otters.
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the real part that worries me here is the small town approach to hockey where in the past small towns and cities for love of their heroes bury any ugly truths in favour of convienient fandom and a parents dream to have their kid make the nhl at any cost. we've seen it before too many times in hockey. we keep seeing it time and again which is what instituted the police records check process for bench staff. my question is, what has to show up on there before a bench staff is deemed a risk to youths?
we'd be smart to keep close tabs on this one since i doubt we will ever get the real story now that we are hearing messaged rumblings from 'craigshaw45' that trenton is perhaps in the picture for mccarthy
$$PM87$$
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in the long run it would send a message to these guys that hockey is not all about the owners(sorry pm) but in a small community its more than that.
the reason behind the shake up of a successful franchise should be released to the hundreds of loyal paying fans of the team.
if it was financial come clean if it was because of owners kids shame on the owners.
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It strikes me that the "hundred of loyal paying fans" will never really know what went on in Huntsville. Those that know aren't saying and that's that.
Very few owners get into the game with altruistic intentions. Rarely it is for the benefit of young hockey players or for the improvement of the league. When Tom McCarthy took over ownership of the team in 2003/04, he was one of those rare owners who really believed it was for the benefit of the players and the game. Naive maybe but a top notch club resulted from those initial efforts. Financial realities set in and when Bassin and Irwin bailed, Tom was left with no alternative but to relinquish his share with the intention to carry on coaching. With a long term contract in hand, he thought he was secure -- but who in hockey is really secure?
It's highly unlikely that five losses at the start of the season prompted the change, after a division title the previous season, it just doesn't add up. And the hiring of a lackluster, non-winning replacement coach does not create the impression that winning had anything to do with it.
But the remaining volunteers who are "in it for the players" should come to grips with the fact that it will be a long, hard struggle to regain what McCarthy has worked to build over the past five seasons. I wonder if it's even possible. Tom gave his time and effort, used his personal charisma and involvement to embrace not only minor hockey but the entire Huntsville sports community. That's what it took to build the strong support for the Otters. The players will come and go, that's the nature of the game but without leadership any team will face immense challenges to rebuild and thrive.
So we can all speculate on what actually happened. We can all hope the Tom lands on his feet but the reality is the title of this thread...hockey in Huntsville is hurt.
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in defence of brian oleary how is he lackluster? assistant coach in the OHL for severals year. head coach for one season. then coached semi pro for two years.
Craig Shaw
Huntsville Otters
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Webster's uses synonyms such as "ordinary" and "mediocre" in its description. I understand it's your job to defend the new coach -- I'm sure he has minor hockey credentials as well.
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UNFAIR
I believe that Hockey in Huntsville is hurt and the "relieved of Duties" by Tom is UNFAIR without explanation, But, to go after Mr. O'Leary on here in a negative manner is just adding to the UNFAIR aura in hockey today. He has the biggest shoes I've seen in Jr. hockey in years to fill. Let the card fall where they may without negativity, at least until there is really something to scwack about.
I believe the "Relieved of Duties" by Tom's entire bench (they were all asked to stay on and have chosen not to, because of Tom, not anything to do with Brian) This says something for the "MAN" Tom McCarthy as to the respect that not only the Players, Volunteers and his staff had for him.
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OK I hear you guys -- I'll wait a few more weeks before I use the word "lackluster" again. Yes, O'Leary has giant shoes to fill -- good luck to him. My prediction is that he will need a lot of it. I've got nothing against the guy but my whole point in this thread has been that it's way more than just a coaching job to be successful in Huntsville. In that respect, no new coach, no matter who it is, will have an easy time of it. Whatever weaknesses Tom has, he's a master at building loyalty and getting the most out of people, hockey and otherwise.
And in response to PM87 -- don't ever kid yourself that Sherry Bassin and Ray Irwin ever did one thing that didn't benefit themselves first, in hockey or business. If truth were told, they screwed Tom over worse than the new owners.
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to be fair, mccarthy didnt come to huntsville with a great "coaching pedigree" either unless you consider
- coaching convicts in leavenworth
- minor hockey in the gta
- assistant coach for milton
i think the new coach has a better coaching pedigree, mccarthy had a hockey player pedigree. and we've all seen now being a great player doesnt necessarily translate to being the greatest coach (gretzky). even then bass and irwin were doing mac a favour in setting up the gig in huntsville. irwin even bought a car dealership in town. then things changed between the group. azzano out. bass/irwin out. mac initially wasnt going to sell but then he did too.
$$PM87$$
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What are you talking about, there is no better "coaching Pedigree" then the present, Tom made the Otters a franchise to be envious of. I have yet to be to an AWAY game that the Otters didn't have more fans there then the home team. He managed to attracted some of the best players in the league to Huntsville with no paychecks, no skates, no sticks, no fake jobs, no, no, no all the other things that everyone accuses other Teams of in this league. As a matter of fact Huntsville had the MVP (Jon Whitelaw) of the league last year, and one of the best lines in the league with Whitelaw, George & Waddell. You don't attract talent like that with no "coaching Pedigree"
I for one hope things work out for O'leary & the Otters for the Players and Fans sake, and considering the paid admissions by Otters fans at away games so should the rest of the league.
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it is not my job to defend the new coach but he didnt fire tom so to rag on him is not necessary give the guy a chance. people want to crucify him before he has a chance to prove himself.
Craig Shaw
Huntsville Otters
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I have had the opportunity to watch the Otters with Tom as the coach and I can tell you that they are a much better run organization than they ever were prior to Tom being there. As much as I am a Terrier fan I will dearly miss the excitment of the McCarthy lead Otters coming to town, there was a buzz in the arena like no other when Huntsville was here or when the Terriers were there. Tom always had the hardest working team in the league and the past few years was able to mix the hard work with some skill. All the best to Tom McCarthy, I truly will miss him and I hope he gets to coach in this league or another very soon, he is one of the best...
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The fans of Huntsville have been dealt a big blow. This franchise literally came up from the ashes of the Wildcats and there are, no doubt, many people who can take credit for it.
The Huntsville story typifies what can be done when you have both committed, selfless, talented and hard-working people in place who pull together.
Those teams in small centres often are under the microscope of scrutiny so much that the slightest hiccup can sometimes topple all that people have worked so hard for.
I do not know what happened in Huntsville but I do know that their fans and the hard-working volunteers are always the ones most hurt.
I saw the same thing happen in Port Hope and in Trenton most recently. As a bystander standing and watching from the outside, I can tell you it was heart-breaking to observe knowing you could do little about it.
Some of you may well be in the know more than I on the current Huntsville situation. But in the meantime all I see is a coaching change which is something a lot of teams do and it is their perogative.
Here is what I HOPE for. That the team stays in Huntsville, that it continues in Trenton and that Port Hope may, one day again, have another team.
I have long felt that the survival of this league has as much to do with sound franchises in smaller centres as it does in larger ones.
I sincerely hope the team continues to thrive in Huntsville and be the source of community pride it has become.
Unknown Author: Hope Quote
Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow.
Wayjoy
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He means Dino Azzano - father of Chris Azzano, Cobourg goalie. Dino was the GM for first 1-1/4 seasons. Impossible situation team in Huntsville and GM in Oshawa. Just didn't work out.
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