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Around the NHL: 2015-2016


LGR4GM

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The Leafs just added one of the best GM's in NHL history to go along with one of the best coaches in the game today. Leaf fans have every reason to be excited.  Lou just had a team in the Finals four seasons ago. I don't see where loading up on quality hockey people can ever be a bad thing. The Leafs can have one hell of a 'Bring your Stanley Cup Ring to Work Day."

 

Personally I am wondering if they'll still stick to their rebuild plan, I can't see Lou wanting a tank year.

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And Tiger Woods is one of the greatest golfers of all-time, and just won player of the year 2 years ago. Sure isn't doing much now though.

 

Except I root for Tiger. Not so much for the Leafs.

Tiger's issues are his body breaking down and his personal life going down the toilet. As far as  know Lou L is in good health and he hasn't been banging any cocktail waitresses. Though I am sure if he wore his Stanley Cup rings he could. 

 

Personally I am wondering if they'll still stick to their rebuild plan, I can't see Lou wanting a tank year.

You can rebuild without going into a full tank like the Sabres did. I think the Calgary Flames would be more of the model for the Leafs than the Sabres. 

Edited by DeLuca1967
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Tiger's issues are his body breaking down and his personal life going down the toilet. As far as  know Lou L is in good health and he hasn't been banging any cocktail waitresses. Though I am sure if he wore his Stanley Cup rings he could. 

 

You can rebuild without going into a full tank like the Sabres did. I think the Calgary Flames would be more of the model for the Leafs than the Sabres. 

 

I would argue that recently Tiger has been in a much healthier state, and that his issues as of now are mainly mental. He had the yips. He isn't thinking the game properly right now. Maybe Lou isn't either, given the recent performances of his teams.

 

As for your point about the Leafs rebuild, I agree. They are clearly going after a quicker-type rebuild like the Flames.

 

We'll see what happens.

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Tigers problem is his swing. He shouldn't have tried to re-invent what wasn't broken.

 

Agreed. And the fact that he chose to try and re-invent what wasn't broken, points to the idea that maybe he isn't thinking the game properly at the moment. Or he's over-thinking it.

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I dunno, Tiger remade his swing when he was younger and was better for it. I think he just got old and injured, and his personal life fiasco messed with his head. But mostly old and injured.

 

Yeah, Tiger said he had to change his swing because he couldn't put the kind of torque on his knee/back like he used to.  I still think there is more to his decline than age/injury.  I think he's rich, has other interests, kids, and is just not as driven as he was.  Happens to all of us (with the exception of the rich part).

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I dunno, Tiger remade his swing when he was younger and was better for it. I think he just got old and injured, and his personal life fiasco messed with his head. But mostly old and injured.

I go with this.

 

Yes the loss of his father was an impact on his drive to succeed, but even if he wants to his body won't let him. He made it that to win you needed to be an athlete in golf, no more John Daley-esk golfers will win. In shape and on top of their game now. Young, fit and determined. He changed golf forever.

Edited by Woods-Racer
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I go with this.

 

Yes the loss of his father was an impact on his drive to succeed, but even if he wants to his body won't let him. He made it that to win you needed to be an athlete in golf, no more John Daley-esk golfers will win. In shape and on top of their game now. Young, fit and determined. He changed golf forever.

 

It is worth noting that he has won 4 majors since the passing of his father, so the drive was/is still there. Yes he is older now, but he seems to at least be getting a little healthier, maybe he can master a swing that will keep him playing longer. 39 is past prime for a golfer, certainly, but it's not as if good golfers don't play very well deep into their 40s, in some cases. Phil Mickelson won a major at 43, and is still playing reasonably well.

 

Tiger will never be what he was, and that's ok, he's past his prime (which was an incredible prime). But I still maintain that some of his issues are mental, and if he can work some of those out...I'm not ruling out another major win somewhere down the road, even if it far from a certainty.

 

I've derailed the thread with my original mention of Tiger.. :unsure:

Edited by Thorny
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:ph34r: 

It is worth noting that he has won 4 majors since the passing of his father, so the drive was/is still there. Yes he is older now, but he seems to at least be getting a little healthier, maybe he can master a swing that will keep him playing longer. 39 is past prime for a golfer, certainly, but it's not as if good golfers don't play very well deep into their 40s, in some cases. Phil Mickelson won a major at 43, and is still playing reasonably well.

 

Tiger will never be what he was, and that's ok, he's past his prime (which was an incredible prime). But I still maintain that some of his issues are mental, and if he can work some of those out...I'm not ruling out another major win somewhere down the road, even if it far from a certainty.

 

I've derailed the thread with my original mention of Tiger.. :unsure:

It summer time on a hockey thread, you are forgivin.. it's not like your some moral-less person throwing a party and inviting girls over :ph34r:

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It is worth noting that he has won 4 majors since the passing of his father, so the drive was/is still there. Yes he is older now, but he seems to at least be getting a little healthier, maybe he can master a swing that will keep him playing longer. 39 is past prime for a golfer, certainly, but it's not as if good golfers don't play very well deep into their 40s, in some cases. Phil Mickelson won a major at 43, and is still playing reasonably well.

 

Tiger will never be what he was, and that's ok, he's past his prime (which was an incredible prime). But I still maintain that some of his issues are mental, and if he can work some of those out...I'm not ruling out another major win somewhere down the road, even if it far from a certainty.

 

I've derailed the thread with my original mention of Tiger.. :unsure:

 

I don't think there's any doubt that some of his problems are between the ears. However, I think I could argue that the physical decline all golfers face as they age is actually worse for him because of how reliant he was on his athleticism (reliant is probably the wrong word, but I think we can agree he was as great as he was because he combined insane work ethic with a level of athleticism that was far and away above his peers). Sort of like when a RB who relies on speed loses half a step and literally doesn't know how to run and be effective without that speed. Maybe I'm being overly pessimistic, but if Tiger was going to figure out how to play within his new reality, he'd have done it by now.

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I don't think there's any doubt that some of his problems are between the ears. However, I think I could argue that the physical decline all golfers face as they age is actually worse for him because of how reliant he was on his athleticism (reliant is probably the wrong word, but I think we can agree he was as great as he was because he combined insane work ethic with a level of athleticism that was far and away above his peers). Sort of like when a RB who relies on speed loses half a step and literally doesn't know how to run and be effective without that speed. Maybe I'm being overly pessimistic, but if Tiger was going to figure out how to play within his new reality, he'd have done it by now.

 

I think this is true in so far as, if he was going to become dominant again, or even consistently good again, he would have probably figured it out already. But we are talking about possibly the greatest golfer ever to play the game, and all it takes is 4 days. Things could click and he could put things together for a major someone down the line. He was too good to completely count out now going forward, as some people are.

 

I agree with the assessment on his athleticism. He isn't above everyone else in that regard anymore. He's below quite a few. Another thing gone is his intimidation factor of old. Golfers would see him around them on the leaderboard and just crumble. Not anymore.

 

But there was more to Tiger in his prime than just being an amazing athlete with an insane work ethic. He had intangibles, if you will. Something akin to a golf version on Gretzky's hockey sense. He could dial in for shots at clutch moments that no one else could pull off. And don't forget the putting. Tiger frequently led the field in putting, and that is mental. I would go as far as to say there was a mystique about the way he putted that no one is even close to right now, even Spieth. When Tiger stood over a 12-15 footer that he needed, to seal a major or force a playoff, you just knew he was going to make that putt. And he would.

 

There is a lot of his game that isn't what it was, and won't be coming back. But I believe, (and I am admittedly in the minority) that deep down there is still some of that old Tiger within him that, if he can sort out his mental issues, just maybe could show itself again on a fateful Sunday at Augusta.

Edited by Thorny
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Never been a Tiger fan, loved Jack and did not want his 18 Majors topped. However, Tiger was awesome in his prime and had a great run. He's young enough to win more but there are a lot of miles and scars on his mind and body. He may gut out a victory somewhere but he wil not pass Jack.

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Getting back to the subject at hand, didn't Toronto snd Deluca say the same thing when Burke and then Carlisle came to town?

More Burke than Carlisle, though it didn't work out for Burke in Toronto, Calgary on the other hand appears to be on the right track. Overall, the brain trust the Leafs are putting together is impressive. Time will tell if it works. It's not easy converting all that hockey knowledge into a cohesive product on the ice.   

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