MILLARD: I Canvassed Players And Coaches About How Jimmy Butler’s Act Would Play In The NHL. No Bueno.

Daren Millard Oct 12, 2018
|

By @DarenMillard 

This piece has been assembled uniquely.    The story is about an NBA team, and it’s fractured relationship with a star player.  I admit the NBA is not my normal hangout, but when I saw these events unfold, I immediately wondered what would happen if an athlete did something similar at the National Hockey League level.

  I have written a traditional column about the events of the week but inserted between the paragraphs are quotes from current and former hockey people from almost every different level of the food chain, i.e., player, coach, general manager.

   Some of the comments are exactly what I expected when soliciting the reaction.  Others addressed this ugly situation in a fashion I hadn’t thought of.    The inserted comments are general reactions to the Jimmy Butler story and are not meant to play off the words that they follow in this column.

Please enjoy.

   

In Scent of a Woman, Al Pacino portrays an aging, blind, angry, man named Lt. Col. Frank Slade.   With plans to take his life, Frank heads out for one final weekend on the town and eventually bonds with the kid assigned to babysit him.  Pacino comes to the teenager’s defense in a great “standing up to the man” moment as Pacino addresses the headmaster at Baird School.   

The kid is on the verge of being kicked out for something he didn’t do but won’t sell out the privileged brats who committed the prank.  

Cue Lt. Col. Frank Slade.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lAtzy-l3H1g

Lt. Col. Frank Slade: [slams his cane on the desk, screaming] FLAMETHROWER to this place! Out of order? Who the hell do ya think you’re talking to?

Thankfully no fire extinguishers were required in Baird but if a torching is what you wished would have happened then look no further than the NBA’s Minnesota Timberwolves for your pyro fix.

The franchise is smoldering after star player Jimmy Butler ignited a five-alarm blaze this week.  

 …..current NHL coach….

 “I don’t know the whole story, but…1. Not a team player-see ya later. 2. Disrespect the hierarchy in front of everyone, see ya later. Good people keep teams together and play for each other with egos in check. 

Jimmy Butler ended his training camp holdout Wednesday by showing up late for a practice he wasn’t invited to.   With his trade demand not granted, Butler subbed himself into a scrimmage and proceeded to insult the General Manager, the Coach and several of his fellow teammates.      

…..former NHL player…..

“I would have beat the snot out of him!! Then throw him off my team!

Reporting of the incident included Butler making comments like, “you can’t win without me”  calling his teammates soft while adding they are $(#%.  

When the scrimmaged ended Butler slapped hands with one of the players he insulted, walked out of the gym and did an interview where he said all his emotion came out at one time.

* authors note “I can only assume his training camp holdout is reinstated.”

Butler talked the talk and walked the walk.   It was brutal, disrespectful and mean.   Nobody was spared in the tirade. 

 ….former NHL player… 

“Truly I am not sure what I would do. If I did not like the player from the start, I would most likely get in his grill after practice away from the media and confront him face to face. If he were a buddy of mine and was acting like a jack ass I would take him out for dinner and try to talk some sense into the star player and say act like a pro and you will be dealt when the team is ready. Remind him that it is a privilege to play in a league that his family for generations will never have to worry about money, so grow the &$*# up and be a professional. If that does not work, I would kick him in the nuts during practice, accidentally on purpose of course. “

More than one person attempted to connect this scenario with the real world.   Sorry but the line “if he did that at a regular job he would be fired” does not apply.

Timberwolves basketball operations were shut down today with practice canceled and the media told there would be nobody made available.  This is the equivalent of putting police tape around the burned out structure and the department to allow the mangled mess to cool down.   Timberwolves PR (not their fault) is basically imitating the street cop who’s job is to  say “nothing to see here. move along now.”    

After experiencing one of the greatest displays of insubordination in professional sports, the lack of any response by the Timberwolves is awkward. Locking the door and not answering the phone is embarrassing akin to an Ostrich sticking it’s head in the sand.  

…Current NHL Coach…..

“He (Butler)  would be banned from the arena! Suspend him and let him sweat! Would not be tolerated.”

As if to accentuate the lack of action by the franchise the only team activity Thursday was a follow-up meeting Butler himself called in order to clear the air with his teammates. 

Butler apparently told the group his problem wasn’t with them but rather management.    Weird because after he marched out of his appearance at Wednesdays  practice, Butler sat down with ESPN and declared one of his major  issues was a lack of commitment to winning, adding “people can tell” which can be taken as effort based and something directed at the players.

…..former NHL player….

“A physical altercation would have occurred.  No question.

If the star was talking %%^  like butler reportedly did 

There might not have been a fight, but there would have been something 

And I can’t even imagine a player doing that to management in front of everyone 

Because last time I checked what the hell as jimmy butler ever won

Stop playing the role and acting like a hero 

That’s how I would have felt”

 

You don’t have to be Brad Pitts marriage counsellor to know when a relationship is done.     This one is finished.  The drama filled 36 hours exacerbated a gap the Grand Canyon would be jealous of.  I wouldn’t be surprised if  Angelina Joli called the team and said,  “dump his ass.”

 

    ….current  NHL management….

“That’s nuts .. my first reaction is that hockey players would deal with a teammate that acted like that differently then those guys did. I am pretty sure in hockey someone would have grabbed him and kicked the piss right out of him and that would have been that. That’s certainly what should have happened. “

 

But what if that isn’t possible?

Butler’s actions have revealed a selfish athlete who considers himself above the team.   The only reason he is still in Minnesota is because the Timberwolves wanted every ounce of market value in return.  That price has changed.   If Butler was listed on the stock market there’s a good chance trading would have been stopped after a massive loss in value.

 

    …..current NHL coach…. 

“Would suspend coach and player and not pay them” 

 

Minnesota won’t get what they hoped for a week ago because now the vultures are out.    Suitors are looking at paying cents on the dollar leaving the club in a quandary.   Dig in and live with what is sure to be more stunts or let him play and risk his antics spilling over to game action.  The club could also trade a less valuable Butler, essentially caving in but also moving on

 

      …..current NHL management…..

 “ Well, for this to happen, there is organizational dysfunction prevalent for it to ever get to this point.    For the players not to stop him, is also very concerning.    Will be interesting to watch.” 

 

There is one other course of action.    

Why not  suspended Butler for conduct detrimental to the team.  Every Standard Players Contract has a moral clause written into it.    If there was every an example of CDT it is this situation.   Put Butler on the shelf and save some respect.   

NBA teams are watching this.  Whats even worse it other leagues are paying attention.  The disaster grows larger because  even non sports fans have heard about it  and are curious.    

Jimmy Butler made his play and he wasn’t shy.    We can’t say the same about the Timberwolves can we.

Daren Millard

Daren has interviewed Tiger Woods to a “C” Flight winner at a local small town golf tournament and more than a 1000 in between. He is a career broadcaster from Manitoba and spent 20 years at Rogers Sports net where he ascended to the role of national host of the NHL. As one of the first announcers hired by Sports Net in 1988, Millard was assigned to such events as the PGA Tour, ATP and WTA Tennis, Memorial Cup tournaments and the Olympic Games. His early career in radio helped refine a skill set that put Millard in front of a coast to coast Canadian audience for two decades. Career highlights include hosting the Hockey Panel at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver; heading up Toronto Maple Leafs broadcast on Sports net for 15 seasons and hosting Wednesday Night National NHL games for four years. He also had appearances on Hockey Night in Canada and Daren conducted the only broadcast interview after Tiger Woods hit his famed 6 iron bunker shot that helped him win the 2000 Canadian Open at Glen Abbey. Daren is married and lives in Markham with his wife and two adopted daughters.

Related stories