Stars Finally Fire DeBoer

 

  Yesterday, after the strangest and most awkward goalie pull ever, followed by blaming an entire team failure on your franchise goalie, the Dallas Stars did the right thing and finally shit-canned head coach Pete DeBoer.

   That quote above, DeBoer says he didn't blame it all on goalie Jake Oettinger, but if you watch the post-game press conference, he did. 

  First let's talk about the pulling of Oettinger. I get pulling a goalie after your team gave up two quick goals. I grew up in the age of Mike Keenan regularly yanking his goalie, to wake up his team and/or light a fire under the goalie. Keenan yanked good goalies, bad goalies, elite goalies, he didn't care. He often yanked his starter and at the next stoppage in play, sent him back in. So, I have no problem with pulling Oettinger to try and make something happen. But how it happened was odd. He calls timeout. Oettinger goes to the bench, drinks some water hears what the coaching staff has to say and then heads back to his crease. Then as he's almost back, DeBoer is yelling at him to get off the ice and then tells the backup to go in. It was odd and fucked up. You could see the tension between Oettinger and DeBoer throughout the rest of the game.

  Second, after the game DeBoer trashed his netminder. He doesn't say how poorly his team played defensively in front of their goalie. He doesn't mention how they suddenly in the Conference Finals his team couldn't figure out how to score on an average goalie like Stuart Skinner...And he throws Oettinger's record against Edmonton the last seven times (6 loses) in his face and for the media to go wild with...

  Problem is Pete, that's your record against Edmonton the last seven times as a head coach. That's your team's can't figure out how to score against Edmonton the last seven times, record. Your team that can't figure out how to shut down two guys, but they figured out how to shut you down.

  This year, Oettinger one of the NHL's top Goaltenders signed an eight-year contract extension with the Stars, averaging $8.25 million a year. You can't trash your franchise goalie the DeBoer did and think you're really going to keep your job. He upset the locker room, the fanbase, upper management and the goalie. The rift was going to be too big to fix. Dallas drafted, developed and locked in an elite goalie. He's staying and the coach with a career winning percentage of .591 is going.

 The hockey world all says DeBoer is a good coach. 662-447-152 in 17 seasons and 97-82 in 10 post seasons. Yeah, he's good, but he's not great and he doesn't have any rings. You can't meltdown, trash your star goalie and take no blame for your entire team shitting the bed.

  My prediction, Oettinger wins the Vezina next year, and takes the #1 Goalie job from Hellebuyck for Team USA when the Olympics roll around.

 

"A Man on the Inside" and Working in Senior Living

 

   For the last two years I've been working as the Culinary Services Director at an Assisted Living community. I enjoy my work, love my team and have great fondness for our residents. While my years in the restaurant business helped me prepare for this, as well as my time working in a hospital kitchen and running a coffee shop/cafe, it's a very different animal. My community treats our mealtimes like a restaurant, but it's not exactly like that...It's not a hospital assembly line, but you're intensely aware of dietary needs and restrictions. It's not glamorous and not going to land you on The Food Network, but I'm proud of it. I feel good about myself at the end of the day. 

  A month ago, I binge watched a new series on Netflix called "A Man on the Inside" and fell in love with it. I thought about writing a review of it and then just let that thought fall away. It's funny, entertaining, a hint of mystery, heartwarming, sad and hopeful...and for people in the senior living industry, there are bits and jokes and scenes that are wonderful because we get it. One that had me right away was the Chef telling the Administrator he needed more salt and pepper shakers. She asked him how many he was missing, and he says "40." I have lived this. People with dementia love to boost things.

  The dementia aspect of the show hit me too. I see it every day and before that we dealt with it with my in-laws both going through their progression of dementia. While seeing in a show, had me relive uncomfortable things, it was also nice to see a show that was speaking for the people dealing with the disease as well as the impact it has on their families. 

  But what drove me to write this tonight was a death we had in our community this week. It was a resident everyone loved. Some of our staff knew him for a long time. He was great guy. It was unexpected, sudden, shocking. It felt like a kick in the chest to the whole community. In Senior living you know the end will happen. You accept this part of the job. But with most of our losses, we see it approaching and are prepared for it. This one there was no warning, and it hurt....

  This takes me back to "A Man on the Inside." This very moment is shown in the series. And the pain, and shock, and sadness, and the need to push on, while choking back the frustration & sadness is portrayed perfectly by Stephanie Beatriz, who plays Didi, the Community Administrator. Her character greatly represents those of us that work in senior living. The show isn't about us, so the Chef, Nurses, Aides and Housekeepers are just small characters here and there. Didi is there to give a glimpse of what we all feel and go through. Stephanie Beatriz does it perfectly. 

  I highly recommend the show and can't wait for what comes in season two. Oh, Ted Danson is great in it as well. The guy still does comedy so well. 

Check it out.