Comments for Set Up for a Downfall at http://hockey.dobbersports.com , comment 1 to 7 out of 7 comments http://hockey.dobbersports.com Sun, 19 May 2013 19:17:35 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.3 http://hockey.dobbersports.com/index.php/justin-goldman/2447-set-up-for-a-downfall#comment-3452 Why is hithcock not fired yet? - Chandan Singh Wed, 23 Dec 2009 00:09:42 +0100 http://hockey.dobbersports.com/index.php/justin-goldman/2447-set-up-for-a-downfall#comment-3428 Great comments everyone!!! I spoke to a lot of CBJ fans and they seem to believe this decision should have been made a lot sooner. I agree with that for sure. Also wanted to add the bad move by Hitch to keep Mason in for that Red Wings game. Terrible move there. I could go on and on about how Hitch has mis-managed one of the best "tandems" in the league heading into the season, but at this point it's just obvious. BTW, Coyotes are already up 2-0 on the Blue Jackets after the first period. - Justin Goldman Mon, 21 Dec 2009 16:47:22 +0100 http://hockey.dobbersports.com/index.php/justin-goldman/2447-set-up-for-a-downfall#comment-3422 I can fully understand Mason's struggles here. I'm an avid Belleville Bulls fan, and I had plenty of opportunities to see Mason play while he was in the OHL and he had a fair amount of the same issues. He'd let in untimely goals, and it would be a coin flip as to whether he'd immediately collapse, or perform somewhat of a recovery. He's a real talented kid but he's a bit of a headcase and I try to stay away from those guys when drafting. Skills can be learned, but it's hard to fix the brain. I think Mason can definitely rebound. Whether he'll be given the patience required for that and whether he'd react well to the necessary measures are two things I'd have to wonder about. He had a great rookie year...he had nothing t lose and everything to gain, and he played his mind out, but now he's got a lot to lose and not a heck of a lot to gain...only to keep a hold of, and when you get int in your head that you've got to hold onto something, rather than strive for more, you're going to slip away. It's the difference between a boxer fighting for a championship, and a champion fighting to not lose the title. It allows for a lot more mistakes from a lot more thinking than should be happening. When you start overthinking your role as a goalie, and everything you're doing, rather than just treating every shot like normal, remaining cool & calm, and letting your instincts and prior hockey experience take over...you're bound to slip up, and Mason's just falling into his own traps here. Even if Hitch gets fired and a new coach is brought in, Mason needs to approach this differently. If what you said is accurate about being nonchalant and passive in warmups and practice, then it's easy to say he's already accepted the level of play he's performing at right now, and that isn't healthy, mentally. - Lockedge Mon, 21 Dec 2009 10:50:07 +0100 http://hockey.dobbersports.com/index.php/justin-goldman/2447-set-up-for-a-downfall#comment-3420 I think Hitchcock is part of a dying breed of coach that relies on mind games with the players to try to get results. If you check the history of some of these guys, the tactic works for a short time, and then the players start to tune them out when the act wears thin. Playing the goalies off against each other in the manner outlined here is just another example, as was the article about Filatov where he whistles stoppages at practices to call all the guys together to point out mistakes. - Slopoke15 Mon, 21 Dec 2009 09:47:51 +0100 http://hockey.dobbersports.com/index.php/justin-goldman/2447-set-up-for-a-downfall#comment-3419 Mason/Garon. I saw this coming in the offseason when they acquired Garon. I thought that was one of the single best signings in this offseason, because i agree that 1) Mason is still very raw, but also that 2) Garon is INCREDIBLY underrated. At the start of the year (coming out of training camp), i really thought that Garon would start anywhere from 30-40 games this year (for one reason or another). I think that *****cock completely mismanaged a desirable goalie situation though... instead of spelling Mason often with a very capable goalie (Garon), he left him to flounder time and time again, only using Garon when absolutely necessary. I mean i remember earlier this year when *****cock put mason BACK into a game where he had already been pulled, only to have him allow 3 or 4 more goals (for 8 total GA in ONE GAME). What coach handles a goalie (much less a young goalie) in that fashion? Anyways... Garon is one of those goalies i hope most people scooped up at the beginning of the year (like howard, deslauries, hiller, etc.) because he stands to start a lot of games especially with this news, because Mason has looked like absolute crap most of this season. The team hasn't helped matters, but mason certainly hasn't stepped up either... a look at mason and garon's numbers tells the whole story. They've played for the same team all year, and yet garon's numbers are SIGNIFICANTLY better. Take the Mason beergoggles off people, he's hit the same slump that Price did last year... just like knowledgeable people suggested he would. - lanky522 Mon, 21 Dec 2009 09:44:43 +0100 http://hockey.dobbersports.com/index.php/justin-goldman/2447-set-up-for-a-downfall#comment-3418 Once again, another terrific article, Justin. I don't know how you find the time to write such detailed accounts. Very well done. And for what it is worth, my already low opinion of Hitchcock just got lower. Sure, he hurts us fantasy junkies who only care about goals, goals, and more goals, but that isn't necessarily why I don't like him. He has proven time and again an inability to handle young talent (Filatov and now Mason being the most recent examples). This frustrates me so much. Keep up the great work, Justin. - SeaDawg Mon, 21 Dec 2009 08:47:40 +0100 http://hockey.dobbersports.com/index.php/justin-goldman/2447-set-up-for-a-downfall#comment-3416 Also wanted to mention that Steve Mason has allowed more goals than anyone else in the league at 88 total. And if you want to see a photoshopped chart: www.thegoalieguild.com has one. Enjoy everyone! =) - Justin Goldman Mon, 21 Dec 2009 08:39:18 +0100