The Curious Case Of Jay Feaster

[s4xon]

Jay Feaster addressed the media after the Flames/Sharks prospect game Sunday Sept 6th.  A few things were said, and it grabbed the media's attention, and fans, causing many to pause and go ????

 

Feaster:

 

“Obviously, a difficult way to end,” said Feaster. “I asked (coach Troy Ward), ‘Is it an organizational disease? What is it?’ We have to find a way to eliminate it. This has been the M.O. since I’ve been in Calgary — win a couple of games and then we decide we can just throw the sweaters out (on the ice).

 

“We played 20 minutes. We had a chance to leave here with three wins. That would have been good. For 40 minutes we just played shinny. And I don’t understand it. It’s not unique to this group. Unfortunately, it’s something that happens with the big club, too.”

 

Herald Article

http://www.calgaryherald.com/sports/hockey/calgary-flames/Feaster+blasts+Flames+prospects+lacklustre/8885656/story.html

 

Pat Steinberg's Twitter

https://twitter.com/Fan960Steinberg

 

A few questions/points up for debate:

• Was Feaster right or wrong in his statement?
• Was this statement the first recorded instance of Feaster feeling the pressure since Burke's hire?
• Does 4 years of the Flames org and their inablility to play a 60 minute game of hockey night in and night out during Feaster's tenure warrant a public statement in front of the media? On this date? At a prospect tournament?
• Do you hold the all the players accountable for not putting in a full game effort even though they've had next to no practice time and a stiff 3 games in 4 nights?  How about only the players with pro experience?
• Was this a ploy to clear the air and set the tone for the team and the invitees before main camp?
• Will this effect Jay's job in any way or form? If so, how or how won't it?

 

Feel free to discuss.

 

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My take,

 

I have a few issues with what Jay had said to the media.  For one, I don't believe it was right for him to take liberties and throw out comments that not only make the youngins look bad, but in turn embarrass the franchise publicly for bringing up the last few years as well. 

 

As a fan, I am embarrassed.  Not only for the kids that gave the effort night in and night out, even if it wasn't the complete result I was hoping for, and also to hear such a statement made publically....and by the GM of my home team no less.  I completely agree with what he had to say about playing a full 60 minute game as a team, even after a couple wins, but it was the way he went about saying it, essentially making an open statement to the public. 

Feaster's had some interesting past incidents during his tenure with the Flames. Another non-bright move by the current Flames GM.   I'll just add this to the pile beside the ROR offer sheet, the Iggy trade, and the intellectually honest about a 'not a rebuild' rebuild pile.

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[lordxan]

Jay Feaster addressed the media after the Flames/Sharks prospect game Sunday Sept 6th.  A few things were said, and it grabbed the media's attention, and fans, causing many to pause and go ????

 

Feaster:

 

“Obviously, a difficult way to end,” said Feaster. “I asked (coach Troy Ward), ‘Is it an organizational disease? What is it?’ We have to find a way to eliminate it. This has been the M.O. since I’ve been in Calgary — win a couple of games and then we decide we can just throw the sweaters out (on the ice).

 

“We played 20 minutes. We had a chance to leave here with three wins. That would have been good. For 40 minutes we just played shinny. And I don’t understand it. It’s not unique to this group. Unfortunately, it’s something that happens with the big club, too.”

 

Herald Article

http://www.calgaryherald.com/sports/hockey/calgary-flames/Feaster+blasts+Flames+prospects+lacklustre/8885656/story.html

 

Pat Steinberg's Twitter

https://twitter.com/Fan960Steinberg

 

A few questions/points up for debate:

• Was Feaster right or wrong in his statement?
• Was this statement the first recorded instance of Feaster feeling the pressure since Burke's hire?
• Does 4 years of the Flames org and their inablility to play a 60 minute game of hockey night in and night out during Feaster's tenure warrant a public statement in front of the media? On this date? At a prospect tournament?
• Do you hold the all the players accountable for not putting in a full game effort even though they've had next to no practice time and a stiff 3 games in 4 nights?  How about only the players with pro experience?
• Was this a ploy to clear the air and set the tone for the team and the invitees before main camp?
• Will this effect Jay's job in any way or form? If so, how or how won't it?

 

Feel free to discuss.

 

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My take,

 

I have a few issues with what Jay had said to the media.  For one, I don't believe it was right for him to take liberties and throw out comments that not only make the youngins look bad, but in turn embarrass the franchise publicly for bringing up the last few years as well. 

 

As a fan, I am embarrassed.  Not only for the kids that gave the effort night in and night out, even if it wasn't the complete result I was hoping for, and also to hear such a statement made publically....and by the GM of my home team no less.  I completely agree with what he had to say about playing a full 60 minute game as a team, even after a couple wins, but it was the way he went about saying it, essentially making an open statement to the public. 

Feaster's had some interesting past incidents during his tenure with the Flames. Another non-bright move by the current Flames GM.   I'll just add this to the pile beside the ROR offer sheet, the Iggy trade, and the intellectually honest about a 'not a rebuild' rebuild pile.

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He called a spade a spade, plain and simple.

 

Seriously, as I fan I have been pissed about this very thing for a while and now we are seeing the same crap with our young guys and it needs to STOP.  The whole idea of cleaning house was to change the mentality of being slack and lazy, accepting losses etc onto work hard every shift, be hard to play against and win.

 

Looking at the young star roster, there have been many disappointments, Bear is one, he should have dominated the turny all three games.  Monahan and Poirier while showing flashes still need a year of development, though they are young and just drafted, another year will do them wonders.  As for Bear, unless he was sick or hurt, NO EXCUSES, if he keeps this up back to Abby for more development.

 

Oddly, many of our question mark players showed well, Roy, KK, Ortio, Grandlund, Ferland, Ramage etc.  Of those I only see the later 3 having a shot on the big club.

 

Others that showed well were Hano and Max, as they should have.  Not outstanding or above expectations but they did do well and should do well on the big club this year on 4th and 3rd line duties respectively.

 

Seriously, can't blame Feaster, had by far the best team on paper but not one game did they play a full 60 in...sounds way too familiar, after 4 yrs his frustration is coming out and I don't blame him, send your message loud and clear, I just hope he follows it up with trades out of town for anyone who plays lazy come regular season, unless hurt or sick, send them packing.  But  the key here is Feaster made the statement he NEEDS to back it up, which, we have seen he's hot and cold on, failure to do so should really put is job in jeopardy.

 

Anyway, this is a long way to say, good call Feaster...Just make sure you are prepared to back it up.

[kehatch]

It isn't the kids fault that Feaster kept the old core together too long and they struggled with consistency.  This is a brand new group yet Feaster is going off like they have been doing this for years.

 

Criticizing the kids effort in the media after one prospect tournament before most of these guys have seen an on ice practice isn't necessary.  He can call a spade a spade in a closed room.  Or better yet leave that to the professionals.  I mean they won their first games 9-3 and lost the third in a 1-goal game.  Perspective.    

 

I am worried.  This entire "we expect you to win" mantra is fine in terms of telling the kids to try and win every night. But if Feaster is going to go off the rails every time they lose it is going to kill the morale of the team.  Feaster hasn't given them a good enough roster to win (regular season).

 

If he is feeling the pressure then get him out.  This isn't about Feaster.  I hope he doesn't make it about Feaster.   

[cross16]

I agree 100% with Kehatch. If this was such a problem for Jay why did he take two years to do anything about it. I don't disagree with what he is saying but I do agree with his delivery and the timing. 3 games in 4 nights and he rips them for a some what poor effort seems pretty petty to me and once again to me is Jay Feaster speaking before he thinks.

[SKscout]

Sorry a spade is a spade and there is little in this world that works better as a deterrent than public humiliation.

 

That said this wasn't humiliation, this wasn't disrespectful, this wasn't even mean.    He basically described what anyone who cared to watch saw, recognized it was a pattern with the team and the Flames (and thank Zeus for that) and then proceeded to question if it was systemic.

 

He didn't say Player X sucks and Player Y really didn't belong in the AHL much less the NHL.   He basically questioned their compete level as a team.  And I think we can all agree here that it's something that needs to be questioned.

 

Now should he have done it in public?  Most often I would say no, but in this case HELL YES.  We are rebuilding and rebuilding with an eye towards changing the team culture.  If you want to do that then you need to stomp damned hard on any of the old "habits" each and every time they start crawling into the room and onto the ice.

 

If you don't send this kind of clear signal each and every time then they just aren't going to get the message.  Personally I would be willing to ice a team of 3rd stringers for a while if they were giving their all every game.

 

Anyone on this team that thinks losing is acceptable or feels anything other than being pissed off with a loss can pack their bags and I honestly don't care who it is.  If the team doesn't get this culture changed then all the rebuilding in the world isn't going to fix it.

[lordxan]

More over, Feaster was setting the tone and expectations for the organization as a whole.  Far too long has Cgy been fine with the complacency in our teams, in the end, regardless if they are new or not, playing lazy is NOT acceptable and that very pattern has been entrenched in Cgy for far too long.

 

If left unchecked it will fester and grow into what we have been accustomed to for years now...Lazy Hockey.

 

Good on Feaster put a stop to in here and now before it becomes too late.  Unlike many fans here, he's at least learned form his past mistakes and will not allow them to happen again.  This my fellow Flame fans is called progress.

 

Wing the cry me a river song however you like it, at the end of the day FEASTER MADE THE RIGHT CALL.

 

let's not forget, the so called pros were in agreement, don't forget Ward was in line with Feaster on this one and he's well known as being a good coach and developer of young talent so, yes the "professionals" were in agreement on this one.

[lordxan]

I agree 100% with Kehatch. If this was such a problem for Jay why did he take two years to do anything about it. I don't disagree with what he is saying but I do agree with his delivery and the timing. 3 games in 4 nights and he rips them for a some what poor effort seems pretty petty to me and once again to me is Jay Feaster speaking before he thinks.

Have to disagree with both of you on that, it's well known KK was very high on Iggy and many of the old core guys, I very much doubt he had any real ability to move those guys up until last year.

 

As a long time Flame fan I for one am tired of allowing highly paid athletes (or soon to be) a free pass, this is work for them they need to put in 100% just to earn their pay.  they need 150% to be Champ and not the Chumps we have seen for many years now. 

[Carty]

[conundrumed]

3rd game in 4 nights...

There is a disease alright, it's called buffoonery.

There is only Baertschi here from the big club, the rest aren't.

You're waxing about guys in a PROSPECT tournament, but you're talking about your NHL team.

You're an idiot.

Totally misguided comments and not appropriate.

The last thing I want is the "auditor" to come in, AFTER guys have busted their posteriors for 3 games in 4 nights, and bayonet the wounded.

Why not point out the obvious and build your guys up for the 2-1 record, rather than tear them down because your PRO team sucks???

All I can think, is what a piece of @#$%...

[Faron]

Its one thing to call out the team to wake them up, but this was not the time or place. I would need about 12 redbulls to play as much as they have.

[lordxan]

3rd game in 4 nights...

There is a disease alright, it's called buffoonery.

There is only Baertschi here from the big club, the rest aren't.

You're waxing about guys in a PROSPECT tournament, but you're talking about your NHL team.

You're an idiot.

Totally misguided comments and not appropriate.

The last thing I want is the "auditor" to come in, AFTER guys have busted their posteriors for 3 games in 4 nights, and bayonet the wounded.

Why not point out the obvious and build your guys up for the 2-1 record, rather than tear them down because your PRO team sucks???

All I can think, is what a piece of @#$%...

Not true, Max, Hano finished the season with about as many games as Bear

 

More over, they didn't put in a consistent effort for 60 mins in any of the games really, added to that they were off the night before and were supposed to have the best team there ous side of possibly Wpg.  No Feaster called this one spot on, NO MORE EXCUSES, play a FULL GAME!

[Carty]

[kehatch]

More over, Feaster was setting the tone and expectations for the organization as a whole.  Far too long has Cgy been fine with the complacency in our teams, in the end, regardless if they are new or not, playing lazy is NOT acceptable and that very pattern has been entrenched in Cgy for far too long.

 

If left unchecked it will fester and grow into what we have been accustomed to for years now...Lazy Hockey.

 

Good on Feaster put a stop to in here and now before it becomes too late.  Unlike many fans here, he's at least learned form his past mistakes and will not allow them to happen again.  This my fellow Flame fans is called progress.

 

Wing the cry me a river song however you like it, at the end of the day FEASTER MADE THE RIGHT CALL.

 

let's not forget, the so called pros were in agreement, don't forget Ward was in line with Feaster on this one and he's well known as being a good coach and developer of young talent so, yes the "professionals" were in agreement on this one.

 

What you are missing is that you don't need to do this publicly.  This team played 3 in 4 without and practice time leading into the games.  Shaming them publicly was completely unnecessary.  

 

Nobody is saying the Flames shouldn't address the issue.  We are saying there was no need to doing it publicly.  

 

Besides, this never came off as something Feaster was doing strategically to fix the issue.  This came off as a frustrated guy venting to the media.  

[FlamesLogic]

Nothing more than setting the expectations publicly and sending a message to the prospects that are going to form the nucleaus of the team in the coming years. Get good habits now that will carry forward.

[PokernHockey]

I have no problem with it. he isn't saying they didn't play the system, etc. things that practice time would help. he said they didn't try. I am sorry, if you need practices to know that you should give 100% when your trying to earn a spot on an NHL team, you should not be there.

 

More over, how do you know he hasn't said it privately before now? I would agree that if it is an expectation that the players will be surprised to read in the paper, he should have first done it privately.. If the expectation was clearly that they give 100% before the tournament, and then after the oil game they were privately read the riot act, why not do it publicly. The funny thing about "they should have done it privately" is that you have no idea what they have already  done privately.

[SKscout]

I find it impossible to believe this would be the first time any of the players have heard anything about this.

 

My guess is it's been said privately, hell perhaps even before the game in question and it apparently didn't stick.

 

3 in 4 and a lack of previous practice doesn't matter, they are non-factors here.  Can you expect them to have the jump in that 3rd game that they had in the 1st?  Of course not but you can expect them to give 100% of whatever is in the tank.

 

What I got out of that was that Jay's issue wasn't about execution it was all about effort.  They didn't bring their compete out for the full 60 minutes and that is the issue.  If the guy is gassed he's gassed, and I am sure Jay and the coaching staff get that.  If he's tired and mails it in, well that is a completely different issue.  Especially if he knows he can fall back on "3rd in 4 nights" or "lack of practice" and that is what I believe Jay was addressing.  If you allow them to make excuses you allow the old country club attitudes to take root and continue to flourish.

[phoenix66]

To be honest, ive said this about calgary sports teams for years. We dont have a killer instinct, that say, edmonton teams do. Its not just the flames, , its them, the stamps, hitmen, roughnecks. We claw it out for close wins, or we get a team down ans then proceed to take our foot off their throats and oet them back in..instead of burying them.

My buddy has a theory that teams take on the persona of their cities. ? Calgary is a laid back, white collar community..our teams play like a country club

Good on Feaster for jumping on thus early..try and nip the attitude in the bud at the prospect level..nobody expects a win every night..but they do expect and deserve 60 min of effort

[geos]

The time to make this statement was last season or the season before when you had a certain few guys making $7M and $6M a year deciding they didn't feel like playing on a regular basis. Most of these guys have played for the Flames for three nights. Hardly a "trend."

 

Feaster is in over his head.

[lordxan]

The time to make this statement was last season or the season before when you had a certain few guys making $7M and $6M a year deciding they didn't feel like playing on a regular basis. Most of these guys have played for the Flames for three nights. Hardly a "trend."

 

Feaster is in over his head.

Totally disagree, heading into main camp you need to make your expectations known, a Msg to both the players and the fans, they will not accept anything less than 100% every shift, GOOD CALL!

 

Feaster is doing just fine, and let's not forget 2 yrs removed I hated the guy but the past year he has earned some respect, he's making all the right moves, now it's up to the players to do their part with 100% effort, win or lose, as long as they give it 100%.

 

Phenix66 hit the hammer on the nail that is the issue ans has been for a while, new to the system or not, BRING IT EVERY GAME!

 

Feaster has sent that Msg loud and clear to both fans and players alike.

[tmac70]

I see nothing that was inappropriate with Feaster comments timing or other wise. Not sure he is directly slamming the prospects but more the concern of effort and culture with players in Flames jersey's.   

 

Hey I am not a Burke fan but you may see Feaster grow a pair now. I for one would like to see the efforts of this club change and have a culture shock.

 

I would not be surprized that Baer and Knight got an ear full after this tournament, as Feaster stated either play the way we want or will find you a  new home. Both players had opportunities to excel but failed greatly IMHO.

 

Set the president early and you have no problems later. Just hope he does what he says.

[BobbyB12]

I don't think he was wrong with what he said because he is right, was is a little premature, yes but with the youth movement here I think he was just setting the tone early in their head.

maybe he should have done it in private instead of shooting his mouth off in the media again.

Can't really blame him for keeping the vets around as long as he did  while its widely known the owners and KK were the ones hanging on to the "sneek into the playoffs and anything can happen" approach, Now that he's moved the horrible contracts out and improved drafting he just wants to expel the "lazy effort"  Now going into training camp and pre season they will be even more on their toes and know that its unacceptable.

[s4xon]

The whole interview (video)

 

http://video.flames.nhl.com/videocenter/console?catid=11&id=443476&cmpid=embed-share-video

 

 

What I got from this interview, is that Feaster is feeling the pressure from Burke.  Around the 7 minute mark he mentions Burke's preferred style of play. 

 

I just found this interview a little odd.  The timing gets me.  Why all of the sudden now is Feaster talking about getting on pucks, dumping and chasing, getting turnover's, etc?  I haven't heard Feaster 'talk hockey' ever. 

[conundrumed]

It blows my mind how many liked this.

The question at 4:10 is pretty much "Jay, can you reiterate what you said off the top".

He reiterated it, and said something to the effect of, "it's not just these guys"....

 

Wow.

Anyone care to explain that away to me?

"Not just these guys"?

Hello, earth to Jay, this is development, getting young guys to develop in a certain way, so coaching on situational play for individuals.

C'mon Jay, you know...I think you're in assessment phase with how you'll manage your future.

If it's all about taking 3 of 3 here, start Ortio to let everyone know.

 

Address the big club, not a development tourney where wins and losses don't matter, or they'd be coached much differently.

However anyone cares to spin it, it's just a blind thing to do.

He's atsea, as it were.

I'd have loved to hear Ward's response..."ummm, Jay, I'm trying to give different guys different situations to evaluate and report to you on. Remember, we had this conversation already? I'd have started Ortio and coached it differently if I'd known you are so incredibly ummm, yeah, anyways".

[Redslinger]

I don't see anything too bad with what he said.

 

For a young team like this they're going to lose a lot of games.  In my opinion, that's okay if and only if they put it a good effort, continue to improve and develop a winning attitude.  If they do, the lopsided losses will start to turn into close losses and the close losses will turn into close wins, etc. etc.  Accepting that the team is talented and that they'll eventually get there regardless of effort and attitude will almost certainly breed a losing culture like they have in Edmonton.

 

I may be wrong but I don't think he really went too hard on the kids.  He has set the bar for expectations without singling anyone out for undue criticism.  No doubt there are some players that deserve to be individually criticized but hopefully it's done behind closed doors.

[robrob1974]

It isn't the kids fault that Feaster kept the old core together too long and they struggled with consistency.  This is a brand new group yet Feaster is going off like they have been doing this for years.

 

Criticizing the kids effort in the media after one prospect tournament before most of these guys have seen an on ice practice isn't necessary.  He can call a spade a spade in a closed room.  Or better yet leave that to the professionals.  I mean they won their first games 9-3 and lost the third in a 1-goal game.  Perspective.    

 

I am worried.  This entire "we expect you to win" mantra is fine in terms of telling the kids to try and win every night. But if Feaster is going to go off the rails every time they lose it is going to kill the morale of the team.  Feaster hasn't given them a good enough roster to win (regular season).

 

If he is feeling the pressure then get him out.  This isn't about Feaster.  I hope he doesn't make it about Feaster.   

 

Even though he wasn't in long with Iginla, Baertschi did get to experience some of what the big club had been doing. He played like he was part of the old core the whole tournament. Sven had been put in to be a leader of the group, he should have led by example and didn't and played like it was shinny the whole tournament.

It's the same thing as last year, he has come in thinking he's got the job before earning it. I think Feaster is saying, "the old guys did it, and we don't want the young guys to so it's best to call you out on it now."

 

That one goal game though, I watched most of the tournament, and aside from the Granlund goal, the Flames played like crap. Knight was lucky to bat an odd rebound in. I had to leave and not finish that game it was too horrible. Maybe they were tired? But they did the same against Vancouver and were lucky to win that game. If it hadn't been for Ortio's performance, the Flames would have been blown out by the end of the 1st period and well into the second. 9-3 may have been the final scores after two games, but that 2nd game was far from pretty and the Flames had no business being a part of. 

 

Maybe a closed door meeting would have been best, but he's sending a message to let anyone know, if they want to make the team, they had better put in the effort. You can say they were tired all you want, but they're kids, they can go on forever and they just didn't put in the effort for about half of the tournament. That does need to be addressed. Maybe not publicly necessarily, but I am glad he has said it. I did expect more from a lot of players. 

I don't see anything too bad with what he said.

 

For a young team like this they're going to lose a lot of games.  In my opinion, that's okay if and only if they put it a good effort, continue to improve and develop a winning attitude.  If they do, the lopsided losses will start to turn into close losses and the close losses will turn into close wins, etc. etc.  Accepting that the team is talented and that they'll eventually get there regardless of effort and attitude will almost certainly breed a losing culture like they have in Edmonton.

 

I may be wrong but I don't think he really went too hard on the kids.  He has set the bar for expectations without singling anyone out for undue criticism.  No doubt there are some players that deserve to be individually criticized but hopefully it's done behind closed doors.

I agree with this! 

It blows my mind how many liked this.

The question at 4:10 is pretty much "Jay, can you reiterate what you said off the top".

He reiterated it, and said something to the effect of, "it's not just these guys"....

 

Wow.

Anyone care to explain that away to me?

"Not just these guys"?

Hello, earth to Jay, this is development, getting young guys to develop in a certain way, so coaching on situational play for individuals.

C'mon Jay, you know...I think you're in assessment phase with how you'll manage your future.

If it's all about taking 3 of 3 here, start Ortio to let everyone know.

 

Address the big club, not a development tourney where wins and losses don't matter, or they'd be coached much differently.

However anyone cares to spin it, it's just a blind thing to do.

He's atsea, as it were.

I'd have loved to hear Ward's response..."ummm, Jay, I'm trying to give different guys different situations to evaluate and report to you on. Remember, we had this conversation already? I'd have started Ortio and coached it differently if I'd known you are so incredibly ummm, yeah, anyways".

 

I believe what he's actually talking about is the effort it takes to win. He wants to win yes, but he also wants the team to have the effort it takes to win. We won against Vancouver, but the effort was horrible for 2 periods of that game and if it weren't for Ortio there wouldn't have been a win. He's addressing the effort here as, had the Flames put in the effort against San Jose, they Flames probably would have won the game.