Confirmed with Link: Rick Bowness Appreciation Thread

[AlphaLackey]

I know we've been discussing that he's been expected to retire, but now that the Jets made it official, I'd like to kick off our appreciation thread. Yes, in part because I was routinely hard on the man for some of his decisions, but there's no doubt that he helped us develop in his time here.

There's a scene near the beginning of "Network", when Howard Beale go off the deep end during his retirement announcement, and his friend and supervisor Max Schumacher, who is equal parts exasperated and disillusioned, just kinda throws his hands up in the air about it, and says "Leave him on. If this is how he wants to go out, this is how he goes out."

I thought of that scene at the start of the third period in game five, when Bowness gave up on the lineup changes and went right back to what was surely his period in the third. Bowness has indeed been a "grand old Mandarin" of coaching, and if that's how he wanted to go out, that's fine. He's deserved that much.

So, thank you Rick, I'm glad you got to go out on your terms, we appreciate very much what you've done to help repair this damn team, and I hope we reward your efforts as soon as possible down the road.

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[GeorgeJETson]

Thanks to Bowness for giving this team a good defensive structure. I'm just sorry that the team couldn't keep that up past the regular season.

Hopefully he enjoys his retirement.

 

[Cypruss]

Enjoy retirement Bowness, you have earned it!! Wish health for you and your wife to enjoy retirement years. For the regular season at least - made significant progress instilling a solid defensive plan.

Dreaming of a new voice from well outside of the Organization with fresh voice and modern ideas. Resigned to the fact that "True North" will just promote a TN loyalist in Arniel to deliver the status quo, toe the line, and comply with perceived player demands (like 55 & 81 together and 3rd line getting more ice than second line, etc, etc).

Would absolutely love to be wrong about that.

 

[TS Quint]

Bones was great. Any people adding "ifs" or "buts" about what he did in his time here are completely out to lunch.

Bones did what NO ONE could ever have predicted taking a team full of underachievers who never bought into anything in their lives to 4th place in the league this year. Literally everyone had this team as a middling group at best. But we will always have the whiners who cry about "old school", who were whining for the eternal rebuild in the last offseason. They were proven wrong bit Still think they know better. Please give me more old school results!

 

[Channelcat]

Best coach we have had in 1.0 or 2.0.

 

[imec]

Did a great job developing our defensive culture/strength and had the courage to address some chronic leadership problems. A lot of respect for this man. Thank you and enjoy your well deserved retirement, Sir!

 

[enuffidiotsalready]

time to give those Bownesses a rest.

many thanks and best of luck to Rick and Judy!

& Go Jets Go!!!

 

[Buffdog]

Rick managed to move the team forward, which is a major win IMHO. He fixed some (if not most) of the locker room issues and got the team playing defence (at times)

I know that a lot of people are going to want a coach who is young and hip and well versed in analytics, but in my opinion in the next step this team needs to take is learning how to show up with intensity on a consistent basis - they need to up their compete level

All the graphs and charts and spreadsheets won't mean shit if you put the world's best line combos together and then the team plays like ass

Conversely, the lines can be slightly off but if every player is pulling in the same direction and they're all ready to crawl over their dead mother's to win puck battles and do everything else it takes to win, then we'll be successful

 

[AlphaLackey]

Rick managed to move the team forward, which is a major win IMHO. He fixed some (if not most) of the locker room issues and got the team playing defence (at times)

I know that a lot of people are going to want a coach who is young and hip and well versed in analytics, but in my opinion in the next step this team needs to take is learning how to show up with intensity on a consistent basis - they need to up their compete level

All the graphs and charts and spreadsheets won't mean shit if you put the world's best line combos together and then the team plays like ass

Conversely, the lines can be slightly off but if every player is pulling in the same direction and they're all ready to crawl over their dead mother's to win puck battles and do everything else it takes to win, then we'll be successful

¿Por qué no los dos?, as that adorable Asian girl famously said. After all, when the whole is less than the sum of its parts, we need as many solutions as possible.

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

I have been quite open in wanting him gone, so I am happy he is retiring.

But I want to thank him for a good half season last year and a good regular season this year. The good times have been very good and there is no need to mention the bad times in this context.

Thanks Rick.

 

[kanadalainen]

Thanks Bones, you are a most reasonable human. Of course, not nearly everyone achieves this. Your ability to connect with this bunch of players was patently obvious. Happy retirement!

 

[timekeep]

Happy retirement Rick

 

[ps241]

Thank you Rick.

Very passionate, competitive, man and you kept swinging in the fight until you was almost 70!

I really hope you and your wife enjoy good health. You have both earned it.

 

[UFO]

All the best and thank you Rick. Not only have you brought us regular season success, you also have fixed a lot of Jets problems. Besides, you always came across as a humble and genuine good guy.

Happy retirement!

 

[Jets 31]

I think Bowness was going to retire after this season even if we won the Cup , too bad we didn't go on a little run in the playoffs . Great job getting this team to play a good defensive game and enjoy your retirement, you definitely earned it Rick .

 

[Royale With Cheese]

Very much appreciate what he brought to this team. His (non playoff) record here largely speaks for itself but on a personal level, you can tell the players will miss him too. Best of luck and health in your retirement Bones!

 

[DudeWhereIsMakar]

He did a lot for Winnipeg. As a player, and as a coach. Hope retirement treats him well.

 

[GrassyKnoll]

Bones is a savvy guy. Right off the bat, he identified some of the Jets problems & took the "C" away from Wheeler. At the end of last years series against F***VegAss, he ripped into the team & rightfully so. Interesting that the guy most upset with Bones' comments was Wheeler himself. The Wheeler buyout was one of the best (though long overdue) moves that Chevy made. Plus, the steal of a deal Chevy made in dumping PLD (another cancer) onto L.A. (side note: i thought it was hilarious the other day when L.A.'s GM had to come out & specifically say that they're NOT buying out PLD's contract!) Anyway, Bones took the guys to the next level, but maybe a further level may take a few more years & perhaps Bones would rather enjoy the rest of his (hopefully many) years with Judy & his family. They both deserve it. And he started coaching & finished coaching in Winnipeg, so it seems fitting to come full circle. Congrats, Bones, on all your achievements!Happy Retirement! And hope you nab the Jack Adam's!

 

[winnipegger]

He had the cojones to call out Wheeler for giving up. Respect him just for that.

 

[Andreas Ferrari]

If he had pulled Hellebuyck before game 4 we could still be playing.

Good riddance and take those useless assistants with you.

That's the nicest I can be in an Appreciation Thread

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