Sorry if posted before but this shows what Hicks is capable of. Earlier this month, Hicks decided (on his own, without consulting the manager or president) to sack the coach of the Dallas Stars.
Doug Armstrong out as GM of Dallas StarsBrett Hull, Les Jackson named interim co-general managers 01:58 AM CST on Wednesday, November 14, 2007
By MIKE HEIKA / The Dallas Morning News
mheika@dallasnews.com
The Stars entered uncharted ice on Tuesday, naming the first co-interim general managers in NHL history.
Owner Tom Hicks shocked the organization when he made the decision on his own, firing GM Doug Armstrong and naming Les Jackson and Brett Hull as co-GMs for the remainder of the season. Neither Armstrong nor team president Jim Lites was aware of the decision on Tuesday morning before Hicks called them and announced the changes.
Armstrong, 43, was informed of the decision at about 11 a.m. He declined to comment. Hicks said he didn't include Lites in the decision because Lites and Armstrong are very close.
Hicks said Jackson and Hull will communicate on decisions and come up with a consensus.
"I deal with partnerships all of the time," Hicks said.
He referenced his relationship with George Gillett in owning the Liverpool soccer team. Gillett also owns the Montreal Canadiens.
"We talk. And when we make decisions, we have to be on the same page," Hicks said. "That happens in business all of the time."
Stars captain Brenden Morrow said the move could serve to motivate the players.
"It's unfortunate that it had to come to that," Morrow said of the firing. "It was something that we didn't get done on the ice, and that is the reason that someone who has been a part of the organization for 17 years was let go. ... It's a sad day. Maybe that is what we need to get a spark under us."
Hicks said he expects Hull and Jackson to present a united front.
"If they don't agree, then I'm the tiebreaker," Hicks said, adding that he doesn't expect to be any more involved in the hockey decisions than he has been in the past.
Hull, 43, said he expects to defer to Jackson on a lot of matters. The third-leading goal-scorer in NHL history, Hull retired in 2005 and has served the last year and a half as a consultant in the organization. He was assistant to Lites last season and was given the title "Ambassador of Fun" in the team's marketing campaign.
Jackson, 54, has been with the organization since 1985. A winger at several levels of minor hockey for seven seasons, Jackson served two seasons as an assistant coach with the Minnesota North Stars before moving into the scouting department.
He was named assistant general manager in 1992, left in 1998 to become assistant GM of the Atlanta Thrashers and returned as Stars assistant GM in 2000.
"There's no question that Les is going to take the lead, because he is the guy with all of the experience," Hull said. "What we have to do is work our way through this and find out how we're going to do it together."
Jackson said he expects there to be a learning process.
"It's never been done before, so we're going to have to learn as we go," Jackson said. "The bottom line is I like Brett and he likes me. We get along well, and we both want what's best for this franchise, so I think that's a great start right there."
When asked if Hull's closeness to the players and Jackson's closeness to the coaches could create a problem, Hull said he did not expect the two to allow that.
Doug Armstrong was in his sixth season as general manager of the Dallas Stars. "We've already addressed issues like that," Hull said of a day of meetings they had with Hicks and other members of the Stars front office. "There can be no fracture. We're two people, but we're one position, and that position will be united."
Hicks said the combination of Hull's fresh look at the game and Jackson's experience could be just the thing the Stars need to move forward after a 7-7-3 start. In their last game, the Stars saw a 4-0 third-period lead at Los Angeles dissolve into a 6-5 overtime loss.
Hicks said he felt the Stars had reached the point where a change had to be made.
"As an owner, I have to be responsible for one person in hockey operations, and that is the general manager of the team," Hicks said. "I thought that the team needed a change in direction. I know that change can be healthy, and it was my determination that this move needed to be made.
"I want the Dallas Stars to return to being one of the elite teams in this league."
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/111407dnspostarslede.1a4881a.htmlThis quote gives me the heebie jeebies...
"As an owner, I have to be responsible for one person in hockey operations, and that is the general manager of the team," Hicks said. "I thought that the team needed a change in direction. I know that change can be healthy, and it was my determination that this move needed to be made.
(Feel free to merge this thread or delete it if already posted)
