Weekly Challenge: Gretzky - The Bench Boss Edition

Every team has a coach, and we want to get to know yours. Tell us how much you love/hate the way they do their job. If you could fire your coach, would you? If so, who would you hire?

You've heard the saying LOVE/HATE relationship? or the old saw about loving someone but not liking them sometimes? Well that would be how I feel about my coach on occasions.

I kinda feel like I've already done this topic back in January 08. But I still wouldn't fire Wayne Gretzky at this juncture. He is just getting his house in order. I honestly can't think of another NHL coach who could handle all the variables Phoenix has going on w/ a continuously positive impact.

House in order:

1) The old guard of hard headed veteran retirees are gone. We are no longer dependant on the patchworked, blue collar role players. The Roenicks are gone but the Kapanens and Tjarnqvists have sadly had to move on too. The vets who remain have not only bought into the Gretzky system. He has made them believe. They are committed to not only making themselves and the team better every game, they are committed to helping their rookie counterparts reach their full potential too. With GMDM constantly on the look out and procuring his now famous "VALUE" deal players, Wayne doesn't have to try to turn sows ears into successful players.

2) The new kids are arriving w/ a vengeance. The revamped scouting staff are giving him 'real' talent to work with. Boedker, Turris, Porter and Tikhnov are joining supers sophmores Mueller, Hanzal and Winnik. Wayne never expects more of them than they can deliver. He puts them into situations where they can succeed. He sees them so clearly and sets them to tasks that so totally match their talents, that they often excel beyond even what they themselves dream of achieving. The kids are breathing in every syllable that falls from the Great One's lips and performing like the future superstars that they are.

3)TGO has finally committed to this team. No distractions. Whole heartedly. No holds barred. Just like when he played the game, Wayne is now using his magnificent game vision and amazingly creative thought processes to give this team as much of an advantage as possible.

Yes there are still days in which I would like to just smack TGO upside his head. When he 'appears' to be playing favorites and drives us fans up the proverbial wall. When he appears to be juggling lines w/ no rhyme nor reason, like a friggin circus clown on crack and making me tear out my hair (I am starting to look like I have mange because of his juggling). When he mumbles like a stroke victim, fidgets and generally scratches like a flea circus has infested his suit during press conferences.

But just like "his" team, Wayne Gretzky is still learning.

Just like "his" team, there is no quit in Wayne Gretzky.

Wayne Gretzky continues to get better and better, game by game and so does "his" team... finally he is taking ownership and making it work.

How can I not like Wayne Gretzky - Bench Boss?