The late Fred Shero, one part Philadelphia hockey coach and two parts
philosopher, apparently wasn't kidding when, in May of 1974,
he gathered his Broad Street Bullies around him and said that if they beat
the Boston Bruins that day, "?we will walk together forever."
Among the players taking in that pep talk from the coach called "The Fog"
were a couple of young stars named Bobby Clarke and Bill Barber. They soaked
their souls in his words, believing their power, knowing they'd never let
them go.
|  | | Bobby Clarke, the player, hoisted the Stanley Cup for the Flyers. |
It is more than 26 years later, and if you look at the Flyers now, it seems
The Fog's words haven't yet lifted. Clarke is the president and general
manager now, and after a few prior opportunities -- in which his old teammate
passed him over -- loyal organizational child Barber has been made the head
coach of the Flyers.
Having switched coaches more times in the last few years than this proud
franchise did in its first 10, is Clarke now returning to his boyhood roots
for an answer to winning in the modern era?
"We're not trying to restore anything from the past here," Clarke said.
"We're just doing what we can to try to win the Stanley Cup. That's always
what we're doing."
While Craig Ramsay's departure might have seemed abrupt, Barber's coming
was certainly overdue. Clarke shrugged that off as problematic timing and
circumstance, Barber has worked every facial muscle to keep quiet about it.
Now that the job is finally his, he can relax. But don't expect it.
"We know he's an in-your-face guy," one player said. "We'll see how that
goes over here."
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Everyone looks at me like I'm a hard-nosed guy. And yeah, I can be. But I'm also fair. I won't put players down, but I'll take pride in how I conduct myself, but I do have a warm side. Go ask players who have played for me, and they'll tell you that. ” |
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— New Flyers coach Bill Barber on his persona |
In 1974, it wouldn't have been such a rare coaching style. Teams like the
Flyers then played hard, partied hard and worked out little. But their
loyalty was to their team and fans, not their own contractual needs. It is
why people in Philadelphia embraced the so-called "Broad Street Bullies" in
those glory years.
That and the city's fondness for mayhem.
Perhaps that love of aggression hasn't changed, but the game has. Clarke
and Barber are promising a more interesting, physical style of play from
their team now. But in this era of the NHL?
Bullies might be able to walk forever, but they probably can't talk to the players the
way they used to.
"Everyone looks at me like I'm a hard-nosed guy," said Barber. "And yeah,
I can be. But I'm also fair. I won't put players down, but I'll take pride in
how I conduct myself, but I do have a warm side. Go ask players who have
played for me, and they'll tell you that."
Then, reaching for a way to clarify exactly how he'll balance his mad
instincts with the patience necessary to coach today's players, Barber
reached back himself for a little familiar advice.
"I remember Freddie Shero used to say to us that not all players are
created equally," Barber said. "And guess what, guys? You're going to be
treated accordingly."
Rob Parent covers the NHL for the Delaware County (Pa.) Times. His NHL East column appears every week on ESPN.com.
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ALSO SEE
Parent: Flyers' chairman defends move
Cliff Ronning: Speed compensates for (lack of) size
Keith Jones: The Flyers' game today
Barry Trotz: How we compete
Pete Weber: The need for speed
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