There is a scene in Stanley Kubrick's "The Shining" where Jack Nicholson's character, Jack Torrance, stares out the window of the Overlook Hotel, the seething frustration of a career plan gone awry bubbling behind his eyes.

It's something we think of every time Bob Clarke's name comes up.

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The parallels between the character and the Flyers GM are striking. Torrence takes out Scatman Crothers with an axe; Clarke took out Valeri Kharlamov with some woodwork of his own in the 1972 Summit Series. Torrence isolated himself from society to write the great American novel; Clarke isolated himself from a number of now-former friends with his defense of disgraced player agent and convicted felon Alan Eagleson.

And if the Flyers fail to live up to expectations again this postseason, it wouldn't surprise us in the least to see Clarke's face wedged between a bashed-in door, that famous grin in full effect, exclaiming, "Heeere's Bobby!"

For when you think of the Flyers over the last decade, you think 'disappointment.' You think 'underachieving.' You think 'close, but cigar-free.'

To his credit, Clarke pulled the Flyers out of a five-year playoff absence prior to his second stint as Philadelphia's GM, which began in 1994. The team has never missed the postseason since he took over, reaching the conference championship twice, and the Stanley Cup final once.

But be honest. What do you remember more, the love-ins or the letdowns? Does Philadelphia's Cup appearance in 1997 (during which they were swept) make up for the lone regulation time goal they scratched out last year in a five-game flop against Ottawa?

The answers: letdowns, and heavens no. We're talking about pro sports, where the negative almost always takes precedence over the positive. And now, with no championship to call their own in almost three decades, Flyers fans --­ never the most compassionate bunch -- have had it with the excuses. Clarke's leeway, afforded to him because of his legendary playing days with the organization, is on its last legs. Websites calling for his head are now selling bumper stickers. If he isn't already in 'now or never' territory, he's just outside the city limits.

Will this season be any different? You might think so, given Philly's late-season charge for first place in the Atlantic Division, and the addition of one of the league's best coaches in Ken Hitchcock. One regulation time loss in their last 15 games also might boost your confidence. The late-season acquisitions of Dmitry Yushkevich, Sami Kapanen, Claude Lapointe and Tony Amonte may convince you this is the year.

But don't hold your breath. The Flyers face as many pitfalls as they do peaks.

Exhibit A: Roman Cechmanek, who berated his teammates for poor play last postseason --­ allegedly asking to be pulled from a game ­-- and wound up getting pucks fired at his head in practice because of it. Players don't forget such shenanigans, and if the team falters early in the playoffs, who can promise the scab won't be torn off the wound?

Exhibit B: Goals. Or in the Flyers' case, lack thereof. Before last season's disgraceful playoff performance, the Flyers finished the regular season with the fifth-most goals scored in the East; this year, only the Panthers, Sabres, and Hurricanes have found the net fewer times. Bringing in Amonte should help the cause, but don't forget, he has played all of five playoff games in the last five seasons. His presence guarantees nothing.

Exhibit C: Injuries. For as much talent as the Flyers have up front, they aren't the picture of health. Simon Gagne is on the shelf indefinitely after re-aggravating a groin injury (according to reports, Gagne returned too fast to please -- one guess -- Clarke, who believed he should be playing through the injury. Somewhere, Dave Babych's foot just twitched). John LeClair, who has missed 47 games this season recovering from shoulder surgery, has less than a month to find his playoff form. Up-and-coming right winger Justin Williams isn't likely to play again this season, thanks to surgery on his left knee. If any more Flyers fall by the wayside leading up to or during the playoffs, their depth will play a major role in their destiny.

Should the Flyers take a premature powder, the focus shifts to team chairman Ed Snider. Does he finally tie the can to his GM, or does he try to convince Flyers fans that the infamous incidents that have taken place under Clarke's tenure -- the Lindros soap opera, the revolting treatment of former coach Roger Neilson, the players' mutiny that ended Bill Barber's days behind the bench, the laughable trade that sent three high draft picks and top goalie prospect Maxime Ouellet to Washington for Adam Oates last season, the Babych lawsuit -- are mere molehills?

We think they're mountains. We think Clarke, just like Jack Torrance, is lost in a snow-covered maze and can't find his way out. We think the coming postseason is Clarke's moment of truth.

Because if there is no silver trophy gliding around the First Union Center come mid-June, Flyer fans will be screaming bloody redrum.

E-mail Adam Proteau at aproteau@thehockeynews.com.

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