When Leafs' coach Paul Maurice pulled a Hillary Clinton on Saturday night by getting all teary-eyed in the post-game media scrum, I felt sorry for him. I mean, you'd have to be less than human not to. He's been through a lot this season already, and it's barely half over. But Mo -- I gotta tell ya, big guy --- despite your brave words to the contrary, things are not going to get better: the guys are not going to play up to what you consider to be their "potential", games are not going to be won, and the Leafs are not going to make it into the play-offs. That's not negative thinking -- that's reality talking. That's tough love.
A few years back, I found myself in a similar pickle as you, though in a different industry. I had, like you, what I thought was a "system" for success. It had worked for me for over a dozen years, somewhat like your coaching style seemed to work in Carolina for most of the years you were there, and later with the Marlies. And then changes started happening in my life, and my "system", despite my best -- even at times superhuman -- efforts started to fail. It seemed the harder I tried to replicate my former successes, the worse (and more publicly) I fell flat on my face. Finally, the failures so affected my health and finances, that I had no choice but to "retire" from my business at the ripe old age of 43. In retrospect, I wish I'd gotten out sooner, before the bottom completely fell out of my world, and my reputation was irreparable.
Mo -- what you need now is to get out while you still can. You yourself have seen how trying your hardest is only making things worse. You know you need to win, and you know how to make your team win, but it's just not working. What used to happen seemingly without effort is just not happening now. Your system isn't working any more. You have to trust your gut here, and I know your gut is telling you to get out.
It's not quitting: it's wisdom, knowing when to walk away.
And next time you feel a Hillary Clinton moment coming on, just take five. Big boys don't cry. At least not in public.
Jessica Gomes
Meghan White
Mavs Dancers
Baseball's $100 Million Men
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