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Ramsay tough Acting Flyers coach battles through a strange situtation
Posted: Wednesday May 17, 2000 09:27 PM
By Chris Stevenson, SLAM! Sports PHILADELPHIA - Craig Ramsay, one of the nicest guys in hockey, doesn't deserve this. He doesn't deserve the hate mail. He shouldn't have to answer the phone to find his mother on the other end, upset that her son has been accused of being a guy who would stab a friend in the back, a friend with cancer, no less. This should be one of the bright, shining moments of Ramsay's coaching career. His Philadelphia Flyers are in the NHL's final four, tied with the New Jersey Devils after two games. His moves, like opting for rookie goaltender Brian Boucher to start the playoffs and putting his trust in a young defenceman like Andy Delmore, are looking brilliant. But it's not turning out that way, not since Ramsay took over as the Flyers head coach in February from Roger Neilson, his friend of 30-plus years, who started treatment for multiple myeloma, a form of bone-marrow cancer. Since then the controversy surrounding the Flyers has been as thick as cheese on a Philly steak sandwich. Just so you know, Ramsay is one of the decent people in the game. Smart. Patient. Treats people with respect. He's a tough guy to dislike. Hate? Forget it. That's why it's hard to believe a man like him could get hate mail from fans. Vicious stuff. "I'd never gotten hate mail in my life," said Ramsay Monday after facing the media at the Flyers practice facility across the bridge in New Jersey. "One of them was two pages of computer generated craziness. Swearing. Name-calling. Nutty stuff. I didn't laugh. I didn't think it was funny." The hate mail has come, in part Ramsay believes, because of his taking over from the popular Neilson. It's all made what should be one of the bright moments of Ramsay's coaching career a little bitter sweet. Hate mail for a coach who has led his team to 25-11-1 record and the Eastern Conference final. The latest flap was caused by a Toronto story which said Ramsay and Neilson were no longer talking. Ramsay, usually unflappable, always low-key and composed, came close to getting almost upset when asked about the story and the nature of his relationship with Neilson, who has returned to the Flyers as an assistant coach. "Was I hurt? Absolutely. The day it comes out, I'm sitting in Roger's office and we're talking about what we're doing and where we're going," said Ramsay. "[Neilson's] handing over all the reports he compiled from the New Jersey series. "Our relationship is solid, the same as we've had right on through. Roger sends me down notes during the game. He talks to [assistant coach] Mike Stothers during the game. He made up a list of all the New Jersey tendencies. We talked again today about what we have to do. We had a little review. He gave me some ideas and I threw some ideas at him. "People want to create things ... all they have to do is ask. I'm the easiest guy in the world to ask. I've always talked to the press. Win or lose, I've always been as honest as I can be and that's all I've ever asked in return. People want to ask difficult questions, I answer them. "I think it's just a disgrace that somebody can write a story like that without ever being challenged on it and never have to back it up. My mom still lives up there and she was upset with something she read. Somebody called me a usurper, somebody who has never spoken to me who has no idea what is going on. The problem is once something is written, people believe it." Believe this: Ramsay has proven he's a pretty good coach and is deserving of a shot as a head coach on his own terms. It was not his fault the Flyers completely botched the handling of the Neilson situation from the beginning. They should have told Neilson to take the rest of the year off to recover from a difficult struggle, not tell him that when he was ready to return, the job would be his. Neilson is back, but as something called the special assistant to the head coach. The situation cannot be comfortable for either Ramsay or Neilson. But it is another credit to Ramsay that through it all, the Neilson situation, the controversy over Eric Lindros, his concussions and the stripping of his captaincy, Ramsay has managed to bring his team together. He's done the only thing that matters as a coach. He's won.
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