Guilty until proven innocent.
- stveshdy

Until he scores some goals then all is forgiven.

Until he scores some goals then all is forgiven.
- twotoekenn

if the facts surrounding the case are bad I'll lobby for him to be removed from the team. I love hockey but I have no tolerance for crimes such as what he is accused of. Again tho I have to see what's what.

Clarke's biggest failing as GM was always taking business too personally. The McCrimmon trade, the Lindros fiasco are probably the 2 biggest examples of this. Clarke should have never traded McCrimmon at all, no GM in his right mind trades a top pair dman for a couple of picks, unless they are both mid to high firsts.

The Lindros situation was also poorly handled by Clarke. While there is no doubt that Lindros was immature and that his parents were WAY too involved in his career, it served no purpose whatsoever getting into a public pissing match with his star player. Clarke should have kept his mouth shut, and could have probably worked out a deal to trade Lindros after the 97-98 season, when he still could have got a huge return for the then 25 year old center.

I will always love Clarke as a player, and respect his utter determination to win at all costs as both a player and GM, but he was at best a B+ GM. He simply couldn't step back and look at a situation dispassionately which is critical for a General Manager to be able to do.
- BiggE

I agree with this. I always loved Clarke as a player, but he seemed to have this pettiness to him as GM that made a bad Lindros situation even worse.

Makes you wonder how many other McCrimmon-like trades happened because he couldn't let go of personal animosities.

I agree with this. I always loved Clarke as a player, but he seemed to have this pettiness to him as GM that made a bad Lindros situation even worse.

Makes you wonder how many other McCrimmon-like trades happened because he couldn't let go of personal animosities.
- FlyerGuy

I don't think I will ever "forgive" Clarke for the way he handled the Lindros thing. He just doesn't hold the same aura for me that many do. I have much more positive feelings for Holmgren as a GM. And will always love Bernie, MacLeish, Leach, Barber.

Add in all of the things he did to gut those mid 80's Flyer teams....

I think JSaq said it well, Bob Clarke and Bobby Clarke are two different entities to me, and sadly, the things that Bob Clarke did tarnished by image of Bobby Clarke.

It would be nice if people would follow Bill's lead and just leave speculation out of it. Speculation of guilt, or innocence, or circumstances.

I don't think I will ever "forgive" Clarke for the way he handled the Lindros thing. He just doesn't hold the same aura for me that many do. I have much more positive feelings for Holmgren as a GM. And will always love Bernie, MacLeish, Leach, Barber.

So its all clarke fault for the way the lindros situation ended? The way i remember it eric could've handled it better too.

It would be nice if people would follow Bill's lead and just leave speculation out of it. Speculation of guilt, or innocence, or circumstances.
- bodiva88

I don't think I will ever "forgive" Clarke for the way he handled the Lindros thing. He just doesn't hold the same aura for me that many do. I have much more positive feelings for Holmgren as a GM. And will always love Bernie, MacLeish, Leach, Barber.

So its all clarke fault for the way the lindros situation ended? The way i remember it eric could've handled it better too.
- twotoekenn

I agree, it was messy all around. Sure was an amazing thing to see Eric playing in the alumni game this year with Clarke, eh? Sure was special.

I agree, it was messy all around. Sure was an amazing thing to see Eric playing in the alumni game this year with Clarke, eh? Sure was special.
- coffee junkie

I think Clarkie and Lindros have forgiven one another. I've had my issues with both, but the past is the past.

I think Clarkie and Lindros have forgiven one another. I've had my issues with both, but the past is the past.
- Jsaquella

I pretty much agree with everything you said on this thread.

I think that's a first.