Comparing Harry Sinden and Glen Sather To Google

I have been reading the fascinating bestseller How Google Works by former Google bigwigs Eric Schmidt and Jonathan Rosenberg.

The cover is annoying, but never judge a book by it's cover. It is an interesting look into how the iconic, revolutionary company has become arguably the most dominant and most important company of it's time. Perhaps ever.

How'd they do it? By using visionary - and often contrarian - principles of business that allowed greatness to emerge. They hired the best engineers and computer scientists in the world, and then, against pretty much every business model out there, allowed them to do their thing.  Just make great services, and the seemingly non-existent business plan will work itself out.

The result is nothing short of world changing. And if Google has it's way, this is all just the beginning. I highly recommend this read.

Buy The Book: Amazon.ca - Chapters - Amazon.com

What does all this have to do with a hockey history website?

From the very first few pages I found myself immediately drawn to a hockey comparable. Specifically Bobby Orr and Wayne Gretzky, who in this scenario would be the engineers, and coaches Harry Sinden and Glen Sather, who would fit the role of Google bosses Larry Page and Sergey Brin.

Orr and Gretzky are, of course, the greatest hockey players of all time. But they achieved the ultimate heights by not being forced to follow the traditional model. Their bosses, Sinden and Sather respectively, allowed them to just do their thing, and surrounded them with an environment for success.

When you think about it we hockey fans sure owe Sinden and Sather a great debt of gratitude. Almost every other coach would have forced Orr and Gretzky to fit the typical hockey mold. Orr would never have been allowed to roam like he did. Gretzky was allowed to be an all-offensive player, something almost no player has been afforded the chance since. But Sinden and Sather both realized they had something amazing and just allowed them to do their thing. Greatness ensued.

It makes me wonder how many other great players never reached the heights they could have? How many players, unable to conform, were chased from the league when they could have been stars? Will we ever see coach allow a player such freedoms again?  Why are the rare players who do get occasional chances of freedom, such as Alexander Oveckin, often criticized by those who are less visionary and can only see the traditional model? What kind of numbers could have Sidney Crosby have posted in this era if he was was given the same chances as Gretzky? Will all players, even celebrated "Next Ones" like Connor McDavid, be shackled by a hockey world with conventional thinking?

These are questions that even Google can't answer.

Glen Sather: Laying Down The Law

From Al Strachan's Wayne Gretzky biography 99: Gretzky - His Game, His Story:

"Coach Glen Sather did an excellent job of keeping the young players more or less in line. He developed a close association with the Edmonton police department so that misdemeanours that might embarrass the team could be cleared up and hidden from the media. He also developed a tame media corps so that if a reporter did stumble upon a story, he could probably be convinced to keep it to himself."

Different times and different media attention back then but nonetheless very interesting stuff. I assume such relationships are common place, to varying degrees, in the world of professional and even collegiate sports.

It should be noted that Gretzky himself was never in any sort of trouble. Strachan adds:

"It must be made clear that in this area, Gretzky, who was always meticulous about maintaining an immaculate reputation, gave Sather no trouble. There were no hidden stories involving Gretzky's misbehaviour because there was no Gretzky misbehaviour."

"Most of the time he at dinner at home - often with Mark Messier who, for four years, lived in the same apartment building. When Gretzky went out for dinner and had a drink, he never drove. Whenever he was out in public, he always made sure there was someone around who could corroborate his side of the story, should there be an accusation that he had done something wrong. From the beginning he has been acutely aware that he is always in the public eye and therefore in the media spotlight."

Glen Sather: Journeyman Slats

Everybody knows who Glen Sather is. He is the mastermind behind perhaps the greatest team in the history of the National Hockey League. He is considered one of the greatest coaches and general managers in the modern era of the NHL. He is also an astute businessman, and a self made millionaire outside of hockey.

But did you know he used to play hockey too? He wasn't exactly a great hockey player, but got into 658 NHL games and scored 80 goals and 193 points. The man who had the brains to acquire and teach names like Wayne Gretzky, Glenn Anderson, Mark Messier, Jari Kurri, Paul Coffey, Grant Fuhr, Andy Moog, Kevin Lowe - the list is seemingly endless - was pretty much a third or fourth line plumber for nine NHL seasons. Of all the great players Sather has coached in Edmonton, Sather the player could best be compared to a Dave Hunter or a Kelly Buchberger - a useful, heart-and-soul grinder.

Read the full "Slats" biography.

Bailing Out Peter Puck

"It's easy to be friends with somebody when they're on top."

That's what Wayne Gretzky said about Bruce McNall when the former Kings owner fell on hard times.

"In life, nobody's perfect," Gretzky added. "Bruce was punished for the things he did wrong, but he did a lot of things right too. Ask any player who ever played for the Kings."

"At the end of the day, Bruce has a big heart and I wanted to stay by his side."

I always admired Gretzky for that stance. It proves that he is a class act, and a great friend. It's something I think we all must remember whenever any of our friends fall on hard times.

A couple of Gretzky's old pals were put to this test this week. Glen Sather pledged a million dollar piece of property in Minnesota to bail out Peter Pocklington, the former owner in Edmonton.

Good on Mr. Sather for standing by his friend.

As I understand it, Slats has made a killing in real estate ventures dating back 30 years now. He may have more money than Pocklington ever did, at least in the post-Oilers era.

There is certainly no shortage of Pocklington articles in the online news right now, but I wanted to remind you of a Globe And Mail article that appeared just before Christmas. It remains a great read.