Rigamarole # 6 - Coach Gretzky

It’s a strange trend in sports but more often than not, great players rarely make great coaches. It is difficult to understand how a player that was so dominant cannot make the transition to coaching where, theoretically, he should be able to impart his gifted outlook toward the game on others. Although when players show their inability to carry out plays that came so easily to their coach, it frustrates these coaches leaving them unable to teach these skills. Many marginal players, though, have gone onto to become very successful coaches because they had to develop and maintain every skill they had during their playing days, thus making it much easier for them to teach these skills and relate to struggling players.

When Wayne Gretzky accepted the position as Head Coach of the Phoenix Coyotes, many simply asked the question, why? Why would someone who is as legendary as they come in any sport want to do this? Why would Gretzky want to put his winning reputation on the line for a franchise that even if they had some angels in the offensive zone, is not likely to come within a stone’s throw of the playoffs?

It’s simple. Gretzky loves the game. Great players usually do not really and truly love the game they play. They are unthinkably talented but more often then not you feel like they are doing you a favour by playing hard. It’s the competition and the thrill of being involved in the game that Gretzky loves and has missed so much since retiring. Coaching is as involved as you can get in the game without actually playing, so for Gretzky, that was what he had to do.

Don’t be shocked though if Phoenix surprises a few people this year. Despite a questionable lineup on paper, Gretzky’s mere presence seems to raise players to a whole new level. Knowing the Great One is looking on might make the Coyotes give just that little bit extra that could be the difference in their success this season. Gretzky has done some remarkable things over his career in hockey. We’ll see if he does it again in Phoenix. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.