New Blue Jackets Coach Mike Babcock Allegedly Asks Players For Their Cell Phones Then AirPlays Their Photos On His TV
After 7.5 years of hosting Spittin' Chiclets, we've heard a shitload of stories about coaches being absolute dickheads (on and off the air). Not just run-of-the-mill shit about a guy being a prick hoping to make himself the enemy and galvanizing the team. But mean shit. Vindictive shit. Shit that makes the NHLPA arch an eyebrow like The Rock. Being an asshole just to be an asshole. Stuff that sears itself into the brains of players until they take their last shift of life.
But never before have we heard of a NHL coach allegedly pulling this stunt...
After 17 consecutive seasons behind an NHL bench that include a Stanley Cup win and two other trips to the Final, Mike Babcock was in a sort of unofficial exile for the next three seasons. After the Toronto Maple Leafs became the first NHL team to fire him on November 20, 2019, more stories began leaking about his treatment of players (years after Mike Commodore first called attention to his antics on Chiclets) and Babcock just kinda slithered away, not exactly hirable as 'awful coach' stories were all the rage at the time.
In February of 2021, he resurfaced as coach of Sasky U and did that for a year-and-a-half. On July 1st of this year, Columbus named him as his new head coach. Maybe watching the NHL on TV instead of having the best seat in the house and a having a heavy dose of introspection would make Babcock change his abrasive ways?
Well, training camp hasn't even started yet and the new coach of the Blue Jackets is already embroiled in controversy. For allegedly having his players hand their phones over so he can then pull them up on the TV.
He's also drawn the attention of the NHLPA for what could be potential workplace violations.
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The most shocking thing about this story so far is that a Baby Boomer apparently knew how to use AirPlay. And the Blue Jackets just released this statement online.
If this thing is as innocent as the spin above claims, it's still a weird ask from a boss that no players will want to say 'no' to thus risking repercussions down the line. Or as Biz said…
Spittin' Chiclets was also told that Boone Jenner isn't the only player that was asked to pull his phone out.
Enjoy the pod!