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Hartley Miller's Slap Shots June 17th, 2005

By Hartley Miller

--It's time for the Prince George Spruce Kings to inject some youth into their aging organization. 

They've got a chance to do that with the hiring of an assistant coach. The right guy for the job is Trevor Sprague. The team has snubbed him in the past, but as they look to the future, the organization should realize he's the candidate that meets the qualifications. 

He's local, he's young, he's a proven winner, he's available and last, but not least, he would come at the right price.
 
For some strange reason, the 27-year-old Sprague thinks it's a dream job to be with the Spruce Kings, even it that means being the right hand man to head coach Ed Dempsey. And he would be willing to do it for expenses and a small honorarium. 

His resume is impressive. Last season (after being overlooked for the job originally), he stepped in just prior to Christmas to take over as head coach of the sad-sack cellar dwelling Cariboo Canucks major midget team. Quickly he turned the club around and just a month after taking over, the Canucks responded as they were the best Canadian team and 4th overall out of 25 at an international tournament in Kelowna. 

That would be the stepping stone to provincials, where the team reached the final against the Thompson Blazers. 

Two seasons before that, Sprague coached the Prince George midget “B” team to the BC championship in Juan De Fuca.
 
Can he be an assistant? You bet. He was Brent Arsenault's associate when Prince George won the BC Midget “AAA” Championship in 2001, the same year that PG hosted the Nationals. 

So, what's the knock on the Curtis Elite sales rep, who moved to the city from New Brunswick at the age of 5?
Well, Sprague can be brash, bold, abrasive, in your face and not politically correct. He's not always a yes man as he likes to speak his mind. He reminds me of a “Meisner” with one big exception; he's got talent. 

The Spruce Kings need new ideas and a breath of fresh air. Many of the guys in the organization are closing in on their pensions. Some are re-cycled hacks that do have something to offer, but still would benefit with a fresh enthusiastic youthful voice.
 
Word on the street is that the assistant coaching job could go to Cougars scout
and long time Dempsey buddy Mike Hawes or former Spruce kings head coach Dale Marquette. 

I'm not necessarily saying they are bad choices, but if it means having more than one local assistant coach, so be it. 

Don't hire Trevor Sprague because I said so. Hire him because it's what the team needs at this time. 


--Isn't it refreshing when athletes don't hesitate to express their true feelings. Here's what
Carolina Panthers defensive tackle Kris Jenkins had to say about Warren Sapp of the Oakland Raiders, in conversation with The Associated Press. 

"I hate him. Everybody says I'm supposed to be polite when I talk to you all, but I hate him. He talks too much, he doesn't make any sense, he's fat, he's sloppy, he acts like he's the best thing since sliced bread. He's ugly, he stinks, his mouth stinks, his breath stinks, and basically his soul stinks too. Not too many people have personalities like that and survive in life. I don't know how he does it."
 
Is that all Kris ?

--Yogi Berra would be proud of Brent Barry's bio in the San Antonio Spurs' media guide
 
"He would give his right arm to be ambidextrous."


--I have to admit it's almost embarrassing how many media hats my very slightly balding head is wearing. Besides barking out the signals on radio stations 94X and the Wolf@97fm, I'm writing for upstart opinion250.com on a weekly basis and now the PG Free Press has picked up my column.  I'm also doing a weekly sports gig for the top local TV station in Prince George, that being Shaw channel 10.
The only thing left would be a book, but that will have to wait until the fall.


And, how is your week ?
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