Boughner unapologetic

"A handshake is a sign of respect" - Bob Boughner

Business is business. Family is family. In the OHL the two are often interwoven, prompting good hockey and at times bad blood. Spits' head coach, Bob Boughner has felt the results of both recently. Days before watching his team dominate its way to another league title, he watched a member of the "family" get swept up by the enemy. Yes, it still stings. And yes, the Spits are still incredibly angry over Kerby Rychel's selection by Barrie. For its part, Colts management says it was business. But Boughner says it should've been about family, and honouring it. That's something the Eastern champs, or chumps tonight, appeared not to do when they took Warren Rychel's son with the final pick of the first round.

Despite any joy deep down of winning that 2nd straight OHL championship, Boughner was still furious post game about what transpired at the draft. He was so upset he refused to shake the hand of Colts' head coach, Marty Williamson. It was minutes after the Spitfires won, behind the bench, and caught on camera. Attempting to read Boughner's lips when he pulled away from Williamson's gesture, he said something like "I ain't shaking your hand." But hey, don't quote me on it ;) Any way you want to interpret it that post game snub is big news in Barrie for different reasons than in Windsor. Down by the border where the 'us against the world' mentality is heavy, the Spitfires' head coach is being hailed as heroic. The team and it's many supporters, of course believe Bougher was standing up for his posse in denying Williamson's hand. To them, the diss was a proud showing of displeasure. And a warning, that the Windsor Spitfires will not be disrespected.

Even today Boughner has no remorse over what did or didn't happen on Tuesday. He actually seems even more pissed off by it, calling what the Colts did "malicious". Boughner might be overstating things a bit with that kind of rhetoric, but he's steadfast in his belief that Williamson and the Colts management group should have honoured Windsor's intentions. Or at the very least given the Spitfires the courtesy of a head's up that Kerby was on their hit list. Boughner insists his group might have made adjustments, hinting a deal could have been struck in order to secure the GM's kid. It didn't happen.

In the end, gamesmanship won out at the expense of sportsmanship. It's latest in an unfortunate, unapologetic and extremely interesting feud between OHL foes. Wonder what's next?

Further reading:

Brandon Bound
Over and Out
Son of a Spit! He's a Colt

Over and out

I'm told the Spitfires haven't even played their best game yet. That includes the entire playoffs and this current 7 game win streak. So are we to believe the Spitfires have even more to offer? They can be better? If true that's nuts.

Either way (and any money it still won't be considered their "best") it's all over tonight. Beating Windsor 4 straight at this point is too monumental a task even for the likes of the talented, but worn down Colts. Point is, the writing's on the wall. This series isn't going 7. So how and where will Barrie find the detemination and grit (not stupidity) it needs to extend things another night? Maybe in that same hope their opponents once clung too. Two weeks ago the Spits were in virtually the same position, down 3-0 and facing life or elimination on the road. The difference is Kitchener at that time had both run it's course and out of luck. Tonight, Windsor is a team on a mission. Cohesive and confident. They're champions. And on the verge of officially keeping their title. Standing in the way, an eventual runner-up. Really, it's only a matter of periods (maybe 3) until the Colts succumb to their inferiority. What's say they officially realize that tonight, take their consolation prize from Windsor in the GM's kid and head home?

All in all I believe the Spitfires are one of the most deadly teams in Junior hockey history. A stature created by the team's General Manager, Warren Rychel. I was critical of his belief Kirby would be waiting for him in the draft, but you can't blame him for wanting his boy to play for him. It's worked out for the Hunters in London and Mike Foligno in Sudbury. And hey, it still might happen. Perhaps there's a deal in the works? Meantime, Rychel will continue to mould the Spitfires into an annual contender. Love him or hate him, he's good at his job. A grading that might just go up to 'great' by about 10:30 tonight, when yet another major trophy is awarded to a once lousy organization he built into a champion. A repeat champion.