Flyers fans don’t need to be ‘patient’

For some ungodly reason, the cause du jour of last night–after the Dallas Stars were gracious enough to remove their boots from six inches in the anal cavity of the Flyers–was attacking Flyers fans. Why?

Flyers Fans: You aren’t patient enough. You just don’t have the patience to endure a “rebuild.”

This guy, @_ChrisMaher, lost his marbles in a group chat with me because I pointed out how offensively anemic the team in 2022 was.

He was FURIOUS to hear the gap between Connor McDavid and Owen Tippett.

And he wants to lecture YOU as people now. YOU have no patience. It's YOU pic.twitter.com/hgkC8RDyeC

— Derek Dunn (@SuitableAlias) January 10, 2025

And maybe that’s true. I obviously can’t know that, because the Flyers aren’t executing a rebuild. So it’s a hypothetical whether or not the fans could endure a rebuild. I don’t think they’re impatient as a general matter, though.

Many fans have been remarkably patient as they were subjected to a gaslighting operation of epic proportions from the organization. They had, and have, no intentions of building a good hockey team in the near or distant future. But they have every intention of telling you that they’re working hard to accomplish exactly that.

They’re lying. They’re obviously lying.

A rebuild is an aggressive period where teams are remarkably active in the market. The specific intent of their activity in the market can vary. Some times, it’s about the draft. Other times, it’s about a cadre of unsung future heroes wallowing away in organizations they aren’t clicking with.

But a rebuild requires aggression as a manager. It requires activity. The very definition of the term “rebuild” is to create anew something that has been damaged beyond simpler repairs.

Daniel Briere lacks the gumption to do anything so ambitious. He’s afraid of decisions that carry so much weight, because he understands that such risks affect the probability of his long term employment. He’s hamstrung because he can’t stop thinking about: “What happens if I’m wrong?”

That’s the essence, really, of Danny can’t close. He can’t finish the sale. He can’t go all the way. Why can’t he? Because he can’t stop thinking about the potential ramifications of finishing that sale. What happens to his career if he makes a big decision and it blows up in his face?

The thought petrifies him as surely as staring into the eyes of Medusa would. But it’s not necessary. I actually would defend Danny if he made mistakes in the name of aggression. I respect people who are confident in their decisions.

If Danny wants to lead a hockey team, he has to get over this phobia of making the big decision. I’m not the only one who thinks this. There are people who have spoken to the man himself who draw the very same conclusions that I do.

Oh, sure, they don’t run around putting it all in a pithy bow like Danny can’t close. But they know it’s true. Even people who sit here and defend the front office in Flyers media know what I’m saying is true.

With each new passing day, more and more people know what’s going on here.

If anything, Flyers fans have been far too patient.

They allowed themselves to fall for a gaslighting operation for close to 2 years.

Maybe Danny doesn’t need to see unemployment. Maybe we don’t need another regime change, outside of finding a coach that isn’t the enemy of all things offense and development.

But Danny does need to find it in himself to make the hard decisions. You wanted the job, right? It’s time to shoulder the burden associated with that job.

Or maybe…

Danny really can’t close.

Either way, you guys deserve better than “waiting patiently” to find out which it is. No more “Next summer and next trade deadline.”

Start delivering results. If Danny can close.

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