Or so says assistant GM Tim Murray, while answering if Clouston's "bag skate" will have any impact on the club's effort level vs. the Sabres.
I, for one, think bag skates have their place, and if not relied on as a first response, can and do have an impact on teams.
Bag skates can, if used sparingly, send a message that if you don't work hard during the game, you'll work even harder during practice. No human being wants to go through hell, and that in itself is motivation to at least work harder to avoid a recurrence in the near future.
Also, a bag skate sends a clear message that the situation is "extreme" and has to change. The skate itself may not be constructive, but the fact it came to being bag-skated IS the message.
Lastly, bag skates pull a team together—it's a bonding moment that all players go through together. It sends the message that you will win, and lose, as a team, and players don't want to be singled out for being the one responsible for a second bag skate.
I do not believe a win is the only acceptable outcome for a bag-skated team, but there has to be a renewed intensity and focus to th ...
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Article written by Gerald Norton
Ottawa Senators: Good Teams Respond
October 22nd, 2010 by Gerald Norton Leave a reply »
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