Detroit Red Wings fans just got some good news: Jeff Greenberg has taken himself out of the running as the team’s next general manager.
That’s not to say the Tigers’ current GM was totally unqualified for the job. He has a decent hockey background as a personnel executive and fan of the game. For all we know, he just might have used his analytic genius to revive the Wings and return them to their championship glory.
But there are actually two reasons Greenberg’s decision to pull out of the race bodes well for Wings fans.
First, it means the Wings could be close to hiring a GM in a search that’s dragged on for nearly two months. Even though the Tigers released a statement Monday, Sept. 7, that declared it was Greenberg’s decision, it’s more likely
Greenberg pulled out to save face once he knew he wasn’t getting the job.
“This was his decision,” according to the Tigers’ release. “He has communicated it to them directly. He has tremendous respect and admiration for the organization and was honored to be considered for the opportunity, but he is committed to the Tigers and what this group is building.”
If you’ll notice, there’s no actual reason given for Greenberg’s decision. And if you believe Greenberg abruptly pulled out of the race for no reason other than his “commitment to the Tigers,” then I’ve got some Enron stock and a bridge in Brooklyn I’d like to sell you.
To be honest, if Greenberg had worked for any MLB team besides the Tigers, I probably would have applauded owner Christopher Ilitch for at least thinking far outside the box during the hiring search, especially after he hired the most inside-the-box candidate possible in Steve Yzerman.
But the fact Greenberg works for the Tigers meant his hiring as the Wings’ GM would continue the Wings’ steady slide toward being the stepchild within Ilitch’s organization. With Greenberg in charge, the Wings and their staff would have all the reason in the world to feel like little more than a subsidiary of the Tigers.
When a team has worked extremely hard to create and market the nickname "Hockeytown," you would think the team’s owner would at least show some consistent interest in that team and, you know, actually attend games now and then and make himself visible to fans and reporters.
And if Ilitch has somehow managed to clandestinely attended lots of Wings games without anyone noticing, I offer may apologies … and a suggestion to become a Navy SEAL sniper.
That brings me to the second reason Greenberg’s decision is good news for Wings fans. Let’s hope this indicates Ilitch will hire a true hockey person, meaning an NHL executive with extensive experience in a winning organization.
Those qualifications should be table stakes. But what I hope distinguishes a new GM with championship-caliber bona fides is having enough power and respect from Ilitch and his top aides to be left alone to do their job.
Even if that comes to fruition, I suspect the new GM will have to do things differently than Yzerman by keeping Ilitch in the loop better, explaining personnel strategy more clearly and embracing analytics.
In business parlance, it’s called managing up. In the vulgate of normal folk, it’s called smooching.
It’s an important skill for every working person with a boss. If the Wings’ next GM deploys this skill effectively, he may not only get Ilitch on his side a lot faster, but he might do something even far more impressive, like getting his owner to regularly attend games.
Contact Carlos Monarrez at cmonarrez@freepress.com and follow him on X @cmonarrez.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Jeff Greenberg bowing out of GM search is good news for Red Wings fans
