Mike Huss "The Fuss According to Huss" St. Louis Sports Online lead columnist and host of "Sportstalk" on WGNU AM-920 can be heard online at www.wgnu.net--time: (6:00-7:00 pm Tuesdays and Thursdays) E-mail Mike at: hussonwgnu@sbcglobal.net

I can only imagine how tough it is to be a die-hard St. Louis Blues fan these days.

Throughout their Gateway City tenure, our town's Blue & Gold ice heroes have consistently been a frustrating bunch. They would tease you with a President's Trophy championship only to lose in the first round of the playoffs to a sub .500 team. They would wiggle their way to the Conference Championship, only to be sent home early in the playoffs one year later. The team payroll would be in the upper echelon of the NHL, only to see more frugal and cheaper teams improve and advance farther in the playoffs.

The key principals have remained in tact throughout: President Mark Sauer, General Manager Larry Pleau, and Head Coach Joel Quenneville. Q has patrolled behind the Blues bench since January 1997. Pleau was hired as General Manager in the summer of 1997. Sauer assumed control from Jerry Ritter in December 1996. This should be ample time to see tangible results. Other teams have improved in less time. Still, while a President's Trophy and one trip to the Conference Finals are nice things that have occurred during their tenure, this management team's overall assessment has to be rated average at best. This franchise must get out of this multi-year/decade rut. A change somewhere in the organization was desperately needed somewhere.

And the shake-up finally occurred: with step one in the Head Coach's office.

Quenneville was relieved of his duties as the team's Head Coach as the Blues prepare for a road trip that will take them to Denver, Vancouver and San Jose in a 96 or so hour span. Long-time bridesmaid, Assistant Coach Mike Kitchen was given a two-year contract as the team's new Head Coach. Kitchen has no NHL Coaching experience on his resume.

"I think Joel did everything he could," Pleau said. "I just felt that the way the team had been playing, that a change was needed -- and a new face. In these positions, you make decisions, and I felt it was time. I didn't think it was going to get back on track

Despite his lack of post-season success, Quenneville is well respected throughout the National Hockey League. To that end, Bill Clement of ESPN Sports writes: "The Blues' dismissal of Joel Quenneville is a perfect example of change for the sake of change. I'm shocked that he's been fired. I think Quenneville is a victim of firing as a marketing tool. For most NHL teams, their fan base and the live gate are the major sources of revenue. Quenneville's dismissal is an attempt by the Blues to shock the players into short-term performance to make the playoffs -- which is where the big revenue is. This I can tell you: I expect Quenneville to set a record for the shortest time in the unemployment line. He's an excellent coach, tactically and philosophically. He faced challenges this season, including less-than-stellar goaltending and injuries to key players. A logical place for Quenneville to end up is anyplace where an NHL coach is needed. Quenneville will be a good fit wherever he goes. I truly believe that he's one of the best coaches in the game."

Time will tell if former Blues executive John Ferguson Jr. will place a call to the Toronto-native Quenneville to become coach of the Maple Leafs. Time will tell if Owner Bill Laurie's brother-in-law, Stan Kroenke will pick up the phone and see if Q might want to return to the Rocky Mountain State. Stay tuned.

Meanwhile, Kitchen better be able to stand the heat. He is inheriting a franchise that is an absolute mess. Fans are angry and media is becoming skeptical. More and more empty seats (especially in the high priced lower bowl areas) are appearing each game. The NHL is considered a major financial risk and a long work stoppage is likely on the horizon.

Here in our town, Sauer and Pleau have created and authorized a payroll that is lop-sided: with only a few players making big dollars. Right, wrong, or indifferent, Laurie has provided the financial resources for Sauer, Pleau and Quenneville to field a competitive hockey team. In 2003, the St. Louis payroll exceed $60 million: 5th highest in the NHL Nonetheless, the Blues remain stuck in a rut. Only once have they moved from the same plateau since the Reagan administration. The team has wasted high six-figures on Tom Barrasso, provided big bucks to "goaltender of the future" Brent Johnson (as he sits in Worcester in an attempt to find himself) and invested much cash in risky pick-ups such as Chris Osgood and Valari Bure. Despite throwing millions after millions to improve the team, St. Louis remains only a playoff team for rounds one or two: a mere average team.

For a $60 million payroll, average simply shouldn't cut it.

Laurie should be furious to see franchises such as 11-year old Anaheim and 4-year old Minnesota (whose team payrolls were considerably less than his Blues) advance deep in the playoffs while his high-priced underachieving 37-year old bunch is on the golf course. I don't care if you married into the Wal-Mart fortune or if you do own the University of Missouri or how much money you have, any owner has the right to demand success in their businesses. Bottom line: the results aren't there. Bill Laurie has more than enough reason to justify drastically downsizing the size of the Blues payroll immediately.

Yet despite enough time and financial resources provided, the results are crystal and painfully clear. The Blues are no closer to being in the upper echelon of National Hockey League teams than five or ten years ago. St. Louis is simply still not in the same category as Detroit, Colorado, Ottawa, Vancouver or New Jersey. While the Blues might be and have been good at times, they are not consistently in that premier class of the NHL.

It's the time for someone to pay the price. That someone turned out to be Quenneville.

But Management cannot be immune for some of their head-shaking decisions. For whatever reason, Laurie and Sauer authorized a two-year contract extension for Pleau prior to the start of the 2003-04 season. This was a confusing decision when you take into account the team's mediocre results under the GM's watch. If Pleau were in his final contract year, he would be held accountable for his decisions. His lame-duck status would provide the Blues the opportunity of ending his services if the results were poor.

Well, the Blues team results are poor and Larry Pleau is sitting in his office with 18 months remaining on a brand spanking new contract: authorized by his higher ups.

The Blues are reaping what they have sowed. What a mess this thing has become.

If the playoffs started today, the Blues would not qualify. As they head to Denver, Vancouver and San Jose (three of the four top seeded Western Conference teams) St. Louis has the 9th best record in the Conference. The bad news is only 8 teams are invited.

Meanwhile, it's on the job training time for new Head Coach Kitchen. He takes over an overpriced underachieving hockey team whose moody and egotistical high-priced individual players have never won anything in the NHL. He takes over a team without Al Mac Innis and Barrett Jackman. He takes over a team that has a personnel department with a below average track record in creativity with last minute player acquisitions.

And did I mention Mike Kitchen has no NHL Head Coaching experience?

And did I also mention, the NHL will probably be going on strike next year?

Good grief

Yes, it is very, very tough it is to be a die-hard St. Louis Blues fan these days.