01-13-2020, 01:59 PM
Apparently Hinch and Lunhow both knew about and didn't support the cheating, but neither used their authority to make sure it didn't occur. It's like Manfred is telling Lunhow and Hinch it is not enough to tell someone who has been drinking that they shouldn't drive. He wants them to take the keys away from the would be drunk driver. It's little different in this case because the GM and Manager do have authority over everyone who participated in the cheating scheme, so I can see Manfred's point. He seems most concerned about fostering a culture of plausible deniability that sort of winks at cheating while saying they are agains it. So from this standpoint, Manfred is not giving any benefit of doubt to Lunhow or Hinch and sending a very clear message about how clubs are expected to set a culture of integrity that would stop any ideas of cheating from ever being considered, let alone implemented.
It's refreshing to see an institution show so little tolerance for bad behavior. I'm sure many will claim the punishment is too severe, but for the reasons Manfred stated for justifying it, they will be hollow arguments that miss the point.
It's refreshing to see an institution show so little tolerance for bad behavior. I'm sure many will claim the punishment is too severe, but for the reasons Manfred stated for justifying it, they will be hollow arguments that miss the point.