Coyote Mania in Phoenix

Phoenix mascot Howler indicates where the team wants to finish

One of the surprise stories this NHL season has been the success of the Phoenix Coyotes franchise.  The team currently sits a mere two points out of first place in the super-competitive Western Conference.  What’s been the key to their success?  Well, this Distinct Kicking Motion exclusive reveals the motivational strategies employed by head coach Dave Tippett that have his boys fired up.  We visited the locker room, and were able to speak with Coach Tippett and several excited players.  The reason behind much of their excitement can be summed up with the words “Career vs. The Streak.”  Confused?  Read on, and find out exactly what has been the driving force behind the Coyote’s momentum.

“It was a perfect combination of things that led to this,” Coach Tippett says.  “Simply put, I told the boys back in October that I’d purchased enough tickets for everyone to attend this year’s WrestleMania 26 here in Glendale, Arizona.  First off, it’s super-convenient because the greatest spectacle of them all will be literally right in our backyard.  Second off, I figured we had a young team of guys that would be motivated by a fun bonding experience.  However, the third factor caught me off guard.  Literally every player on this team is a HUGE fan of the WWE.”

Tippett admits he was taken aback when he saw the reaction of the players.  “I remember looking around the room.  It was silent – you could hear a pin drop.”  Tippett was getting a little choked up at this point, as he added, “the gleam in their eyes, the hope I saw.  They were looking at these tickets like it was the the first pair of tits they’d ever laid their eyes on.”

After roaring out of the gates with the motivation of seeing Mania fresh in their minds, the Coyotes struggled through parts of December and January.  After the Olympic break, Coach Tippett knew it was time to start pushing their buttons again.  “The first practice back after the break, I pulled the tickets out again,” Tippett revealed.  “I could tell right away it was the right move.  The guys took the ice harder than before in practice, and sure enough, we rattled off like 10 wins in a row.”

Coyotes players celebrate every win that gets them one step closer to Mania

Team captain Shane Doan shared Tippett’s sentiments about the timing.  “It was freakin’ perfect man,” Doan said.  “Seriously, the matchups on the ‘Mania card were starting to fill out, so the room was buzzing.  He couldn’t have timed it better.  Olympic break, the Hitman returning, Taker and HBK one more time.  Man I’m getting jacked up just thinking about that!”  Doan, who has been with the organization since it was located in Winnipeg, says this is easily the most excited he’s been in his fourteen-year career.  “Sure, we’ve had a couple playoff runs, but we were obviously never expected to go anywhere.  And to be honest, this year, after WrestleMania, there’s no way we’re going to have any impact whatsoever.”

Captain Doan and the newly acquired Stempniak look forward to this rematch from last year’s Mania

Apparently, word of Tippett’s promise got around the league pretty quickly.  Forward Lee Stempniak apparently requested a trade from the Maple Leafs to the Coyotes strictly for the chance to see WrestleMania firsthand.  “Oh man, I’ve been following the build-up all year.  I thought Undertaker and Shawn Michaels was the best match in WrestleMania history last year!  And this year, with so much more on the line.  It’s going to be amazing.  I absolutely can’t wait.  It’s going to be magical.”

Tippett admitted that the trade deadline was an opportunity to remove some players whom he felt weren’t buying into the Mania hype enough.  When forward Peter Mueller was traded for Wojtek Wolski at the deadline, much of the press discussion centered around Mueller’s disappointing play in Phoenix.  However, we at DKM got Tippett to open up about the real reason behind the deal.  “Mule didn’t watch wrestling anymore.  He didn’t have the spark.”  Mueller admitted that the idea just wasn’t for him.  “I’m a Minnesota kid,” Mueller said.  “When (fellow Minnesotian) Brock Lesnar left the WWE, so did I.”

The Coyotes’ play on the ice in March has reflected their recent urgency to ensure their trip to Mania.  “Coach said we weren’t guaranteed anything,” Matthew Lombardi said.  “So, we kinda decided as a group that we’d win every game in March, and we pretty much have.” We pressed Lombardi further, suggesting that with the balanced level of skill across the NHL, surely they couldn’t win every game just because they felt like it.  “The hell we can’t,” Lombardi retorted.  “Look at the odds John Cena is facing against Batista.  He’s been beat up over and over by Batista throughout their whole careers, but he’s stepping in there this Sunday, and he’s going to win, dammit.  NEVER QUIT,” Lombardi concluded, before waving his hand in front of his face in a you-can’t-see-me gesture popularized by the fan favourite Cena.

Goalie Ilya Bryzgalov, easily the team MVP this season, has attributed his stellar play to the proverbial carrot dangled in front of him by Tippett.  “Oh, absolutely the year is all for the wrestling.  I am the fan for The Game for many of the times.  I see his hair and it is the best one with hair in the land.  Best wrestler, absolutely.”  Bryzgalov was apparently quite happy with the Russians being knocked out of the Olympics early.  “Even if I play last game, I try worse than Evgeni (Nabokov) did.  I use extra time to go one city over, to Calgary.  I see Hitman Hart at home, and I say to Hitman Hart ‘give the beating to McMahon at WrestleMania.’  McMahon made Hitman leave for many years, and I don’t see sharpshooter.  Now, I want a sharpshooter.”

Canadian defenceman Ed Jovanovski kept his country in mind while looking forward to this year’s Mania.  “Seriously, as a Canadian, how can you not be pumped up to see a title match featuring two of our country’s best going at it?”  Jovanovski said, referring to the championship showdown between the current champ Chris Jericho and Royal Rumble winner Edge.  “Seriously, I’d love to see Y2J retain, but Edge has all the momentum, and you know all about the bullshit backstage politics that will hold Jericho down,” Jovanovski added disparagingly.  However, he was upbeat about the other Canadian content at WrestleMania.  “Seriously, Maryse is hot as hell and she’s from Montreal.  We got Christian in the Money in the Bank ladder match, and I have to think he’s a favourite.  And then there’s Bret coming back to slap Vince around.  I can’t complain about it at all!  I’ll be wearing my classic Hitman sunglasses for sure.”

Bret Hart displays the classic shades that Ed Jovanovski will be rockin’ at this year’s Mania

As hot as the Coyotes have been, we at Distinct Kicking Motion now understand the motivation behind their hot play, and we predict a dramatic fall-off in the weeks after WrestleMania 26.  Unfortunately for Phoenix, the playoffs correspond with the post-WrestleMania hangover.  A first round elimination is likely.