Needed urgently: Temporary coaches on the Coquitlam Adanacs.
The all points bulletin comes courtesy of A's general manager Les Wingrove, who was incensed Tuesday morning to learn his head coach, Bob Salt, and assistant coach Randy Delmonico were slapped with two and four-game suspensions respectively by the Western Lacrosse Association following an incident involving the referees after the A's were spilled 11-9 Sunday by the Burrards in Maple Ridge. The A's were also fined $500.
Wingrove and A's coaches were steamed after Coquitlam was given a bench minor with 3:32 remaining for what they claim was a simple request for a mop to soak up a sweat skid in front of their team bench. The A's were leading 9-8 at the time and the Burrards scored on the ensuing powerplay, and then twice more in the final minute, to steal the win.
A referee's report cited Salt for launching into a "profanity-laced tirade" at the officials near their dressing quarters -- a claim Wingrove said is absolutely untrue. Delmonico simply said to one official who came out of his dressing room, "Why don't you go back in there?" Wingrove said. "If anybody should have been suspended it's me," Wingrove said. "I called the ref a cheater and I don't regret what I said."
Now, with the 4-6-0 A's in the throes of a three-game losing slide, they are rendered coachless for at least the next two games -- in New West on Thursday and at home to Victoria on Saturday -- pending an appeal that Wingrove said he's "definitely" going to file. Should the suspensions stick, Wingrove said he's unsure who will actually guide the team in the meantime. The other A's assistant coach, Dennis Quigley, is scheduled to be out of town next weekend.
"I don't know what we're going to do," Wingrove said. "You aren't going to find a coach right now."
