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Ned Harkness

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Hockey Coach

The Resume

    (September 19, 1919-September 19, 2008)
    Born in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
    Head coach of the hockey teams at Rensselear Polytechnic Institute (1949-63), Cornell University (1963-70) and Union College (1978-79)
    Head coach of the Detroit Red Wings (1970-71)
    General manager for the Detroit Red Wings (1971-74) and the Adirondack Red Wings (1979-82)
    Head coach of the lacrosse teams at Rensselear Polytechnic Institute (1945-58) and Cornell University (1966-68)

Why he might be annoying:

    His birth name was Nevin.
    He never played a game in the professional ranks.
    He guided RPI to the hockey program's first Tri-State title, which would later be vacated after it was revealed he used an ineligible player (1951).
    He posted a 12–22–4 record as the Red Wings coach.
    He struggled adapting to coaching professional athletes.
    His tenure with the Red Wings was considered a disaster in both the coaching and management spectrums.
    Many Red Wing fans chanted 'Darkness with Harkness' as the team was a perennial doormat during his tenure.

Why he might not be annoying:

    He was born in Ottawa, but moved to Glens Falls, New York as a child and would became a naturalized American citizen years later.
    He was instrumental in the successful revival of the RPI hockey program following the end of World War II.
    He won four NCAA National championships in hockey and lacrosse combined.
    He was instrumental in recruiting Ken Dryden to attend Cornell.
    He got his start in coaching at RPI when he served as a volunteer coach for the upstart lacrosse team.
    He guided RPI to upset victories over powerhouse schools MIchigan and Minnesota to capture the school's first NCAA Hockey National championship (1954).
    His Cornell team posted a 29-0-0 record en route to the NCAA Hockey National championship (1970).

Credit: Ricky


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 1 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 1 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 6 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 4 Votes: 75.00% Annoying