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Tuesday, March 27, 2007

Tuesday News

Yes things really are this slow. Too bad I don't cover minor league hockey. The big scoop in that parallel universe is that most of the UHL has been invited to join he ECHL. I'm not sure a new league will prop up the weaker remaining UHL markets, but either way such an event will likely impact in some form the future growth of the USHL and NAHL across the Rust Belt.


After a short hiatus, I have turned the comments back on. Behave yourselves, people, and consider reading the following by Dean Barnett before saying something.

The Fort Vancouver debacle seems to be simmering down, if for no other reason than the apparent news blackout - there's nothing in The Columbian and most of my sources throughout this affair have suddenly found themselves out of the loop. What does seem to be apparent is that the Pioneers appear to be headed to Nationals with their roster relatively intact. I can confirm, however, the Pink Floyd's Money will NOT be replaced with this song when the Pioneers' lineups are introduced at Nationals.

It looks like the OHL is close to knowing the fate of the Mississauga IceDogs. By all appearances, it will NOT be in SE Michigan...

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Comments on "Tuesday News"

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (9:14 AM, March 27, 2007) : 

Marc,

Thank you for the Pio's new fight song! How Appropriate!

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (9:38 AM, March 27, 2007) : 

I'm from South Eastern Michigan...

Where abouts, or what arena were the Icedogs planning on moving too, if any near by?

The only one I can think of is Great Lakes Sports Center/Fraiser Ice Arena where the Motor City Mechanics played in the UHL last season... The rink is almost identical to plymouth and sarnia, a simple one bowl 3,000 seater with a score clock in the middle (no video screen) but good press boxes, bar, etc...

 

Blogger Marc Foster said ... (9:52 AM, March 27, 2007) : 

Yeah I've heard about the bar at Great Lakes... It's what allowed Dr. Afr to keep the old CoHL/UHL Falcons teams there so long. I wouldn't consider it (or State Fair) for an OHL team, however.

As for other whereabouts... there was no other whereabouts. The Saginaw Spirits have been clamoring for a month to move the IceDogs to somewhere in the Grand Blanc / Clarkston / Waterford vicinity. Other than going down I-75 a few more miles and dropping the team in The Palace, there's nothing suitable.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (10:47 AM, March 27, 2007) : 

Mark, I am finding you to be a hypocrit! A number of times in the past you have championed the idea that nothing is wrong with "schlorships or sponsorships". That there are exceptions to certain rules in USAH bylaws, and there is not an NCAA rules that prohibits them. Now you are labeling the Pios cheaters. If you want people to actually believe anything you say, stop contradicting yourself.

 

Blogger Marc Foster said ... (11:05 AM, March 27, 2007) : 

I never claimed their position on scholarships is wrong, and still maintain you can drive a bus through the current USAH and NCAA language.

I know there are some out there, on both sides of this issue, who have been waiting for me to get off the fence. Where schollys are concerned, I have maintained a consistent opinion. I think the USAH interpretation of their own regs and of the NCAA regs is in error. I even suspect many of my previously stated comments regarding the issue have been used by Fort Vancouver in their defense.

I cannot, however, defend the payment of players. That's simply beyond any justification.

As for the song... get over it. It was meant to be satire for the consumption of both sides.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (1:57 PM, March 27, 2007) : 

The payments were for players on the 05-06 team, not this years team.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (3:31 PM, March 27, 2007) : 

Hayes Has Options

U.S. Under-18 Team forward Jimmy Hayes, a late ’89 who is currently in the 11th grade, has been invited back to the NTDP next year, even though he will have aged out and be ineligible for the World Under-18s.

Hayes, who is expected at BC in the fall of ’08, has RULED OUT playing in the USHL. His draft rights are owned by the Ohio Junior Bluejackets.

There is a chance he could return to Nobles for his senior year. Needless to say, he can expect heavy pressure from the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. He's going to visit the QMJHL in the playoffs.

Hayes is draft eligible in 2008.

 

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