tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40683273921503788522024-02-20T04:27:10.010-06:00Lost City of Bettman - For Kansas City Hockey FansTalking Hockey and the NHL in KCFlubber McGeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16667659463402618367noreply@blogger.comBlogger159125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4068327392150378852.post-39695194427108358112016-05-17T00:19:00.004-05:002016-05-17T22:53:35.931-05:00Lamar Hunt Close to Bringing USHL to Overland Park<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBPAaVXitXOxNeWYSFstD-oNeajn_knYV89Ebhh-C_CheprJTPjBmgQlrp9L89whVlPeWpL4RfkjGQEdIwxSz24cUOpTcQ_C38R0C-8D1YmJ_7dYPqgPyYjGQlC7y530dCPmQZ28vh9lnx/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-05-16+at+8.42.03+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="378" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBPAaVXitXOxNeWYSFstD-oNeajn_knYV89Ebhh-C_CheprJTPjBmgQlrp9L89whVlPeWpL4RfkjGQEdIwxSz24cUOpTcQ_C38R0C-8D1YmJ_7dYPqgPyYjGQlC7y530dCPmQZ28vh9lnx/s400/Screen+Shot+2016-05-16+at+8.42.03+PM.png" width="400" /></a></div>
About a year ago, the Kansas City Star's <a href="http://lostcityofbettman.blogspot.com/2015/07/kansas-city-still-not-viable-for-nhl.html" target="_blank">Sam Mellinger wrote some tripe</a> about hockey in Kansas City to cover their yearly quota. And that's fine, because it's not like they <a href="http://www.kansascity.com/opinion/opn-columns-blogs/yael-t-abouhalkah/article321995/KC-doesn%E2%80%99t-need-an-NBA-or-NHL-team-at-the-Sprint-Center.html" target="_blank">write this</a> <a href="http://lostcityofbettman.blogspot.com/2012/08/icymi-tickets-selling-for-preseason.html" target="_blank">same article</a> <a href="http://www.kansascity.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/sam-mellinger/article26509780.html" target="_blank">all the time. </a> "Kansas City loves hockey" but "Kansas City can't support an NHL team" and it doesn't matter anyway because "the Sprint Center is one of the busiest arenas in the world." There is some #original #content. You're lucky I didn't put that behind a pay wall, and act like blogs aren't dying the same slow death as online newspapers.<span id="goog_911985473"></span><br />
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Anyway, <a href="http://www.kansascity.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/vahe-gregorian/article77997827.html" target="_blank">here's another annual hockey article</a>, which is different this year because Vahe Gregorian wrote it. You will note this is <i>important</i> because we are led to believe he gets paid more than Sam Mellinger or Yael T. Abouhalkah. The title of this blog post actually should read "KC Star Copy/Pastes last year's article," but there is some newsworthy stuff in here. But, if this article is too much for you to handle, I made a word cloud of it (above). You can rest assured it hits all of the high points.<br />
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Hockey interest in KC heating up, but odds of getting NHL team are still long<div style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-stretch: normal; height: 1px; line-height: normal; overflow: hidden; width: 1px;">
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Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/vahe-gregorian/article77997827.html#storylink=cpy</div>
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<span style="background-color: #eeeeee;">When the Chicago Blackhawks and St. Louis Blues clashed in Game 7 of the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs a few weeks ago, it created a certain critical mass for Steve Stegall, owner of The Blue Line hockey bar in the River Market.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #eeeeee;">While “my Blues and Blackhawks fans aren’t really happy with each other,” he said, what he estimated was a thousand of them amiably enough shared space that included spilling into the streets.</span><span style="background-color: #eeeeee;">When police came to gently restore order, Stegall said he “pushed everybody back up so they were like sardines on the sidewalk.”</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #eeeeee;">The Sprint Center has lured a number of NHL exhibition games, with the Blues and Washington Capitals to meet this fall. And the Stanley Cup playoffs typically draw good TV ratings in this market.</span></blockquote>
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The only people standing out in the streets at Blue Line are the occasional smokers, the meeting of buzzed amateur philosophers, and the people from the vape shop next door. </div>
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<span style="background-color: #eeeeee;"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">“Hockey in Kansas City,” Chaz Rothenberg, wearing a Buffalo Sabres hat, said smiling as he walked out of the bar </span><a href="http://www.kansascity.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/vahe-gregorian/article77997827.html" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0d76ba; line-height: 1.5em; text-decoration: none;" title="">Sunday night</a><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">. </span>That’s not the only example of the game’s apparent growth and visibility here in recent years.</span></blockquote>
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For those of us unaware that Kansas City existed prior to the construction of the Sprint Center, know that there was a fairly successful minor league team called the Blades that played at Kemper Arena for a decade during the '90s, and numerous <a href="http://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/stories/2003/02/24/daily18.html" target="_blank">NHL exhibition games</a> played there as well. But, apparently, the sport has just hit it's renaissance in this city with the Mavericks. These are the same people that will cite the Kings-Penguins exhibition sell out in 2011 (17,544 tickets sold) and the Kings-Islanders bible study (9,792) in the same sentence and say that hockey is coming alive again! That said, 9,000+ for two teams on opposite coasts featuring a bunch of minor leaguers on, like, a Tuesday night when Zack Greinke was pitching was nothing short of a miracle (I remember that night <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utmhInTnmyg" target="_blank">fondly</a>).</div>
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<span style="background-color: #eeeeee;">Hunt Jr. is intensifying his investment with plans to bring a top-level amateur team to Overland Park at the proposed 6,000-seat sports arena in the BluHawk development.</span><span style="background-color: #eeeeee;">“This will complete the picture that we started when we bought the Mavericks,” Hunt Jr., who also has worked to galvanize regional youth hockey, said last week. “We wanted the affiliation with an NHL team. We wanted to make the playoffs with the Mavericks. We wanted to unify youth hockey in Kansas City. And now this is the top level of junior hockey in the United States.</span><span style="background-color: #eeeeee;">“It fits very well along the growth path of hockey in Kansas City.”</span> </blockquote>
This is the one good thing to come out of this article, and really the only item the Star should have published. This is actual news, though the <a href="http://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/news/2016/03/09/bluhawk-developers-plan-75m-arena-will-seek-star.html" target="_blank">KC Business Journal</a> has reported this for a while now. You have to connect the dots to find Hunt teaming up with Price Brothers – the developer of the <a href="http://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/print-edition/2015/07/17/the-real-deal-bluhawk-begins-to-spread-its-wings.html" target="_blank">BluHawk development in Overland Park</a>, but it seems like they will have an arena with a USHL occupant by 2018. Which, thumbs up to you guys!<br />
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Hunt, despite his <a href="http://amarillo.com/stories/1999/12/09/tex_LD0655.001.shtml" target="_blank">shortcomings</a>, does appear to <a href="http://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article55801410.html" target="_blank">care about hockey</a> in the city. Now, so far, the "city" means the arena in Independence and a plot of land in Overland Park, but Hunt shouldn't grow the sport by himself and won't have to grow the sport by himself. Once it begins to grow at a youth level, the need for sheets of ice will influence others to get in on the boom, as well. Think about soccer in this city. Though Sporting has done a lot for soccer in the city, they aren't the only game in town when it comes to building fields and complexes.<br />
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<span style="background-color: #eeeeee; font-family: "lyon" , "georgia" , serif; line-height: 1.5em;">Such as it is.</span></blockquote>
Que sera sera? <br />
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<span style="background-color: #eeeeee;">Forty years since the NHL’s Scouts left for Colorado (and later New Jersey) after two slapstick seasons, and nearly 10 years since the Sprint Center opened, nothing on the horizon suggests the realization of the NHL or NBA anchor tenant touted by AEG when it sold the project. </span><span style="background-color: #eeeeee;">The Sprint Center is <b>among the busiest arenas in the nation</b>, and no doubt has been a major factor in the rejuvenation of downtown Kansas City.</span></blockquote>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT625NfBExLz_KLa8z3cObOGKbhBPuEElfqiKcF935owO1JlxbOPov60CT9AA4IMyMrK-JwSpDmwMg5j8o5a5j3lO2zDneiz8q5YViuqw4Yjd09Uutgw5NUZXIQb4nTGrBt_ESnhc7sZlt/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-05-16+at+9.19.47+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT625NfBExLz_KLa8z3cObOGKbhBPuEElfqiKcF935owO1JlxbOPov60CT9AA4IMyMrK-JwSpDmwMg5j8o5a5j3lO2zDneiz8q5YViuqw4Yjd09Uutgw5NUZXIQb4nTGrBt_ESnhc7sZlt/s320/Screen+Shot+2016-05-16+at+9.19.47+PM.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sprint Center in May 2016</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyRf1NfCvgAYN6GRaMbHoo5Pg20c86R0VFV8E3Ey-2B13oeteJsxGb7kyVp3d2ZDh7zHDHYtJkU4xIss1dA2FfdQHVwa7rP82h16fhPswZ3QRkap7lab1c1S9dsxGuaS7u6TsrK8GxEtel/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-05-16+at+9.19.29+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyRf1NfCvgAYN6GRaMbHoo5Pg20c86R0VFV8E3Ey-2B13oeteJsxGb7kyVp3d2ZDh7zHDHYtJkU4xIss1dA2FfdQHVwa7rP82h16fhPswZ3QRkap7lab1c1S9dsxGuaS7u6TsrK8GxEtel/s320/Screen+Shot+2016-05-16+at+9.19.29+PM.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sprint Center in June 2016</td></tr>
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I would hate to see it when it wasn't busy.<br />
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<span style="background-color: #eeeeee;">This is all very good, because it’s just not going to be weaving in a new resident soon...</span><span style="background-color: #eeeeee; line-height: 1.5em;">And it safely can be surmised that the NHL has little thought about returning to this market in the near future despite whatever polite contact it maintains with local interests.</span><span style="background-color: #eeeeee; line-height: 1.5em;">The landscape for that might even be seen as barren, per a Business Journals’ 2015 report that rated Kansas City a zero on a scale up to 100 in a ranking of potential NHL markets.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: #eeeeee; font-family: "lyon" , "georgia" , serif; line-height: 1.5em;">Moreover, the NHL likely is focused on gaudier new targets — such as Las Vegas, which has secured more than 10,000 ticket deposits for a prospective expansion team. Seattle and Quebec City also are considered intriguing possibilities if the NHL opts to proceeds with expansion.</span></blockquote>
Good research, Vahe. Seattle has nothing to offer; <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/early-lead/wp/2016/05/12/end-yourselves-councilwomen-threatened-after-voting-against-seattles-nba-arena/" target="_blank">possibly not even an arena</a>. And <a href="https://www.nhl.com/news/bettman-says-nhl-would-not-take-an-application-from-seattle/c-800282" target="_blank">Bettman seems sour on the deal </a>– though <a href="http://lostcityofbettman.blogspot.com/2014/06/no-nhl-for-seattle-no-nhl-for-kansas.html" target="_blank">he's lied</a> <a href="http://lostcityofbettman.blogspot.com/2015/06/counterpoint-kansas-city-definitely.html" target="_blank">before</a> – but possibly definitely for certain this time because they didn't give in to his demands. Las Vegas and Quebec City are the only two cities to put in bids. The league is "considering" these bids, but totally doesn't want a team in Quebec City because of the Canadian dollarandblahblahblah did we mention it's Quebec City? Those bids will sit there for a while.<br />
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<span style="background-color: #eeeeee;">As for Kansas City, when expansion applications were extended last summer, Hunt called the NHL’s $500 million price tag for a franchise “ridiculously big” and said it wasn’t on his radar. </span><span style="background-color: #eeeeee;">The same seemingly can be said of whether there is any local oomph to try to secure a restless franchise, a route that has failed a few times already.</span></blockquote>
Remember why it fails: <a href="http://puckchaser.com/index.php/2013/06/30/nhl-is-not-coming-to-kansas-city-not-under-mayor-sly-james-watch/" target="_blank">Sly James would rather have established organizations</a> that have been around since 1967 like the Pittsburgh Penguins, than established organizations that have <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winnipeg_Jets_(1972%E2%80%9396)" target="_blank">been around since 1972</a> like the Arizona Coyotes.<br />
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<span style="background-color: #eeeeee;">Meanwhile, the Sprint Center itself is precluded from seeking ownership, reminded Brenda Tinnen, the building’s general manager and AEG senior vice-president, because Phil Anschutz (as in Anschutz Entertainment Group) is the owner of the Los Angeles Kings. </span><span style="background-color: #eeeeee;">Facing the question of applying for expansion generated conversations at a “very high level,” she said, about whether there was anyone “interested at that time in (being the financial backer of) an expansion team for Kansas City.” </span><span style="background-color: #eeeeee;">“And just unfortunately,” she added, “there was no one with the wherewithal and the financial backing to (respond to) that request.” </span><span style="background-color: #eeeeee;">Then there is this:</span><span style="background-color: #eeeeee;">While Tinnen says she stays in touch with the NHL and pursues what she called “due diligence,” an email from Sprint Center spokesperson Shani Tate-Ross outlines a management agreement stating that since 2012 “the city of KCMO has primary responsibility for pursuing an anchor tenant at Sprint Center.” </span><span style="background-color: #eeeeee;">Or, as Tinnen put it: At this stage per the contract, it’s up to the city to <b>“do everything it could to attract the anchor tenant if (the city) were interested or had an owner.”</b></span></blockquote>
Holy crap, more newsworthy stuff! And that's totally surprising, too. It's up to the city, THIS city, to do something. That said, it's basically up to the "city" – city council, mayor, chief of police...? – to say "uh, yeah, anyone want to own a hockey team here?" That's fantastic. The same entity – possibly, who knows – that says the Arizona Coyotes are damaged goods is supposed to want a team too. I don't know how to properly respond to this. Is that good? Bad? Hilarious? Does it even matter? Well, no, no it does not matter, because, you see, Kansas City likes hockey, but, used to have a team <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(in the 1970s but that's not important) </span>but can't support one now, and anyway the Sprint Center is the most populated arena on the third weekend of every other month in world. Now do you see why it's pandering to write articles like this? It doesn't have to be about hockey. It could be about the downtown resurgence, and how Sprint Center plays a part in bringing millennials downtown to live, work, and play. Or it could be about the NBA. Or Power and Light District and KC Live. "The NHL won't work for various reasons, BUT the Sprint Center sure has been a success!" Got it. Thanks. <br />
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<span style="background-color: #eeeeee;">The city would seem to have many more important things to do just now, so it might be assumed that this is where we are: </span><span style="background-color: #eeeeee;">“I’m a dreamer,” said Paul McGannon, who formed NHL21 as a grassroots organization to try to lure hockey back to Kansas City.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "lyon" , "georgia" , serif; line-height: 1.5em;">Paul McGannon says some other stuff, but I'll leave it at that. True, he is now nothing more than a "dreamer," someone who talks about hockey but understands exactly the same stuff as anyone else who has wanted a team in the city for twenty years and has seen this same freaking story written every year from the same freaking news outlet. It's not McGannon's fault – he has nothing left to say because the sole purpose of NHL21 was to "lure" a franchise (somehow </span><span style="color: #545454; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 18.2px;">¯\_(ツ)_/¯ )</span><span style="font-family: "lyon" , "georgia" , serif; line-height: 1.5em;"> </span><span style="font-family: "lyon" , "georgia" , serif; line-height: 1.5em;">and it did not happen</span><span style="font-family: "lyon" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">, as if NHL21 were some dude swiping right on a cute rich girl on franchise ownership Tinder. He tried, nothing came from it, and now he's nothing more than a observer, a fan. Just like you, and me, and Chazzy McSabreshat mentioned earlier. They should interview one of us. Or maybe just let McGannon write this damn article next year so they don't have to </span><span style="line-height: 24px;">inconvenience</span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"> him and the rest of us.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #eeeeee;"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">There are complicated different aspects to each of those — season tickets, corporate sponsorships and a local cable television deal — but Hunt Jr.’s reservations can be well summed up this way:</span>“I don’t think Kansas City can fill those buckets up,” he said. “You would need $100 million in revenue to … have a legitimate hockey team business in Kansas City. …</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #eeeeee;">“I think it is an unrealistic reach at this point.”</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #eeeeee;">Whether “at this point” is a key term or not remains to be seen.</span><br />
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Who knows? Maybe you!<br />
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Such as it is, Kansas City hockey fan. Such as it is.<br />
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<span style="background-color: #eeeeee;"><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /></span>Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/vahe-gregorian/article77997827.html#storylink=cp</div>
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Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/vahe-gregorian/article77997827.html#storylink=cpy</div>
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Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/vahe-gregorian/article77997827.html#storylink=cpy<br />
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Flubber McGeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06414028938667552196noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4068327392150378852.post-75788244188729218972015-07-06T23:33:00.000-05:002015-07-07T11:14:02.965-05:00Kansas City Still Not Viable for NHL Expansion, But Still Not for Dumb Reasons<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLIj1rqr8xiLgch57cLjbbjsT9EukTsK2pn-PBqBfpz0En6m6vYDTeZTVQJQGo8OXCCX8zHHQ7bwld60GUECY6YkXEjtMetIMBlkdcgyBuYp0VuiFwxjBJZCY6dhGjp9kfQbzVflRDymX_/s1600/uhskpowx4qebcboxpciw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLIj1rqr8xiLgch57cLjbbjsT9EukTsK2pn-PBqBfpz0En6m6vYDTeZTVQJQGo8OXCCX8zHHQ7bwld60GUECY6YkXEjtMetIMBlkdcgyBuYp0VuiFwxjBJZCY6dhGjp9kfQbzVflRDymX_/s400/uhskpowx4qebcboxpciw.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kansas City is too small for hockey? Is that a fat joke?</td></tr>
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GUYS! </div>
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THE KANSAS CITY STAR WROTE A STORY ABOUT HOCKEY!!!</div>
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I know, it sounds crazy. <a href="http://www.kansascity.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/sam-mellinger/article26509780.html" target="_blank">But it's true</a>, right there, on Sam Mellinger's blog. And the story was only released about a week and a half <i>after </i>Gary Bettman's press conference announcing a new round of <a href="http://www.thescore.com/nhl/news/785346" target="_blank">NHL expansion</a>. We're making progress here, folks. Hockey town Kansas City, here we come!</div>
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Of course, there are problems with the logic in the article, so your resident<a href="http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-puck-daddy/kansas-city-not-in-nhl-expansion-hunt--despite-past-attempts--155312472.html" target="_blank"> "indignant" Kansas City hockey blog</a> snaps into action! But we will get to that in a moment.</div>
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<span style="background-color: #eeeeee; font-family: inherit;">Not too long ago, <span style="line-height: 24.0000019073486px;">the faithful in Kansas City </span><a data-rapid_p="11" href="http://lostcityofbettman.blogspot.com/2012/02/even-more-relocation-super-fun-time.html" id="yui_3_18_1_1_1436234914275_2232" style="color: #324fe1; line-height: 24.0000019073486px; text-decoration: none;">would get downright indignant</a><span style="line-height: 24.0000019073486px;"> if you didn’t include their fair city when discussing expansion and relocation options in the NHL. </span></span></blockquote>
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This is how Greg Wyshynski of Yahoo's Puck Daddy describes us in his Monday article presenting his views to Sam Mellinger's column in the Star from this weekend, linking to our blog post from three years ago. Though it's comforting to know Wysh has us in his iCloud contacts, I'm not sure he understood my point from then.*</div>
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Now, like then, the issue was not that Kansas City was not being mentioned in relocation and/or expansion. It was how other cities -- specifically Seattle -- were being mentioned as foregone conclusions to host an NHL team for many of the same reasons Kansas City was always mentioned (possible arena, metro area, rich people(?), etc.). The message then -- again, as it is now -- is do not get your hopes up. The only difference between then and now is the $500 million price tag on expansion. (btw, still totally taking donations if you have any extra money you want to give to some random on the internet. need about...$500 million more...).</div>
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Wysh <i>is </i>right on many accounts that Mellinger gets wrong. Though we have <a href="http://lostcityofbettman.blogspot.com/2015/06/counterpoint-kansas-city-definitely.html" target="_blank">already covered</a> some of <a href="http://lostcityofbettman.blogspot.com/2015/06/nhl-accepting-expansion-applications.html" target="_blank">these issues</a>, here are a few selections.</div>
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Mellinger writes:</div>
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<span style="background-color: #eeeeee; line-height: 25.5px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In a parallel universe, Kansas City might already have a team. The NBA’s Thunder could be in Kansas City, if things lined up better. Same with the NHL’s Winnipeg Jets, formerly the Atlanta Thrashers.</span></span></blockquote>
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Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/sam-mellinger/article26509780.html#storylink=cpy</div>
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Tell us more about this parallel universe (*guy poking out from behind wall* "neither of <a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/christopherhelman/2012/06/13/the-sordid-story-of-how-aubrey-mcclendon-and-pals-transformed-the-seattle-sonics-into-the-oklahoma-city-thunder/" target="_blank">those teams</a> would <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=6610414" target="_blank">move here</a>").</div>
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<span style="background-color: #eeeeee; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 25.5px;">The NHL’s economic model also works against Kansas City. The league’s revenue is tightly centered around local TV contracts, even more than Major League Baseball, and it takes a lot of imagination to see the nation’s </span><a href="http://www.tvb.org/research/measurement/131627" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0d76ba; line-height: 25.5px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="">No. 31 market</a><span style="line-height: 25.5px;"> producing enough local TV money to make it work. That’s particularly true in a place without much hockey culture.</span></span></blockquote>
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Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/sam-mellinger/article26509780.html#storylink=cpy</div>
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Wysh does well to debunk this myth, which Mellinger backs up with an economics professor who apparently does not watch a lot of hockey. From Wysh:</div>
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<span style="background-color: #eeeeee; line-height: 24.0000019073486px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Which might make sense if No. 32 wasn’t Columbus, and Las Vegas wasn’t No. 41 and Buffalo wasn’t No. 52, which is amazing considering that Sabres’ market is one of the League’s biggest drivers of national ratings.</span></span></blockquote>
N<span style="font-family: inherit;">ot a good sign when Buffalo is debunking your logic. Additionally, if the NHL relies on local markets to drive revenue and popularity, as Mellinger's article states, then he would need to explain why <a href="http://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/news/2015/05/13/kansas-city-royals-television-ratings.html" target="_blank">Fox Sports Kansas Cit</a><a href="http://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/news/2015/05/13/kansas-city-royals-television-ratings.html" target="_blank">y</a> had the "<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 27px;">best TV rating for an MLB team on a regional sports network since 2002" this past April in the same market that stuffed the ballot for a <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/2015/6/18/8806181/royals-2015-american-league-all-star-ballot" target="_blank">glorified exhibition game</a> that no one cared about <a href="http://www.latimes.com/sports/sportsnow/la-sp-sn-royals-start-all-star-game-20150706-story.html" target="_blank">until eight Royals</a> were slated to start it. Or one of the most <a href="http://www.foxsports.com/kansas-city/story/kansas-city-nets-highest-ratings-in-usa-for-uswnt-s-world-cup-victory-070615" target="_blank">popular </a>and <a href="http://www.kshb.com/news/local-news/kansas-city-tv-ratings-us-soccer-womens-world-cup" target="_blank">influential </a>soccer markets in the United States. Of course, this city could not sustain that for other sports, as well, could it?</span></span><br />
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Mellinger continues:</div>
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<span style="background-color: #eeeeee; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 25.5px;">With the Royals, Chiefs, Sporting KC, NASCAR and major interest in college sports, Kansas City is already an overextended sports market. </span><a href="http://www.bizjournals.com/bizjournals/news/2015/04/09/market30.html" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0d76ba; line-height: 25.5px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="">In the Business Journals’ 2015 report</a><span style="line-height: 25.5px;">, Kansas City’s total personal income was calculated as $86 billion short of what’s generally required to support its existing sports franchises. Specific to the NHL, </span><a href="http://www.bizjournals.com/bizjournals/news/2015/04/09/capacity4.html" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0d76ba; line-height: 25.5px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="">Kansas City scored a zero</a><span style="line-height: 25.5px;"> on a scale up to 100 that ranked potential markets.</span></span></blockquote>
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Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/sam-mellinger/article26509780.html#storylink=cpy</div>
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There used to be a map (lost, as of this posting, of course) that listed the season ticket holders for the Chiefs. Every state but two was represented, thus there were STHs from every state but two. The Chiefs are not "Kansas City's" team. The Chiefs are a regional team, for people from Nebraska, Iowa, the Dakotas, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Arkansas, etc. And eight times per year all of those people from the Midwest and beyond attend Chiefs games. Same with NASCAR. The closest major tracks are Chicago and North Texas, making Kansas Speedway the only game in the region. Kansas Citians are not the only people to attend these events. The reason KC's income is $86 billion short of what's generally required to support its existing sports franchises is because Kansas Citians are not the only segment of the population to attend these events in the city, and, perhaps, Kansas Citians just prefer to spend their money on sporting events. Also, the overextended sports and entertainment dollar argument is old, and does not show a true representation of the market. For reference, from that quoted Business Journal report, similar-sized cities like Minneapolis, Nashville, and Milwaukee have substantial to moderate deficits, like KC. While Chicago and Dallas, large cities with multiple franchises and major colleges nearby, have more room for growth. Medium-sized metro areas cannot make enough for that list to support one or two major sports franchises. It can explain why it takes time for a team and sport to build its popularity here, like soccer and KC Wizards/Sporting KC. Wysh speaks further on this point, focusing on the youth level:</div>
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<span style="background-color: #eeeeee; line-height: 24.0000019073486px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Don’t put too much stock into things like youth hockey numbers, which the KC Star does. Having an NHL team in town mints new hockey fans, and the fan infrastructure will grow.</span></span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Yes, people are more willing to sink money into the youth sports and pro franchises if they are established, but it's not a simple chicken-or-the-egg argument. The reason why what Wysh says makes is because what Mellinger says -- <span style="background-color: white; line-height: 25.5px;">"the metro area has a thousand youth skaters and four sheets of ice, two of which are open year-round. Generally speaking, to develop a culture that would support an NHL team, those numbers would need to double, at least" -- is arbitrary and not supported with any other recent examples. What tells us youth sports need to reach a certain number? That did not happen in Nashville. It did not happen in Phoenix. It did not happen in the Miami area or Tampa area. Maybe not the best examples, but why would those numbers have to double, when the number of rinks and youth players can grow along with the organization?</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 25.5px;">Mellinger also brings up attendance issues to prove that Kansas City's lack of NHL-readiness, which, we argue, actually refutes his point. </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #eeeeee; line-height: 25.5px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Mavericks averaged 5,317 fans over 36 home dates last year, while NHL teams averaged 17,587 over 41.</span></span></blockquote>
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Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/sam-mellinger/article26509780.html#storylink=cpy</div>
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Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/sam-mellinger/article26509780.html#storylink=cpy</div>
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The Mavericks filled their arena to 92% capacity every night in a "AA" hockey league, which was actually more than about half of AHL teams. The Mavericks have <a href="http://lostcityofbettman.blogspot.com/2012/05/there-are-no-minor-fans-in-minor.html" target="_blank">sustained this average</a> for years, which makes this less an indictment on KC hockey fans and more of an example of how people have flocked to IEC specifically for hockey. That is pretty damn good for plopping an arena and hockey team down in a part of the city -- 15-20 minutes away from downtown -- that did not have a history of ice rinks before the Mavs.</div>
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Despite its flaws, Mellinger's article does get to the main point of the "hockey interested groups," though we would not call these groups "NHL interested." His article turns into a great evaluation of Lamar Hunt Jr.'s present and expected future as owner of the Mavericks. Mellinger tells us a lot about Hunt's vision -- Hunt seems personable with the media, so hopefully we can expect more about that in the future.</div>
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Overall, we agree with Wysh's main takeaway about Kansas City NHL expansion (you hear that Wysh, WE AGREE!!!): that Kansas City is a town with a lot of potential, albeit a lot of questions. And, as Mellinger says, the timing is not right for Kansas City as an NHL city. This is all true. Bottom line, the $500 million expansion fee is not worth the price for an owner to watch the slow, agonizing growth of the sport in the city. But not just in <i>this </i>city. We will soon see if that is the case for cities like Las Vegas or Seattle too.</div>
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<i>(* -- Giving Wysh the benefit of the doubt and assuming he doesn't wake up every morning thinking about that time a loser KC hockey blog <a href="https://twitter.com/wyshynski/status/322711359051673600" target="_blank">critiqued him</a>. Because he could have chosen any <a href="http://lostcityofbettman.blogspot.com/2012/02/puck-daddy-relocation-super-fun-time.html" target="_blank">number </a>of <a href="http://lostcityofbettman.blogspot.com/2013/04/why-greg-wyshynski-is-wrong.html" target="_blank">blog posts</a> to attempt to get in the last word. Three years later.)</i></div>
Flubber McGeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06414028938667552196noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4068327392150378852.post-13644732161732291522015-06-25T12:41:00.005-05:002015-06-25T12:43:58.875-05:00Counterpoint: Kansas City Definitely Getting an NHL Expansion Team! (Spoiler: Nope)<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aw man, <i style="font-weight: bold;">another</i> team in New York?!</td></tr>
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Yesterday, Gary Bettman announced the <a href="http://www.thescore.com/nhl/news/785346" target="_blank">terms for possible NHL expansion</a>. A topic he denied<br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/jeff_rosen88/status/459343938324013056" target="_blank">many</a><br />
<a href="http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/bettman-sees-expansion-in-the-future-possibly-canada/#__federated=1" target="_blank">many</a><br />
<a href="http://www.kansascity.com/sports/nhl/article2566841.html" target="_blank">many</a><br />
<a href="http://sports.yahoo.com/news/nhl-takes-first-step-towards-possible-expansion-team-in--unique-market--las-vegas-031915763-nhl.html" target="_blank">many</a><br />
<a href="http://espn.go.com/nhl/story/_/id/10975570/gary-bettman-addresses-expansion-outdoor-games-olympic-participation" target="_blank">many</a><br />
<a href="http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2014/09/23/bettman-nhl-will-not-be-expanding-any-time-soon/" target="_blank">many</a><br />
<a href="http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=739545" target="_blank">many</a><br />
<a href="http://news.nationalpost.com/sports/nhl/nhl-expansion-teams-will-cost-a-lot-more-than-350-million-each-gary-bettman-says#__federated=1" target="_blank">many</a><br />
times in the past nine months.<br />
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Bettman: accept formal applications, go thru vetting process, determine whether there is interest in committing to expansion.</div>
— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) <a href="https://twitter.com/TSNBobMcKenzie/status/613807507241197568">June 24, 2015</a></blockquote>
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Bettman said it doesn't mean they will expand but will listen hard to expressions of interest.</div>
— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) <a href="https://twitter.com/TSNBobMcKenzie/status/613807630067240960">June 24, 2015</a></blockquote>
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Early July applications, one month more or less window to see what comes in. Exec committee will review the applicants.</div>
— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) <a href="https://twitter.com/TSNBobMcKenzie/status/613807892370604032">June 24, 2015</a></blockquote>
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If there's expansion, Bettman said the fee will start with a 5. Therefore, $500M+ for a franchise if expansion proceeds.</div>
— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) <a href="https://twitter.com/TSNBobMcKenzie/status/613809100955095040">June 24, 2015</a></blockquote>
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Daly said earliest possible date an expansion team could play is 2017-18 season.</div>
— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) <a href="https://twitter.com/TSNBobMcKenzie/status/613809493537767424">June 24, 2015</a></blockquote>
The application process runs July 6th through August 10th, so if you have $500 million just laying around, you could be an NHL team owner! Put the team in whatever city you want, it doesn't really matter! Butte, Montana? Sure! <br />
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Of course, this gets the wheels turning for cities like Las Vegas, Seattle, and Quebec City to actually stop waiting around for the Coyotes to inevitably relocate, and have a nice team of their own minus the baggage. This, to a lesser extent, works as a PR move for the league, detracting people from the Coyotes circus and other franchises with struggling finances and attendance like the <a href="http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/florida-panthers/fl-panthers-update-memo-blog-20150121-story.html" target="_blank">Panthers</a> and <a href="http://espn.go.com/nhl/attendance" target="_blank">Hurricanes</a>. Do not get it confused, though. The health of all member organizations is certainly not a pre-requisite for expansion. MLB's Minnesota Twins and Florida Marlins <a href="http://www.twincities.com/sports/ci_26134984/contraction-nearly-took-it-all-away-from-minnesota" target="_blank">knew that all too well</a> shortly after new franchises in Tampa and Phoenix popped up. The stability of the league is not Gary Bettman's wish, or strength, as is <a href="http://www.si.com/nhl/2014/09/15/2004-nhl-lockout-look-back-at-dark-day" target="_blank">well</a> <a href="http://www.sportingnews.com/nhl/story/2012-09-15/nhl-lockout-2012-cba-negotiations-hockey-strike-gary-bettman-owners-nhlpa" target="_blank">documented</a>, so that's not what is at issue. Expansion is a money grab, and a way for Bettman and the NHL to offset or recoup the losses of the struggling franchises. It offers nothing in return from the NHL, except you get to put one of its teams in your city. And you might get to host the draft and an All-Star game eventually. WHEEEEE!<br />
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Don't believe that? Well, this is Bettman from <a href="http://www.sportingnews.com/nhl/story/2014-09-04/nhl-expansion-gary-bettman-quebec-city-kansas-city-seattle" target="_blank">last September</a>:<br />
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<span style="background-color: #eeeeee; color: #222222; font-family: 'Roboto Slab', serif; line-height: 21px;">Bettman also said at an event in Boucherville, Quebec, that expansion remains far away, and termed as false a report by Sports Business News' Howard Bloom that the league will add four teams, including one in Quebec, by 2017.</span></blockquote>
I link that article for multiple reasons: 1) to remind you that Gary Bettman is a <a href="http://lostcityofbettman.blogspot.com/2014/06/no-nhl-for-seattle-no-nhl-for-kansas.html" target="_blank">public liar</a> (see above) and that expansion WAS discussed at that time and probably a long time prior, AND the 2017 start time is EXACT to what was said yesterday, 2) to mention the dig at Kansas City (not quoted here), when he <a href="http://lostcityofbettman.blogspot.com/2014/06/no-nhl-for-seattle-no-nhl-for-kansas.html" target="_blank">never had a desire to put a team in KC</a> in the first place, and, most importantly, 3) to suggest Bettman would not have announced an expansion window opening unless he had some definite suitors willing to pay the money today. So, whether it is four teams, two teams, one team, fifteen teams, etc., Bettman already knows the number and the cities. All that is left to do is pay the expansion fee.<br />
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Our own Nutbush reminded us why <a href="http://lostcityofbettman.blogspot.com/2015/06/nhl-accepting-expansion-applications.html" target="_blank">Kansas City will not partake in expansion</a>. Our long saga ends with AEG no longer having a stake in pro- or minor-league sports in the city, and the contentment from the City and AEG to run Sprint Center as a handful of events per month ÜBERVENUE. We couldn't get Taylor Swift for two shows with an NHL or NBA team.<br />
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But, let's assume for a moment that this is Kansas City's chance. A chance for some out of the shadows group of business owners to cobble enough money and lunacy together for the franchise expansion fee. Remember, a <a href="http://lostcityofbettman.blogspot.com/2013/06/the-curious-case-and-unending-questions.html" target="_blank">"hockey interested group"</a> has floated in the ether for at least the past two years. Remember this?:<br />
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Bettman says NHL has heard from several parties in last year about hockey in KC. Those calls have come from both in and outside of KC.</div>
— Jeff Rosen (@jeff_rosen88) <a href="https://twitter.com/jeff_rosen88/status/459343322478555136">April 24, 2014</a></blockquote>
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This is probably posturing to some extent, on both the side of the city and the league, but to what end? <br />
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Wait, hold on, need to rant for a minute.<br />
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I linked this tweet in an article last year but did not see responses to it until now. Here is a question, and response by Jeff Rosen, the freaking sports editor for the KC Star:<br />
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<a href="https://twitter.com/nosunmelt">@nosunmelt</a> Not a clue. Did sound like someone with the city of KC is maintaining an ongoing dialogue though.</div>
— Jeff Rosen (@jeff_rosen88) <a href="https://twitter.com/jeff_rosen88/status/460109237528838145">April 26, 2014</a></blockquote>
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Okay, I give local sports radio and media personalities a pass on this, because, though it's, y'know, <i><b>sports</b></i>, you really cannot ask them to do their jobs and care about it. But, someone who is actually reporting on the material should, I don't know, do some research. But that is journalism in this city. "Not a clue," is an acceptable answer to questions from the public on a story that a journalist has taken their time to create and follow. No further research, no further follow up. And if no "groups" can be found, maybe hold some people accountable for stretching the truth.<br />
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Anyway, assuming these "groups" exist (nope, still don't), now is the time that we would hear about them. That means by August, Kansas City could jump back in the ring as a major player in the NHL. Kansas City <a href="https://twitter.com/RKO_FromNowhere" target="_blank">from out of nowhere</a>. Good thing we already have some <a href="http://lostcityofbettman.blogspot.com/2013/12/a-list-of-team-names-to-prepare-for.html" target="_blank">jerseys mocked up</a>.<br />
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But, if August rolls around, and Kansas City does not come up in expansion discussions, even just in passing, Bettman, the city, the mayor, and the local media have misled hockey fans in Kansas City. Like, again. Again again. More appropriate, apathetically misled, and hockey fans here <a href="http://puckchaser.com/index.php/2011/01/13/kansas-city-ice-rink-on-life-support/" target="_blank">understand that feeling</a>. That means there never was a "hockey interested group." <br />
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Maybe the price tag is too high? But, that's not how this works. Technically the members of this blog are a "hockey interested group," but we don't have $500M (yet). To be interested, you have to be serious, and have serious money you are willing to put down. Of course, we never knew if that was the case, because the "hockey interested group" members are a bigger world secret than what the French presidents are up to. Hell, maybe WikiLeaks knows who they are.<br />
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All of that aside, what will happen in the next month for Kansas City is this: we will see if there are indeed any "hockey interested groups" that exist, who they might be (or might have been), and how much they are willing to front for a Kansas City NHL team. By the end of summer we will know, or we won't, and we will know we were right in assuming they never existed.<br />
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Bottom line is it does not matter anymore. More franchises in the NHL means more future uncertainty. A Las Vegas team will struggle over time for the <a href="http://fivethirtyeight.com/datalab/las-vegas-is-a-terrible-place-for-an-nhl-team/" target="_blank">obvious reasons</a> that <a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/hot-depressing-las-vegas-wants-an-nhl-team-bad-idea/article22905291/" target="_blank">seem unclear</a> to NHL executives. There is a reason there are no teams in Las Vegas, Seattle, Portland, Quebec City, heck, even Kansas City. It is not 100% certain a team will succeed in those markets. The Coyotes saga is still waiting for an end that may never come. Florida and Carolina financial problems. Mo' teams, mo' problems. <br />
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What Kansas City does have is a stable minor league team, with stable ownership from a well-known name in the area. What Lamar Hunt Jr. has done that other minor league owners have not in the past is say he is dedicated to <a href="http://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/news/2015/02/05/lamar-hunt-jr-buys-missouri-mavericks-hockey-team.html" target="_blank">growing hockey</a> in the area. Not just maintaining it. That (should) mean more area rinks, more events, and more excitement in the future. And maybe a larger hockey interested population.Flubber McGeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06414028938667552196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4068327392150378852.post-74722468620545160352015-06-24T17:17:00.001-05:002015-06-24T19:51:17.760-05:00NHL Accepting Expansion Applications, Kansas City Absent from Discussion<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt3pvyKt_NrPGziAoiVwRXwvq1GQq54oSs-lo6mgA-7WEYV3gaqwpGCThb_IbvKsl45Hu8C3WPsA7ZKQ7W5g_wHSeiZ0Mh1xVBaPfjU-ideph3OhTa6MGRk3E43_7TVmnCR3XArxT_DRY/s1600/221840-gary-bettman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt3pvyKt_NrPGziAoiVwRXwvq1GQq54oSs-lo6mgA-7WEYV3gaqwpGCThb_IbvKsl45Hu8C3WPsA7ZKQ7W5g_wHSeiZ0Mh1xVBaPfjU-ideph3OhTa6MGRk3E43_7TVmnCR3XArxT_DRY/s320/221840-gary-bettman.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />
The day is finally here!<br />
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Today, Gary Bettman <a href="http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=771975" target="_blank">announced the NHL will be accepting applications</a> for expansion franchises from interested markets and ownership groups. I thought I wouldn't see this day for a long time, mostly because <a href="http://www.mercurynews.com/sports/ci_26682940/nhl-commissioner-gary-bettman-says-no-expansion-horizon" target="_blank">Gary Bettman pretty much said this day wasn't coming any time soon</a>.<br />
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No matter - this is exciting news! Kansas City can finally get one more crack at having an NHL team! The Sprint Center can finally have that permanent sports tenant we were promised!<br />
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Oh, <a href="http://www.pitch.com/FastPitch/archives/2014/03/24/nhl-looking-to-expand-kansas-city-of-course-is-not-on-the-list" target="_blank">AEG isn't interested in pursuing a professional sports team for the Sprint Center</a>?<br />
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... And <a href="http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=771938" target="_blank">Kansas City isn't even in the discussion</a>?<br />
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Psh... Fine. That <a href="https://twitter.com/TravisSBN/status/613809224594763776" target="_blank">expansion fee</a> is stupid huge, anyway.<br />
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Welp, maybe when the <strike>Phoenix</strike> Arizona Coyotes <a href="http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/glendale/2015/06/16/glendale-coyotes-arena-deal-executive-session/28820491/" target="_blank">inevitably have no home to play in</a> we will have another cha- HAHAHA YEAH RIGHT.Nutbushhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17199277858331034486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4068327392150378852.post-59664616318552931452015-04-04T14:46:00.001-05:002015-04-04T14:47:03.289-05:00Kansas City Scouts Footage Proves KC Actually Had an NHL Team<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Above is a great video posted to YouTube about a year and a half ago of some great Kansas City Scouts footage. User "JC70" cuts together video from the Scouts playing their first home game against the Chicago Blackhawks, and a mid-season matchup in their final season agains the Minnesota North Stars. Great job, JC70, and I wish there were more of these videos online.</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/ap9R9D_uTNU/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ap9R9D_uTNU?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
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Some thoughts:<br />
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0:29 – Scouts get a great chance, shoot wide, the puck slides around the boards and turns into a Chicago Blackhawks breakaway. I feel like many Kansas City sports teams have something similar happen all too often...<br />
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1:02 – The Scouts scored! And its the first goal at Kemper Arena! How neat. Many of these early videos <a href="http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/team_results.php?tid=282&sid=1975" target="_blank">appear to be from the Scouts first home game</a> at Kemper Arena. The Scouts started the season on an eight game road trip while the construction of Kemper was completed. They came into the home opener 0-7-1, and would lose the home opener 4-3.<br />
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1:21 – bro loses his stick, picks it up, passes across the crease, and it goes in off of Scouts goalie<br />
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2:25 – Scouts out here playing defense, son.<br />
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3:40 – Scouts out here lookin' like fools, refusing to play defense.<br />
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4:30 – Seriously, where is the defense?<br />
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4:56 – The Edmonton Oilers must have used the Scouts as the model of <a href="http://cdn.nextimpulsesports.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Screen-Shot-2014-10-02-at-10.27.11-PM.png" target="_blank">how to play defense.</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQKM8njoJhROAo0ECSg-EStR1zMnFBukAud8_kG6iL0l313wA1pvPODCh-LGzbbKSvFkANm_tc5t6rck3dvQURjJ9QAXzahP3J-DgwSumRq5RYWAueiqwlqm0Iru8RZmrRB1uAzRG3xPy2/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-04-04+at+2.20.40+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQKM8njoJhROAo0ECSg-EStR1zMnFBukAud8_kG6iL0l313wA1pvPODCh-LGzbbKSvFkANm_tc5t6rck3dvQURjJ9QAXzahP3J-DgwSumRq5RYWAueiqwlqm0Iru8RZmrRB1uAzRG3xPy2/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-04-04+at+2.20.40+PM.png" height="256" width="400" /></a></div>
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5:20 – Pierre Jarry was a Scouts killer! One can only assume he would have had a Hall of Fame career if the Scouts stayed in the league. Alas, his <a href="http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=2511" target="_blank">NHL career</a> ended in 1978, after eight seasons.<br />
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Much of the footage of the last video was taken from a Minnesota North Stars home game against the Scouts in 1975-76. The North Stars went <a href="http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/team_results.php?tid=37&sid=1976" target="_blank">6-0 against the Scouts that year</a>, and this game was from the <a href="https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1314&dat=19760129&id=p_MjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=b-0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=5542,5029731&hl=en" target="_blank">1/28/76 game</a> the North Stars won 9-3.<br />
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h/t JC70Flubber McGeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06414028938667552196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4068327392150378852.post-13640479738609703682014-07-30T02:49:00.001-05:002014-07-30T02:49:53.884-05:00Kemper Arena: Too Cool to Live<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU6BBWbxPccnHyp6ZLhIyyPrmQgqqpBAG6r70LJsZUAmIAaIrBN1CivD1SfTaPtD2zpb7TtGdC2X4h1axIy2G64tqOsY9wsboFjRaSA4FO0ENunnrBXJmPu0fhJ05wLIKLr4VZ6WILl6tU/s1600/kemperpoochie.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU6BBWbxPccnHyp6ZLhIyyPrmQgqqpBAG6r70LJsZUAmIAaIrBN1CivD1SfTaPtD2zpb7TtGdC2X4h1axIy2G64tqOsY9wsboFjRaSA4FO0ENunnrBXJmPu0fhJ05wLIKLr4VZ6WILl6tU/s1600/kemperpoochie.png" height="326" width="640" /></a></div>
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What else can be said that <a href="http://puckchaser.com/index.php/2014/07/17/future-of-kemper-takes-a-strange-twist/" target="_blank">PucKChaser did not already cover?</a><br />
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In the next two months, we will know the fate of the probably doomed<i> </i>Kemper Arena (spoiler: yeah, it's <i>doomed)</i>. <a href="http://kcur.org/post/kansas-city-council-committee-tackle-fate-kemper-arena" target="_blank">One way or the other</a>, Kemper (or the land once housing Kemper) will become a youth sports/agricultural boondoggle, and the city will be rid of the financial drain the arena has become. <br />
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While its good that something is finally being done to the seldom used building, the maintenance costs will outweigh the cost to repurpose the land and almost guarantee Kemper Arena will not be around much longer. As it stands, the American Royal and everyone's favorite Harvard-educated blonde down-home football captain Sporting Club want to <a href="http://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article743341.html" target="_blank">tear down the building in favor of a redesigned, smaller building</a> that would house agriculture events as well as youth sports. Sporting Club was not originally part of this proposal, but was added as a partner to this because, well, the American Royal is selfish and wanted the land all to itself without any intention of using a new building for anything other than equestrian events. Since the city actually wants people to come to this area and spend money, this original plan did not bode well for the AR.<br />
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Thankfully, other people had hopes of actually, ya know, bringing people to the West Bottoms. The alternate plan is the <a href="http://www.kansascity.com/news/business/development/article426287/Council-committee-will-examine-West-Bottoms-controversy-over-the-future-of-Kemper-Arena.html" target="_blank">Foutch Brothers proposal</a> to convert the arena into an amateur sports complex that includes a desire to place the building on the National Register of Historic Places. The arena can still be demolished, despite NRHP distinction.<br />
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The issue is <a href="http://www.kansascity.com/opinion/opn-columns-blogs/steve-paul/article804616.html" target="_blank">not about architecture</a>, so do not let anyone fool you. Kemper is a one-of-its-kind building, different than the structures of its ilk being built at that time. Today, it's still noticeable within the Kansas City landscape, and still as much a nod to postmodern architecture and the artsy distinction Kansas Citians love to brag about when talking about their city as it was when it was built. Kemper's design is synonymous with other KC landmarks like the shuttlecocks and Bartle Hall pylons. But this is not <a href="http://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article771596.html" target="_blank">Corinthian Hall</a> or Union Station, this is Kemper Arena. An old, dusty arena, without enough architectural significance or real Kansas City "history" to save it. And, if you remember, Kansas City does not have a problem <a href="http://kcur.org/post/architectural-response-demolition-west-edge" target="_blank">demolishing one person's view of "architectural beauty"</a> in favor of practical usage.</div>
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On the history issue, when people talk about Kemper, it's not about all of those Kings championships (there were none), or memorable Scouts games (there were only 20 wins in two years), it's the arena with one NCAA Tournament championship, Owen Hart, and a damn roof collapse that has haunted the building for most of its existence. Oh, and that one time David Arquette betrayed Diamond Dallas Page to help Jeff Jarrett win a triple cage match and win the WCW World Heavyweight Championship. That was <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090415070616/http://www1.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/341-01082008-1467608.html" target="_blank">truly awful</a>.</div>
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No, Kemper did everything asked for it, and then some. Kansas City has only had one NHL team, one NBA team, and one Presidential Convention, all housed in the arena. But, unlike those old renovated and currently renovating structures around town, Kemper has one purpose – host athletic events and concerts – and some believe it is either too big, too expensive, or too futile to use it in that way. Personally, I do not want to see Kemper razed, but using the land for nothing is wasteful. You have a historic stockyards district with the American Royal right next door. The potential is there for something – obviously not a major concert and sport venue – but for something.<br />
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Whatever the Council decides, the arena's future and legacy will mean another area for youth sports in the city, and a practical use for an otherwise unused district. Unfortunately for the distinctive building, this fate could also bring its demise.<br />
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One more note: In the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey – home of the New Jersey Devils née Colorado Rockies née Kansas City Scouts – are murals/banners devoted to the organization's past. One features the two former homes, McNichols Arena in Denver and Kemper Arena. </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOW0Lfj28fiLa0eD4NTaO_P_t6pXlqIBkQquEekGUMRqpLlJoGak8S4oN-1d7GzoDVgMHkHn45lxJwcSeyBLb3g3TgAW11S0V24tj9A0R1y5zDPGuvMDVyjmozTvsySxdBqKSaw-LC5PbU/s1600/IMG_0714.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOW0Lfj28fiLa0eD4NTaO_P_t6pXlqIBkQquEekGUMRqpLlJoGak8S4oN-1d7GzoDVgMHkHn45lxJwcSeyBLb3g3TgAW11S0V24tj9A0R1y5zDPGuvMDVyjmozTvsySxdBqKSaw-LC5PbU/s1600/IMG_0714.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">photo courtesy: some message board online somewhere, i don't remember where, sue me</td></tr>
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That's pretty cool, right?! Yeah, pretty cool. Except take a close look at this photo:</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhToAb4-HyFt44lBSf6TNpExf5snPuEQ6q2-xCPW3eM4UlWjnL6nuT9WwCRHkfcdUElxAhTdLW5u9oJRj7Q8zvokHI9NNx_r_8i005X1m0dOAqqIeEFSNlOpl85QNa2-HKNRpOY0sfDoLV7/s1600/card00078_fr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhToAb4-HyFt44lBSf6TNpExf5snPuEQ6q2-xCPW3eM4UlWjnL6nuT9WwCRHkfcdUElxAhTdLW5u9oJRj7Q8zvokHI9NNx_r_8i005X1m0dOAqqIeEFSNlOpl85QNa2-HKNRpOY0sfDoLV7/s1600/card00078_fr.jpg" height="223" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Remember when every sporting stadium or arena was a "Memorial"? Those were weird days.</td></tr>
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This is what Kemper Arena looked like for most of its active life, and in 1974-76 when the Scouts played in the arena. The glass eastern exterior – as seen on the arena today, and in the photo on the mural in New Jersey – was not added until 1997, nearly thirty years after the Scouts left. So, the New Jersey mural is not entirely accurate. Also, and this is a bit nit-picky, but the phenomenon of sports fans wearing jerseys of their favorite players <a href="http://hfboards.hockeysfuture.com/showthread.php?t=692274" target="_blank">was not prevalent in the 1970s</a>, so it's unlikely that anyone would have worn a Wilf Paiement sweater inside Kemper Arena unless their name was indeed Wilf Paiement.</div>
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But, hey, thanks for the cool picture thing, New Jersey!</div>
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As a thank you, let's all sing along to the state song of New Jersey:</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/8vZXPDBlOCc" width="420"></iframe></div>
Flubber McGeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06414028938667552196noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4068327392150378852.post-60976592737258004392014-06-26T00:42:00.006-05:002014-06-27T16:50:51.321-05:00A Day With the Cup<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://cdn2.hauteliving.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/XS-LA-Kings-Stanley-Cup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://cdn2.hauteliving.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/XS-LA-Kings-Stanley-Cup.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
So, if you follow my Twitter feed (<a href="https://twitter.com/FlubberMcGee" target="_blank"><i>hint hint</i></a>), or at the least have stumbled upon this site in any fashion, you know I am a fan of the Los Angeles Kings. If you have followed hockey at all in the past month, you know the Los Angeles Kings won the Stanley Cup, and are the champions of the National Hockey League. As noted earlier, <a href="http://lostcityofbettman.blogspot.com/2012/06/end-of-2011-12-hockey-season.html" target="_blank">that's pretty cool</a>, and your favorite team in a sport winning a championship is something everyone should experience. I'd recommend it.<br />
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At the risk of getting weepy to, presumably, Kansas City hockey fans on a Kansas City hockey blog about a team in Los Angeles, seeing the pictures of the Kings parade and rally make me long for a similar parade and rally to attend in my own backyard. You, oh wise and wistful Kansas City sports fan, will say, "but the Royals had a parade in '85," and, "just wait, the Chiefs/Royals will be holding a rally soon enough!" And that's all fine and good, especially since any success from these teams would be small payback for years and years of crushing disappointment. Winning a championship and giving us a reason to celebrate something, <i>anything</i>, is the least they can do.<br />
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While any potential celebrations are welcome, the Stanley Cup brings a certain level of mystique and legend with it as it makes its appearance every summer. No, hockey is <a href="http://deadspin.com/hockey-fans-using-rich-peverley-to-shit-on-lebron-james-1542223654" target="_blank">not better than any other sport</a>, but you can't drink out of the O'Brien <a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/46/2008_NBA_Playoffs_Symposium_in_Taiwan_the_Champion_Trophy.jpg" target="_blank">NBA championship trophy</a>. The Lombardi Trophy begs you to <a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9e/Super_Bowl_29_Vince_Lombardi_trophy_at_49ers_Family_Day_2009.JPG" target="_blank">give it a nice throw</a>. And if you handle the Commissioner's Trophy (MLB) too harshly, <a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b2/2004_WorldSeries_Trophy.jpg" target="_blank">pieces of it might fall off</a>.<br />
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<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traditions_and_anecdotes_associated_with_the_Stanley_Cup" target="_blank">The Stanley Cup</a>, on the other hand, has been drop kicked, urinated in, pooped in, had children bathed in it, slept with, licked, eaten out of, bent, burned, left, sunk, and stained, just to name a few instances. The Stanley Cup is "The Most Interesting Man in the World" without the pretentious sense of self-worth, because the most interesting man/trophy in the world does not need to tell you it's interesting. The Cup has travelled, and been to most of the towns where the names of all of those guys inscribed on the sides of it have lived. The Cup has stories, because it's not just an award for athletic achievement, but encapsulates the teams it represents. Point to a single name, and you have a story. Maybe it's a typical, run of the mill, day with the Cup story – you are bound to have a few of those over one hundred years. But, some of those stories you remember an entire team or franchise. The Islander, Canadien, Oiler, and Maple Leaf dynasties, the Flyers teams of the '70s, The first Cup in Florida, the first Cup in Southern California. And the list, literally, goes on and on and on.<br />
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Just take a look at what "non-hockey town" Los Angeles was able to throw together for a Stanley Cup victory parade on a Monday afternoon.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikdFUXxJb3vEMG50bBlJvSyjxBs-r9yPziqQqzhpd3bIyIVSVaagIaA4jWoMX7HxN1pbpMZoA5ykvJl6uGZlW_gMlP_hOa6btop5Xg403iKpSPpoqLk6LKSWTnejV70NpQvWqPE_H0oNhm/s1600/1402951267000-parade-muzzin-001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikdFUXxJb3vEMG50bBlJvSyjxBs-r9yPziqQqzhpd3bIyIVSVaagIaA4jWoMX7HxN1pbpMZoA5ykvJl6uGZlW_gMlP_hOa6btop5Xg403iKpSPpoqLk6LKSWTnejV70NpQvWqPE_H0oNhm/s1600/1402951267000-parade-muzzin-001.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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And the second victory parade through beach neighborhoods:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggM9IEkZxzfSWNHV8x_PaHI4nI8lDkQNnG65p_gClf9K4eo0hk6u5nOixcjN4m4RJ2Mh54wcW8UDThsS0w2I2QGXYtyxfPJZ5ntPYdCvFBFDfRnIhimOgH1qV6NVS7q9teC1NvWy5YMdwu/s1600/450845476-640x426.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggM9IEkZxzfSWNHV8x_PaHI4nI8lDkQNnG65p_gClf9K4eo0hk6u5nOixcjN4m4RJ2Mh54wcW8UDThsS0w2I2QGXYtyxfPJZ5ntPYdCvFBFDfRnIhimOgH1qV6NVS7q9teC1NvWy5YMdwu/s1600/450845476-640x426.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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And the 2012 parade: </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNGBxDQkhk5fPoi1UQf80NnVikQlSKMfZQL1spHFwVGyAzOKf70wPjd_qUv_HODrtX_9K8JdvhP2mx-7kgR3SEv6_RtH1acxEfdyKkJ22kmpReb9sYjVzpO2ZgDHQ0EFqA3N19h3s6rVXx/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNGBxDQkhk5fPoi1UQf80NnVikQlSKMfZQL1spHFwVGyAzOKf70wPjd_qUv_HODrtX_9K8JdvhP2mx-7kgR3SEv6_RtH1acxEfdyKkJ22kmpReb9sYjVzpO2ZgDHQ0EFqA3N19h3s6rVXx/s1600/1.jpg" height="282" width="400" /></a></div>
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And, hell, just look at Chicago's Cup rally last year, their second in three years:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgunEl2T-x8ONfoicHQaDZJFKRBmHtH656MBS1_nOhObajdEF1yjAePFtc_jm-rflRmaXtcptzpQmpAxG4rxeceJRVZ6n3if9RQw1fggF2FQ-ET9njgMhrVSlrF8g-jh43mQUplK3EiJJYC/s1600/3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgunEl2T-x8ONfoicHQaDZJFKRBmHtH656MBS1_nOhObajdEF1yjAePFtc_jm-rflRmaXtcptzpQmpAxG4rxeceJRVZ6n3if9RQw1fggF2FQ-ET9njgMhrVSlrF8g-jh43mQUplK3EiJJYC/s1600/3.jpeg" height="223" width="400" /></a></div>
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If calling in sick to work to join a mob of thousands of people celebrating doesn't bring a city together, then who knows what else will.</div>
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Oh, maybe the mayor of the city being so excited he willingly – and calculatedly – swears (<i>gasp!</i>) during his victory toast in front of thousands of wild fans.</div>
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That was a long-winded way to get to the main point, which is this is not another post about why Kansas City should have a hockey team (although, yes, it is), but a look at what the Cup does to a particular city. The Cup makes the rounds, compiles stories, and causes political figures to actually display some genuine emotion. And the crazy thing is that it's only a trophy. It's just an object, but an object that has transcended the sport itself. It's a showpiece, a conversation piece. When it shows up to a rally, or an arena, or a talk show, or a bar, or a player's house, so do the people. To see it, to hear the stories, to make new stories. </div>
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If you like to listen to hockey podcasts, and do not mind listening to a Kings podcast now and then, I would recommend <a href="https://twitter.com/KingsMenPodcast" target="_blank">Jesse Cohen's</a> <a href="http://theroyalhalf.com/category/podcast/" target="_blank">All the Kings Men podcast</a>. On a recent episode, he's asks Kings blogger <a href="https://twitter.com/theroyalhalf" target="_blank">The Royal Half</a> what he would do on his day with the Cup if given one. Though the only correct answer is<b> <a href="http://www.reactiongifs.com/r/2012/06/swanson-dance.gif" target="_blank">GET WRECKED</a></b>, it's certainly not an easy question to answer. If you had a day, what would you do?<br />
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Kansas City will not have an NHL franchise any time soon. But, in our part of the world, what would Kansas City do with the Stanley Cup? For just one summer? Where would the Cup go? The Plaza? Power and Light? Prairiefire? It would make the rounds, for sure. But, any city does not need an NHL franchise to enjoy the Cup, the legend, the stories. Winning a championship <i>is</i> an added bonus. With your team, your city, your players. I have a story about talking to James Shields outside of a local bar late one night. He seemed like a really nice guy. That makes me cheer for him. But now it's personal.<br />
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So, it's not easy watching your favorite team celebrate in another region of the country or another part of the world. You want to be right there to celebrate with other like-minded folks who have similar stories to share and line the parade route like a bunch of belligerent soccer hooligans. To personally cheer on the players, coaches, and personnel you foolishly support for the silly achievement of saying you have always been a fan, wearing team paraphernalia out in public, and giving that satisfied nod of approval to anyone you see doing the same. <br />
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Kansas City hockey fans are a mishmashed group. Blues fans, Blackhawks, Red Wings, Rangers, Sabres, Avalanche, Kings, etc. But, above all, <b><i>h</i></b><i><b>ockey</b></i> <b><i>fans</i></b>. A day with the Cup would be great, but one preseason game per year allows us all to come together for one night for the purpose of supporting hockey in Kansas City. For the time being, that's our rally, and, hey, all things considered, that's pretty cool too.<br />
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That said, ughhh, <a href="http://www.sprintcenter.com/events/detail/dallas-stars-vs-st-louis-blues" target="_blank">Blues-Stars.</a><br />
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<i>Oh hey! <a href="http://williemitchellcuplove.tumblr.com/" target="_blank">Visit this site</a>, because I'm updating it as fast as I can and it's such a great feeling to be able to do so.</i>Flubber McGeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06414028938667552196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4068327392150378852.post-81326368981450907862014-06-06T20:11:00.000-05:002014-06-07T00:25:23.133-05:00No NHL for Seattle, No NHL for Kansas City but All the Lies You Can Handle!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb2UQsxhS3Yi-GkwDMmvK0s9oPxS8xEzhqghOOiW9D-5sSrPzGU4lfuPoQARVtmo0isS9MQ0Of62UFeb_PEcId5Mm_Bfr5unEBQcCNhyphenhyphenuARN3xQCWVy9fwSuPsMAeFXm-AUPZV9pkndEC9/s1600/seakc.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb2UQsxhS3Yi-GkwDMmvK0s9oPxS8xEzhqghOOiW9D-5sSrPzGU4lfuPoQARVtmo0isS9MQ0Of62UFeb_PEcId5Mm_Bfr5unEBQcCNhyphenhyphenuARN3xQCWVy9fwSuPsMAeFXm-AUPZV9pkndEC9/s1600/seakc.png" height="400" width="336" /></a></div>
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A few weeks ago, reports said<a href="http://prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com/2014/05/15/report-l-a-based-real-estate-tycoon-wants-to-bring-nhl-to-seattle/" target="_blank"> the NHL was seriously looking into Seattle</a> as a viable option for a new NHL franchise. <br />
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How serious were they?!<br />
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So serious, it seems, that commissioner/overlord Gary Bettman and Bill Daly brought a possible future owner along with them. <br />
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So serious, the NHL wanted Seattle to go ahead with the construction of the arena under the auspices of an NHL franchise being the main tenant. <br />
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So serious, umm, the Florida Panther fired a bunch of employees (oh, wait, that's a different story. More on this later).<br />
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<a name='more'></a>Here is how Seattle mayor Ed Murray responded to the NHL:<br />
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
NEW: Seattle Mayor Ed Murray tells me <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23NHL&src=hash">#NHL</a> initiated last wk’s meeting, & asked city to alter <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23SeattleArena&src=hash">#SeattleArena</a> MOU. Murray says he told them No<br />
— Chris Daniels (@ChrisDaniels5) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChrisDaniels5/statuses/467020263754694656">May 15, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>So, no NHL. And then this:<br />
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
MORE: Seattle Council President Tim Burgess reiterated that he believes <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23SeattleArena&src=hash">#SeattleArena</a> won’t work with an <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23NHL&src=hash">#NHL</a> first scenario.<br />
— Chris Daniels (@ChrisDaniels5) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChrisDaniels5/statuses/467020874386636800">May 15, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>So, no NHL. But why?:<br />
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
MORE: Murray and Burgess suggest no <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23NHL&src=hash">#NHL</a> group has come forward to propose contributing money to <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23SeattleArena&src=hash">#SeattleArena</a> project.<br />
— Chris Daniels (@ChrisDaniels5) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChrisDaniels5/statuses/467021442031181824">May 15, 2014</a></blockquote>
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So, in summary: The NHL came blowing into town with some rich guy and told Seattle to build their new arena, without anyone intending to give Seattle any money to build said arena.<br />
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And now, reports come out that Seattle may lose part of the financing for the new arena anyway if <a href="https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-puck-daddy/is-nhl-expansion-to-seattle-dead-212657046.html" target="_blank">Steve Ballmer buys the Clippers</a>. With no intention to move a team to Seattle, there is no reason to build an arena, especially in an NBA-first scenario.<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">If you do not know how the new Seattle arena will be financed, it's not as easy as just squeezing the taxpayers or drudging up TIF money to cover Ballmer's lost money. Take a gander at the </span><a href="http://www.seattle.gov/arena/" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">official proposal site:</a><br />
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<span style="background-color: #eeeeee; font-family: inherit;">1. </span><span style="background-color: #eeeeee; font-family: inherit; line-height: 16px;">No new taxes will be required. The arena will be self-financed.</span><span style="line-height: 16px;"> </span> </blockquote>
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<span style="line-height: 16px;"></span><span style="background-color: #eeeeee; font-family: inherit; line-height: 16px;">2. Only taxes generated from construction and operation will be used for the project. In other words, it is funded by revenue that only exists because of the arena.</span> </blockquote>
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<span style="line-height: 16px;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: #eeeeee; font-family: inherit; line-height: 16px;">3. The public will be protected by a contractual guarantee from the investment group, backed up by securities in a lockbox.</span> </blockquote>
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<span style="line-height: 16px;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: #eeeeee; font-family: inherit; line-height: 16px;">4. </span><span style="background-color: #eeeeee; font-family: inherit; line-height: 16px;">The teams will enter into a binding non-relocation agreement until the arena financing is fully repaid.</span> </blockquote>
They call this a "new approach to arena financing," and one that can and should be admired. Seattle knows what it is: a large metropolitan area with the desire to return to the status quo as a three major sport (and soccer) town, but understands it <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3034400" target="_blank">lost its former NBA franchise before their lease was up</a> at the old arena. No public taxes will be required to build an arena, and it will not get built without the new owners entering into a binding non-relocation agreement. Thus, Sonics Part II cannot and will not happen. Kind of refreshing in a world where taxpayers are asked to pay for <a href="http://www.sprintcenter.com/" target="_blank">new arenas</a> under <a href="http://www.pitch.com/FastPitch/archives/2012/10/26/aeg-ceo-tim-leiweke-says-an-anchor-tenant-will-be-bad-for-sprint-center-but-well-get-one-anyway" target="_blank">shady promises</a> that <a href="http://www.fieldofschemes.com/2011/05/24/3052/k-c-star-writer-to-sacramento-sprint-center-cost-nothing-really/" target="_blank">never come true</a> or were otherwise misleading.<br />
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To reset the scene: Seattle wants an NBA franchise, and an NHL franchise would be bonus but not going to happen on its own. Oh, and the NHL is not going to throw any money at Seattle for the arena they want to put a hypothetical team into.<br />
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Yay, NHL, you're the best business role model!<br />
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Now, as we move on, keep in mind that this story came out in mid-May of this year.<br />
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As most topics of interest, I'm late to the party on this next one. Nice job on this article by the folks over at <a href="http://kckingdom.com/2014/04/24/nhl-coming-kansas-city/" target="_blank">KC Kingdom</a>. The KC Star's sports editor Jeff Rosen recently spoke to Gary Bettman about placing an NHL franchise in the Sprint Center, and through it's not clear why this did not turn up in article format, the main point is that Bettman does not see the NHL in Kansas City. Oh, and he is a guileless mouthpiece, without any semblance of self-awareness or discretion, and a terrible liar. But you probably knew that already. <br />
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Rosen starts his tweet article by reporting Gary Bettman has not been to Sprint Center, which is something to keep in mind once all of the "Kansas City hockey fans need to show their support" articles start popping up around the time of the <a href="http://www.sprintcenter.com/events/detail/dallas-stars-vs-st-louis-blues" target="_blank">preseason game this fall.</a> Bettman doesn't care if KC hockey fans buy 80,000 tickets to the game and they have to move it to Arrowhead. It's a preseason game, it doesn't matter.<br />
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Gary Bettman has not been to Sprint Center but "hears great things about it and the district around it." <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23nhl&src=hash">#nhl</a><br />
— Jeff Rosen (@jeff_rosen88) <a href="https://twitter.com/jeff_rosen88/statuses/459343567526592512">April 24, 2014</a></blockquote>
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Maybe we should invite him to see Sprint Center and <a href="http://www.pensburgh.com/2008/8/15/594732/kansas-city-hates-mario-le" target="_blank">have a nice dinner</a>.<br />
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He then says this:<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
NHL is not considering expansion, Bettman says. And league hasn't advocated relocation of teams unless it's a last resort.<br />
— Jeff Rosen (@jeff_rosen88) <a href="https://twitter.com/jeff_rosen88/statuses/459343938324013056">April 24, 2014</a></blockquote>
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You can see where this is going, but here we go. On April 24th (or around that time) Gary Bettman, the NHL commissioner, thus, the go-to guy on all matters NHL stated that his league, the one he runs, is not considering expansion or relocation. By <a href="http://www.csnphilly.com/hockey-philadelphia-flyers/nhl-notes-bettman-meets-seattle-leaders-arena" target="_blank">May 13th</a> (or slightly earlier), Bettman and his posse were talking to city leaders and prospective owners in Seattle. Three weeks after saying the league he runs, the NHL, was not considering expansion and/or relocation. Three weeks later. Three weeks.<br />
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<b><i><u>LITERALLY THREE WEEKS LATER!!!</u></i></b><br />
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So, not only is Gary Bettman a liar, but he feels it is necessary to not be honest with other cities about possible moves for the league. Does he have any idea he is doing this? Who the hell knows, but he's only doing what's best for, well, I would say the league, but who knows. Three weeks ago he marched into Seattle with an interested ownership group and told the city to build a new arena – without any money from the NHL, mind you – because, well, because fuck you, that's why. All he has to do is tell Jeff Rosen, "I haven't been to KC, we're not exactly looking at placing a team there, and expansion is a complicated issue right now." That is literally all he has to say.<br />
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People can spend all day crapping on the NHL for their occasional archaic rules, or being a part of two lockouts in the past ten years, or head shots, or any numerous nit-picky things that eventually lead to progress and the evolution of the sport. And Bettman will get the crap end of that, and its not necessarily deserved all the time, but he is the face of the whole damn organization of thirty other owners that constantly get badgered by the player's association about random inconveniences, but that's just part of the gig. You see it in MLB, you see it the NFL, and you see it in the NBA. Everyone hates the commissioner, the guy in charge, the rule czar, the authority that saps the fun out of a child's game.<br />
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Well, the commissioner's character seldom comes into question, but, Mr. Bettman, you are an insufferable dick. You are an insufferable dick not for avoiding KC, but for being misleading and self-serving. But you pretty much have to be to get anything done. So oh well.<br />
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Rosen also reported this:<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
Bettman says NHL has heard from several parties in last year about hockey in KC. Those calls have come from both in and outside of KC.<br />
— Jeff Rosen (@jeff_rosen88) <a href="https://twitter.com/jeff_rosen88/statuses/459343322478555136">April 24, 2014</a></blockquote>
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Which – shocker! – is also <a href="http://lostcityofbettman.blogspot.com/2013/06/the-curious-case-and-unending-questions.html" target="_blank">probably a lie</a>, but we'll never know because <a href="https://twitter.com/nosunmelt/status/460184321241128960" target="_blank">no one will ever say anything</a> about this perceived people or groups, or if they indeed exist (spoiler: they don't, or if they do, they don't have any money).<br />
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Ugh, Gary Bettman. THE WORST.<br />
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Luckily, since we cannot take anything he says at face value, this is an encouraging development for a current NHL franchise relocating to Kansas City. Let's welcome today's contestant: the Florida Panthers!<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
Source: Florida Panthers let go many employees today, possibly 30.<br />
— Andy Slater (@AndySlater) <a href="https://twitter.com/AndySlater/statuses/473505690258911233">June 2, 2014</a></blockquote>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
Florida Panthers CEO sends email to season ticket holders regarding firing of sales staff <a href="http://t.co/7qst8o0LTG">pic.twitter.com/7qst8o0LTG</a><br />
— Andy Slater (@AndySlater) <a href="https://twitter.com/AndySlater/statuses/473544742874411009">June 2, 2014</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
<a href="https://twitter.com/AndySlater">@AndySlater</a> Panthers STHs will soon be contacted by "another member of our team" regarding the service of their account. <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23ominous&src=hash">#ominous</a><br />
— Boycott the Sunbelt (@nosunmelt) <a href="https://twitter.com/nosunmelt/statuses/473550987668766721">June 2, 2014</a></blockquote>
Hey, so that's not so good for them. The Florida Panthers <a href="http://prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com/2014/02/19/pols-support-panthers-bailout-plan-co-owner-says-team-is-losing-100k-daily/" target="_blank">monetary issues are no secret</a>, but this is an odd step in the restructuring of a business model. Yes, they are cutting overhead, but at what cost to Panthers fans? People in south Florida need to be aware that a team exists, and if you are going through another rebuild ripe with upcoming down years, firing a sales department does not go far to exposing citizens to the concept of professional hockey in southern Florida. Who's going to call all of the young folks in Florida about this sport called hockey?!<br />
<br />
So, it's a good thing that Kansas City has "several parties" interested in owning a hockey team at Sprint Center. I, for one, welcome our new Panthers hockey organization. But the name "Panthers" is no good for KC. Might I suggest <a href="http://lostcityofbettman.blogspot.com/2013/12/a-list-of-team-names-to-prepare-for.html" target="_blank">some other names.</a><br />
<br />
<i>(Update: pardon my French earlier. I have classed up the post a bit since the original. The term "self-felating" no longer appears in reference to anyone or any particular commissioner. Have a wonderful day).</i><br />
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>Flubber McGeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06414028938667552196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4068327392150378852.post-35979192034191820042014-05-05T14:51:00.000-05:002014-05-06T12:39:26.158-05:00AHL to Start Western Division: Kansas City Not "Western" Enough for Once<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSHW2PVTXBWB98S8paU-a0A9L14c4e4hA-yaQsdMk8kgUCLJJyM16F8ySPlRjkGbKyNQ2rN7UD6EJ8sCJJQobJImIA5sDgVPc5uwfJ85j67RN6a75zilN3ENKKwjsRQf-IO-IPksbw85Tg/s1600/mavs.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSHW2PVTXBWB98S8paU-a0A9L14c4e4hA-yaQsdMk8kgUCLJJyM16F8ySPlRjkGbKyNQ2rN7UD6EJ8sCJJQobJImIA5sDgVPc5uwfJ85j67RN6a75zilN3ENKKwjsRQf-IO-IPksbw85Tg/s1600/mavs.png" /></a></div>
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According to <a href="http://mayorsmanor.com/2014/04/major-news-kings-preparing-to-move-top-prospects-to-socal/" target="_blank">this article from MayorsManor</a>, the American Hockey League (the AAA version of professional hockey) may add a Western Division by 2015. This is an effort for teams like the Sharks, Ducks, Coyotes, and Kings to move their top affiliates closer to home. Currently, all four of these team's affiliates are on the East Coast.</div>
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"West" does not appear to mean Kansas City, though. One time zone closer is not quite close enough.</div>
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Despite AEG's ownership of the Sprint Center and the Los Angeles Kings, that team appears destined for Ontario, CA, the current home of the Kings ECHL organization. </div>
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The Kansas City Blades were the primary affiliate of the San Jose Sharks from 1991-96 until the NHL pressured their clubs to link up with AHL organizations. Again, the Sharks appear to want a move closer to home, and not 1,000+ miles away. Portland, OR and cities in Washington state could be viable options for the Sharks, as well as for the Ducks and Coyotes. I suppose a fun irony would be if the Coyotes AHL affiliate were to play in Seattle. Oh, what a wonderful laugh that would be.</div>
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This comes on the heels of the announcement that the
Flames affiliate in Abbotsford (Western Canada) – the only team in
the Pacific Time Zone – is <a href="http://globalnews.ca/news/1271141/city-of-abbotsford-terminating-contract-with-abbotsford-heat-hockey-team/" target="_blank">moving to the East Coast</a> next season.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The reconfiguring of the AHL does not mean the NHL’s
Midwest teams will be looking for new homes for their affiliates either. Those teams are already close, as it is. Dallas’ affiliate is in Texas; Chicago and
St. Louis’s affiliates are in Illinois; Nashville’s affiliate is in Milwaukee;
and the Minnesota Wild’s affiliate is in Iowa.
And even though the Columbus Blue Jackets’s affiliate is in Springfield,
Massachusetts, Kansas City sports fans may not latch onto the affiliate of
another smaller market team.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Why not?<o:p></o:p></div>
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Because, as the top image implies, Kansas City does not
see itself as a minor league city anyway. Kansas City carries a “Minor
League Syndrome,” as evidenced by the <a href="http://www.kccreativecrossroads.com/index.php/press-room/" target="_blank">KC Creative Crossroads</a> campaign and the
parody billboard at the top of the post.
More Music (<i>lovers </i>in small,
indecipherable type) than Memphis? More
Arts (<i>participation)</i> than New York? I mean, it’s all marketing and tourism speak,
but come on.<o:p></o:p></div>
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An AHL team in the Sprint Center would add an anchor
tenant and 40+ dates to the arena (just like a pro hockey or basketball
would). As <a href="http://lostcityofbettman.blogspot.com/2012/05/there-are-no-minor-fans-in-minor.html" target="_blank">evidenced before</a>, the
Mavericks have one of the <a href="http://www.mib.org/~lennier/hockey/att.cgi" target="_blank">higher attendances</a> of any American minor league hockey
team. So, it’s plausible that an AHL
team downtown would draw just as many people to games. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Alas, we are blessed with the Mavericks, and only the
Mavericks, for the time being. And in return, they have been blessed with the <a href="http://www.kansascity.com/2014/04/13/4956933/mavericks-fall-4-3-in-double-overtime.html" target="_blank">Kansas City Curse</a>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Flubber McGeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06414028938667552196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4068327392150378852.post-54549879156589206182014-02-13T20:58:00.000-06:002014-02-13T21:23:13.302-06:00Blues vs. Stars - Kansas City's Brief Date with the NHL in 2014<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://sprint_center.s3.amazonaws.com/img/09.27.14-NHL-v1-620x330.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://sprint_center.s3.amazonaws.com/img/09.27.14-NHL-v1-620x330.jpg" height="212" width="400" /></a></div>
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Have you heard the news? It was reported a couple of days ago that the St. Louis Blues will face the Dallas Stars in a pre-season exhibition at the Sprint Center on Sept. 27, 2014.<br />
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While the Blues and Stars aren't exactly my cup of tea, I'm thrilled about the NHL making a return to Kansas City. My guess is it won't match the <a href="http://www.kshb.com/dpp/sports/exhibition-at-sprint-center-sets-attendance-mark-for-nhl-preseason-games-played-at-neutral-site" target="_blank">record attendance from the last exhibition game</a> back in 2011, but that's fine by me. There were only a few hundred people, including Flubber and I, at the Kings/Islanders <strike><a href="http://video.kings.nhl.com/videocenter/console?id=47091" target="_blank">fight on ice skates</a></strike> game in 2009 and it was a great time. Of course now that we know record attendance isn't going to bring an NHL team this way, we can all kind of sit back and wait to be entertained rather than speculating in the coming months whether or not the city will show the league that there is a market here.<br />
<br />
Tickets are <a href="http://www.axs.com/events/248458/dallas-stars-vs-st-louis-blues-tickets?skin=sprintcenter&src=AEGSPRI_WMAINMCI010107AEG001&em=SprintCenter_Website" target="_blank">on sale now</a> using the presale code ICE. Presale ends and normal sale begins Friday (02/14) at 10am. I don't know what the difference is, but there you go. Makes for a great Valentine's Day gift! Right?<br />
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Links:<br />
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<a href="http://puckchaser.com/index.php/2014/02/12/nhl-preseason-hockey-returns-to-kc-stars-v-blues-september-27/" target="_blank">NHL preseason hockey returns to Kansas City — Dallas Stars v. St. Louis Blues September 27</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.kansascity.com/2014/02/12/4817818/blues-stars-to-play-nhl-preseason.html" target="_blank">Blues, Stars to play NHL preseason game at the Sprint Center</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.sprintcenter.com/news/detail/st-louis-blues-and-dallas-stars-face-off-on-sept-27" target="_blank">St. Louis Blues and Dallas Stars Face-Off on Sept. 27</a>Nutbushhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17199277858331034486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4068327392150378852.post-43602809704605760322014-02-12T02:28:00.001-06:002014-02-12T02:35:05.937-06:00USA Hockey Adult Pond Hockey National Championships Happened This Past Weekend: A Kansas Citians's Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOO7FAaAaYWsQD-OQaqkL2tnDtjgIKPxYRLUuEY16A1BVuupAg7WTPdFXSQPpMFyNM0b6KlqjH8FLgUAzmXXxWUjg7SjHIbYySb5IhyphenhyphenWjXjAiRcZDBLokCByFu4ueC2mO9Gk4lVXM9ooQH/s1600/Bfzj8xyCUAANqhK.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOO7FAaAaYWsQD-OQaqkL2tnDtjgIKPxYRLUuEY16A1BVuupAg7WTPdFXSQPpMFyNM0b6KlqjH8FLgUAzmXXxWUjg7SjHIbYySb5IhyphenhyphenWjXjAiRcZDBLokCByFu4ueC2mO9Gk4lVXM9ooQH/s1600/Bfzj8xyCUAANqhK.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://twitter.com/usahockey" target="_blank">via @usahockey</a></td></tr>
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Kansas City hockey fans, I'd like to introduce myself. I am Nutbush. I've been an author on this blog for... a year and a half, I think?... and have fended off enormous pressure from Flubber to <a href="http://lostcityofbettman.blogspot.com/2012/10/nhl-regular-season-games-canceled.html" target="_blank">actually write something</a>. NO MORE. You will all now be subjected to my long-winded tangents (ahem) and generally awful writing. JOKE'S ON YOU, FLUBBER.<br />
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Anyway, let's get to the point of this post: Hockey. Specifically, pond hockey. Even more specifically, getting completely destroyed playing pond hockey.</div>
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The <a href="http://www.labattbluepondhockey.com/events/event:02-07-2014-12-00am-labatt-blue-usadult-hockey-pond-hockey-national-championships/" target="_blank">USA Hockey Adult Pond Hockey National Championships</a> have been held in <a href="https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Eagle+River,+Wisconsin&hnear=Eagle+River,+Vilas,+Wisconsin&t=m&z=13" target="_blank">Eagle River, Wisconsin</a>, for the last nine years. The event has grown every year and was featured by NBC during Hockey Day in America:</div>
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I was presented the chance to participate in this year's tournament and jumped at the chance. I had spent the majority of my life wishing I could play hockey up until last year when I joined a D-League team, so of course I wasn't going to miss being able to play the game in its purest form. On top of that, it is difficult to get a team registered - this year's pool was filled up completely in just two days - so if you get the chance, you'd better take it.</div>
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One thing that I was told about Northern Wisconsin (I'd never been there) was that it was cold in the winter (duh). But I'd be fine, hockey gear is thick and stuff.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuQv9NZe9x28lHT8FEYfvH6wJaFJNpjv5pTOH2Dsej_kzwqU_1_n0_W79DyiV11O6jnkbZz48PQx74bXHMbLNbn-KbkEDGh9iBZFXcBJ_9GYlDJDMve5J7aLLn2HbfxFOvNX3DpsQMkyY/s1600/1891599_10201726438344929_262455551_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuQv9NZe9x28lHT8FEYfvH6wJaFJNpjv5pTOH2Dsej_kzwqU_1_n0_W79DyiV11O6jnkbZz48PQx74bXHMbLNbn-KbkEDGh9iBZFXcBJ_9GYlDJDMve5J7aLLn2HbfxFOvNX3DpsQMkyY/s1600/1891599_10201726438344929_262455551_o.jpg" height="640" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...nevermind</td></tr>
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I was also told not to expect to win any games and that getting blown out was a near-certainty. Pond hockey games tend to have scores in the 30s and 40s for at least three reasons:</div>
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<li>There are no goalies</li>
<li>The playing surface is small</li>
<li>Holy crap, the other team is good</li>
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Number 3 in that list applied to us a lot. We were in a division a bit above our skill level because of how quickly registration filled up. Oh well, low expectations means more fun.</div>
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First game result: like, 35-0. I honestly lost count. We scored a few goals in the last two games and your guess on our opponents' scores are as good as mine. Suffice it to say they won quite comfortably.</div>
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The ice was great for the first game, but the surfaces quickly started developing huge cracks in them. I would find it hard to believe if the amount of torn knee ligaments among all participants wasn't greater than zero. I ate it a number of times and my already (very) poor hockey skills were even further diminished by the conditions. I'm sure this is something pond hockey veterans are used to, but I usually play on indoor surfaces and I'M A LITTLE GIRL, DARNIT.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7364/12475122723_d8fec7290e_o.png" target="_blank">click to embiggen</a></td></tr>
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In the end, the losing really didn't matter. Playing on a frozen lake was a freaking blast and everyone should do it at least once in their lifetime. If losing <i>does</i> matter to you, keep in mind that this event is sponsored by Labatt. You get something like six 12-packs of beer just for playing, so there's that. Nothing says "I'm totally ready to skate a bunch in sub-zero temperatures and not vomit" than ingesting lots of free beer.</div>
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A lot of Kansas City teams made the trip, so if you are on a team and haven't done this yet, I encourage you to get your players together and (try to) register next year and go. It's a great time and representing KC hockey definitely can't hurt, even if your team gets outscored somewhere-close-to-100 to 7.</div>
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Here is some more info on this year's tournament, if you're interested:<br />
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<a href="http://adulthockey.usahockey.com/photo_gallery/show/777043#1" target="_blank">Photo Gallery</a></div>
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<a href="http://adulthockey.usahockey.com/news_article/show/346602?referrer_id=706923" target="_blank">Labatt Blue/USA Hockey Pond Hockey National Championships Set to Begin Tomorrow</a></div>
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<a href="http://adulthockey.usahockey.com/news_article/show/346647?referrer_id=706923" target="_blank">Frozen: Pond Players Prepare for Polar Plunge</a></div>
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<a href="http://adulthockey.usahockey.com/news_article/show/348163?referrer_id=706923" target="_blank">2014 Labatt Blue/USA Pond Hockey Championship Notebook - 19 Winners Crowned in Eagle River</a><br />
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If you've made it this far, congratulations on reading an entire Nutbush post. Few have done so and lived to tell the tale. You're probably wondering where the last few minutes of your life have gone. Sorry.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxoth_A_JuC6aD-BckaIuDNmf4GUr9RDr1tJOge6jU2roK9lCwUknQdon_SI_RswvmgK_Kn84VIz67HDT4Yqvm9MgPCKL6CGwB4AW9QT3QiPh3lWFbD-Gy3JpqBQOii6Fls-Uzi8ioVzg-/s1600/1mOK0.St.81.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxoth_A_JuC6aD-BckaIuDNmf4GUr9RDr1tJOge6jU2roK9lCwUknQdon_SI_RswvmgK_Kn84VIz67HDT4Yqvm9MgPCKL6CGwB4AW9QT3QiPh3lWFbD-Gy3JpqBQOii6Fls-Uzi8ioVzg-/s1600/1mOK0.St.81.jpeg" height="400" width="265" /></a></div>
Missouri Mavericks defensemen Henrik Ødegaard is headed to Sochi to play for his native Norway's Olympic hockey team. He last played for Team Norway in the 2013 IIHF World Championships where they went 3-4, missing the medal round.<br />
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Here he is with the Mavs beating the hell out of some dude:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/gzDjXLPKUNI?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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Read <a href="http://www.kansascity.com/2014/01/17/4759141/kc-has-an-olympian-sort-of-in.html" target="_blank">Vahe Gregorian's article</a> on Ødegaard, and his response to the outpouring of fan support he has received in just a <a href="http://www.missourimavericks.com/news-stats/news/1034-mavericks-assigned-defenseman-henrik-odegaard.html" target="_blank">few months</a> here in town. He is the only Olympian with any ties to the Kansas City area, even in his short stay here. What that says about winter sports in Kansas City is probably notable, but not surprising. <br />
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<i>(ed. note: <a href="http://puckchaser.com/index.php/2014/01/19/two-olympic-hockey-players-with-ties-to-kansas-city/" target="_blank">Puckchaser reminds us</a> that former Blades coach Vasily Tikhonov's son, Viktor, is playing for Team Russia).</i><br />
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On the flip side, it's wild to think that Norway values hockey less than, like, cross-country skiing. I suppose it's a lot like how Americans look at bobsledders. Name three bobsledders. YOU CAN'T. Therefore, let me personally invite every player from Team Norway to sign a contract with the Mavericks so they can be properly appreciated. I mean, everyone playing for the Mavericks is great, but Mats Trygg and Anders Bastiansen is so much more fun to say. Oh, and <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wk2WUB_anJI" target="_blank">Mats Zuccarello</a> should play for the Mavericks too.<br />
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Norway is in Group B with Canada, Finland, and Austria. Norway is <a href="http://www.iihf.com/en/home-of-hockey/championships/world-ranking/mens-world-ranking/2013-ranking.html" target="_blank">currently ranked</a> ninth in the IIHF rankings, facing the fifth, second, and fifteenth ranked teams, respectively. Here is their <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nhl/2014/1/9/5292704/winter-olympics-hockey-schedule-2014-sochi" target="_blank">schedule</a>:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwJ6eYK5GGGA4vo1KOHz8LZ_HBPTZrRrWydOQneNpP4uvhZixn1yhurvE7Kkd7I8gbBF_GVF80Zez-sLJRCGnaZYc84oIT4Loju45Rb_Gaumy1RvEV7Emg7pYAl24-CQJmF0CUWFzHC5MH/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-01-19+at+6.45.39+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwJ6eYK5GGGA4vo1KOHz8LZ_HBPTZrRrWydOQneNpP4uvhZixn1yhurvE7Kkd7I8gbBF_GVF80Zez-sLJRCGnaZYc84oIT4Loju45Rb_Gaumy1RvEV7Emg7pYAl24-CQJmF0CUWFzHC5MH/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-01-19+at+6.45.39+PM.png" height="132" width="640" /></a></div>
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All games will be broadcast here in the states.<br />
vs Canada on USA Network<br />
vs Finland on MSNBC<br />
vs Austria vs USA Network<br />
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And if you don't think Norway has a chance to medal in Sochi, just remember:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlM-BXiUnehY1yYDGlTrW3dMdAdC_gEe0lwxUb7piGUMgC4gxZovVNuLVGsLn5PfIYNZkmENlmuEgkvObGZNA2O3xXawIabiKTaYfsC9ma86APmKYDhKLCFYc1qB7nJJ4fZVLyQegazhUX/s1600/maxresdefault.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlM-BXiUnehY1yYDGlTrW3dMdAdC_gEe0lwxUb7piGUMgC4gxZovVNuLVGsLn5PfIYNZkmENlmuEgkvObGZNA2O3xXawIabiKTaYfsC9ma86APmKYDhKLCFYc1qB7nJJ4fZVLyQegazhUX/s1600/maxresdefault.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">HENRIK HUNGRY</td></tr>
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Here is a video from the Mavericks's YouTube page with Henrik and Mavs head coach Scott Hillman discussing the Olympic nod.<br />
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TURN UP!!!!! #slå #opp</div>
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Flubber McGeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06414028938667552196noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4068327392150378852.post-56068403422856107642013-12-26T23:02:00.002-06:002013-12-26T23:06:21.927-06:00Semi-Counterpoint: KC Area Ice Rinks Moving Outdoors<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsM3TAXQvH8cdcc9oknWBtHX0wIKg0hq0aclXe9Ble8h_CB8NZFjCi_7quNC5fEVn6_4kqGzKpyv7SnHjPldP_LiUQXxCUD3tgRR8m0vgOqhqHTrWahzUvD8UY8zwb1TUTFiQ0KTL6Wz5k/s1600/7205861258_522b2333ee_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsM3TAXQvH8cdcc9oknWBtHX0wIKg0hq0aclXe9Ble8h_CB8NZFjCi_7quNC5fEVn6_4kqGzKpyv7SnHjPldP_LiUQXxCUD3tgRR8m0vgOqhqHTrWahzUvD8UY8zwb1TUTFiQ0KTL6Wz5k/s400/7205861258_522b2333ee_b.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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While I agree with <a href="http://puckchaser.com/index.php/2013/12/09/war-on-hockey-continues-in-kansas-city/" target="_blank">Puckchaser's assessment on the lack of outdoor ice skating options in Kansas City</a>, I would like to provide a brief counterpoint. Yes, the Kansas City area still struggles to open outdoor rinks or lakes/ponds for hockey, and yes, the city of Kansas City hardly contributes any money or facilities towards growing ice recreation besides Line Creek (even though KC is not specifically listed in Puckchaser's post). But, I would argue that the area is moving in the right direction to making outdoor ice skating and ice hockey a more viable option around town. <br />
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It is true that the city and suburbs have not gone out of their way to promote hockey in the area – specifically youth hockey. Yes, we had the NCAA IceBreaker tourney in 2012, and yes, all of those NHL preseason games (but no <a href="http://puckchaser.com/index.php/2013/11/01/this-just-in-hockey-hates-sprint-center/" target="_blank">NCAA Frozen Fours </a>on the horizon), but the success of those sports is contingent on building a youth base that will want to go watch it while having some investment in the game – it's safe to say that most adults are not just going to pick up hockey or buy tickets to these events just because. This isn't a <a href="http://www.planetgarth.com/news/article.php?cid=01260" target="_blank">Garth Brooks concert</a>, this is serious stuff.<br />
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But while Kansas City is no where close to hockey-loving areas like <a href="http://www.minneapolisparks.org/default.asp?PageID=677" target="_blank">Minneapolis in outdoor ice hockey breadth</a>, a few <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synthetic_ice" target="_blank">synthetic</a> and non-synthetic ice outdoor rinks have popped up over the past few years around town. These outdoor rinks are not too big, and as far as I know only KC Ice Center and Burlington Creek's outdoor rinks offer hockey/pond hockey/broomball. It is important to remember, though, just getting kids – and active adults – on the ice is a giant first step. Outdoor ice skating in this part of the country – read: Kansas City – is a novelty. The Crown Center Ice Terrace for years was basically the only, and best, game in town solely because of OMG OUTDOOR ICE SKATING HOW NEW AND DIFFERENT. People or families go to that and talk about it forever. Years ago my family vacationed in Colorado during December and went over to the giant outdoor rink/lake in Keystone. That was so awesome I have tried to replicate that experience ever since. Same with folks who attend the Ice Terrace.<br />
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We hockey people in Kansas City always talk about wanting NCAA games at Sprint Center and bemoan the City and AEG lying to us about getting an NHL team all in the same breath that we claim to need more youth hockey in the area before any of those <i>big</i> events would actually have a chance at being successful at the gate. So, before we go ahead and put hockey in these small neighborhood rinks, let's think about building on the novelty first. People who go skating and cut their teeth (not literally) on a small rink three blocks from their house may want to graduate to one of the indoor facilities around town and actually invest time and money in learning to skate, or play hockey, or figure skate, or curl(ing), or whatever. But, let's be happy that people in the area are getting an affordable opportunity to skate close to home first before we start hockey tournaments on Longview or Loose Park lakes.<br />
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It's a slow, patient build to sell hockey and ice-related sports in this city. The towns won't sink money into a large outdoor rink or frozen lake maintenance if there is no economic benefit to them. Plus, the lowest average monthly high in Kansas City is 39°F during the <a href="http://www.weather.com/weather/wxclimatology/monthly/graph/USMO0460" target="_blank">month of January</a>. For our celcius-loving Canadian friends, that's seven degrees <i><u>above</u></i> freezing, so maybe the lakes around town aren't as viable of an option as hoped (in comparison, Minneapolis is 24°F on average in January). But, I agree with Puckchaser. More can be done during to winter to ensure frozen ponds are safe for recreational purposes. Of course, local Parks and Rec departments will have to be creative to reap any monetary benefits from opening a pond for public access (no skate rental, no admission, no hot chocolate, no events or parties, etc.), but, ya know, tax dollars etc etc...<br />
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It is encouraging to be frustrated by the lack of outdoor venues in KC, because that means a demand exists for more outdoor opportunities and, in general, more ice rinks. If you want more ice rinks, let your voice be heard; it's the only way to let local municipalities know what you want from your tax dollars. But let's take this first step, along with our successful minor league hockey team, and keep building from there.<br />
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<u><b>OUTDOOR RINKS AROUND TOWN</b></u></div>
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<b>Crown Center Ice Terrace</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVaXno-BqQotd5Qjkcez-9Hyk8Jo4i8n1LakyQaP3eyLdFjnqBerbDnT5-uteo1CyMMuYfGZU3HgRRLTyTslXY_F5t77IILOGFeY_jK0EYc_0h4FUIOqG3ULE_NvEyF8ox7nX0MBFh9vtD/s1600/7205861102_8ee833549d_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVaXno-BqQotd5Qjkcez-9Hyk8Jo4i8n1LakyQaP3eyLdFjnqBerbDnT5-uteo1CyMMuYfGZU3HgRRLTyTslXY_F5t77IILOGFeY_jK0EYc_0h4FUIOqG3ULE_NvEyF8ox7nX0MBFh9vtD/s320/7205861102_8ee833549d_b.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Crown Center, Downtown<br />
<a href="http://www.crowncenter.com/Attractions-Theaters-List/Ice-Terrace" target="_blank">Website</a><br />
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You can see the Ice Terrace in action on that terrible KCTV5 "Seasons Greetings" commercial (I can't find a link to the video – hopefully it has been deleted and the people responsible imprisoned – but basically the news people all skate around laughing and loving each other to sappy-ass music). Oh man, that's the stuff cheesy corn is made of…back in the day I had a professor in college that used to talk about terrible marketing decisions – specifically <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FftZt-Dw_hQ" target="_blank">offensive ads</a>, bad ideas for human interest news stories, etc. – and particularly about the meeting that led to that ad or news piece taking place. He would ask, "Why did no one stand up in the meeting and say, 'this is a terrible idea. Let's not do this'"? Not that this commercial is necessarily offensive (although the 'LOL the black guy can't skate' trope is used), or unrealistically characterizes humans and human interaction – particularly as ultra-caring and uber-affable – (though it does), that's what should have happened in the meeting when they decided to make the commercial.<br />
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You should go to Crown Center Ice Terrace anyway, though. It's cool, and those dorks probably won't be there.<br />
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<b>KC Ice Center Pavilion </b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2-6HAu8g284WKa1lPKXyr_YPUHhmGfxzeUxXQCSH6JgDnhfi_RaR1kuoWjErZ4Q-XcgCRfeTCXX1hjzrwxwCh_729fh7NRnryumF0fVD-Ly7XVmFEiCCfnj9Kj00c4ul9VHoVwZ9m6FP7/s1600/IMG_0068_large.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2-6HAu8g284WKa1lPKXyr_YPUHhmGfxzeUxXQCSH6JgDnhfi_RaR1kuoWjErZ4Q-XcgCRfeTCXX1hjzrwxwCh_729fh7NRnryumF0fVD-Ly7XVmFEiCCfnj9Kj00c4ul9VHoVwZ9m6FP7/s320/IMG_0068_large.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.kcstarshockey.com/news_article/show/207531?referrer_id=79198" target="_blank">Via</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Shawnee, KS<br />
<a href="http://www.kcicecenter.com/" target="_blank">Website</a><br />
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Read <a href="http://puckchaser.com/index.php/2013/12/09/kansas-city-ice-center-provides-some-hope/" target="_blank">Puckchaser's write-up</a> for a good look at the rink, and some great photos. Here is a <a href="http://www.kcicecenter.com/photo_gallery/show/565661#1" target="_blank">photo gallery</a>, too.<br />
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<b>The Rink at Burlington Creek</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC7S7keZcyCFm8KgPSc_I3grHlbWZByBPxa1Eadq85pQhSFod9bRDWFj0eaj_LshqyaQVEf0L0HjODeucwuCVAzNAG8ZpxSiTIUxtbCXzVnsvP8uinc8mvI0UIFgrfT3pEC4A5f4GHMPhJ/s1600/1475969_708225785863592_300709486_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC7S7keZcyCFm8KgPSc_I3grHlbWZByBPxa1Eadq85pQhSFod9bRDWFj0eaj_LshqyaQVEf0L0HjODeucwuCVAzNAG8ZpxSiTIUxtbCXzVnsvP8uinc8mvI0UIFgrfT3pEC4A5f4GHMPhJ/s320/1475969_708225785863592_300709486_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
In the Northland, just east of Parkville, MO<br />
<a href="http://www.kcice.net/page/show/642117-the-rink-at-burlington-creek" target="_blank">Website</a><br />
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Slowly growing small ice rink. The brain child of NHL21/KCICE. In a growing commercial and residential district.<br />
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<b>The Ice at Park Place</b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw7obq9QWOeZ_oR-tVOzMaYknQyQ8LlVRWlP11218rLQn1L2M8O0Lgy_B8hFYokF8avR_d_HWdTMtr1srlYHskkpl1jX5uOJGj08EUDXRtvZa_RLTtKmf4bV_oGlAoSMMa5ju2ShOhr0R1/s1600/the+ice+at+park+place+johnson+county.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw7obq9QWOeZ_oR-tVOzMaYknQyQ8LlVRWlP11218rLQn1L2M8O0Lgy_B8hFYokF8avR_d_HWdTMtr1srlYHskkpl1jX5uOJGj08EUDXRtvZa_RLTtKmf4bV_oGlAoSMMa5ju2ShOhr0R1/s320/the+ice+at+park+place+johnson+county.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mykansascitymommy.com/2011/11/ice-skating-rink-at-park-place-grand.html" target="_blank">Via</a></td></tr>
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Leawood, KS<br />
<a href="http://www.parkplaceleawood.com/events/ice/" target="_blank">Website</a><br />
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Small rink in a busy area. Similar area to Burlington Creek, with commercial and residential customers.<br />
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<b>Linden Square Ice Rink</b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ7m1EjMme8xixsLpnxX6QuW33g1ArchpYVLXVklJn7GKvr6SHS7srMoMCXnOaEPxdINq6g3IKjJC2nQSiRBEu8AIxniJ4dX9GsXGO8L3ng0-2QQwIY6awiei_OQzhFyTSVymlBM2vitmf/s1600/1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ7m1EjMme8xixsLpnxX6QuW33g1ArchpYVLXVklJn7GKvr6SHS7srMoMCXnOaEPxdINq6g3IKjJC2nQSiRBEu8AIxniJ4dX9GsXGO8L3ng0-2QQwIY6awiei_OQzhFyTSVymlBM2vitmf/s320/1.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aerial photo – rink in bottom left, new apartments will be in the middle of photo</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Gladstone, MO<br />
<a href="http://www.gladstone.mo.us/documents/news/2013/skate_rink_hours.pdf" target="_blank">Website</a><br />
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Small community rink that opened last year. In a growing area near Gladstone City Hall. Linden Square apartment development and new businesses nearby.<br />
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I am only aware of these rinks. Please let me know if I have left one off of the list.<br />
<br />Flubber McGeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06414028938667552196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4068327392150378852.post-57392548463453652512013-12-19T02:52:00.000-06:002013-12-19T02:53:34.315-06:00A List of Team Names to Prepare for the NHL's ExpansionIt was reported by <a href="http://prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com/2013/12/18/is-the-nhl-getting-closer-to-putting-a-team-in-vegas/" target="_blank">TSN's Bob McKenzie</a> that the NHL might be willing – and getting closer – to taking a chance on putting an expansion franchise in Las Vegas. How fun. This, of course, arouses the since dormant talk about placing another team in Seattle or Quebec City – two cities that will have NHL ready arenas in the next few years – in order to bring the number of NHL teams to the nice even number of 32. But, as the report also suggests, the NHL may not be content with 32 teams. This includes placing a franchise in any of those cities, plus a second franchise in the Greater Toronto Area, Hamilton, Saskatoon, Prince Edward Island, etc. <br />
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Well, we here at LCOB have read the report and we know what this means: It's a forgone conclusion that Kansas City will be getting an NHL expansion franchise within the next year. It's the only logical conclusion.<br />
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Seeing as this is a 100% guarantee, as these expansion stories have been in the past and will continue to be in the future, we have come up with a list of the top 5 possible team names and jersey designs for the next great Kansas City sports franchise. Follow the jump to enjoy (and dream!!!)…<br />
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<b><u>Kansas City Scouts</u></b><br />
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This is a <i>must</i> choice. The short-lived team from the 1970s could make its return to Kansas City, and this blog isn't the only one ready for its return. Of course, this incarnation of the sweater kind of looks like a <a href="http://cdn.nextimpulsesports.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Bill.jpg" target="_blank">Cosby sweater</a>, but it will stand apart from all of the <a href="http://www3.images.coolspotters.com/photos/252182/la-kings-jersey-profile.jpg" target="_blank">black, gray, and white</a> in the NHL today. There are probably cooler and more badass versions of Native American heads that we could have used here, but its best to go with the vintage look, lest the new franchise get white man's guilted to death.<br />
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<b><u>Kansas City Whalers</u></b><br />
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Hartford isn't using it, and won't be any time soon, so why not have it in KC? Eat your heart out, Connecticuters.<br />
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<b><u>HC Kansas City</u></b><br />
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Taking a page out of the city's only <a href="http://www.sportingkc.com/" target="_blank">successful (semi-) pro sports franchise</a>, Kansas City's new hockey team goes European! Slap on a popular local business or landmark on the front, and HC Kansas City presented by Gates Barbecue is born. Of course, HCKC needs as many fans as possible, so they do the whole split jersey thing that makes it look like the <a href="http://www.sportingkc.com/news/2013/02/sporting-kansas-city-unveils-new-primary-jersey" target="_blank">Missouri-Kansas state line</a>. You can almost hear the sweater say, "Please rich people from Johnson County, come spend money on our hockey team."<br />
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<b><u>Kansas City Mad Cows</u></b><br />
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Borrowing Kansas City-based sports writer <a href="https://twitter.com/jflanagankc" target="_blank">Jeffery Flanagan's</a> idea for the KC T-Bones independent league baseball team oh so many years ago, I present to you the Kansas City Mad Cows. Mr. Flanagan's dream comes alive, with beautiful cow-print jerseys, and a logo that is <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118289/" target="_blank">pending copyright</a>. Maybe we can even have them play a couple games down in Kemper a few times per year for old times sake. With a jersey like this, it just seems right.<br />
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<b><u>Kansas City Champions</u></b><br />
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The name <i>Champions</i> was taken from one of those <a href="http://www.teamnames.net/fantasy/random-team-name-generator" target="_blank">fantasy sports team name generator sites</a>, and it's pretty awful. Although generic, it is the perfect unoffensive, marketing savvy team nickname we see from so many new franchises afraid to take a chance on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Paso_Chihuahuas" target="_blank">being different</a> or <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sugar_Land_Skeeters" target="_blank">somewhat offensive</a>. The home and away jerseys are based on this one design, and this one design only, so suck it. And that's the bottom line 'cause Stone Cold said so.<br />
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Whatever name is chosen, one thing is clear: This is definitely going to happen. Pro hockey is coming to the Sprint Center, baby!Flubber McGeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06414028938667552196noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4068327392150378852.post-54096492806256853892013-09-07T21:55:00.002-05:002013-09-07T21:56:28.278-05:00No NHL Preseason Game in KC Makes Jack a Dull Boy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKUFM7nbcPIbPYfzaeDKcdbYS4zrzWGX_QmjoyatKL6NwwEiojRPXH4LjxSCWMQGg42RRBhGnCxHndDk146Qu9ud0UhXE2XZwvHPV6ZJNXth3TNshiY6g_buDBFNh1Qp1de4gSghJ8acri/s1600/slapshot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKUFM7nbcPIbPYfzaeDKcdbYS4zrzWGX_QmjoyatKL6NwwEiojRPXH4LjxSCWMQGg42RRBhGnCxHndDk146Qu9ud0UhXE2XZwvHPV6ZJNXth3TNshiY6g_buDBFNh1Qp1de4gSghJ8acri/s400/slapshot.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
As NHL training caps are just around the corner, let us remember that Kansas City doesn't have an NHL exhibition game. Oh, but there is an NBA exhibition game. So never mind no big deal. Except IT IS A BIG DEAL. The last hockey game at the Sprint Center was the October 13th match last year between Notre Dame and Nebraska-Omaha. And that's the last one for the foreseeable future. Why? <br />
<br />
<b>#1: The NHL lockout</b><br />
To a small degree, the lockout can be blamed for Kansas City missing out on a hockey game this year. KC was set to host the Rangers and Avalanche in a preseason game, but it was canceled due to the lockout. This disrupted a trend of exhibition games at Sprint Center for the past three of four years at the arena. But, it's not like the NHL's popularity dwindled due to the lockout. In fact, <a href="http://www.sportingnews.com/nhl/story/2013-03-26/nhl-tv-ratings-lockout-penguins-root-sports-blackhawks-csn-chicago-red-sox-nesn">NBCSN set ratings records</a>, and local ratings were up in many markets. (though it was nice to say we would never watch the NHL again if the whole season was canceled. Truth is the NHL knows your viewing habits better than you do).<br />
<br />
<b>#2: Sly James doesn't understand hockey</b><br />
You've seen <a href="http://lostcityofbettman.blogspot.com/2013/07/this-quote-deserves-its-own-place-in.html">the quote</a>. Major James <a href="http://puckchaser.com/index.php/2013/08/09/if-the-coyotes-arent-good-enough-for-kc-mayor-james-are-the-devils/">doesn't understand</a> the business of bringing a professional sports team to the Sprint Center. That's AEG's job. Who brought the Ice Breaker tournament? NHL exhibition games? All AEG. To Mayor James's credit, he has no clue. But it's not like he's supposed to have a clue. He's the figurehead, because <a href="http://www.pitch.com/plog/archives/2011/07/27/sam-mellinger-on-aeg-theyve-given-up-on-kansas-city">who do you talk to at AEG</a> about anything happening at the Sprint Center?<br />
<br />
<b>#3: Tim Leiweke doesn't work for AEG anymore</b><br />
Tim Leiweke – <a href="http://lostcityofbettman.blogspot.com/2012/07/tim-leiweke-in-1980s-yeah-tim-leiweke.html">KC's AEG representative</a>, former AEG President and CEO, and everyone's <a href="http://lostcityofbettman.blogspot.com/2011/08/oh-so-this-is-why-kc-sports-fans-hate.html">favorite anti-hero</a> – left AEG this year to join Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment where he's made a big splash. Now Dan Beckerman is in charge, a guy with no ties to an arena in the middle of America nor has to throw disgruntled KC constituents a bone now and then because he lied to them over seven years ago. Kansas City is an afterthought, and though we get the Miami Heat and Charlotte Name Pendings for an NBA exhibition game, this caters to the <a href="http://www.kansascity.com/2013/04/23/4197691/miami-heat-to-face-charlotte-bobcats.html" target="_blank">local college basketball audience</a> around town more than any hope of an NBA team coming to KC.<br />
<br />
So, when is the next hockey game in the Sprint Center? This reiterates that Kansas City does not appear to be in the running for an anchor tenant anytime soon. Most importantly, though, how long can Sprint Center <a href="http://www.sprintcenter.com/news/detail/sprint-center-ranks-eighth-among-americas-arenas-in-pollstar-2013-mid-year-report" target="_blank">maintain it's profitability</a>? With an anchor tenant, the city, arena management, and team ownership all act as checks on the arena, making sure the facilities stay as up to date as possible. Instead, it's clear the city defers to AEG on all happenings at this arena. If the arena is no longer profitable and modern, will AEG look to sell it? If we look at a recent example, it took the city of Kansas City over ten years after the Kings left for Sacramento to give Kemper a much needed renovation. As we have seen, professional sports ownership typically requests renovations to arenas or stadiums, or <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civic_Arena_(Pittsburgh)" target="_blank">threatens to leave</a>. This is an extreme example, yes, but how long do we really expect this to be a "Top American Arena" or whatever the hell?<br />
<br />
Let's look at last year, KC had the highest visibility of hockey in the city since the days of the Blades last year (Ice Breaker, potential Rangers-Avalanche game, the Mavericks). Instead, we only have the Mavericks to look forward to this year. A year ago this time the future looked bright. This year may be a glimpse into our possible future: the Mavericks, and that's it.<br />
<br />
Yes, let's enjoy our world class arena with all of it's fun events, and let's enjoy our Missouri Mavericks and the success they have had in just a few short years. But, it's okay to be cautiously pessimistic of the future of Kansas City hockey.<br />
<br />
So, to paraphrase a statement by mayor Sly James, "What would you rather have, events at the Sprint Center or no events. What do you think would make more money for the city in the long run?" Maybe shoehorning one hockey event in Sprint Center this year would not have been such a bad idea, and would give the city one more "event" to boast about.Flubber McGeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06414028938667552196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4068327392150378852.post-52136999179138749632013-07-01T00:26:00.002-05:002013-07-01T00:28:51.846-05:00This Quote Deserves Its Own Place in Hell<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; color: #111111; font-family: inherit; line-height: 22px;">“Let me ask you this,” (Sly) James said. “Which would you rather have, the Pittsburgh Penguins or the Phoenix Coyotes? Who do you think would make more money for the city in the long run?”</span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Perhaps the <a href="http://lostcityofbettman.blogspot.com/2013/06/the-curious-case-and-unending-questions.html?showComment=1372432686533#c7941627470438190108" target="_blank">team that wins.</a> But, if either moves to Kansas City, it's almost a guarantee they will both lose.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">:(</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #111111;"><span style="line-height: 22px;"><br /></span></span>
</span><br />
<span style="color: #111111;"><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 22px;">For more on this story, <a href="http://lostcityofbettman.blogspot.com/2013/06/the-curious-case-and-unending-questions.html" target="_blank">click here.</a></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #111111;">* * *</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #111111;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #111111;">Also, <a href="http://www.kansascity.com/2013/06/25/4311881/kc-doesnt-need-an-nba-or-nhl-team.html" target="_blank">this article exists</a>, but isn't worth debating. It's basically every baseless, basic argument put into one editorial. HOT TAKES like "</span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #111111;"><span style="line-height: 22px;">there aren’t enough pro basketball or hockey fans in this city to support a team even if we got one" obviously lack objectivity and research, and more importantly turn the discussion away from whether or not the <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304331204577356471425094502.html" target="_blank">P&L District and the city lose money</a> because the Sprint Center doesn't have an anchor tenant (i.e. 40+ guaranteed events for X amount of years). </span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #111111;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #111111;">And they say print journalism is dying.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<i><span style="font-family: inherit;">(To Yael's credit, this editorial doesn't appear to have the same amount of research and thought as many of his others. Perhaps the Star just wanted a familiar voice to chime in on the issue. Not sure why that would be the case, nor what this article was attempting to prove.)</span></i><br />
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Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2013/06/20/4304493/mayor-says-luring-nhls-coyotes.html#storylink=cpy</div>
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<br />Flubber McGeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06414028938667552196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4068327392150378852.post-8472255306891576942013-06-27T23:03:00.003-05:002013-06-28T01:54:37.240-05:00The Curious Case (and Unending Questions) of Kansas City Hockey<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"This man just got through talking about what the f--- he ain't<br />
G-D did...LONG LIVE THE SCOUTS!!!"</td></tr>
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More on this to come, obviously – the city of Glendale wants to lease their own city hall!!!, and Bettman has (supposedly) <a href="http://prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com/2013/06/27/bettman-waiting-on-glendale-says-coyotes-could-move/" target="_blank">set a date</a> – but you can be sure that the Coyotes won't end up in Kansas City. Nope. Not no way, not no how. Or they could. Who knows. Who knows because Mayor Sly James diverts the truth on the whole issue, for some reason. As definite as he is in his responses, he also leaves a lot of unanswered questions. He's like a Pandora's box of dubiousness, always seemingly covering for someone or attempting to save face. All just to convince someone – anyone – the Coyotes should not come to Kansas City.<br />
<br />
Let me point out that James isn't necessarily wrong for doing this, nor refusing to bring the Coyotes to KC a bad idea. It's an idea. If the city doesn't want to do it – and if there is no ownership in place – then it does not happen. Ipso facto.<br />
<br />
As you may know, James claims Kansas City and the Sprint Center are not in the running to acquire the Coyotes should the NHL finally put the city of Glendale out of its misery and end their long financial nightmare. Sly James just spoke to the <a href="http://lostcityofbettman.blogspot.com/2013/06/mayor-says-luring-nhls-coyotes-would.html" target="_blank">Kansas City Star on the topic</a>, because these interviews have become an annual tradition so why not.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
He says in the <a href="http://www.kansascity.com/2013/06/20/4304493/mayor-says-luring-nhls-coyotes.html">KC Star June 20th:</a><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;">“Several months back, even before that, we put out some feelers and talked to some people we trusted who knew what the situation was … the availability, the costs …” James told The Star on Thursday, “and the basic information was (the Coyotes) need a lot of money from the city in one form or the other. They said, it’s not a great deal for you, like you might hope.<br />“The question was, ‘What would it take?’ The answer was, ‘A whole hell of a lot. It might take you from a (profit) to a negative.’ It wasn’t something recommended to be done.”</span></blockquote>
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Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2013/06/20/4304493/mayor-says-luring-nhls-coyotes.html#storylink=cp.</div>
Okay, that's fine, I'll bite. It's going to be a financial disaster...except maybe not. The franchise <i>is </i>a financial disaster right now. By moving, it seemingly avoids being a financial disaster.<br />
<br />
It is, and forever will be, a financial disaster for the city of Glendale, who had the owner of their hockey team go bankrupt while running the team – thus sending the organization into bankruptcy. That left the city to own and operate Jobing.com Arena at all expense to them, because the NHL had to take over the assets of the franchise. The NHL, in its cunning ways, even had Glendale paying off part of the yearly debt of the franchise. Over the four year span the organization went through a period of continued financial loss, mostly due to its instability and location within the Phoenix-area, and the city felt the pinch through ticket sales, paying the NHL part of the team's debts, and other lost television and marketing revenue (again, because of the instability – not because there are "no hockey fans in Arizona."). This has continued for four plus years because no one is able to own the team under the NHL's conditions because they are a) keep the team in Glendale and b) since the team is in Glendale, the city must give that owner a sweetheart deal to keep it there i.e. literally PAY THE OWNER TO RUN THE TEAM IN JOBING.COM ARENA just so the <u>ownership</u> can turn a profit. Without profit, no one wants to own the team. Chicken and the egg, except the egg is the <a href="http://deadspin.com/glendale-may-sell-city-hall-to-pay-for-the-coyotes-575360615?utm_campaign=socialflow_deadspin_twitter&utm_source=deadspin_twitter&utm_medium=socialflow">city of Glendale leasing out their city hall, taxing out the ass, and diverting what's left of their budget.</a><br />
<br />
The tl:dr to that is the Coyotes (and any potential owner) need a lot of money from the city of Glendale, not necessarily from Kansas City...or Seattle...or Vegas...etc. because those cities don't owe the NHL.<br />
<br />
The question here is what money do the Coyotes need from another city? What is that money doing? Getting them out of Glendale jail? Moving costs? Perhaps I don't understand the deal Kansas City has with AEG for the Sprint Center well enough to ably process what part the city has in owning a franchise. Yes, it stands to gain or lose financially, but what is the difference between a deal with the Coyotes in 2013 and a deal with the Penguins in 2007? If memory serves me correctly, AEG was willing to give the Pittsburgh Penguins free rent at Sprint when the team <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=2720130" target="_blank">mulled relocation.</a> That's basically what Glendale has to offer to keep the Coyotes in town – plus several million dollars more, again, just so the team can turn a profit. Is that what Kansas City would run into, having to eat a share of the rent costs of the arena along with AEG or an AEG approved ownership group? Really, no one knows, and these "some people" James talked to could be anyone. They could be your neighbor, your boss, that guy at the grocery store that bought the last bottle of Billy's BBQ sauce. There is absolutely no reason, though, for these people to go by the nom de guerre of "some people." Who said it? Did AEG say that? Was there a focus group? With these simple fill-in-the-blanks, Sly, I wouldn't have to blog about how I think you are full of shit, were fed some shit, or a little from Column A and B. Glendale is losing money on the Coyotes because it's turned into the bad investment for the city, not an owner. Kansas City does not own the Coyotes, nor would they under the agreement that AEG owns any NBA or NHL franchises at Sprint. Thus, Sly James, we require more information from you.<br />
<br />
That point, for all intents and purpose, is what's at issue. What does Sly gain from not disclosing these people? Just tell us who you talked to and what they said. If your neighbor made up a chart and Power Point presentation that said the city would lose money by acquiring the Coyotes, then fine. We know the qualified source to direct our questions.<br />
<br />
Anyway...<br />
<br />
What else...? Oh yes.<br />
<br />
James goes on to say (bold mine):<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;">“We were told, you should continue to look for a team, you’re in a good enough situation, where you have an arena that is working,” James said. <b>“It’s not like we’re desperate or have an arena that is dark and not making money. You don’t have to jump at a deal just because something is out there.”</b></span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;">According to Pollstar Magazine’s annual report, Sprint Center was the sixth-busiest arena in the United States in 2012 and No. 22 in the world. Even without an anchor tenant, Sprint Center provided $1.85 million to the city in 2012 through its profit-sharing agreement.</span></blockquote>
This is true, and so financially responsible of him. At issue are the promises made when the Arena opened. Those promises are seven years and counting. People get impatient. And Sprint's not going to be around forever.<br />
<br />
Kemper Arena lived to be about thirty before it was absolutely not profitable anymore. If Kansas City acquires a team TODAY, they could have a lease at Sprint similar to the <a href="http://cjonline.com/stories/012506/chi_lease.shtml" target="_blank">Chiefs and Royals at the Truman Sports Complex: 25 years</a> (for a frame of reference, Glendale wants a <a href="http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-puck-daddy/city-glendale-releases-coyotes-proposal-public-cites-unresolved-184624207.html" target="_blank">15-year lease</a> on a nine year old arena). Of course, any team <i>may not</i> sign that kind of a lease, but who knows how much longer Sprint will be around, or profitable. The city has to understand people get impatient about a pro sports franchise moving into Sprint because its not "new" anymore. There are new arenas going up across North America that can attract a franchise – or owner – better than Kansas City can (Seattle, Quebec City, etc.). Technically before Sprint, Kansas City had an available arena since 1976. The window closes a little everyday. <br />
<br />
But, we're being too nice to Mayor Sly. Here's where he tells a blatant lie (bold mine, again):<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;">Of course, the other part of the equation to bring a team to Kansas City is identifying ownership. Both the new Phoenix group and prospective Seattle group are from out of the area and if AEG — which operates the Sprint Center — has an ownership group waiting in the wings for Kansas City, it is not saying.<br />“I’m not aware of a group,” James said. “That was part of the early discussion, whether there was a group that could step up … <b>my understanding was there was not a group.</b></span></blockquote>
My mistake. He might have actually told the <a href="http://lostcityofbettman.blogspot.com/2012/07/cohesive-hockey-interested-group-as.html" target="_blank">lie a year ago around this time:</a><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;">"I'd say, if anything, we're closer on the hockey front than we are the basketball front. There's a cohesive hockey interested group."</span></blockquote>
Later, Sly makes it clear on his Twitter account that "Nothing even close" to a deal exists but then WHY DID YOU SAY THAT? Anyway, the point is who knows what we can believe. There has probably never been a "cohesive hockey interested group," and that's fine, because Sly didn't necessarily mislead us, because he totally didn't say that (even though he did). Again, he's not at fault. We all are, for assuming that the minds behind downtown revitalization of the mid-2000s had a professional sports team in mind.<br />
<br />
Personally, I'd love to have an NHL team in Kansas City. But, honestly, I could give a shit less if I felt like the mayor or AEG would give us the actual financial risks of why we can't pursue the Coyotes, and quit acting like Sprint Center is some Mecca of entertainment that's evolved past the need to host the competitive gladiator events of the dirty proletariat. Madison Square Garden and Staples Center are Meccas of entertainment, and they do just fine hosting multiple professional sports teams plus events. The Sprint Center is a nice arena in the middle of America with a good event booker. That's it. But what happens when Sprint Center gets older, and can't support those great musical acts? What happens when we are back where we started, when those acts bypassed KC to go to Omaha, and St. Louis, and OKC, and Des Moines? Where is the staying power for Sprint? Does the downtown revitalization stall in five years when Sprint is twelve years old and not considered "modern" anymore. Then what?<br />
<br />
Oh, and to his credit James does get something unequivocally right in that article: Kansas City <u>does not</u> have a potential hockey ownership group. At all. None. And that's all he really needed to say anyway.<br />
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Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2013/06/20/4304493/mayor-says-luring-nhls-coyotes.html#storylink=cpy</div>
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Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2013/06/20/4304493/mayor-says-luring-nhls-coyotes.html#storylink=cpy</div>
Flubber McGeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06414028938667552196noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4068327392150378852.post-31758312358821927972013-06-27T02:23:00.001-05:002013-06-27T02:24:44.977-05:00Mayor says luring NHL’s Coyotes would have been bad business deal for Kansas City<i style="color: #555555; font-family: inherit; line-height: 15px;">(editor's note: this story originally appeared in the <a href="http://www.kansascity.com/2013/06/20/4304493/mayor-says-luring-nhls-coyotes.html" target="_blank">Kansas City Star on June 20th.</a> It is posted here in its entirety for posterity's sake, because The Star's online articles tend to disappear quickly. This article is not written by anyone associated with Lost City of Bettman.)</i><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #555555; font-family: Helvetica, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #555555; font-family: Helvetica, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;">June 20</span><br />
<h4 class="author vcard" style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: Helvetica, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px; margin: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; text-transform: uppercase;">
<span class="fn">BY RANDY COVITZ</span></h4>
<h5 class="publication source-org vcard" style="background-color: white; color: #555555; font-family: Helvetica, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">
<span class="org fn">The Kansas City Star</span></h5>
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<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 22.5px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-right: auto;">
Whether the NHL’s Phoenix Coyotes remain in Arizona or move to Seattle, Mayor Sly James does not regret that Kansas City didn’t do more to attract the club to the Sprint Center.</div>
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Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2013/06/20/4304493/mayor-says-luring-nhls-coyotes.html#storylink=cpy</div>
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After investigating the possibility of pursuing the Coyotes — who have been losing money while under NHL ownership since 2009 — James was convinced the franchise would have been a bad business deal for Kansas City.</div>
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“Several months back, even before that, we put out some feelers and talked to some people we trusted who knew what the situation was … the availability, the costs …” James told The Star on Thursday, “and the basic information was (the Coyotes) need a lot of money from the city in one form or the other. They said, it’s not a great deal for you, like you might hope.</div>
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“The question was, ‘What would it take?’ The answer was, ‘A whole hell of a lot. It might take you from a (profit) to a negative.’ It wasn’t something recommended to be done.”<br />
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Renaissance Sports Entertainment, a group out of Canada which has been approved to buy the Coyotes from the NHL, is seeking a reported $15 million a year from the Phoenix suburb of Glendale, Ariz., to operate the Jobing.com Arena. Glendale has budgeted $6.5 million per year, according to the Arizona Republic, and if the two sides don’t come to an agreement by July 2, the Coyotes could be sold to interests in Seattle, where the team would play at Key Arena until a new facility was built.</div>
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Handing over a multi-million dollar subsidy to the new owners is simply too much, said James, considering the Sprint Center is turning a profit each year for the city. According to the mayor’s office, Kansas City has received nearly $8 million in profit-sharing payments in the Sprint Center’s first five years of operation.</div>
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“We were told, you should continue to look for a team, you’re in a good enough situation, where you have an arena that is working,” James said. “It’s not like we’re desperate or have an arena that is dark and not making money. You don’t have to jump at a deal just because something is out there.”</div>
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According to Pollstar Magazine’s annual report, Sprint Center was the sixth-busiest arena in the United States in 2012 and No. 22 in the world. Even without an anchor tenant, Sprint Center provided $1.85 million to the city in 2012 through its profit-sharing agreement.</div>
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Still, the mayor is not giving up on bringing an NHL or NBA franchise to Kansas City.</div>
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“Our position is, if there is a good deal out there, that makes sense, then, yeah, let’s take a serious look at it,” James said. “But if it’s going to be something that is more risk than we possibly want to take on, let’s not do that. Right now, we don’t have an offer, there’s nothing out there.”</div>
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Of course, the other part of the equation to bring a team to Kansas City is identifying ownership. Both the new Phoenix group and prospective Seattle group are from out of the area and if AEG — which operates the Sprint Center — has an ownership group waiting in the wings for Kansas City, it is not saying.</div>
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“I’m not aware of a group,” James said. “That was part of the early discussion, whether there was a group that could step up … my understanding was there was not a group.</div>
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“Doesn’t it seem like if we really want to get in the game, we need some people here who have some money who are willing to get in the game?”</div>
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Los Angeles-based AEG has undergone a change in leadership in recent months with Dan Beckerman taking over as president and chief executive officer in place of Tim Leiweke, who now runs the company that owns the Toronto Maple Leafs, Toronto Raptors and Toronto FC.</div>
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Repeated attempts to reach Beckerman have been unsuccessful, so it is unknown whether AEG — which owns the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings — has an interest in identifying a buyer for the Coyotes if they fail to reach an agreement with Glendale or Seattle.</div>
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“We are continuing to follow the lead of the NHL, so we are unable to comment regarding specifics as it relates to the Phoenix deal,” said Shani Tate, the Sprint Center’s director of communications and marketing.</div>
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The NHL Board of Governors is scheduled to meet on June 27 and hoped to approve the sale of the Coyotes. The league has yet to release its 2013-14 schedule, and it reportedly has several versions, depending on where the Coyotes are playing.</div>
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Sprint Center does not have an NHL preseason game scheduled for this fall, though Tate said that has nothing to do with the Coyotes’ situation. She did say, however, that if the opportunity were to arise, the facility can work with the NHL on scheduling needs.</div>
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“We are always making preparations, whether it relates to scheduling and making sure we are involved in the necessary conversations,” Tate said. “However, it needs to be the most responsible thing and making sure our partners at the city are also involved. We are paying close attention to the situation in Phoenix.”</div>
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Kansas City’s reluctance to underwrite the cost of the Coyotes or any NHL or NBA franchise could preclude any franchise from moving to the Sprint Center, because most clubs will demand shares of revenue from suites, concessions, parking, signage, sponsorships and other amenities.</div>
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AEG offered the Pittsburgh Penguins a favorable lease before the arena even opened in 2007, only to see the team leverage that deal for a new arena in Pittsburgh. James agrees that most clubs would want a favorable lease as well. But not all situations are the same. There’s only one Sidney Crosby.</div>
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“Let me ask you this,” James said. “Which would you rather have, the Pittsburgh Penguins or the Phoenix Coyotes? Who do you think would make more money for the city in the long run?”</div>
<br />Flubber McGeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06414028938667552196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4068327392150378852.post-79050178330921615222013-05-23T01:12:00.000-05:002013-05-23T01:12:04.444-05:00The Blue Line's New Hockey Commercial: A Step-by-Step Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://thebluelinekc.com/" target="_blank">The Blue Line hockey bar</a> in the River Market area has carved out a nice little niche. It's never terribly crowded but seemingly always patronized (from what I've seen), the food doesn't stray from the bar staples but still good, and they have a lot of different beers on tap. As far as bars go around town, it's a quiet place to just wind down or watch a game. Oh yeah, and the hockey stuff is cool, too. But, that's the thing: I've never gotten the sense that anyone in the bar watches hockey, and I don't care. <br />
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No one needs to go to a bar for validation that the thing they like is popular with the other people there. Sure, there are those Steeler Nation bars around the country where Steelers fans meet up or whatever, but the Blue Line doesn't attract just a hockey crowd. It's great that the Blue Line is a <i>hockey</i> bar and shows <i>hockey</i> games, something a lot of places around town don't do (here is where I say "Thank you!" to <a href="http://www.nickandjakes.com/" target="_blank">Nick & Jakes</a> for their patience and willingness to show hockey when asked), but it also functions as a gathering place for the locals. So, that's the reason you shouldn't make off-the-cuff comments about obscure hockey players in the 1990s just to show your hockey knowledge prowess to the other <i>true hockey</i> <i>fans</i> at the Blue Line. Chances are you won't get someone coming up to saying, "Oh dude, are you talking about Wayne McBean?! Hell yeah!" (*bro and you high five). Thus, the ambience of the bar might expose hockey to people who don't like it, but may not specifically attract hockey fans. And that's fine.<br />
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Anyway, they have a new TV spot that's pretty amateur, so let's make fun of it.<br />
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Please <a href="http://thebluelinekc.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/The-Blue-Line-Hockey-Bar.mp4" target="_blank">CLICK THE LINK RIGHT HERE</a> for the video. It's not on YouTube or anything, so, sorry. (Apparently this has been out a while, but I just saw it, so whatever.)<br />
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0:01-0:10 – I'm not sure the Blue Line is "famous" for anything in particular, but the food is good, and there's nothing to joke about there. I don't know what "Blue Line Brew" is, but they say it's locally crafted. It kind of looks like <a href="http://www.plan59.com/images/JPGs/hamms_1953_ice_00.jpg" target="_blank">Hamms</a>.<br />
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0:11– "If you drink enough at the Blue Line, your reaction time will resemble that of <a href="http://canucksarmy.com/uploads/Image/cloutier-beach-ball.jpeg" target="_blank">Dan Cloutier</a>."<br />
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0:12– That is either a beer league hockey jersey, or someone is making counterfeit <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0CR-pdw4Q-2Br0gTmJL99Ql0RS_AcsEk1y04tVb3GwScX4prq_VTjw1JB-QD1ghW54kKho4_R23b_4WrRmW-dDXyahYm8ZkFdp6wqVx5qplOKTG-fIwxlulTz9pKkxM8MCGNjzT8N8LKl/s1600/hockey+new.JPG" target="_blank">Michigan State</a> sweaters.<br />
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0:20 – I get the fake knocked out teeth, but, ugh, <i>fake knocked out teeth</i>. This is like saying all baseball players chew tobacco, when they obviously all chew <a href="http://strictlyautobiographical.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/big_league_chew_original.jpg" target="_blank">Big League Chew.</a><br />
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0:25– Oh, the big finale, the crescendo of the symphony of bar advertising. This is what makes this commercial so delightfully local. First, we see a guy in an orange shirt just chillin on the window. Possibly checking his phone for hockey scores. What happens next is akin to aggravated assault with numerous accessories to the crime.<br />
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Bro minding his own business is body checked by a helmeted villain, who proceeds to persistently dry hump the victim in such a perverse way that we can only assume it's sexually gratifying. People stand up and cheer instead of help the victim. This is not how society should work.<br />
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If we are to analyze this as a hockey scene being played out in real life, then we find even more issues. One, bro in orange shouldn't be hanging out on the boards. He should keep moving, and open himself up for a pass (a pass of what?). Two, the offender clearly makes a run at his victim – twenty feet or so – which is clearly defined as Charging.<br />
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NHL Rule 42.1:<br />
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<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px;">Charging shall mean the actions of a player who, as a result of distance traveled, shall violently check an opponent in any manner. A “charge” may be the result of a check into the boards, into the goal frame or in open ice.</span></blockquote>
Despite this rule's vague wording, I'd say twenty feet constitutes "distance traveled." This is not boarding, however, because the offender does not hit high, nor is orange bro necessarily defenseless since he isn't turned away from the play.<br />
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NHL Rule 41.1:<br />
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<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px;">The onus is on the player applying the check to ensure his opponent is not in a defenseless position and if so, he must avoid or minimize the contact. However, in determining wheter such contact could have been avoided, the circumstances of the check, including whether the opponent put himself in a vulnerable position immediately prior to or simultaneously with the check or whether the check was unavoidable can be considered.</span></blockquote>
Thus, the initial call is Charging.<br />
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Three, this clearly develops into a double minor penalty, as orange bro is obstructed from the flow of play. This is perhaps Holding more than Interference, since progress is stopped instead of impeded.<br />
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NHL Rule 54.1:<br />
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<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;"><b style="border: 0px; font-family: verdana; font: inherit; line-height: 15px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Holding</b><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px;"> – Any action by a player that retards the progress of an opposing player whether or not he is in possession of the puck.</span></span></blockquote>
Interference refers more to obstruction while in motion, and not while pinned against the boards.<br />
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Four, all the people in the bar cheer for this violence. We should all be ashamed of ourselves.Flubber McGeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16667659463402618367noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4068327392150378852.post-20129862606757879592013-04-12T04:24:00.001-05:002013-04-12T04:44:08.467-05:00Greg Wyshynski: Missing the PointA few things I want to point out about Greg Wyshynski's lack of actual reporting, and why this gives bloggers something of a bad name among those in the dying, though somewhat still prestigious, mainstream print media. Don't get me wrong, Greg has some fine articles from time to time, and I'm not debating his success as a sports writer/blogger. I enjoy his site, and I think it's a great place to discover the hundreds of thousands of hockey blogs around the world. Perhaps you discovered this blog from his site. But I have to disagree with him on something, just like I've <a href="http://lostcityofbettman.blogspot.com/2012/02/hey-when-are-coyotes-moving-to-seattle.html" target="_blank">disagreed with him here</a>, <a href="http://lostcityofbettman.blogspot.com/2012/02/puck-daddy-relocation-super-fun-time.html" target="_blank">here</a>, and <a href="http://lostcityofbettman.blogspot.com/2012/02/even-more-relocation-super-fun-time.html" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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Here is the story is question. Please read it first:</div>
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<a href="http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-puck-daddy/la-kings-fans-boo-injured-rookie-avalanche-goalie-053724411--nhl.html;_ylt=Alvjt0.r6mdikv6u99QciA6Rbcp_;_ylu=X3oDMTE5aWkxb2RoBG1pdANCbG9ncyBJbmRleARwb3MDMjUEc2VjA01lZGlhQmxvZ0luZGV4;_ylg=X3oDMTFpMm9iMzh1BGludGwDdXMEbGFuZwNlbi11cwRwc3RhaWQDBHBzdGNhdANibG9nBHB0A3NlY3Rpb25z;_ylv=3" target="_blank">LA Kings fans boo injured rookie Avalanche goalie (Video)</a></div>
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First, here are a few things to keep in mind:</div>
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*Greg reaches a large audience with his blog. This gives him influence among the casual hockey fan blog reader, whether he likes it or not. What he writes resonates with a community of <a href="http://www.battleofcali.com/2012/12/14/3766520/the-10-worst-puck-daddy-comments-about-president-obama" target="_blank">unique-minded individuals.</a></div>
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*Greg – I don't believe but someone can prove me wrong – does not profess to be a journalist, and is not held to the same Journalistic criteria as those members of the print and broadcast media. He is a blogger, albeit one of the lucky few who get paid to talk about something they love for a living.</div>
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Okay, please jump for the Twitter log of Greg's realization and further understanding of the events as they unfold. One more thing to keep in mind is that Greg has already written and published his Puck Daddy article at this time.</div>
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Greg begins by patronizing a few Kings fans that call him on his quick assessment of the Kings fans booing while a player is injured. Questioning how Kings fans could know that Giguere would replace the injured goaltender – keep in mind, Giguere is the backup to the once healthy, now injured goaltender – seems a bit disrespectful, does it not? How are Kings fans to know the goalie will be replaced, although the goalie is, you know, hurt. Gann Matsuda, a respected Kings blogger – and member of the Staples Center press corps – quickly proves why Greg's statement has little to do with simple goalie changes. Giguere – an ex-Anaheim Duck, the LA Kings hated rival – is shown on the scoreboard perhaps eliciting a negative reaction from Kings fans who still remember his glory days in Anaheim. Greg "pops" that into his already written blog post, thus adding an eye witness account and expert testimony to a post he presumably had enough facts to write to begin with. Remember that when you read it. Gann then shows this is not just his opinion, but the majority opinion of members of the LA press corps (yes, a biased press corps, but one with knowledge of the situation).<br />
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Gann does much to refute the beliefs of Dave Nash, while Greg sticks to his "it wasn't just Giguere they were booing" story without really saying what he believes the Kings fans were indeed booing.</div>
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It's at this point we learn Dave Nash is an idiot. The official Twitter feed of the LA Kings mascot, Bailey, chimes in on another theory of why the fans may have been booing...for what it's worth. Greg claims that it's just "impossible" to tell who or what the fans were booing without knowing when Giguere appeared on the video board, despite having already written a post on the event.</div>
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All of that said, this happens well after the post was originally published. Gann's input was added later. Thus, Greg had a need to show the hockey world that the LA Kings were booing while a goalie was injured, though he admits after the fact that many factors could have contributed to why Kings were booing.</div>
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Greg makes two big mistakes in publishing this post. First, the obvious: He uses random people on Twitter as a source. It's easy for random Twitter users to use the common Internet tactic of hiding behind their keyboard, thus giving them the power to say whatever they feel. We know that; we've all been there. Timothy Burke of Deadspin <a href="http://deadspin.com/5968935/take-that-nigger-off-the-tv-we-wanna-watch-football-idiots-respond-to-nbc-pre+empting-sunday-night-football" target="_blank">made this mistake</a> during President Obama's nationally televised speech concerning Sandy Hook that just so happened to occur during NBC's coverage of <i>Sunday Night Football.</i> It's easy to go on Twitter to find people saying the nastiest, meanest shit in the world at any given time, so I imagine it's easy to find people who need little reason to hate an opposing fan base at any given time. People hate the Kings – lo, every professional sports franchise – nearly every day publicly on Twitter. Likewise, if you ever need validation that carrots are great, cite <a href="https://twitter.com/RealCarrotFacts" target="_blank">this Twitter account.</a> This does not necessarily justify an opinion, though, because anonymous Twitter users can be anybody. They can <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/04/11/half-of-twitter-icon-justin-bieber-followers-fake_n_3060788.html" target="_blank">even be</a> <a href="http://deadspin.com/manti-teos-dead-girlfriend-the-most-heartbreaking-an-5976517" target="_blank">fake</a>.</div>
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The second mistake, of course, is that Greg never actually comes out and condemns Kings fans, although this is what people assume to be the point of his article. "Kings fans boo injured goalie" is the headline, thus the article is about Kings fans actively booing the injury of a person. The object verbs the subject. It could easily have read "Group of people react poorly to bad thing." Insert "human trauma" for "bad thing" and now you add the human element, the true essence of the story. You should show restraint, run for help, get a doctor, grab some bandages, call the injured man's next of kin – anything but boo and jeer his mangled form.</div>
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This isn't tactful journalism by Greg – the reporting of facts as they come in – nor is it a complete lambasting of a group of people. He just says "Thing Happened," and only gives reactions of Kings detractors "fillet(ing)" the Kings on Twitter. Nowhere does Greg say, "Kings fans suck," or, "The Kings need to connect with their fans." One can assume he means this through his Twitter interactions, but that's just an assumption. It's just that this thing occurred, so what do you think about it? It's a mess of gray area and hypotheticals. Perhaps we are supposed to feel something, or have an opinion, but we never know why. I say this with the belief that 18,000 fans weren't booing an injured goalie. But we wouldn't know that – or know what else they could possibly be booing – from reading this article.</div>
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So, that's leaves us with one question: What's the point? Why write it if you 1) obviously don't have all of the facts from multiple witnesses or 2) don't have an apparent opinion conveyed within the story. You have people on Twitter as your source, not reputable people attending the game (which you wouldn't add until later, in a sense giving a dissenting voice to an article not originally written to be a debate), just random people. You are the Mant'i Teo of hockey bloggers, in this case.</div>
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Why does this bother me? Well, for one, there are too many examples of poor "capital J" Journalism in the American media. Everyone is a critic (this post included), but it goes back to the base of readers Greg reaches. What is this telling his readers, and why is it informative? Why write it? What is he trying to draw from it. People hating the Kings on Twitter is nothing new. Neither is the act of booing at a sport event, or an opposing team or player for that matter.</div>
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Also, and yes, I am a Kings fan. And if Kings fans were booing an injured player, that sucks. But guess what, how does that change anything? Will they kick people out of the arena? Does this make LA a city of sin and debauchery? In what way does this reflect on the Kings organization? A few months ago Chiefs fans were believed to be cheering an injury. So now if fans have any reaction to anything this reflects poorly on anyone other than the people making those decisions. Will you travel to Los Angeles and walk around, viewing the citizens as Imps from Doom, as if you are living in a post-Apocalyptic hellscape? No. Unless you are an idiot. </div>
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We point out the follies in other teams players – and subsequently the fans of other team's players – because they don't stand for what we stand for. Thus, bad fans justify your beliefs of a bad team. Boo bad team, boo. I hate the Ducks for no other reason other than they are a "rival." I don't really <i><b>hate</b></i> the Ducks, though, which is where there is typically a misconception. In reality, sports are just a fucking game. But some people have a difficult time separating themselves from that middle ground, or gray area, of sports fandom and regular lifedom. For Kings fans, Corey Perry is a dick, but so is your neighbor across the street. But if you are a normal person, you would still give Corey advice on the right fertilizer to use on his lawn.</div>
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That's just my opinion, though.</div>
Flubber McGeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16667659463402618367noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4068327392150378852.post-65119545155158102692013-04-10T03:31:00.000-05:002013-04-10T03:31:01.771-05:00On the Houston Aeros Departure<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFchytd7qtk3aCTJgJddzUluXaTDwJVzmiy7yjduysA_lHdW7CTaDiG-iGQhc8l9xyOmJPW7l6U0izTQXTQ-e5fk3pZPnIyHSikwglbgCrMJa0l4HNZzE3uir7eksBUUtek9H57K5hZVi4/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-04-10+at+1.23.35+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFchytd7qtk3aCTJgJddzUluXaTDwJVzmiy7yjduysA_lHdW7CTaDiG-iGQhc8l9xyOmJPW7l6U0izTQXTQ-e5fk3pZPnIyHSikwglbgCrMJa0l4HNZzE3uir7eksBUUtek9H57K5hZVi4/s320/Screen+Shot+2013-04-10+at+1.23.35+AM.png" width="320" /></a></div>
A part of hockey history will go away at the end of this season. The <a href="http://www.hockeywilderness.com/2013/4/9/4204716/houston-aeros-no-more-minnesota-wild-to-move-affiliate-to-des-moines" target="_blank">Minnesota Wild will move their AHL affiliate</a>, currently the Houston Aeros, to Des Moines to presumably be closer to the NHL club. Here at LCOB we find this disappointing for a few reasons because we share a special attachment, even kinship, to the Houston Aeros.<br />
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Houston, like Kansas City, is not what you would call a "hockey hotbed." What it makes up for in being three times bigger in population than the KC Metro, it loses points in location. Sure, Dallas has seen it's share of successful years with an NHL club, but cities like Atlanta, Phoenix, and at times Miami have not. Houston, like Kansas City, used to be on the shortlist of cities vying for an NHL team before we all learned how ludicrous it was to field another franchise south of the Mason-Dixon parallel, before the advent of your Seattles, Hamiltons, Winnipegs, and Torontos X 2. Who would be crazy/bold enough to buy a team from an ice-centric sport and plop them smack on the Gulf Coast. Houston, for lack of readily available research and a Gary Bettman interview, is not an NHL city. But for no reason of its own.<br />
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Like Kansas City, Houston doesn't fit the demographic. Who wants to move a team to this city, and why? How will an NHL team turn a profit in these cities? KC and Houston share these questions, as the hockey universe uses both as their troll jumping off point in regards to another American franchise. With thought out quips about the lack of hockey fans in the city, to imaginative yarns of games played before uninhabited arenas, and the lack of understanding or knowledge among the locals of the scientific properties of frozen liquid, it should be easy to see why the NHL would, and should, never consider these cities for hockey, let alone life itself. A plot so tired and passé that it takes everything in your power not to point out that the entire province of Manitoba has less inhabitants than the urban statistical area of Kansas City and that there is a good chance there are still more hockey fans in Omaha, Des Moines, Mid-Missouri, Wichita, Topeka and the entire Kansas City region combined (i.e. colloquially known as the "Chiefs Kingdom" supporting another single franchise*) than total Manitobans, for arguing with a fool makes one a fool themselves.<br />
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We share this pain, because it's easy to point out the flaws. I <a href="http://lostcityofbettman.blogspot.com/2012/05/puck-reviews-blue-line-sports-bar.html" target="_blank">do it</a> <a href="http://lostcityofbettman.blogspot.com/2012/07/cohesive-hockey-interested-group-as.html" target="_blank">regularly</a>. No Gretzky didn't grow up in either of these cities. They don't play pond hockey in Houston, and if they play it here no one has told me. But there is historical significance of the sport to fans in both cities. Kansas City folks <a href="http://lostcityofbettman.blogspot.com/2012/05/there-are-no-minor-fans-in-minor.html" target="_blank">enjoy their hockey</a>, as the Mavs hope to break the tenuous presence of the sport in the city. Houston folks, obviously, enjoy their hockey. <a href="http://theahl.com/stats/schedule.php?view=attendance&season_id=40" target="_blank">See for yourself.</a> The Aeros rank near the top of the league in attendance, hovering around the 6,000 fan average per game mark, since 2006. Plus, the Aeros have given their fans twenty years of uninterrupted hockey, one Turner Cup, and one Calder Cup during that time. What's not to love?<br />
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Honestly, I have never met a Houston hockey fan personally, but like I said, there's a kinship between us tweener hockey cities. Houston had what Kansas City hockey fans want, and that's a consistent hockey presence in the city's sports landscape. The Outlaws didn't fill that void, mainly because no one knew they existed. And as much as I hate to admit it, the Blades struggled to do so, as well. But, the death of the Blades was like a slap in the face to those diehard hockey fans in KC. Ten years, down the drain. Just like the Scouts, just like Blues, just like all the rest. And now the Houston faithful feel, after twenty years of loyal patronage, some asshole is going to yank away a part of their identity. That's just business, baby. Twenty years is just the price of doing business in the modern sports landscape. Now the next step in the grieving process: uncertainty. What's next for Houston hockey fans?<br />
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I wanted to get whimsical and liken the loss of the Aeros to the loss of a grandparent or older acquaintance, someone you knew, and now they are gone, and that part of your family legacy goes away with it. Or something. But that's not really the point. Personally, for me, the Aeros are one of the few reminders of the existence of the Blades. Without the Blades, hockey probably is not a part of my life, or many younger generations of Kansas Citians. The Aeros, the Fort Wayne Komets, the Chicago Wolves, and the Milwaukee Admirals are all a reminders of the past hope of hockey in Kansas City. The Grand Rapids Griffins are also a reminder of that, though we won't talk about their terrible existence for <a href="http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/1998-12-15/sports/9812150042_1_dan-devos-kansas-city-blades-ioc-executive-committee" target="_blank">obvious reasons.</a> The Aeros bring back good memories, of simpler times, of the Cleveland LumberJacks and Phoenix Roadrunners, and how obtuse the shootout seemed way before the NHL ever thought about implementing it. Houston fans don't deserve what's going to happen to their team anymore than we did when the Blades went away.<br />
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On a side note, seriously, how great is that logo? <a href="http://www.sportslogos.net/logos/list_by_team/503/Houston_Aeros/" target="_blank">The Aeros didn't change it</a> except for a brief time during their transition to the AHL, but changed it back to the original mostly because the new one was dumb and unoriginal. Great logos are hard to find today, especially some that have a touch of history to them. Some that stick with a franchise forever. The winged-wheel. The Blackhawk head. Chief Wahoo. The Chiefs Arrowhead.<br />
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I know people in Iowa excited about this impending new team. Good for them. They deserve it – the whole city – because they want it. Their <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iowa_Chops" target="_blank">old team</a> got taken away, and now they got a new one. Sunrise, sunset. Though, the new team won't be called the Des Moines Aeros. In fact, if it's called the Des Moines/Iowa Wild, I'm never setting foot in the state of Iowa again just based on their lack of creativity alone. <br />
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But don't you worry, the Aeros will return in some form or fashion, though hopefully it doesn't take fifteen years <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Houston_Aeros_(WHA)" target="_blank">like it did the last time</a>. Heck, a new Aeros could even join the CHL, much like the new incarnation of the Quad City Mallards, and former IHL and CHL squad the Fort Wayne Komets. If the Aeros do come to the CHL and the Mavs have another <a href="http://lostcityofbettman.blogspot.com/2011/12/this-brings-back-memories.html" target="_blank">retro Blades jersey night</a> while they are in town, I'll feel like a kid, you guys, falling in love with hockey all over again. (<i>heavy, wistful sigh)</i><br />
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Until then, here's a video of the Blades' <a href="http://www.hockeyfights.com/players/4167/fightcard/reg1992" target="_blank">Kevin Evans</a> and the Aeros Steve Jaques dropping the gloves from the old IHL days.<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/siQB5kTj7BM" width="420"></iframe>
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Courtesy of the Department of Redundancy department. <br />
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*Yes, I understand the difference between the NHL and NFL. Merely demonstrating a point.Flubber McGeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16667659463402618367noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4068327392150378852.post-90690787412203009202013-02-18T00:18:00.002-06:002013-02-18T15:38:11.610-06:00A Dream: Riding the Bus of Disappointment<div>
What follows after the jump chronicles a dream I had the other day. Well, dream is such a loose term. Let's just call it a night terror. It may not entertain you, but, well, let's just say the brain is an amazingly ambiguous organ.</div>
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<b>Flubber McGee:</b> (gets on a bus) Hello, bus driver person. I don't remember where I'm going, but drive around and I'll figure it out.</div>
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<b>Bus Driver:</b> Alright.</div>
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(Flubber sits down in the empty bus. A hurried man runs up to the bus as it begins to pull away. The driver stops, and lets the man onboard. He sits next to Flubber).</div>
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<b>Flubber:</b> (nods head upright acknowledging the man's presence) Hey.</div>
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<b>Man:</b> (breathing deeply) Hi, how's it going.</div>
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<b>Flubber:</b> (turning away towards the window, disinterested) Pretty good.</div>
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<b>Man:</b> Say, I hate to prod, but you aren't in the real estate business, are you? Oh, my name's Jerry, by the way.</div>
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(Jerry extends his arm towards Flubber. Flubber hesitates to shake the man's hand, but does so anyway).</div>
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<b>Flubber:</b> Nice to meet you, Jerry, and no, I'm not in the real estate business.</div>
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<b>Jerry: </b> Oh, that's too bad. Ya see, I'm looking to offload a couple of properties, and hoped someone might be interested. As of right now I can't seem to find anyone.</div>
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<b>Flubber: </b> Yeah, I don't really make money, so, I'm not really the best person to talk to...</div>
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(Jerry interrupts, as tears begin to roll down his face)</div>
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<b>Jerry:</b> See, I'm in way over my head. I hate these properties. I want them gone. Can't you help me? Why won't you help me? Why will no one just let me get rid of this burden?</div>
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<b>Flubber:</b> Dude...stop crying.</div>
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<b>Jerry:</b> YOU DON'T WANT THESE PROBLEMS!!!</div>
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(Jerry runs to the front of the moving bus and out of the retractable doors, rolling away. Flubber catches a glimpse of Jerry as he rolls by, but he quickly disappears. A few blocks go by before the bus stops, this time picking up a man in a long brown trench coat. He walks up to Flubber).</div>
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<b>Man 2: </b>Pardon me, but, um, is your name Jerry?</div>
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<b>Flubber:</b> Uh, no, actually. No, why do you ask?</div>
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<b>Man 2:</b> Oh, I was supposed to meet a man named Jerry on this bus around this time.</div>
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<b>Flubber:</b> Well, to tell you the truth, there was a guy named Jerry here a moment ago. He mentioned something about real estate...</div>
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<b>Man 2:</b> That sounds like him, all right. Where did he go, do you know?</div>
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<b>Flubber:</b> Um, yeah. He, uh, well, umm...</div>
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<b>Man 2:</b> Oh, I suppose it doesn't matter anyway. I guess he didn't want to meet after all. Another missed opportunity for ol' Jimmy. Oh well.</div>
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<b>Flubber:</b> Yeah, you're probably right. Kind of a weird place to do business, huh?</div>
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<b>Jim (apparently):</b> What, on the bus. Oh yes, not the norm in my line of work. But this Jerry wanted to keep things private for some reason.</div>
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<b>Flubber:</b> What do you do, if I don't mind asking?</div>
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<b>Jim:</b> I've been in the States often, recently in Pittsburgh and Nashville working on some projects that fell through. My line of work can be frustrating at times.</div>
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(Jim stares blankly at his wrist watch).</div>
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Well, I suppose I should be going.</div>
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(Jim gets to the front of the bus and mumbles something incoherent to the bus driver. The bus slows to a stop, and Jim exits. At this time Flubber falls asleep for an unknown period of time. A strong feeling of being watched stirs Flubber from the nap).</div>
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<b>Flubber:</b> (groans) uhhhh, wha...?</div>
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(A older gentlemen with graying hair and glasses stares back at Flubber, smiling from ear to ear).</div>
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<b>Man 3:</b> HELLO MY NAME IS GREG AND I WANT TO TELL YOU ABOUT AN AMAZING OFFER YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO RESIST!</div>
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<b>Flubber:</b> Why?</div>
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<b>Greg:</b> LOOK HERE, SON, HAVE I GOT A GREAT INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITY JUST FOR YOU! FOR ONLY THE LOW LOW PRICE OF A COUPLE THOUSAND DOLLARS PER YEAR, YOU COULD BE THE PART OWNER OF YOUR VERY OWN COMPANY! HERE'S HOW...!</div>
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<b>Flubber:</b> Why are you shouting?</div>
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<b>Greg:</b> FIRST, JUST GIVE ME ABOUT ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS, RIGHT NOW!</div>
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<b>Flubber:</b> Are you robbing me?</div>
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<b>Greg:</b> ROBBING YOU!? WHY NO, FAR FROM IT! IF ANYTHING, YOU ARE ROBBING ME! THIS IS SUCH A GREAT OPPORTUNITY, I AM CRAZY FOR OFFERING IT...AND YOU WOULD BE CRAZY TO RESIST IT!</div>
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<b>Flubber:</b> Is this a joke? Am I being punked, or pranked, or stooged or something stupid?</div>
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<b>Greg:</b> ALL THAT IS HAPPENING HERE IS A ONCE IN A LIFETIME CHANGE TO ACHIEVE GREATNESS! I ALREADY HAVE A FEW EUROPEAN GENTLEMEN HIGHLY INTERESTED IN WHAT I'M OFFERING HERE TODAY! BUT I'M OFFERING YOU TWICE AS MUCH AS I'M OFFERING THEM FOR HALF THE PRICE! MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION AND BECOME A SUCCESS TO YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS!</div>
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<b>Flubber:</b> No, go away.</div>
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<b>Greg:</b> YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU ARE MISSING OUT ON...!</div>
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<b>Flubber:</b> Dude, go away.</div>
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<b>Greg:</b> NOOOO! DON'T DO THIS TO ME! YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU ARRRREEE MISSSSSSINNNNNGGG OOOUUUUUTTTTTTT ONNNNNNNNNNNN....</div>
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(Greg dissolves into a fine mist, which twirls in the air and exits the bus through an open window. The bus stops once again, picking up another man who finds his way to the seat right next to Flubber).</div>
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<b>Man 4:</b> (turning towards Flubber) Hi, my name is Gary Bettman.</div>
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<b>Flubber:</b> Shit.</div>
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* * * FIN * * *</div>
Flubber McGeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16667659463402618367noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4068327392150378852.post-8509678891637335022013-01-27T15:43:00.001-06:002013-01-28T11:37:23.156-06:00Roster Cut: Inside Deano's Office During the Kevin Westgarth Trade<br />
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What follows is a new feature called "Roster Cut" which will feature some of my Los Angeles Kings-centric articles that did not make the cut on Jewels From the Crown because they really had nothing to do with anything. Basically, they were just fun to create, and I'd like to post them, and there is a lack of KC hockey news. So yeah. But, be aware of some fun stuff coming to LCOB in the near future. It's a surprise, so just be patient and deal with it.</div>
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This first post places us inside Kings GM Dean Lombardi's office (he of <a href="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/sports_blog/2012/02/dean-lombardi-kings-nhl-hockey.html" target="_blank">columbs</a> and <a href="http://www.aolnews.com/2011/01/21/kings-gm-dean-lombardi-fined-50k-for-questioning-integrity-of/" target="_blank">truth seeking</a>) as he tells seldom used enforcer Kevin Westgarth he will no longer be with the team.</div>
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Kevin Westgarth, for obvious <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZR7rsUHJRM" target="_blank">blood</a> and <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_c4_99m_L5E" target="_blank">violence</a> reasons, was one of my favorite Kings ever since I saw him in an exhibition game a few years ago. That said, it is bittersweet to see him go. We, as Kings fans, know there is no reason to have him on this team anymore. But, <strike>as like many of you</strike>, I sat in stunned silence watching the Los Angeles Kings players flood the Staples Center ice after having won the franchise's first Stanley Cup trophy...until Westgarth came into frame.</div>
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Then I started busting out laughing – a deranged, confused laugh – because seriously, Kevin Westgarth – who is awesome, mind you – was a (small) part of a team that just won a championship in the highest level of hockey competition in the world. No longer could I respirate and be absolutely certain that I was still alive, because science had no basis in this new reality. And that's who Westgarth is in a nutshell: a guy that eliminates any belief in cognitive liberty. He's his own hyperreality, and many <strike>of us </strike> Kings fans will miss him in a Kings uniform.</div>
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That said, here's how Dean Lombardi probably broke the news to him <strike>on Sunday </strike> a couple Sundays ago. (IMPORTANT NOTE: If Westgarth ever stumbles upon this article, I'm so sorry please don't kill me I'm drunk)</div>
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<div style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 1em;">
<i>(Kevin Westgarth enters Dean Lombardi's office)</i></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 1em;">
Deano: Glad you could make it Kevin. Have a seat.</div>
<div style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 1em;">
Westy: Howdy, Mr. Lombardi! Did you see me in those interviews?! Me and Donny really stuck it too ol' Gary...</div>
<div style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 1em;">
Deano: Yeah, that's great...hey, you've been traded to Carolina.</div>
<div style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 1em;">
Westy: ...he didn't know what hit h---....wait WHAT?!</div>
<div style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 1em;">
Deano: Yeah dude. You have to go.</div>
<div style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 1em;">
Westy: But what about everything I did for the players' association? To end the lockout? I'm a hero. I'm a true patriot, or the Canadian equivalent. You can't trade me.</div>
<div style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 1em;">
Deano: Hey that's super, but Phil Anschutz still signs my checks. Sooo, yeah... Plus, can you believe this haul? Some guy that's just as big as you with, like, twenty times as many goals. And some draft picks. All in exchange for <i>you</i>! I mean, even Columbus wanted a draft pick for Jeff Carter, stupid babies.</div>
<div style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 1em;">
(Deano kicks feet up on desk, folds hands behind his head)</div>
<div style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 1em;">
Westy: But, but, I was there everyday in practice. I made this team better! I'm on the Cup. There are <a href="http://www.mcsorleys-stick.com/2012/09/loktionov-omission-is-unconscionable/" mce_href="http://www.mcsorleys-stick.com/2012/09/loktionov-omission-is-unconscionable/" style="color: rgb(200, 24, 29) !important; text-decoration: none !important;" target="_blank">guys on the team now</a> that can't even say that!</div>
<div style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 1em;">
Deano: But dude, two draft picks. For you. And a former first round pick. For <i>you</i>. Can you believe that?</div>
<div style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 1em;">
Westy: I can't believe you would just trade me like that. After all I did for you. I went to Princeton, dammit! I'm married to Bill Cowher's daughter! Look at my sideburns!!!</div>
<div style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 1em;">
Deano: Well, I thought you would be happy for me. I'm a freakin' genius, after all.</div>
<div style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 1em;">
<i>(Deano swirls a forty year old Cabernet Sauvignon around inside a crystal decanter, then pours it into a tin flask and places it in his suit pocket)</i></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 1em;">
<i></i></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 1em;">
<i>(Westy's nose begins to <a href="http://cdn.25stanley.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/kevin-westgarth-blood.jpg" target="_blank">bleed, a lot</a>)</i></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 1em;">
Deano: Alas, though, I must say good day to you, sir. For I must see a man about horse.</div>
<div style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 1em;">
<i>(Deano picks up the latest copy of Guns & Ammo off of his desk, and enters his private washroom)</i></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 1em;">
<i></i></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 1em;">
<i>(Westy sits in Deano's office for five minutes, then leaves and never returns)</i></div>
Flubber McGeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16667659463402618367noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4068327392150378852.post-33125789878732964162013-01-06T22:03:00.000-06:002013-01-06T22:03:13.170-06:00A Lockout Poem, by Flubber McGee-Neruda"Leaning Into the Crack of Dawn"<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;">Leaning into the butt crack of dawn I cast my sad nets</span><br style="background-color: white; border: none; display: block; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 4px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;">towards your oceanic eyes.</span><br style="background-color: white; border: none; display: block; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 4px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;" /><br style="background-color: white; border: none; display: block; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 4px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;">There in the highest blaze my solitude lengthens and flames,</span><br style="background-color: white; border: none; display: block; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 4px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;">its arms turning like a drowning man's.</span><br style="background-color: white; border: none; display: block; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 4px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;" /><br style="background-color: white; border: none; display: block; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 4px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;">I send out red signals across your absent eyes</span><br style="background-color: white; border: none; display: block; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 4px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;">that move like the sea near a lighthouse.</span><br style="background-color: white; border: none; display: block; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 4px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;" /><br style="background-color: white; border: none; display: block; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 4px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;">You keep only darkness, my distant <a href="http://aol.sportingnews.com/nhl/story/2013-01-06/nhl-lockout-over-scot-beckenbaugh-mediator-schedule-gary-bettman-donald-fehr" target="_blank">Scot Beckenbaugh</a></span><br style="background-color: white; border: none; display: block; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 4px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;">from your regard sometimes the coast of dread emerges.</span><br style="background-color: white; border: none; display: block; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 4px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;" /><br style="background-color: white; border: none; display: block; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 4px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;">Leaning into the Sunday morning I fling my sad nets</span><br style="background-color: white; border: none; display: block; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 4px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;">to that sea that beats on your marine eyes.</span><br style="background-color: white; border: none; display: block; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 4px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;" /><br style="background-color: white; border: none; display: block; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 4px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;">The birds of night peck at the first stars</span><br style="background-color: white; border: none; display: block; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 4px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;">that flash like my soul when I love you.</span><br style="background-color: white; border: none; display: block; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 4px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;" /><br style="background-color: white; border: none; display: block; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 4px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;">The night gallops on its shadowy mare</span><br style="background-color: white; border: none; display: block; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 4px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;">shedding blue tassels over the land.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;">Gary Bettman is a dick isn't he</span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px;">I bet you called him a dick to his face.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px;">I love you Scot Beckenbaugh. Thanks.</span></span></div>
Flubber McGeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16667659463402618367noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4068327392150378852.post-3643280630755634222013-01-04T13:41:00.001-06:002013-01-04T13:41:15.341-06:00The Stanley Cup Goes to Some Weird PlacesFor some reason, I am on the media mailing list for KC ICE's Northland rink at Burlington Creek. Yay!(?) <br />
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Anyway, the Stanley Cup – or one of the twenty replicas – is coming to the rink this Saturday, January 5th if you would like to see it. Actually, it's coming to EnChamas restaurant, but, eh...close enough. So, go see it if you want to see it. It's worth the price of admission to see Anze Kopitar's name on there, let me tell you buddy. BONUS: For a small fee, you can get your picture with the Cup AND 1980 USA Gold Medalist and local guy Ken Morrow. Yay!(?) Here's the promo flyer.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU6dTBQfuTcLeQwzdzvDowhowBNhtaR2WnPc4c6iNGMoIdmKOLzGkrv0Iltt3asjFmgZnqste_wfe42SmbfGL1NWSHebPo5qT-tsqDwLs8_FNNfM7dAAqHQeW84N1X_BAYYn_TyODSKJvL/s1600/The+Cup+Invitation_3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="347" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU6dTBQfuTcLeQwzdzvDowhowBNhtaR2WnPc4c6iNGMoIdmKOLzGkrv0Iltt3asjFmgZnqste_wfe42SmbfGL1NWSHebPo5qT-tsqDwLs8_FNNfM7dAAqHQeW84N1X_BAYYn_TyODSKJvL/s400/The+Cup+Invitation_3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
So, yeah, there's that. It made me wonder what other random people charged you to take pictures with the Cup at random locations.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoGdWC7rmm81jdcObJJJh6_0jAoOVx9Zd25qO9TJkwFNUvX3B1apcs2fMYBaM3aOKH4-RbuFRUJkK7d32d8Xlaja-3huCzSlbS-4uqIzv6PzMKb48DwO_jH0_1sCuYNp8WXfDpd2oDCyKI/s1600/449093223_b01729dc7a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoGdWC7rmm81jdcObJJJh6_0jAoOVx9Zd25qO9TJkwFNUvX3B1apcs2fMYBaM3aOKH4-RbuFRUJkK7d32d8Xlaja-3huCzSlbS-4uqIzv6PzMKb48DwO_jH0_1sCuYNp8WXfDpd2oDCyKI/s400/449093223_b01729dc7a.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Paul Bissonnette – aka BizNasty, and he of the <a href="http://withleather.uproxx.com/2013/01/paul-bissonnettes-yoga-instructor-seems-nice" target="_blank">best yoga instructor</a> in this world or any other – at Casa Bonita. Because what else do you think he does for his birthday?</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUn-0Dy2m3o4-tloVDceQYRHsV5q0AFLzyKluRoVMny_mD_IrnMp6lvhKsXg-LgQ_lP6gyEzwjCSnT2ajUQ6ioRoN7r4vL6nL65mcA_mOu3binPOhpwNeIqiwjjfsw4IWJgUD9yQQ9yxuw/s1600/BeefOBradys2_LRG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUn-0Dy2m3o4-tloVDceQYRHsV5q0AFLzyKluRoVMny_mD_IrnMp6lvhKsXg-LgQ_lP6gyEzwjCSnT2ajUQ6ioRoN7r4vL6nL65mcA_mOu3binPOhpwNeIqiwjjfsw4IWJgUD9yQQ9yxuw/s400/BeefOBradys2_LRG.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Sean Avery at Beef O'Brady's. Can you imagine sitting next to the Stanley Cup, and talking to Sean Avery over an OMG Burger? I can.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGaM1y_pG5saSzrnCiGnNrPoNp-HLytOM9lb8uhh8HHD5RNMlQ4lN2EwnVk37gwx7rDXcRddcQcMap4XBCV7VR95m7ztZfoKDrwUfU8y8VBlQDjRBDLCHonOArfoXb9QJhm9j3BtY0z0ws/s1600/2998-store2-chipotle-franchise.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGaM1y_pG5saSzrnCiGnNrPoNp-HLytOM9lb8uhh8HHD5RNMlQ4lN2EwnVk37gwx7rDXcRddcQcMap4XBCV7VR95m7ztZfoKDrwUfU8y8VBlQDjRBDLCHonOArfoXb9QJhm9j3BtY0z0ws/s400/2998-store2-chipotle-franchise.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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The ghost of Lord Stanley of Preston – namesake of the Cup – at a Chipotle in Arizona. Because seriously, like the Stanley Cup would be caught dead in Arizona.</div>
Flubber McGeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16667659463402618367noreply@blogger.com0