The Memorial Coliseum filed a complaint in Allen Superior Court on Monday against Greater Kalamazoo Sports, Inc. The document claims the Kalamazoo Wings damaged equipment in the visitor's dressing room after a Dec. 21, 2008 game against the Komets. Coliseum official say fire damage to a showerhead, toilet seat, handicapped shower bench, walls and flooring in the room cost $9,450 to fix.
General Manager Randy Brown said coliseum officials have tried numerous times to be compensated by the Wings for the damage. The building eventually deducted the money from the Komets.
“Somebody did tremendous damage to the locker room,” Komets President Michael Franke said. “From our perspective, the coliseum has evidence it was done by the Kalamazoo Wings, and they are refusing to take responsibility for it. The Komets have taken responsibility for it. It happened on our guard at the game that night. It sounds like the coliseum is trying to get to the bottom of who actually did the damage.”
Officials from the Wings were unable to comment Monday evening, saying they had not seen the complaint yet.
The Wings won the game 2-1 on Dec. 21, before 6,497 fans as goaltender Joel Martin made 33 saves.
The brakes on the Wings' bus froze that day and coliseum officials allowed the team to park in the Exposition Hall and then helped transport the team's equipment to the dressing room.
Comments
This is the first battle of the WAR.
We get Stayzer, they take O'Connor......We file suit on damages.....what's next?
Correct me if I am wrong here, but couldn't the Komets simply ask either Blair Stayzer or Rod Aldoff about this issue and find out who did this? Sounds like that might have all ready happened and K-Zoo might be in trouble, and the player or players or personel involved are in trouble. Couldn't they file criminal charges as well?
Maybe the faucets were frozen too and the K-Wings were just trying to thaw them out with their torches?
I mean come on, how else does one repay a nice favor like allowing them to park their bus inside the Expo Center and carrying their equipment for them...K-Zoo was just saying thankyou....right? I am sure Pickard is Proud of his boys.
And....one last thought before I turn in....would this have made it to court if the K-Wings were still in the IHL and didn't pull ther crap they did this summer? I mean really?
You answer is yes this would have made it to court. If they do not except responsability for that damages than court is where you go. The teams settle it on the ice. Business men do it in court. Be it pizza rent or damages makes no difference. We are a country of laws.
i think what he was meaning was if they were still in the IHL would they not try to settle it behind the scenes.....
Um, so the K-wings are automatically guilty because Franke said so?
It is highly unlikely that the K-Wings did this...get over it people.
Man, FTW IS a bunch of cry babies!
i HATE those guys! Stayzer isn't going to spill the beans on his old team. That just violates the CODE of teammates, regardless if you're with them still or not. All you'll get out of him is "I just know it wasn't me."
++++me78 your right. I didn't look at it that way. Thanks!
Maybe someone can clue me in on this. Why is it the Komets responsibility for damages to a building they do not own and by players who do not play for them? Is this in their lease? I would think that the league would have to take the responsibilty for one of their members-not the home club. It seems to me that from now on a Coliseum official better inspect the locker room area before and immediately after each game. I'm a little confused by this.
One more thing. Boy, am I sick of lawsuits. Come on training camp, come on October 7th, and come on first home game of the regular season. What a "soap opera" this whole offseason has been. Lawsuits- IHL against Kalamazoo, Flint Generals against themselves, Mallards owners have suit filed against them, Dayton owners have suit filed against them, Memorial Coliseum against Kalamazoo Wings. Gee, it must be boring in Bloomington, Muskegon, and Port Huron.
From what Blake posted is sounds like Franke wanted it dropped but the Coliseum, not the Komets (Franke) are the ones pursuing it. So be careful who you blame here.
Exactly! Be careful who you blame.
I still do not see why people are mad about the K-Wings leaving the IHL. Is it because they are doing it to better themselves or that you are afraid that the Frankes will lose control and eventually have to play in a league where their opinion doesn't matter?
Wow....lay off the kool aid!
WOW: Maybe we're afraid our team will suck and we'll have to follow another team's blogs when our team isn't in that other team's league? Maybe we're afraid we won't have jobs and will have to sit and post on an out-of-town team's blog all day? Hahahaha! Get back to your WoW. Are you a goblin with a level 10 power sword??
Wow is probably pickard hiding behind a fake name that would be just like him to do something that foolish.
WoW--what planet do you live on? I could care less what Kazoo does. Even less what league they play in. I only wish they would honor their responsibilities. Live up to their word. Surely you know what that means. It is only the right thing to do if you break it you pay for it. I do not think your indecorousness here on this blog has endeared you very much. Go cry on Alaska's blog. See if they will love you when you play them. What, your not making the trip to support your team?
Dschebig: This is the most riled you've been on here for some time... I like it.
I am bored and need a real good hockey game to fix it. Besides RK who really wants to listen (read) his baloney. That's the clean word. If they had something as good as this "Trailing the Komets" blog in Kazoo he wouldn't be here. Blake treats us with the latest and greatest news as soon as it can be released. Kalamazoo gets a paper once or twice a week. Most of the fans I have had the honor of meeting and talking with in Kazoo are really not like WoW. They will miss the trips to the "jungle" just like we will miss the road trips to Kazoo. Some will make the trip to the armpit of the world "Toledo". I just don't see to many going to Alaska or anywhere else for that matter. We can pick or hammer each other all day. I love it. At the end of the day we respect each other and love our Komet Nation. WoW showed zero respect. I would tell him to his face where to go but not on this blog. Since I use my name he can always look me up at any home game he feels like making the trip to watch a really loved and supported hockey team.
Hmmmm... I can't say that I agree with the teammates thing. Sure you look the other way for a lot of things, but when it comes to something like this, you have to speak up. Your conscience would demand it. At least mine would. Sometimes you HAVE to do the right thing.
And why is it so highly unlikely that K-zoo did it? As I recall, the Coliseum knew that it was either K-zoo or Muskegon from the moment this story was first reported.
But man, I do remember that night. I was there, and I can believe that their brakes froze. It was bitter out there, that's for sure. That was right after the nasty ice storm that knocked out power all over the place, too. Not good.
Wendy, have you ever played on an organized professional sports team? From your response I'm thinking the answer to that one is no. You don't rat on your teammates, past or present. That's why when people like Conseco or someone else comes out, it's all over the headlines. You just don't do it.
Wendy--What goes on in Vegas stays in Vegas. Apply that to locker rooms, teamates or whatever. Like it or not there is honor among thieves. I am not saying it is good just that it is that way. The trust and respect for each other is what makes them "teamates."
I bet pickard did it, that was probably right around the time he knew they didn't want him back.
I guarantee that someone snitched on the K-Wings. Why not? This code you speak of is over-rated and it isn't always as fool-proof as you think. Maybe one of the ex-Wings had an axe to grind....we don't know this for sure, but it isn't that far-fetched. Bottomline, the Coliseum and I am sure the Komets feel that they have some proof that it was K-Zoo that did it, and they are moving forward.
If K-Zoo was still in "good standing" with the IHL...this would have never come up again. Since K-Zoo bolted the IHL and Pickard pulled his crap with the IHL, this issue is where it is at right now. I am sure this is just a start of issues to come. Whether we hear about them or not, we shall see.
There are a lot of people out there who are sounding like the Coliseum or the Komets should just eat the damage. I don't really get that. If someone tore up my stuff, I would be going after them too. I don't think I would've given them all these extra chances and time to pay it off quietly though. I guess if they know it was Kzoo and not the Ants opponents, then I'd go after them. I wouldn't think it'd be too hard to figure out who did something, simply by looking at the schedule and who was in there last before the damage was found.
Who thinks that?
gee, the place is cleaned nightly so im sure they know who did it and im sure they tried to take care of it behind the scene, so my guess is that since they left the ihl the wings probably stopped talking about it and now the colisieum is now taking the next step. oh and to mr. wow. believe me when we say we will miss the wings but also believe me when i say we dont need the wings to be successful. have a nice time in alaska!
RK and Dschebig: No, I've never played for a professional sports team, but I have been told by my male friends that I have a greater sense of "honor" than any other woman they have ever met. If my teammates were getting drunk and doing things of debatable consequence, then yes, absolutely, I'd keep my mouth shut. But we're talking about deliberately causing nearly $10,000 in damage after the stadium had been kind enough to allow us to park the bus inside and help transport our equipment. It's a question of integrity, pure and simple. You either do the right thing or you don't. I WOULD say something, teammates or not.
Just out of curiousity....which Professional teams have RK and DS played for? I will hang up and listen for my answer...thanks.
Hit-Would you settle for a Umpire (25 yrs) and a Professional Thief catcher 31 yrs. Not sports I know! I don't think playing professional sports is the big thing in this. I would be happy with honor and integrity. Those two words Paul Picard has no clue what they mean.