"I have felt from the very beginning that ever since we told Paul we were not going to extend his contract, I think he was extremely disappointed," Franke said. "We told him we felt he had done a good job up to that point. I hope that his disapointment is not carrying over into this decision, and the reason I say that is because the Kalamazoo Wings' fans deserve the IHL. This is the league that has all of the teams in it in the georgraphic footprint that Kalamazoo lies in. Kalamazoo is in the center of it, and I feel bad for those fans because they supported this team very well."
I thought the original release on Pickard said he decided not to return to the league. And alot of us heard word like last December that he wasn't planning on coming back as Commish. They must have been fighting over the leagues direction for sometime. I wonder how bad Pickard has been for the league afterall?
Hit Somebody!!!
Mon, 06/01/2009 - 10:33pm
"The International Hockey League (IHL) announced Friday that Paul L. Pickard, IHL President/CEO, will leave his post with the IHL following the expiration of his two-year term as League Commissioner. He advised the IHL Board of Governors that he would not be seeking an extension of his current contract to return to the Kalamazoo Wings as team President, the position he held prior to becoming the IHL
Wendy
Mon, 06/01/2009 - 11:36pm
That does make sense. In situations of this sort, the person is almost always permitted to make it look like they are merely stepping aside rather than being let go to save face. If this was a situation in which they just wanted a change and had no real problem with Pickard, than it is unfortunate indeed. That being said, the guy does look like your typical weasel/game show host/used car salesman. Good riddance. If the league can manage the 6 teams without 'em, I'll be right as rain with it.
Dschebig
Tue, 06/02/2009 - 3:44am
I had great respect for Paul Picard. Not anymore! He is one snake in the grass. I am sure there is more to this than we are being let in on. Something just does not smell right. I can not figure it out. Maybe it is better if I don't. There is for sure a skunk in the woodpile for sure. As our worthless congressman would say "What did he know and when did he know it", Lets hold hearings. That would be a good way to waste some money. We still have the "Best" owners and I am not ready to cut and run. After all it is only June 2nd. Keep the faith Komet fans. "IIIPeat" is still on the table. Ain't life in the world of minor league hockey great?
Burgee
Tue, 06/02/2009 - 5:18am
Someone in kzoo must have very very deep pockets or is getting some government jack or they are going to juniors or that league langdon was commissioner of.
AHL ECHL just doesn't make financial sense, especially the statement to keep it affordable.
Maybe someone is buying the assets of the team.
Be interesting to see how this shakes out, good luck to kzoo, but C ya.
Scarecrow
Tue, 06/02/2009 - 8:32am
Take a look at the story from the Kalamazoo newspaper at http://www.mlive.com/kwings/index.ssf/2009/06/kwings_leave_ihl_search_for_ne.html . I don't expect this issue to have a happy ending for any of the parties involved.
Primis
Tue, 06/02/2009 - 2:03pm
Hit -
You caught it too eh?
All this time the story was that Pickard chose not to renew his contract. Now suddenly Franke is saying that the league told him they would not renew?
Dschebig -
Open your eyes here. The only one who is giving two or three different stories at the same time is the Frankes. They seem to change tunes every single day. The Frankes were the ones that handled the announcement of Pickard's departure. Now that this comes up they change their story. The proof is right there in Hit's post.
Fort Wayne, I think you might have a scammer for an owner. Be very afraid...
Hit Somebody!!!
Tue, 06/02/2009 - 2:08pm
I actually think Pickard is to be blamed here....he is selling K-Wing fans off here. This is not what is best for K-Zoo, this is his personal feud.
Primis
Tue, 06/02/2009 - 2:37pm
Hit -
I actually think this is a lot of things, one of which is that the "fast-tracking of Dayton for Franke's buddies from Fort Wayne who appear to have no qualifications to own or run an IHL franchise" thing may have been the last straw. Who else gets to release a statement about putting a team in Indy (remember the letter Blake got?), and then like a month later gets a fast-tracked team in a different city and state anyways? Sounds like Franke's buddies got preferrential treatment... What kind of business and org is that, that does that?
There's no doubt more though. There's undoubtedly been a power struggle at the top, and bad blood between the franchises (I'm pretty sure everyone in the league has some bad blood towards the Frankes at this point).
Hit Somebody!!!
Tue, 06/02/2009 - 2:58pm
Couldn't the league have the same bad blood with Pickard? Sounds like Bloomington had a run in with him as did Chicago and the Sears Centre. We don't know all the stories obviously, but this looks like sour grapes no matter who is at fault.
Comments
"I have felt from the very beginning that ever since we told Paul we were not going to extend his contract, I think he was extremely disappointed," Franke said. "We told him we felt he had done a good job up to that point. I hope that his disapointment is not carrying over into this decision, and the reason I say that is because the Kalamazoo Wings' fans deserve the IHL. This is the league that has all of the teams in it in the georgraphic footprint that Kalamazoo lies in. Kalamazoo is in the center of it, and I feel bad for those fans because they supported this team very well."
I thought the original release on Pickard said he decided not to return to the league. And alot of us heard word like last December that he wasn't planning on coming back as Commish. They must have been fighting over the leagues direction for sometime. I wonder how bad Pickard has been for the league afterall?
"The International Hockey League (IHL) announced Friday that Paul L. Pickard, IHL President/CEO, will leave his post with the IHL following the expiration of his two-year term as League Commissioner. He advised the IHL Board of Governors that he would not be seeking an extension of his current contract to return to the Kalamazoo Wings as team President, the position he held prior to becoming the IHL
That does make sense. In situations of this sort, the person is almost always permitted to make it look like they are merely stepping aside rather than being let go to save face. If this was a situation in which they just wanted a change and had no real problem with Pickard, than it is unfortunate indeed. That being said, the guy does look like your typical weasel/game show host/used car salesman. Good riddance. If the league can manage the 6 teams without 'em, I'll be right as rain with it.
I had great respect for Paul Picard. Not anymore! He is one snake in the grass. I am sure there is more to this than we are being let in on. Something just does not smell right. I can not figure it out. Maybe it is better if I don't. There is for sure a skunk in the woodpile for sure. As our worthless congressman would say "What did he know and when did he know it", Lets hold hearings. That would be a good way to waste some money. We still have the "Best" owners and I am not ready to cut and run. After all it is only June 2nd. Keep the faith Komet fans. "IIIPeat" is still on the table. Ain't life in the world of minor league hockey great?
Someone in kzoo must have very very deep pockets or is getting some government jack or they are going to juniors or that league langdon was commissioner of.
AHL ECHL just doesn't make financial sense, especially the statement to keep it affordable.
Maybe someone is buying the assets of the team.
Be interesting to see how this shakes out, good luck to kzoo, but C ya.
Take a look at the story from the Kalamazoo newspaper at http://www.mlive.com/kwings/index.ssf/2009/06/kwings_leave_ihl_search_for_ne.html . I don't expect this issue to have a happy ending for any of the parties involved.
Hit -
You caught it too eh?
All this time the story was that Pickard chose not to renew his contract. Now suddenly Franke is saying that the league told him they would not renew?
Dschebig -
Open your eyes here. The only one who is giving two or three different stories at the same time is the Frankes. They seem to change tunes every single day. The Frankes were the ones that handled the announcement of Pickard's departure. Now that this comes up they change their story. The proof is right there in Hit's post.
Fort Wayne, I think you might have a scammer for an owner. Be very afraid...
I actually think Pickard is to be blamed here....he is selling K-Wing fans off here. This is not what is best for K-Zoo, this is his personal feud.
Hit -
I actually think this is a lot of things, one of which is that the "fast-tracking of Dayton for Franke's buddies from Fort Wayne who appear to have no qualifications to own or run an IHL franchise" thing may have been the last straw. Who else gets to release a statement about putting a team in Indy (remember the letter Blake got?), and then like a month later gets a fast-tracked team in a different city and state anyways? Sounds like Franke's buddies got preferrential treatment... What kind of business and org is that, that does that?
There's no doubt more though. There's undoubtedly been a power struggle at the top, and bad blood between the franchises (I'm pretty sure everyone in the league has some bad blood towards the Frankes at this point).
Couldn't the league have the same bad blood with Pickard? Sounds like Bloomington had a run in with him as did Chicago and the Sears Centre. We don't know all the stories obviously, but this looks like sour grapes no matter who is at fault.