Mid-summer Inside The Zone

I hear you, Burgee. Each day I'm thankful I have 20/20 vision.

i've hit that age where i have to take my glasses off to read the paper and my 8 year old called me old man the other day.

Mightbite has said elsewhere that it is contractual issues with Woods. I believe his words were that one wants a two year deal, the other wants a one year deal. I know the CHL has been mentioned as well, so I'm just wondering if a team there has offered him a two year deal, and he is trying to use that as leverage. That is purely my own conjecture though.

As for Flint, at this point, I feel like Gene Hackman in the movie "Hoosiers": "I don't care if you play or not." But Hit... You know if you're right, Blake would never hear the end of it. LOL. I doubt he would set himself up for that kind of a fall. He must have rock solid evidence to the contrary -- more than just what people have told him.

Blake's contacts are impecable! I would take his word over the intire Flint newspaper and all the bloggers from Flint. Most of them are very bitter and have all kinds of axes to grind. The fact is when they (the Flint Paper) got rid of Savage they lost ALL credibility even with the Flint hockey fans. The other thing I know for sure (there are only two) is the only player Kazoo has in the fold (I think) is gutless Paul Picard. He may have to dress. Now wouldn't that be fun to watch?

Any ideas on Boucher anyone? I'll feel more confident once the K's have him locked down for certain.

Wendy is right on about Woods/

I don't know if it is right or not at this point, things are going back and forth non-stop. There are a couple of people close to the situation in Flint that say that this thing has been told to them, that it is not looking good for this year. There might be way too many things to overcome to get this thing going for this year. I know the Frankes thought it would be a go this season with a new ownership group, it might be possible that 2 weeks ago even 2 months ago things looked fine, but maybe there are things that have hampered this thing. I wonder if anyone is talking in the IHL or out by the Coliseum about this.

My bet is that the pending lawsuits toward The Perani Group and the bankruptcy process, that this might be too steap a hill to climb.

My hope is that we somehow get a stronger Flint in the IHL....a team that the fans there support and a team that supports that community. It just seems, well more than seems I guess, that the Generals didn't have a good plan the last couple of years...ie the Thursday night games.....and they had owners in place that dropped the ball and ran and the fingers started pointing in the way of Bob Perani, whether he is totally to blame, I don't know for sure, but when your name is on the team ownership group and the arena there, you better make sure you surround yourself with people you can trust and go to battle with.

I know alot of you just look at Flint as "Who Care"...."Chill out"....."I'm working on my tan"...."The Komets will always be there".....whatever your cry might be....this is an issue in the current state of the IHL. If Flint doesn't answer the bell this season...then this league is right back where they started last season with 6 teams. 2 new ones that just failed in their markets in other leagues. I know they have new owners and one building change in Dayton, but this thing would feel alot more comfortable if there was a built in cushion of an extra team or 2 this season, 7 or 8 would be an accomplishment and would give this league a shot in the arm and a little wiggle room.

I guess speaking on that matter of 7 or 8 and cushion....if Flint is not that strong of a situation, how much of a cushion might they really be?

Flint needs the following to survive this season: Fans, Season Ticket Sales, Group Sales, Walk-up Sales, Advertising Sales, Marketing, a GM, A Coach, TV Coverage, Newspaper/Internet Coverage, Radio Deal, Front Office Staff, Game-Day Staff, Equipment Deals, Players.....and lots more than that I am sure.

Is it possible to pull this off in a short time frame and do it right?

I would love to know what Blake is thinking about Flint....I know it is hard to give opinions in your position always....but doesn't this thing look like a total mess and is there any point to beating your head agaisnt the wall to save the Generals this season in a short amount of time when you know the economy there is bad and the fans are not the most happy group there.

Wouldn't it make more sense to just work this next full year to fix things there and do it right rather than force it to perhaps fail again?

I am an IHL guy through thick and thin and continue to blow their trumpet loudly, I just don't see the point in Flint this year at this point in the game....

I was looking at their website earlier today, and although it is way outdated, did any of you see their early bird season ticket sale prices? It was only $228 for any seat in the house!!

There are fans that have paid that all ready before the season ended, and they fear they have lost their money.

I've told you what I think again and again. I heard again today for the umpteenth time (yes, that's an official term) the Generals will play. Now let me finish my women's golf story. LOL.

RunningKomet-Flint is not taking any money for season tickets. Hit Somebody!!! - I have reason to believe Flint will be in the IHL "this season". That is not to say I couldn't be wrong. Legal eagles take time to work their crap. I really think the "New Owners" want to start with a CLEAN slate. People have been trying to buy the building for several years. I feel that is the deal braker for them. If they own the building they can do so much more. Think about that. The reason Kazoo could make money was the fact they owned the building. I really hate to use them in anything positive but oh well!. The team lost money every year (on paper) the building made money. Owners can right the losses off for tax purposes as long as they have some other way to pay the bills. The deal that brought the Komets back to the Coliseum was a sweet heart deal in the rent payments. I think (what do I know) that Dayton got a "sweet heart" deal in rent payments in Dayton. That is really the only way minor league teams can afford to play. The hang up in QC was the building. Just how much were the managers willing to give to get primary tennet. Make money on the parking, concessions and other things you can bring into the building. It works everywhere it is tried. Including the Memorial Coliseum. The best example I can give everyone is the MC gave the IHSAA girls semi-state the building rent free. It works!
Beside we just made 100 "HITS" for Blake's Blog. He gets another Milkyway.

I wasn't referring to the fact that they were selling tickets, I was referring to how cheap they were!

next!!!!!!!!!

I really am working on my tan, I have one white strip I just can't get to tan, I think it has something to do with the 12 oz weights I lift while tanning.

150 posts and Blake gets to ride with ICY, helmet and all.

It's easy to believe that the Komets get a good deal on rent as the Coliseum sure does make some good money on the concession sales and parking fees over the season.

Oh yeah - can't wait to see Blake bouncing around on the back of that 4 wheeler all across the Coliseum ice!!! Hope it has a big engine in it.

I think they'd have to upgrade from the Scrambler they use to a full utility ATV. I just hope Blake isn't one of those kids who cries the whole time, forcing Icy to putz across the ice...

They seemed pretty confident about Boucher returning (much to my surprise), so I guess it's just a matter of time. I haven't bothered to think about it much, to be honest.

And I do care about Flint and the other teams in the IHL. It's just gotten to the point that I'm fed up with the drama. Blake, you say the new owner is "top notch" and has a "proven track record of success". So would I be correct in assuming that that can't be anyone associated with the franchise currently? That better be the case, because I don't want to hear about any of the current jokers ever being let near a team again.

I'd tip that sucker back and make Icy do a wheelie. Wendy, I said the General Manager is top-notch.

Blake- I would pay money to see that! I just have a hard time figuring out why people doubt you. It is not that you have never been wrong, you have. One time, I think. It is you have been correct on info you have given us so many times that makes it so confusing. Your word is good enough for me and should be for all of your bloggers.

Blake is outstanding in his field, full of integrity.

The GM, eh? You said "the person running the show", so I just assumed that would ultimately be the owner, since they control the purse strings. So what you are saying is that the cuckoos are still in the roost? As they say in Star Wars, "I have a bad feeling about this." So, out of morbid curiosity, when is this press conference they are supposed to have?

Wendy- How does that song go? "Any Day Now" or "I have heard this all before" Maybe "Once in a Blue Moon" I think I will wait until they actually have the news conference and so should you! I appreciate and share you concern but it is what it is. As Uncle Walter would say "And that's the way it is" Good night!

I just find it kind of funny that I keep hearing they've announced they are going to have a news conference this week, yet no one apparently knows when it is. Typical. LOL.

Wendy-It is easy, THIS WEEK!!!! Whenever it occurs it will be this week. Not next week or last week but this week.

Good one. :) Thanks for the smile.

Check the league site the conference is 1130 am at the Perani Event center it was announced today,we will finally find out one way or the other if we are playing this season.

Well, Blake, time has told, and I'm not too proud to say it: You were right... You were right about Flint... Tell your sister... You were RIGHT... ;)

Oh Lord, Wendy just dropped a Star Wars line on us.........in a hockey blog.........