Nobody's talking officially or unofficially out of Muskegon, which kind of tells you something, doesn't it? It may be something, it may be nothing, but I would think if it was nothing someone would have said so by now.
Sorry, Alan, I was the one who got up on the wrong side of bed this morning. I should have just stayed there. I got upset because I HAVE been trying to track this down for more than a week with no luck. Believe me, lots of people are sick of getting voicemails from me. I can't print rumors or make statements without attribution. I think that you guys know me well enough to understand I try desperately hard to get things on the record, (as with Luke Stauffacher recently), but it's just not happening this time.
There are a ton of rumors going on right now, but it's like I told you guys two weeks ago, it's everybody in minor league hockey, not just the IHL, because it's the economy, stupid. I don't think anyone has any answers.
I think this summer everyone will look around, see who's still standing and then make a league out of that or maybe play inter-league schedules or form new leagues. Anything is possible at this point because no one knows the right answer. I think the economy in Michigan in particular, is holding the IHL hostage.
I don't think just jumping to the ECHL is the exact answer because I know that league is having some of the same problems. I don't think just going to the AHL is the answer because ditto and the ticket prices would have to go up. How does it make sense to go to a league with increased expenses right now? I think geography has to be a part of it, probably the main part. Maybe the most definititve statement I can make is I don't think there are enough cities out there that can support hockey in its current format, but maybe it all has to crash before it can be rebuilt.
Maybe the whole key right now is surviving until the dust settles and seeing who there is still to work with. This really reminds me of the Komets after International Harvester left in 1982. Sometimes you just have to hang on.
Comments
Does anybody know if the league took any action at all against either Bloomington or Flint after their last two games? I suspected suspensions and fines after the first game and the notorious line brawl but I saw no disciplinary action. Then Flint hires goons for just one game to retaliate the next game. Now the two teams are trash talking again. If nothing else these continuing shenanigans alone will kill the league, or keep legitimate talent from playing in it.
Blake- What is your opinion on the Comissioner's role in all of this? He talked about getting stability in the league but hasn't seemed to say much on it lately. He also talked about his dislike for "staged" fighting in the league, but yet allowed Flint to sign 3 goons for one game only to be released the next day. How much more "staged" could that be? To me, it seems he has been somewhat invisible as the leader of the I. With the shaky ground the IHL is on, it seems like we should be hearing more out of him than we have. Just wondering how you feel about it and what your experience is getting information from him or his office regarding some of these stories/rumors. Thanks Blake. Keep up the good work.
He's been pretty good at getting back to me BAM, but this week he's out of pocket. He was in Vegas and then traveling back. I hope to talk to him this weekend, but there may not be much he can say. I did talk to someone from Muskegon today, and they are just saying there's nothing to report at this time and declined to answer any questions.
Not at all, Alan. When it comes to defending people, my new motto is "I used to care, but it went away."
I think we can all agree that minor league has many problems..all the leagues! I remember Mike Franke saying two years ago that teams were going to implode in all the leagues and we are seeing this happen now. After the weak sisters drop then the pieces will be picked up and then assemble a new geographic common sense approach. This thing with Musk Jacks is just ONE of the problems in the I. The other leagues will lose some teams also. The AHL isnt immune from problems either. A total rebuilding of minor league hockey in my opinion is on the horizon. The economy is the reason. Just ask the 10 percent of people trying to find work to support their families if they are more concerned about which league they play in is important or if they are going to have a house or food on the table!!! The Komets are one of it not the best franchises around and they will be somewhere and we will enjoy it whatever the outcome. The Frankes are good leaders and we will survive!! IHL AHL ECHL whatever it may be. The silence is from not knowing what the heck is going on and cant make statements until the information input they need is in to them. Hold on fans as we will be seeing a huge change in all of minor league hockey........soon!!
P.S How about the MHL? Midwest Hockey League.
Isn't that what the IHL is now? I have no reason to think that Kalamazoo, Toledo, or even Cincinnati would leave the ECHL. I do agree that if a couple of ECHL teams had to go dark, that the entire league would have problems putting 4 team divisions together. Anything less than four teams would be a joke and if they had to re-shuffle their existing divisions to go to five or six teams the traveling would be horrendous. Common sense would dictate that the IHL and certain ECHL teams being in the same league would be beneficial to the teams involved. This is hockey, however, and common sense seems to have no place in it.
Agreed Alan!! Maybe just maybe the time has come to use that common sense or see the total destruction of minor league hockey. Common sense is a good thing and our politics would be better served by it......but when the heck will that happen??? LOL
And from the ashes arose the PHOENIX!!!!!!
Not the Phoenix Roadrunners.
Woo-hoo!!!!! Go 'Yotes!!!!! :D
Blogfoul BAM24, brown nosing! Sit in box with cast on and feel shame.