Local player signs in the OHL

Well that means that he can't play in the NCAA. Must think he can go pro from there?

Anonymous you are correct about his NCAA eligibility, by the 48 hour rule says after two days you are no longer eligable. By signing as a player with an OHL team his is a paid professional now and forever. However I do not believe he is emancipated in the state of Indiana so his parent or guardian would have to agree with, and sign the contract. To be honest take a look at the history of player who have been on or played for Team USA and in the NTDP, they all go pro. Some NTDP players go to collage and some don't very few ever go four years of collage if do go the NCAA rout. I got the feeling you were being a bit snide in your comment. Truth be told FTW should be very happy for Blake and hope he does well. How many other local athletes from FTW can say they represented their country in one of the two top international competitions. Blake was one of eight D men from all of the USA. So in short he is a professional now and is getting paid to play hockey and probably will be for a long time.  

Mark, no not trying to be snide just surprised. It's great a kid from here is good enough to play at level. It's usually the kids from Minnesota or Mchigan that are on the USA teams. I just believe that if you can get a class eduation let's say on a team like Harvard that won the National Championship why wouldn't you take it?

Anonymous, why some take the OHL over the NCAA is because the OHL has gives you a full collage package when you sign. Many of the players take classes while they are playing and finish when they are done if they don't go "pro". Once you sign a "pro" contract to play after the OHL you loose the rest of your collage package. What many players will look at is that they can make always finish school. With the chance to make tons of money while they can they will take it. Remember the average pro player after Jr. is done after three years. If you are a non NHL guy who is in the minors you might want to maximize your earning potential while you can. If you play over seas you can make way more money than being in the minors in North America. So every person has there own reasons. At the end of the day Canadian Jr is the fastest and best way for a player to see if they can do what they have worked there whole life to do make a living as hockey player. School is always there your opportunity's to get paid go away for most in a short time.

Interesting rumors floating around in regards to in game entertainment next season.... I'm feeling nostalgic...

I didn't really know what the ramifications of playing in the OHL were in regards to education.  The dialogue above certainly illustrates the need for education and proper planning.  Good things to aquire as one goes through life.

 I first saw Blake skate when he was ten . He had a stride then that reminded me of Corey Millen. Amazing stride for a kid that age.  Even if he was growing up in Flin Flon, it was noticable.  Back then we thought "that kid will go someplace" . So far he is.   

Ya they are bringing the organ in the old section and Larry is not gonna play as much music I have heard. I wish we went back to some of the old songs and and make the fans get in the game some more.lets make it rowdy like it once was in the jungle a good old goal song and the fun times.

Bringing the organ back?  Wow!  That will make the place complete and certainly remind me of "old time Komet hockey."  Thanks to Reiterfan35 for the news and whoever made the final decision.

Komet news has been a little scarce lately.  Since it has been a little slow, maybe this may be a good time for this thought and then a question.

Speaking totally of newcomers, I find myself really looking forward to seeing Flemming, Kwiet, and Olson.  I find myself very curious about Follmer, Pokoluk ( 6'5" 225 Lbs), Hartman ( 6'3"  204 lbs and the only other right-handed defenseman besides Danis-Pepin), and Hauswirth.  Hauswirth scored 15g for Arizona in 2012-2013.  We know that those stats don't necessarily translate into success with the ECHL, but he did score 17g for South Carolina in 2009-2010.

Of course I am assuming that everyone will show up for camp.

As far as camp invitees are concerned, I hope that Ahmed Mahfouz gets to tryout. 

O.K., those are my thoughts.  Now is there something/someone that you are really looking forward to? 

Okay Alan, somebody? please answer this quetion:

what was the name of the song that was  played when the Komets stepped onto the ice at the beginning of the game back inthe 60's?    

I don't remember the name of the song....but it was also used as a theme song for using seat belts. Its tune was catchy. 

It went something like, "buckle up for safety-buckle up. buckle up for safety everybody buckle up. Put yourself at ease-wear your seat belts please,  buckle up for safety everybody buckle up."  Of course the organist would play the stanza repeatedly as the K's skated around their end of the ice.

It was played every time the Komets entered the ice from before the game to and including coming back onto the ice between periods.

Shows how old I've gotten to remember a time when seat belts were new and advertising had to be used to encourage their use.

Because the '72-'73  Turner Cup season was my favorite,  I remember  that the theme song to "The Bridge on the River Kwai" was used as a way to get the crowd into the game.  The organist would play the song and the crowd would rhythmically clap to its beat.  What a great year and what wonderful memories.  I think, if I remember correctly, that the K's had to stop using it as such because they didn't pay the royalties for its use.

RG2, there was another song that was used also.  It was titled something like "Hey look me over".  It was also played as an entrance theme for the komets.

People may remember the tune as being the same one used by Birch Bayh (father of former Senator and Governor Evan Bayh).  Birch Bayh was the Senator from Indiana for quite a few years.  Running as a democrat he defeated longtime Senator Homer Capehart.  His "theme" song (campaign song) was very popular and "catchy".  Some have attributed that song to being a strong asset in helping him with his name recognition and staying in the minds of the voting populace.  It must have worked.  He defeated the incumbent Capehart, was re-elected numerous times, but maybe the proof was that the Republican Party bought the "rights" to the song to block his use of it in order for him never to be able to use it again.

I remember Jack Loos on the Coliseum Organ and he certainly added to the flavor of the game.  On a side note, whenever the officials skated onto the ice he would play "Three Blind Mice".  The league made him stop.

Alan, I did not picture you the age that you must be.

Hello Kyle.

Yea,  I'm 61 going on 62.  Went to my first Komet game when I was nine years old back in 1961.  Sat in old section 9.

From that first game on I was a Komet fan.  I've always loved sports, especially baseball, football, and hockey.  Not so hot about basketball (especially pro basketball).

One of the things I've experienced is the different eras the Komets have gone through.  Believe me, before the NHL expanded from six to twelve (late sixties), the IHL was real quality hockey.  So many players of that era (from the IHL) would've been in the NHL comparing both today.  But, it is what it is.  On a personal note I always had to bite my tongue when others would degrade the accomplishment of winning a six or seven team IHL.  Back in the early sixties the NHL was only six teams.

Hockey has gone through a lot of transformation.  First the six team NHL expanding to twelve teams.  That, in effect watered down the AHL, which in turn took its toll on the quality of the minor leagues under it.  Then the WHA came about and watered down the quality even more.  Lots of players found their way to the WHA.  An example would be Bob Fitchner from the '72-'73 Komets.  "Goons" found their way into the higher pros and skill wasn't necessarily the quickest or only way to the top.  Not sure I would be totally correct with this statement, but when the Europeans and the Russians made their way to the NHL, it brought back the realization that skill was important and that the "world" could play this sport at a high level. 

Oh well, you can't go back.  Still, you shouldn't forget.  I haven't forgotten the old organ, Jack Loos, and the songs he played (which he played over and over again).

Selfishly I would love to be able to see the Coliseum put the organ back in.  Somehow the organ and hockey seem to go along together.

In this day and age, I'm surprised anybody would even think of doing it.  It entails the expense of the organ, paying someone to play it, and the loss of income producing seats.  I hope it's true.

It's not. They are doing something different, but I'm not going to spoil it.

Here's something else for u guys the blue that was around the top of the boards is going to be black now and the blue around the bottom of the ice is going to be orange the league said we could do any colors we want

Alan, you got me by a couple years, i can't disagree with any thing you said. If the "I" would have been a little smarter it could have been the premier league.

Alan, I hope you are not refering Bob Fitchner as a goon. He was actually a very skilled player who had a nose for scoring. Look at his career stats. That might surprise you.  He was never considered a fighter. He was just very good at it when he had to "go"...... 

   With all that said, his bench challenge in that Flint game in the 73 playoffs will indeedalways be a Komet classic.