Letter To Topeka Owner addressing lack of PROFESSIONALISM

This whole thing has turned into a cluster fuck. Either way somebody got shafted. All in all its a bunch of crap,. Does anybody else care??

Mary,

First off I would like to say that I think you have done a great job with your team in the past few years. By moving your team you have kept the dream and opportunity alive for 26 more young men who one day aspire to take their skills to the next level!! You obviously have good business sense and are a go getter and for that I respect you... However I would also like express my displeasure with the current situation I have caught wind of. Although you have set a great example for your players, your fans, and the entire league as a whole in the past, I believe what you have done in the current situation may very well overshadow all the good you have done for junior hockey, because the current example goes to show your bitterness, selfishness, and lack of understanding the true purpose of Junior Hockey. You have not only hurt the people involved you have hurt the spirit of our sport as a whole!! But you probably don’t care! Do you??

Unfortunately, in my opinion you have chosen to disrespect not only junior hockey as a whole, but you have also chosen to disrespect your organization, The Fairbanks Ice Dogs, The fans of the Fairbanks Ice Dogs, and the players and staff from both your team as well as the Fairbanks Ice Dogs. I know that you are aware of the financial obligations of Junior hockey and that you obviously know right from wrong... However I am confused as to why you have chosen to forget about what makes junior hockey work, and that is compromise, communication, and understanding... Compromise or the lack of compromise is sometimes the detriment of the real world, but more frequently than not, that same lack of compromise often directly points out (sheds light) on ones insecurities and lack of respect for their trade. I do commend you on wanting to give your fans and the team what you feel they deserve... However this is not just about your team it is also about the young men from the Fairbanks Ice Dogs who deserve exactly what you believe your team deserves. This is junior hockey, not the NHL... If you have not figured out yet that in this business, as in life everything does not go your own way all the time, then it's about time you have a reality check. It is terrible that whoever thought you right from wrong did not also teach you about morals. You not only have an obligation to your team but you also have a professional obligation to the sport, the league and in this situation, The Ice Dogs. I hope your lack of professionalism does not overshadow what is really the most important here. But then again maybe you still want it to be all about you!! The mere fact that a lot of teams in this league are non profit organizations, like The Ice Dogs tells me that you are not in this business for the right reasons, after what you are doing. So get over you’re my shit don’t stink attitude”, and start doing what is right, not what is going to make the outcome better for you and your organization!!

In closing, I would like to point out the fact that Fairbanks was seeded higher than Wichita Falls for the round one series. Fairbanks played two games in Fairbanks and then went down Wichita Falls for the remaining three. May I say with out whimpering and moaning about how unfair it was!! Not even the fans pissed and moaned about it, because the fans know what junior hockey is about and support the team no matter if they are playing in Fairbanks or Antarctica. Game five would have been in Wichita Falls if necessary. In this situation you did not see owners coming unglued or organizations expressing their selfishness, such as your recent antics. Both Wichita Falls and Fairbanks staff, including the owners understand that in junior hockey you have to compromise and take it as it comes to you. They also understand a certain issue of life that I think you are unaware of. The issue being professional respect!! Ya know what Mary? "What Goes Around Comes Around" is not just a statement... More times than not that statement holds to be true!! Selfishness has no place in Junior Hockey, and I believe it's time you realized that. When you do you will not only compliment your team better as an owner but you will shine and flourish as a respected owner of a great Junior Hockey Team. I had that respect for up until today, sadly you have now lost that respect!!

Ryan M. Bush

You know that's all very nice, except for the fact that the Ice Dogs offered the entire five games LAST WEEK, and now they are trying to martyr themselves.

Before you attack the organization and single out someone, maybe you should know some truth. It might have been hidden from you Fairbanks fans. Your G.M and Executives initially approached Topeka and wanted to play all 5 games in Topeka. That is true! Did they tell you the Fans this? This agreement was asked for and provided.

You come on here bashing a program and singling out an owner, when you have no knowledge of the truth. Fairbanks was also given the option to play Game 1 and 2 in Topeka and if series was split after two games, play Game 3 there as well. If Games were not split and one team had won two games, the series would have been moved to Fairbanks.

Did they tell you this? I'm sure not. Before you make a complete jack ass out of yourself, get the truth. Remember, it would be tough for your organization to face you the fans with the truth. You were owed better.

Nice letter, Ryan, but you are greatly misguided...

Read this press release and rethink what you wrote...

The Topeka RoadRunners have reached an agreement with their Division Final opponents to keep the entire series in Topeka rather than have three games played in Fairbanks. The initial schedule released by the league was never approved by the RoadRunners organization and negotiations have been ongoing. “This thing really swung back and forth for awhile”, said Operations Manager Arch Ecker. “it started with Fairbanks being willing to stay here, then with the league setting us up to travel up to Alaska for the last three games, to us finally reaching an accord with the Ice Dogs to have all the games played in Topeka.” Head Coach Scott Langer, while clearly pleased at not having to drag his team up to Alaska, is understanding of the sacrifice made by the Ice Dogs. “As a coach, I know how hard it is to tell your guys you don’t get a home game in this obviously very important series.” He went on to say, “Because of the economics involved, there really is no perfect answer, but we think in the end this agreement is best for both teams.” While this arrangement is obviously beneficial to Topeka, Ecker points out there are benefits for Fairbanks as well. “With the Robertson Cup Finals being in St. Louis, whoever advances from this series is better served to leave from Topeka without the fatigue of traveling back and forth from Alaska.” In addition, Fairbanks saves the cost of flying Topeka into the Last Frontier to the tune of over $20,000. Details of the agreement were not released.

How do you feel now, TOOL...

Hey. Nice work Ryan. Got anything else for us? Read the release and then get back to us.

I think we're done here folks (or we should be).

Actually I am completely aware of virtually everything all of your replies brought to light. But like I said being a non profit Fairbanks has to be frugal with the revenues that come in. I would not call it frugal with your revenue having to purchase last minute tickets to go to Fairbanks after the split. It is a down right typical of the overspending ways of 75 % of the American Public. Next I am a hell a lot more than a fan. Sure I may be form Fairbanks and cheer on the hometown team. But in order for this league to be successful and reach its full potential then every organization needs to be on the same page... I will also say, the press releases can be spun any way the either front office wants to spin them, and they were spun or the whole truth has not been told. Marc Foster, I am a loyal reader of your now absent blog, (enjoy your time off you do a lot of work for Junior Hockey) but sorry to tell you, you do not know it all in this situation as you have tried to lead me to believe. One question nobody is asking is that If Fairbanks initially offered to play the whole series in Topeka (which I believe may have happened, to save money), Then why did Topeka obviously not agree to it. I think it is pretty obvious they did not agree to it because just yesterday it was posted on Topeka’s site that games 1 & 2 would be Topeka and 3-5 in Fairbanks... Doesn't make a whole lot of sense, especially when all this crap has transpired over the past two days. Hell no I'm not a pissed off Fairbanks Fan. Now I can get the hell out of this cold weather and come to Topeka for the Ice Dogs home games next week. All I know is something happened here that is not right and I believe Miss Mary knows exactly what I am talking about! I don't clame to know it all but theres a lot more to it than what you all have read in the press!!

You just claimed that you do not know all the facts in this situation...

Then why are you posting all these disparaging comments about the Topeka organization and its owner...

These long ass posts don't mean shit unless you know what the hell you are talking about...

Before you come on here spewing your venom...

GET YOUR SHIT TOGETHER, TOOL...

Re: Letter To Topeka Owner addressing lack of PROFESSIONALIS

alaskaflier wrote:

This whole thing has turned into a cluster fuck. Either way somebody got shafted. All in all its a bunch of crap,. Does anybody else care??

Lack of professionalism?

Quote:

However I am confused as to why you have chosen to forget about what makes junior hockey work, and that is compromise, communication, and understanding...

What the holy fuck are you talking about? Compromise and communication in the NAHL? Have you been in a cave since the AWHL merger? This league has ALWAYS had each and every owner pulling in a different direction... and a league office with a policy of keeping owners (and fans) in the dark concerning league affairs until the last possible moment. And that's just the NAHL... Call me a sarcastic pessimist, but I'll be damned if this doesn't apply to more USA junior leagues than not. Far be it from hockey nirvana, American junior hockey is a fucked up mess. If you never grasped that from reading my work, then I obviously failed.

Quote:

The mere fact that a lot of teams in this league are non profit organizations, like The Ice Dogs tells me that you are not in this business for the right reasons, after what you are doing.

Complete non sequitur, which is par for most of your two posts. You can't wrap Fairbanks in the non-profit flag on this, because from the sound of things this deal is SAVING THEM MONEY!

Besides, I got news for you... the vast, overwhelming majority of NAHL teams are NOT legal non-profits, because if they had filed their IRS 990's as all 501's should, those filings would be sitting on my hard drive (the why and how this is possible is left as an exercise to the reader).

As far as what happened when with regards to the situation in question, there are a lot of Topeka fans who can detail and outline that far better than I, they being much closer to the situation.

Quote:

Now I can get the hell out of this cold weather and come to Topeka for the Ice Dogs home games next week.

Guess what... the seats directly behind your bench are available for games 3 and 4 (why this is the case I will again defer to the Topeka fans who are much closer to the situation than am I). I suggest you snatch them up quickly, and bring ear plugs.

In conclusion, I believe I can sum up your second post as follows...

Like I said I do not know all the facts, but I know enough.. For you who questioned my professionalism in reguards to my language, sorry for the colorful commentary, didn't know I was at sunday school here!! It doesn't take a rocket scientist to to breakdown the chemical makeup of this whole situation, all it takes is some facts and common scence. I said before I'm not mad. But something rotten got thrown into this pot of gumbo, and somebody in the Topeka front office had a lot to do with it... Yes I was harsh in my letter, but its about time somebody told it how it is, and stood up for these young men who we all are fans of, no matter the team, because once you take their jerseys off their all on the same team shooting for the same goal, and that is to take their game to the next level!!

PS. I don't need to be professional here!! I have no capital intvestment or capital intrest in either team.

Hey Ryan, you're getting too easy...

I'll let someone else take the easy ones...

You fell all over yourself with that last one...

Give it a rest, TOOL...

Not sunday school whatsoever, but stop being a hypocrite. I hope you make safe to Topeka.

alaskacrier wrote:

Like I said I do not know all the facts, but I know enough to develop an uninformed opinion with little basis in reality...

Fixed.

Quote:

But something rotten got thrown into this pot of gumbo, and somebody in the Topeka front office had a lot to do with it...

He said after admitting to not knowing WTF is going on.

Quote:

Yes I was harsh in my letter, but its about time somebody told it how it is, and stood up for these young men who we all are fans of, no matter the team, because once you take their jerseys off their all on the same team shooting for the same goal, and that is to take their game to the next level!!

Okay, who keeps piping in The Battle Hymn of the Republic every time I start to read one of alaskacrier's posts?

Okay everyone... altogether on the count of three... one... two... three!!!!

Mark, I never said the NAHL was working!! Just touched on what makes successful leagues work.. No different than a successful business.. As a fan of Junior Hockey as a whole, I am compleatly let down on how this all went down and how the events transpired. Rob knows how I feel, and That I think toe boys on the Ice Dogs got screwed. You can't tell me they didn't want to come home!! As far as the non profit thing, sure Fairbanks is gonna save some cash here, and thats great!! But it still doesn't make it right. especially when considerations and hard work went into being able to afford the exact senario we are talking about.

Actually topeka...the original agreement was to play the first two or three in topeka...then the next games would be at a neutral site (mn,wi,iowa) BUT the topeka owner did not want do that or travel to fairbanks.. and pretty much told the ice dogs to go fuck themselves..so in all reality topeka really needs to stop bitching about where they are playing..fairbanks in no way is crying about where they are playing because the original playoff schedule is two games for home ice for highest seeded team then on the road for the last however many..which every other team has done. and not bitched about

You are right about one thing...

Fairbanks should be "Non-Proffitt"...

I did not say I did not know what the Fuck was going on!! I said I did not know all the facts, as you do not either. I have formed a pretty good idea about what all went down from some people very close to the situation. Maybe you and your mister know it all about junior hockey attitude need to take a break from it all, cuz your obviously becomming a vindictive asshole. Your no better than me, so don't pretend like you are. You usually put some pretty creditable stuff out to read on your blog, but you never have all the facts either do you mark. You simpily have a certian side of the story. Is no one else capeable of the same, or is it cuz my name is not Mark Foster Junior? Come on down from your high horse!

Hey dip shit, you tell me one person in the league, General Manager or Head Coach who does more for his players than Proffitt does. Its about a lot of hard work and passion, and nobody in the NAHL does it better than Proffitt.

Proffitts an asshole

St. Louis does a great job too.. The rest of the league has a lot of measuring up to do when it comes to moving guys to D1 or what ever the next level may be.. Besides team USA of course, but thats almost an automatic anyways if your on team USA!!