**RIP** Texas Tornado and other silly season news...

Schlegal is going to fold the team at the summer meetings and write it off as a loss.

Not to worry TT fans, just dust off all your Dallas Stars gear, because there is a 75% chance the Dallas JR Stars will be playing in the USHL this season, and a 99% chance for the following season.

What does this mean for Brodsky and WF? Time to shit or get off the pot. Does he recruit some other possible NAHL owners for Texas (El Paso anyone) , or jump to the USHL with Dallas. My money is on the USHL. Many of us saw this in the air.

Topeka, the new big dog of the NAHL, has some hard choices. Run big in the NAHL or small in the USHL?

St Louis, Chestertown just is not going to cut it. Now St Charles is an entirely different story.

The Michigan group. Sitting back and laughing? With the AAA Midgets (hello, Mr Gino?) about to go nationwide with a 20 team super-league, it must be time to break away now. Or is it? The NAHL could gain strength by subtraction, giving the Michigan group more power and atleast, their own closed division.

How will the cards fall?

Three divisions... Great Lakes, Midwest, West Coast. Minimal crossover, maybe 1 and 1. Or the favorite scenario, travel to one division and host the other.Flip the next season. I like this, because teams will all se eachother a minimum of one time a year. Look for the showcase to go divisional as well with three seperate pre-season events.

The Central Hockey League is up against an interesting issue. The have nots want a substacial slice of the salary cap. The haves (and the players) want to go union. Does the league want to continue being for entertainment purposes only, but still expensive? Or slice costs, and be a player in the developmental game? I would suggest a set a $250 stipend a week for all players, plus housing and meals. That ends up being $5k a week plus costs. The CHL could get away from Workers Comp insurance if they could convince USA Hockey to sanction the league as seniors, but non qualifing for nationals. This would give them insurance, and open rosters. Then again, If USA Hockey says no, there is always AAU. Either way, it is worth $150K+ a year in savings to give it a try. Now if the CHL did this...I think Texas could be very interesting again. The ticker is the age limit. 18-21 only. Fans would get ticked for a bit, but overall you would have a better product. Why? The league goes from being the joke of pro hockey to the king of junior hockey.

See ya, off to work!

Stephen

http://prohockeynews.com/leagues/article.cfm?Article_ID=1710

Nice rink in Austin available for an NAHL team...

Regarding WF, I don't have any inside knowledge, but I do have some thoughts on USHL issues...

I don't see the USHL as a viable option. Although the USHL is expanding its geographic footprint, I don't see it expanding this far unless there are several other teams in Texas and Oklahoma, and unless the USHL has decided to scrap much of what has made it successful (fewer teams and smaller geographic footprint), I don't see that happening.

On a side note, I can see that some arguments can be made as to why a Dallas area franchise might end up in the USHL, but those reasons don't apply to WF.

Financially, the NAHL and WF seem to be a good fit. Right now I don't see that as to the USHL. It seems to me that since Brodsky has a team in the WHL, the NAHL makes more sense for him financially. Does that mean there has to be more NAHL in Texas? Maybe.

That being said, don't forget that Brodsky is not the only owner of the Wildcats. I don't know how that plays out ultimately, but I do know that Brodsky and Roy Davoult work well together. I also know that Roy is very passionate about hockey in WF and will do what he can to keep hockey in WF.

All in all, I don't see WF going to the USHL anytime soon. But hey, I've been wrong before.

Damn, Heisler.....you need to stay away from the damn Budweiser Plant down there in Houston.....or lay off that Loco Weed all those "Undocumented Citizens" got coming with them....

Just another Heisler Pipe Dream....literaly....

bp

Here it is Friday and no official statement from either the TT or the NAHL about the TT not playing next year. JT may be right on and know what is in the works. I would think if Mr Brodsky or Roy has got wind of this they would already know the inside scoop of what lies ahead. I think if the TT are going dark for one year and then returning to the nahl, the Wildcats will be ok. It it is anything else I believe Mr. Brodsky will take his part to another city. roy may have to deal with the team alone and I am not sure he can do it without the nahl expanding more in the southern area. I am not sure how Roy would feel about a chl team but that would be a logical move with the number of teams alreadi close by. As for the move to UShL, I dont see the TT or WF going there until they decide to move into the south and that doesnt seem to be their interest. It is so frustrating to get so passionate about something and have it taken away. I feel for the Texarkana people as I will for the TT fans if they dont have a team this year. Lets just hope it is what they say it is and we can still be friends and foes for a long time to come.

TT will be dark for one season until the new arena is ready. I would not expect this to cause any teams to leave as it will only be for one season. I would not be suprised to see STL move out of the North Division with the addition of Brownstown.

Re: **RIP** Texas Tornado and other silly season news...

Stephen Heisler wrote:

Not to worry TT fans, just dust off all your Dallas Stars gear, because there is a 75% chance the Dallas JR Stars will be playing in the USHL this season, and a 99% chance for the following season.

Where do you come up with this crap?

For one thing, the USHL is NOT adding any other new teams this coming season besides Fargo, who has been prepping for their debut for a year now. And even if the league was considering another team for this season, it sure as hell wouldn't be in Texas. Unlike the NAHL, who still seems to think they can add Wenatchee, Washington for this season, the USHL does not add franchises at the last minute.

Your crap about the CHL is even funnier. For one thing dilhole, they have already gone union. But, the let's call them senior amateur instead of minor pro is the funniest thing I've read in ages. The CHL is not the joke of pro hockey. That distiction is the sole property of the UHL, currently doing business as the IHL. Oh and how do you figure a senior amateur league would be the king of juniors anyway?

Congratulations on winning the dumbshit of the decade award.

BigRed80 wrote:

All in all, I don't see WF going to the USHL anytime soon. But hey, I've been wrong before.

You aren't wrong this time. The USHL has zero interest, maybe less, in Wichita Falls.

BorderPatrol wrote:

Just another Heisler Pipe Dream....literaly.... bp

Nope...More accurate to say "Just another Heisler Bong Hit Dream."

Gawd almighty, he needs to go to Hollywood and write scripts for comedy movies and tv show. He's freeking hilarious.

Gee, the most surprising thing is how he didn't scream how the CHL should align themselves with the AAU.

Has ANYTHING he's ever spewed here EVER actually happened?

Re: **RIP** Texas Tornado and other silly season news...

Jrhockeyfan wrote:

Stephen Heisler wrote: Not to worry TT fans, just dust off all your Dallas Stars gear, because there is a 75% chance the Dallas JR Stars will be playing in the USHL this season, and a 99% chance for the following season. Where do you come up with this crap? For one thing, the USHL is NOT adding any other new teams this coming season besides Fargo, who has been prepping for their debut for a year now. And even if the league was considering another team for this season, it sure as hell wouldn't be in Texas. Unlike the NAHL, who still seems to think they can add Wenatchee, Washington for this season, the USHL does not add franchises at the last minute. Your crap about the CHL is even funnier. For one thing dilhole, they have already gone union. But, the let's call them senior amateur instead of minor pro is the funniest thing I've read in ages. The CHL is not the joke of pro hockey. That distiction is the sole property of the UHL, currently doing business as the IHL. Oh and how do you figure a senior amateur league would be the king of juniors anyway? Congratulations on winning the dumbshit of the decade award.

Priceless!!

Jrhockeyfan wrote:

BorderPatrol wrote: Just another Heisler Pipe Dream....literaly.... bp Nope...More accurate to say "Just another Heisler Bong Hit Dream." Gawd almighty, he needs to go to Hollywood and write scripts for comedy movies and tv show. He's freeking hilarious. Gee, the most surprising thing is how he didn't scream how the CHL should align themselves with the AAU. Has ANYTHING he's ever spewed here EVER actually happened?

Maybe he was involved in this:

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/C/CORPSE_ABUSE_CHARGES?SITE=TXDAM&TEMPLATE=STRANGEHEADS.html&SECTION=HOME

Yeah I'll kind of say it in a nicer way -- I don't think the USHL is interested in expanding too fast and wrecking themselves.

Where they're at now is amazing, perfect and they'll expand slowly and to the right, calculated places if they stay smart. Which I feel that they are. I kinda hope they keep the league fairly small. 14 teams with the Wisconsin club might even be pushing it, but we shall see.

But then again, this is why he calls it 'silly season' because its when all the rumours come out, founded and unfounded. He's just saying them. I'm not sure even he believes they'll happen. Hence calling it silly season.

Topeka would probably be in the same league as Des Moines if they went to the USHL. Compared to how the Bucs played this year, Topeka would beat them.

Its not happening.

Smackles wrote:

I don't think the USHL is interested in expanding too fast and wrecking themselves.

The goal for the USHL is 18 teams in three six team divisions. The league is pointing North and East. They are not going South.

I agree with everyone, Heisler is Blowing some kind of smoke. I think renovations are going to take longer than expected, and part of the main reasons for going dark for a season, and would be more cost effective. I sure hope the Cats can hang in there for a season without the TT. Would be a shame for such a great rivalry to go down the tubes!!

Re: **RIP** Texas Tornado and other silly season news...

Stephen Heisler wrote:

St Louis, Chestertown just is not going to cut it. Now St Charles is an entirely different story.

You must be joking. Won't happen.

I think we will be ok as long as they or another texas teams is back next year.