He doesn't have to call HR, hell I can tell him that answer, less than one. As in none. Not One.

You're right MC. You have had some great posts on here that I have been reading. Not pissing on your parade intentionally. You are probably right, I cut my teeth on the CHL and feel pretty screwed when I was force fed Jr.'s. But this isnt a pitty party for me. I hope to see the ICE get an arena that could house a team where the atmosphere would feel like a packed house and there is excitement. That wont happen at the Expo with their Nazi security and overpriced concessions. They cant land a real product if they tried. Good luck to all of you, sorry to say I will not be there. I'll jump off this board as you know the product you are getting and you are happy with this.

El Paso is doing a great job, and following the formula to a T. Another WSHL team entered the league, playing in a NCAA Div I twon that also just happened to lose a minor professional hockey team. This team stepped righ in to the minor pro teams building and flourished. One of the most successful hockey operations in the amatuer game. The Fairbanks Ice Dogs. Averaged close to 1,800 fans a game that first season in the WSHL and now are at 2,300 a game as part of the NAHL.

Their formula was easy. They walked right into an awesome situation. John Rosie's folly. Rosie had the Alaska Gold Kings, a USA Hockey Senior Powerhouse, with a great fanbase. Rosie forced the issue of minor pro hockey on the rest of us in Alaska. Rosie lasted one more season in Fairbanks, then moved his club to Colorado. Leaving a perfect situation for the Ice Dogs. Before Rosie screwed up, I had talked to him about taking his club to the junior level. His response was that the level of play would never succeed in Fairbanks. Good call John. The rest is history.

Topeka can look to Fairbanks as the model. Why not? If the WSHL is the way to go the first year, so be it. So dominate it. Hang a USA Hockey National Championship Banner from the Arena top. That is a good feeling. (I have been a part of 3! Nothing else like it. I have also been a part of 4 runner-ups, that feeling kind of sucks.)

Thanks for the words of encouragement Stephen. All I know is we are going to try as hard as we can to make this work in Topeka. Not only for the Hockey fans but for the kids that have to drive to Kansas City to skate and play hockey. They are the reason we worked as hard as we did, and will continue to work for.

Stephen,
The Alaska Gold Kings, if they were a USA Hockey Senior program, couldn't have been pro. USA Hockey is not in that business. If the Gold Kings you talk about were the team that moved to Colorado(Springs), then they were part of the WCHL, a minor league professional circuit.

OCF,
Not pissing on their parade? Heck, you're not only pissing all over it, but not flushing AND leaving the seat up! Saying they(or anyone, doesn't matter) "can't land a REAL(Emphasis mine) product" is so incerdibly biased and short-sighted, it's almost beyond ridicule. What ICE team are you talking about? The only junior team I know of named ICE is in Indianapolis and they aren't moving anywhere soon. Your post's content clearly shows that you are in the group that blindly believe that if the players don't get paid, then they aren't worth crap. The Nazi security and overpriced concessions comment shows your blind, misguided bias as well.

If you're that pissed off, then fine. You are entitled to your opinion. Do everyone in Topeka. Find something a bit higher than this board to jump off of. You won't be missed. Let these people succeed or fail on their own. Or, open up whatever that is packed inside that lump above your shoulders and give these people some assistance and support. I was aginst them when this news broke, but nthey have convinced me to at least give them a fair shake. Why don't you do the same?

I believe the Ice he is talking about is actually the Topeka Ice organization that is looking at building a new rink in town. Orignially it was going to be just a regular rink with a few bench seats, but apparently there might be some interest in expanding it to accommodate a junior team. It has been stalled for a while now due to a lack of fundraising (not a lack of effort at fundraising, just a lack of actual money coming in).

As for the Nazi security and overpriced concessions - that is an ongoing issue in Topeka.

Wow JrHF must of struck a nerve. You dont work security at the Expo do you? You went off like one would. Anyway, If and when I post again I will spell everything out so some short sighted "fans" don't spend time disecting everyones posts. Yes Thank You Kevgraub the "ICE" I was speaking of was the Topeka ICE org. Yes it is an option and the passion is still there to get it completed. Also, thanks for backing me on the Nazis comment also. I worked there, have friends there, and some enemies too! JrHf, I only have one request. If I go jump off the highest peak, would you be there with me to hold my hand on the way down!

Old Crows Fan wrote:

Yes Thank You Kevgraub the "ICE" I was speaking of was the Topeka ICE org. Yes it is an option and the passion is still there to get it completed.

I think you will find the new ownership group has a big interest in getting it done as well. In my opinion, this new team (assuming the deal goes through) might be just what is needed to get Topeka Ice built.

Would that be perfect or what? I would rather see a PACKED house of 1000 or 1200 than a few echos of fans lost in the expo.

JHF,
The Alaska Gold Kings started out as a USA Hockey Senior Elite team back in the 80's and maybe before that. The Anchorage Aces (founded 1991), Frenso Falcons, and Bakersfield all had teams in the Pacific Hockey League (and other leagues up to that point) up until the 1994-95 season. The PHL was USA Hockey Senior Elite. The 1995 USA Hockey National Championships for Senior Elite was played in Frenso. The Gold Kings beat my Aces in the Final. At that tournamnet the WCHL was organized on a napkin. Fairbanks and Rosie jumped right in with Taylor and his 3 teams, Fresno, Bakersfield, and Tacoma. San Diego was next. This for the most part was the Aces schedule, and we were left with few choices. The choice was not popular. Graff bought out Aune, Cusack joined the fray and I left to start the junior program in Alaska.

The next year was the first of the WCHL. Also the first for the Alaska Arctic Ice, that season we won the Jr C Championship. The following was a year in the WSHL (with one hell of a travel budget), and the next was with an Alaska division of the WSHL when the Ice Dogs, Mat0Su, and my Peninsula team. The Gold Kings played as a pro team for 2 seasons before the Ice Dogs hit the ice for the '97-98 Season.

Old Crow,
I understand how you feel. But you can go on being an "old crow" fan forever. But if refuse to even give these kids a chance, you can never really be a hockey fan. I think you will be very suprised by the heart and drive of these players. With even more to prove then those 16-17 yr old USHL players. These kids will want to show the world (and the CHL) that they can skate, that they can hit, and that they will be the type of player you want to go to war with. Every coach knows you can only have so many "panty dropers" on a team. You need a group to do the dirty work. To give the body, the heart, and blood for you, night in and night out. That is the kind of player that you are going to see.

Stephen

Old Crow,
With the right packages and the right kind of play, I could pack the expo with junior hockey. Especially if the arena is willing to play along. It is just a matter of seeing and believing. Winning helps, these guys already know how to do that. I have only been a part of two losing season in my entire career. Also the same time I got married and divorced, so you can say it was three bad seasons!

Stephen

Pointstreak.com shows Attendence Figures. I believe El Paso leads the league at around 900 per game average.