championship games for XIHL

[wheels15]

I was just wondering what is going to happen this weekend with the games in Conencticut. For one, the eagles play on sunday at 3pm and there are two teams from the philly area who I can bet would love to see the game. Two there are 2 teams from philly area, and one from central jersey but all 3 teams have to travel 5 hours to play in Connecticut and especially play at 6pm on sunday night. There could very easily be 2 teams from philly area, marple-vs-kringer who wouldn't be home until the middle of the night b/c they have to play a game 5 hours away from their own rinks. The same thing happened 2 years ago when marple faced kringer in VA, 6 hours away with no fans. I don't like how this is palyed in Ct. If kringer and marple or somerset move on they should be able to move the game to one of their home rinks at a decent time on sunday so they can all watch the Championship games, especially the eagles. Also, what about the noreastern that is supposed to hit the east coast saturday night, what happens then. There are also rumors flying around that marple definately and maybe ottakringer can't get a team up their this weekend due to many reasons including going to or wathcing the eagles game at a bar. Please respong.

[NLane]

Hope they don't have to play if the weather is going to be a problem. Don't want to see anyone get hurt. Spell check, dude....

[MDE3]

They are predicting 10" of snow over the weekend for our area.

[XIHL]

Ok, I'm going to keep this brief for now, as this is something that we're working on as I write this.

The XIHL Championship Weekend has always been scheduled for this weekend (Jan. 22/23). The league put out a request for bid to rinks throughout the Northeast to see who might want to host the Event. When considering all the bids, many factors were taken into consideration. ONE of those consideration was location. We very much wanted to have the Event to take in a particular, centralized rink, but that facility already had an event booked there and it couldn't be changed. The next rink that met most of our criteria was the Z-Rink. However, even they had some scheduling issues which is why our games were scheduled when they were (6:00PM Sunday). Although this wasn't ideal, we felt that most people who would attend would be from the Hartford area and this time would be o.k for them. We decided we didn't want to change the dates of the Championships because we had already publicized these dates and we already made enough changes.

Now, back in September, when we made the schedule, who knew that the Eagles would be playing at home on the same weekend and this would effect a number of players who happen to have Eagles season tickets. And how would we know that there might be a snow storm on the same weekend. Yes, it's winter in the Northeast, but when you're a league that plays during this time of year you have to deal with this kind of thing.

As far as the Eagles game is concerned, I have to admit that if I was a player and had Buffalo Bills season tickets and they were playing at home in a Conference Championship Game, I would probably want to go the football game too. C'mon, let's be realistic.

Now as a league, we have to take ALL this into consideration. No matter if we decide to postpone the event until next weekend or not, there will be some people who will be unhappy. But we have to think about what's best for the league.

There is a precendent in rescheduling games so as to not conflict with other higher profile events. If we decide to postpone the Championship weekend and that allows both Marple and Ottakringer to attend the event with full squads, then that's in the best interest of the league.

If we decide to postpone the Weekend so to not conflict with the NFL Championship games, which more people are interested in, both players and fans, then that's in the league's best interest.

If there is a major weather event predicted and we decided to postpone the Weekend for the safety of our fans and players, then it's in the league's best interest to do so. Think about it this way, if we postpone and people are disapointed and don't show up, people might not show up anyway if we don't postpone and there's a snow storm. You might get more fans is we do postpone. Also, I drove from Buffalo to Harrisburg through a snow storm a few years ago to attend a Collegiate roller hockey event. When I got to the rink, I found out that there was an accident and one of the college players, who was traveling to the same event, was killed (Ron Dax from Penn State). If we have the opportunity to make a change because of a potential weather event, then we should consider it.

It sounds like a decision has already been made. But it's not. For one thing, the rink has already beed paid for. Hotel and travel arrangements have already been made. The Weekend has already been publicized. Other players have already made arrangements to be there this weekend. We have to take everything into consideration. IF, we decided to postpone the Championship Weekend until next weekend (January 29 & 30), the Event will still take place at the Z-Rink because we already made that committment to the Thunder and the rink (unless the rink pulls a fit a says "Screw You, We don't want you now", which is possible).

If we're going to make a change, we're going to do it today. I would be able to send out the appropriate press information to let the local media know. The rink can post the change info at the rink and on their web site in time to let prospective fans know. Most travel arrangement can be changed.

Stay tuned.

As I said above, precedents have been set with changing game days and times. Just recently, the NBA has changed some games so to not conflict with the NFL playoffs (see attached news link). And changes have been made to accomodate events in the past.
<A HREF="http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial/20050119/3017124.asp" target="_new">http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial...19/3017124.asp</A>


Benny Gulakiw
Director of Marketing & Public Relations
eXtreme Inline Hockey League

[NLane]

I would just die! I'm a real 'fraidy cat when it comes to snow. I didn't even like driving to Williamsburg if it was just predicted which makes everyone I'm related to crazy but that's the way it is. They're still alive to make comments about it.

[XIHL]

Ok,

Based on several conversations that just took place and in looking at the weather forcast through several sources for both Philadelphia/NJ and Hartford, The decision is being made to keep the Championship Weekend scheduled for this weekend.

1). Weather: From what I can see, at this point in time, IF any major snow happens, right now it's schedule to hit the areas in concern late Saturday through Sunday. Teams arriving should travel just before the snow and should be leaving just after the snow. OF COURSE, all this can change, but a decision has to be made now and we have to base it on the information that's available to us now.

2). Marple/Ottakringer: Yes, Marple will not be attending and you're right, there's no gaurantee that if the weekend was rescheduled that they would be able to get a team together anyway. Yes, there will be a non-contact, exhibition game on Saturday at 6:30PM between an Z-Rink house team and the Werewolves.

Bill Koslosky, who is the GM of the Ottakringer told the league as of Tuesday, that he will be bringing a full team to Hartford this weekend and we have no reason to believe otherwise. If he decides to pull out at the last minute, then we'll make an adjustment to the schedule and format. If, for some reason, the Ottakringer does not show up, then the Thunder and Werewolves will play a best of three series with the first game Saturday night at 8:30PM. The second game will be Sunday at 6:00PM and if the teams split the two games, then a 12-minute mini-game will take place immediately following the Sunday game.

Marple will be sanctioned for not attending the Championship Weekend (also strike 2 for them) and if the Ottakringer fails to show up, they, too, will be sanctioned. Yes, sanctioning four of our seven teams does suck, but that's the reality of the sport at this level today. We'll just take our strong teams and build from there. The only way this league can sustain itself for the long-term is by weeding out the weak teams.

3). Eagles game: People have to make a choice. Some players have chosen to attend the Eagles game, some have chosen not to. This weekend has been set for some time and people have to make their choice. We're choosing to keep the schedule the way it is. As for the fans, the Eagles game is the early game on Sunday. The game will be over long before the XIHL Championship game and we'll try to have the Patriots/Steelers game on at the rink for those fans in attendance who care.

So, like I said, I'm sure some people are going to be pissed either way, but the plans have been made and we're keeping everything the way it is. If the weather changes, I just hope everyone takes extra precautions or make a decision that's in your best interest.

Good luck to all the teams participating in this weekend's Championship Event. I'll be there. Please stop and say,"Hi".

Benny Gulakiw
Director of Marketing & Public Relations
eXtreme Inline Hockey League

[Piranhas2]

Hasn't anybody thought about the Patriots game. They play Sunday night and I'm sure a lot of people in
Conn. are going to want to watch that instead of the hockey game.

[hckygoalie31]

Yeah we know.

I lived in Virginia for 4 years...I know how they drive in flurries

[WMBG_GM]

I think it is question 7 on the VA driver's license test.... It is something like this:

If the radio announces a 20% chance of snow next Weds, You?

a) Drive directly to the nearest grocery and buy all the milk and bread you can.

b) Stomp the brake while sharply pulling the steering wheel to the right thus sliding off into the ditch.... for practice (both you and the redneck in the 4x4 who pulls you out for $25)

c) Cancel all school and other events outside of the house based on the following formula: 1/2 inch of snow equal 1 day of cancellations (add a 2 hour delay for increments of less than 1/2 inch)

or d) all of the above.

I bet some of you think I'm kidding......

Ben Loyall

[SportsAnnouncing]

As someone who has lived in the DC area (23+ years) and NY State (1+ years) and has driven in Mass, CT, and pretty much all of the northeast during the winter (and who also drives a Zamboni), I can provide you with the best of advice as to what to do when it snows.

SLOW THE FREAK DOWN.

I'm nice when it comes to people who slide off the road, but not the guy who was complaining he slid off the road because he was in an SUV and doing 45 (in a 35!!!). I left him cold-and-wet.

As for 10-inches of snow in CT, Mass, NY, etc., it's not uncommon, people there know how to drive in snow. Gotta tell you how cool it felt to brush 10" of snow off my van one morning in NY and still go to work because the roads were clear.

Let's play hockey!

And Ben isn't kidding.

Visit SportsAnnouncing.com for info on Game Production, announcing and more

[rt12]

Slow the freak down? Jevon Kearse will be running wild come Sunday at three o' clock.

[MDE3]

So the Z-rink wouldn't let you cancel hunh?

While I admire the "through rain and sleet and snow" mentality, I would seriously consider the liabilities involved if by some misfortune someone(God forbid) is in a serious accident, when a known storm is predicted.

As a Canadian, I am fairly familiar with driving under less than ideal conditions....seeing cars in the ditch on average every 200' on a Christmas eve 300 mile jaunt in freezing rain with roads as slippery as a wet ice rink, driven 450 miles through a storm which dumped 14" on me during the course of the night I was driving...That doesn't mean I choose to drive in the stuff when it can be avoided. Given all the circumstances(not withstanding the position taken by the Z-Rink), I think a little common sense is in order.

[MDE3]

Well Benny..I guess your call looks better and better...as the predictions have diminished somewhat........I just didn't want to see a bunch of younger players who do not have too much snow driving experience caught up in a real blizzard situation.....

[Falcons77]

I will second that BEN!!!

[SpiderRat]

Benny, not professional at all. I went to the XIHL message board, something I do rarely, and saw your post about this coming w/e. You say, and I quote "Not enough players want to go if CJ Yoder and his posse aren't going (CJ bailed on his team...." also, talking about Bill Koz from Ottakringer, "Bill told Steve that he fully intended on being in Conn. this weekend with a full squad. If Bill was just saying this to Steve with the thought of just bagging at the last minute...." this about two guys who have helped build this league. CJ has personal obligations out west, and Billy Koz is concerned about his players health. I understand your frustration, but to attack players and owners this way is totally unprofessional. By the way, I did not exclude portions of your quotes for a reason. That's just how the cut and paste came out. If anyone is interested in seeing the entire quote, please go to the XIHL message board before responding.

Blah Blah Blah, Shoot the puck already