PDA

View Full Version : Owner speaks out!



Tipped Off
03-07-2007, 09:29 AM
Portland owner speaks out
WHL writers' poll






By Nick Patterson

Herald Writer

The Portland Winter Hawks are enduring a nightmarish season. And last week new owner Jim Goldsmith finally spoke his peace about the state of the team.

"I'm ratcheting it up," Goldsmith told the Portland Tribune, vowing changes.

Goldsmith was part of a group that bought the team during the offseason. However, Goldsmith inherited a team that had issues with both of its buildings - the Rose Garden and Memorial Coliseum - as well as a team in full rebuilding mode.

As a result, the Winter Hawks find themselves with the worst record in the league at 16-47-1-1, as well as plummeting attendance.

"We're not going into next year with the same situation," Goldsmith said. "We're not going in with the same lease. Just like we're not bringing the same team into the building."

Portland's lease, which runs through 2013, states that the Winter Hawks will play games in both the Rose Garden and Memorial Coliseum, but have access to none of the revenue streams outside of ticket sales. Goldsmith also claimed that promised improvements to the rustic Memorial Coliseum, where the team played most of its games this season, haven't materialized.

Goldsmith said the lease conditions cause the team to be incapable of making money, and he indicated a willingness to take legal action if necessary.

Goldsmith said he wants to avoid relocation, but issued warnings if the situation wasn't remedied.

"The coliseum sucks, and my team sucks," Goldsmith said. "I can fix the team, and I will. But why not fix the arena? Because you're a bunch of stuffy bureaucrats? Well, you're stuffing me out of town, pal, that's what you're doing. And you better think twice about what you wish for. Oftentimes, you get what you wish for, and oftentimes it's not what you wanted."

Around the WHL: The Seattle Thunderbirds continue to light the league afire, stretching their winning streak to 10 games. They now trail Tri-City by just three points for second place in the U.S. Division, with a game in hand and two head-to-head matchups with the Americans. ... Swift Current coach and general manager Dean Chynoweth received a vote of confidence from the board of directors. According to the Prairie Post, there's been a clamoring among fans for Chynoweth to step down as coach and allow assistant Dave Hunchak to take over. ... Kamloops defenseman Keaton Ellerby, considered one of the top prospects going into this year's NHL draft, was benched for the Blazers' game Friday against Calgary. The Kamloops Daily News reported that the benching came as a result of numerous turnovers and penalties in recent games. ... Brandon center Jeff Topilko was named the WHL Player of the Week. Topilko had six goals and two assists as the Wheat Kings went 3-0.

League leaders: Points - Zach Hamill (Everett) 90; goals - Mark Derlago (Brandon) 41; assists - Hamill 59; penalty minutes - Mike Gauthier (Prince Albert) 244; wins - Matt Keetley (Medicine Hat) 41; goals against average - David Reekie (Everett) 1.83; save percentage - Leland Irving (Everett) .927. Every team in the Western Hockey League ranked in The Western Major Junior Hockey Writers Association poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, total points based on 21 points for a first-place vote through one point for a 21st-place vote and last week's ranking:

Pts Pvs

1. Medicine Hat Tigers (14) 354 1

2. Everett Silvertips (3) 343 2

3. Kootenay Ice 323 3

4. Vancouver Giants 305 4

5. Brandon Wheat Kings 278 6

6. Tri-City Americans 265 5

7. Kamloops Blazers 257 7

8. Seattle Thunderbirds 243 9

9. Calgary Hitmen 225 8

10. Regina Pats 189 13

11. Spokane Chiefs 186 11

12. Red Deer Rebels 179 10

13. Prince George Cougars 167 12

14. Lethbridge Hurricanes 132 14

15. Swift Current Broncos 123 16

16. Prince Albert Raiders 96 15

17. Moose Jaw Warriors 86 19

18. Saskatoon Blades 64 17

19. Chilliwack Bruins 61 18

20. Kelowna Rockets 34 20

21. Portland Winter Hawks 17 21

Quakes16
03-07-2007, 05:17 PM
I went to a game with a friend a couple weeks back and Memorial Coliseum really sucks. It was really cold and the zamboni was leaking a whole bunch so they had people skating behind it with skweegeees* spreading out the extra water. They really do need improvements. =(
It was also really sad, though, because Portland was playing Lethbridge, and everytime Kyle Bailey scored all of the Portland fans cheered even though they were losing really bad. Poor Portland. My friend says that they are going to have a good team next year because they have so many young players and are preparing them. I'm not too sure.





*I couldn't spell it so I made up my own spelling.