Good lord, here we go again. Just when you thought that the Arizona Coyotes situation was stabilizing, count on the crazy politicians in Glendale to screw it up. News broke overnight that the Glendale City Council has scheduled a special meeting tonight to take a vote to end the 15 year agreement with the Coyotes. Yup… right in the middle of game four of the Stanley Cup Finals.
The agreement between the club and the council pays the Coyotes ownership $15 million per year to run the Gila River Arena. The franchise leases the arena from the city. The City of Glendale is looking to void the agreement using an Arizona law that states the council “may, within three years after its execution, cancel any contract, without penalty or further obligation … if any person significantly involved in initiating, negotiating, securing, drafting or creating the contract … is, at any time while the contract or any extension of the contract is in effect, an employee or agent of any other party to the contract in any capacity … with respect to the subject matter of the contract.…
Heaven only knows who or what this is referring to, but this shows a serious disregard for agreements and a real stick in the eye for any business looking to do business in Arizona. So much for a business friendly environment…
Doesn’t this city council understand what bad publicity this is for their area and their state? The Coyotes finally seem to be moving in the right direction and the city government decides to cold cock the franchise with a stupid and borderline illegal move?
Does anyone realize what this would do for any business that would be looking to relocate or expand to Glendale? Considering the bad faith being shown by this city council, you have to wonder why any business, let alone any other sports organization would want to be there.
It’s time for ALL sports fans in Arizona to stand up and be heard… if this gang of idiots can pull this kind of stunt on the Coyotes, when does it get pulled it on the Cardinals, who are under the same city councils stupidity? When does this happen to the Diamondbacks or the Suns, after all, this city council is mis-using a state law? If it works in Glendale what’s to stop other municipalities to try it?
Let the Glendale City Council know that they need to stop giving all sports in the Valley of the Sun a black eye and you gotta do it quick, or you may be hearing about the Las Vegas Coyotes soon…
Good luck to the Coyotes and Valley sports fans in trying to fight back against another city generated lunacy.
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Wednesday Random Notes
- We’ve got a great SlapShot Radio tonight at a special time and station… 94.9 Game 2 at 6pm. We are previewing Game Four of the Stanley Cup Final with pioneers, coaches and experts. Firsty up, the first woman to ever suit up in an NHL preseason, who’s life is about to be documented in a new movie called “Between the Pipes… – former Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Manon Rhéaume. We are talking to the former head coach of the Ducks, Capitals, Sharks and Maple Leafs, recently named head coach of the Team USA U20 team for the upcoming world juniors, Ron Wilson and the host of Sirius/XM’s Hockey This Morning on NHL Network Radio, Mike Ross and co-host Mick Kern. We are packed full tonight… 6pm on 94.9 Game 2.
- In Scott Cullen’s well-reasoned off-season game plan for the Preds on tsn.com, he suggests a trade… Stalberg, Fiala and Ellis for Phil Kessel. A little too much going Toronto’s way for this deal in my mind… although, I wouldn’t mind having Kessel in Predator gold.
- Congratulation to our own Pete Weber on winning his third NSSA Tennessee Sportscaster of the Year award in the past four years. Richly deserved, he received the award this past weekend. Pete brings honor and integrity to the Predators organization, and to SlapShot Radio!
- Congratulations to the NHLPA on developing a program to better help players adjust to their post-hockey life and career. They hope to launch the program this fall.
- Jeff Blashill was named head coach of the Detroit Red Wings yesterday as the Wings keep the job in house. Blashill was elevated from the same post of the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins. Former Blackhawk/Red Wing Chris Chelios is also part of Blashill’s coaching staff.
- Speaking of the Wings, they are not resigning deadline acquisition Erik Cole. The 36 year old will hit the open market on 7/1.
- Congratulations to the Voice of the NHL on NBC Sports, Michael “Doc… Emrick on being awarded the Vin Scully Lifetime Achievement Award in Sports Broadcasting. Well deserved indeed…
- The Stanley Cup Finals continue to draw strong ratings on boht NBC and NBCSN. Game four is tonight at 7pm on NBCSN, the series then goes back to NBC starting with game five for the balance of the finals.
- You knew this was coming, per Pierre LeBrun, the LA Kings are looking to deal Mike Richards.
- Save the Date – Saturday June 20th… it’s a SlapShot Radio Field Trip! All the info you need is on a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/SlapShot-Radio/250363451666986">the SlapShot Radio Facebook page … come join us for a night of baseball and fun with your hockey family!
- No playoff beards? Really head of NBC Sports? Really?
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The Predators may be done, but SlapShot Radio is not, we continue our playoff coverage all the way through to the awarding of the Stanley Cup. Every Wednesday at 7pm, except this week… we are on at 6pm on 94.9 Game 2 with our guests, the new head coach of Team USA’s WSorld Juniors team, Ron Wilson and the host of Sirius/XM’s NHL Network Radio Hockey This Morning, Mike Ross along with Mick Kern. We will have you ready for game four this Wednesday night!
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