NHL HHOF Posted April 20 Share Posted April 20 When the Arizona team returns to Arizona, will it be a new Arizona Coyotes team, and the Utah team stays in Utah, or will it be the Utah team that returns to Arizona, and Utah gets another team? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blocker Posted April 20 Share Posted April 20 On 4/10/2024 at 5:48 PM, Lunatic said: SLC is a great location for hockey. They have an ardently fan base already for the Grizzlies that will support NHL hockey in SLC. New name Salt Lake Salt! Locals will understand. How about "the Bigamists"? Has a nice ring. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blocker Posted April 20 Share Posted April 20 On 4/14/2024 at 12:07 PM, flyercanuck said: What, no votes for Salt Lake Bigamists? Sorry. I didn't see your post before I posted. Great minds...... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyercanuck Posted April 20 Share Posted April 20 Nice to see you around blocker...hope you're doing well. Don't be a stranger! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Icechipper Posted April 20 Share Posted April 20 Here comes the Stormin' Mormons! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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OccamsRazor Posted April 24 Share Posted April 24 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OccamsRazor Posted April 24 Share Posted April 24 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thegx.ca Posted April 24 Share Posted April 24 Salt Lake City Canyons...? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Math Posted April 24 Share Posted April 24 Meruelo being a worthless piece of garbage is an euphemism... https://theathletic.com/5439189/2024/04/24/arizona-coyotes-alex-meruelo-utah-nhl/?source=targeted_email&campaign=9670025&userId=6665247 Quote At the center of that failure is Meruelo. He was viewed as a potential savior of the franchise when he bought the team five years ago but became the final nail in its coffin, failing and defiant to the end. In August 2020, reports surfaced that he failed to pay players signing bonuses. Gutierrez blamed it on their lack of experience owning a sports franchise. As more vendors and employees began cropping up with complaints about unpaid invoices and strongarm tactics, it became clear that it was a feature of Meruelo’s business practices, not a bug. Instead of trying to forge inroads with power brokers and rebuild his reputation among local leaders, he was brash and arrogant. Former Tempe city councilmember Lauren Kuby recalled an interaction in which Meruelo remarked: “I bet you’ve never met a billionaire before.” In February 2021, The Athletic published a report that Meruelo’s first 18 months of ownership was marred by a revolving door of executives, strained relationships with corporate partners, and a litany of financial issues, some made worse by the pandemic. The story, which drew from interviews with more than 50 people, detailed a pattern of unpaid bills and jilted vendors, a disastrous draft pick that earned them universal scorn and employees complaining about a toxic environment. The franchise had no suitable place to play while Meruelo attempted to get politicians, unions and voters behind a $2 billion development plan in Tempe that included a new arena. As he worked to secure that project, Meruelo’s years of hubris came back to bite him. Grassroots organizers pounded his track record and credit rating, citing a financial analysis commissioned by the Tempe City Council. Campaign materials characterized him as “corrupt,” “scandal-plagued” and a “deadbeat billionaire.” Local trade and worker unions lobbied against the plan. And Meruelo didn’t dive deep into his coffers to counteract that negative messaging. He said last week he poured $7 million into the referendum; campaign finance records show that he spent just over $1 million. “I think the narrative in Tempe … is that they botched this campaign,” said Randy Keating, a Tempe City council member who supported the development proposal. “And they did.” “I have not witnessed a group more committed to doing things the wrong way and failing to develop any sort of meaningful support in the political community, business community and with the influential stakeholders they need to make this happen,” said David Leibowitz, a former communications consultant for the Coyotes who worked with three different owners, including Meruelo. Said Keating: “I have zero faith they will be able to pull that off. The fact that he couldn’t build an arena when he had a team. Who’s going to build it now?” He added: “No one wants to do business with this guy. Why would you?” 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JR Ewing Posted April 24 Author Share Posted April 24 The funny thing is that Meruelo isn't even the worst owner in the league's history. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Math Posted April 24 Share Posted April 24 I recently watched the Spano saga that occured with the Isles in the mid 1990s, and back at the time the NHL put in place numerous rules and procedures to avoid such epic laughable failures in the future. It's not at that level but Bettman & co. clearly didn't their due diligence when they gave control of the franchise to Meruelo. And let's be honest: Meruelo and Gutierrez were chosen not because they were successful and competent businessmen, but only because they were Hispanic, so that the League can serve that as an example and show the world how inclusive and careful about minorities they were, and that backfired in their face. Selecting people as a function of the origin, skin color or language spoken (and not as a function of who they are and what they have accomplished) is never a recipe for success... This is very bad and sad because now some people makes the simplistic link Latino = incompetent, which is untrue and has the exact opposite effect of what was initially looked for. The League screwed up until the very end of this story. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thegx.ca Posted April 24 Share Posted April 24 1 hour ago, JR Ewing said: The funny thing is that Meruelo isn't even the worst owner in the league's history. Who's worse...? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Math Posted April 24 Share Posted April 24 7 minutes ago, thegx.ca said: Who's worse...? Maybe Pocklington...? No, honestly IDK. Whalers fans will say Karmanos Jr., Quebecers will have Marcel Aubut, Minnesotans will shout Norman Green (or maybe Leipold), Maybe Spano even if it's not techniquely his fault. Or former Coyotes' owner Jerry Moyes, Some Senators fans would have Melnyk on their list, maybe the Pegulas or any former Trashers owner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JR Ewing Posted April 24 Author Share Posted April 24 7 minutes ago, thegx.ca said: Who's worse...? John Spano is in prison right now. Harold Ballard qualifies, as I see it. While owner of the Maple Leafs, he was convicted and sentenced to 3-years for dozens of charges of tax evasion and fraud. He was using Maple Leaf Garden as his own personal piggy bank. This is all aside from his dogged determination to not pay a cent more than the minimum he could with his cash cow, driving away every quality player and coach from the organization. He was famous for doing things like turning up the heat as high as possible to make people buy more beer and pop. Eddie Livingstone became the Toronto Blue Shirts owner in 1915, and by the end of the 1917 season, the other National Hockey Association owners were so tired of his antics and difficult nature that they voted to dissolve the league and then immediately voted to form the National Hockey League. This new league would have all of the same teams and players, but without the Blue Shirts or Livingstone. He lived up to his nature by constantly suing the NHL for years, and attempted to form competing leagues before finally walking away. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JR Ewing Posted April 24 Author Share Posted April 24 Just now, Math said: Maybe Pocklington...? Nah, he just ran out of money and couldn't afford to pay the players what they were worth. He's an a$$hole, but wasn't a bad owner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thegx.ca Posted April 26 Share Posted April 26 On 4/13/2024 at 11:44 AM, Math said: Utah Hockey Team. Turns out that is one they actually got registered for Trade Mark haha...Mammoth and Yetis they registered too which both aren't bad either... Playing coach-team matchmaker, the Utah Yetis, and more https://www.thescore.com/nhl/news/2900928 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thegx.ca Posted April 26 Share Posted April 26 On 4/20/2024 at 1:02 PM, blocker said: How about "the Bigamists"? Has a nice ring. The Bigs for short... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thegx.ca Posted April 26 Share Posted April 26 On 4/18/2024 at 7:58 PM, Math said: Honestly, this is close... But they said Utah will be retained and Golden Eagles would lead to have two goldens in the League. Maybe just Eagles...? On a personal note and more than ever, I'm advocating to punt Meruelo on Pluto, to force any potential Arizona expansion to start from scratch and let Utah keep the Coyotes branding. Those vintage covers with the damn Cooper helmets are priceless. Desert Eagles Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thegx.ca Posted April 26 Share Posted April 26 On 4/14/2024 at 3:29 PM, flyercanuck said: Love that movie haha 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NHL HHOF Posted Sunday at 11:09 AM Share Posted Sunday at 11:09 AM 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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