FireAntz made right choice in opting for SEHL

FireAntz made right choice in opting for SEHL

COMMENTARY By Brett Friedlander Staff writer The rumors are swirling, as they have been since the moment the WHA2 broke off from what is now known as the South East Hockey League. But now they're starting to get serious. Depending on who and what you believe, the WHA2 is hemorrhaging money at such a rate that founder David Waronker is on the verge of folding up shop after the league's all-star game on Jan. 27. Speculation that Waronker is looking to incorporate two of his teams, Orlando and Jacksonville, into the SEHL to finish out the season were fueled after discussions between two WHA2 operatives with Huntsville Channel Cats owner John Cherney were held last week. Whether the call was purely social or as desperate as some SEHL supporters would like to portray it, doesn't matter. The fact is that the WHA2 is in deep financial trouble. FireAntz players Ryan Kiley and Matt Kohansky, both of whom started the season with the Miami Manatees of the WHA2, relate horror stories about players being asked to take paycuts, paychecks bouncing (when they were made available at all) and a laundry list of broken promises. Somewhere in Ocean Isle Beach, Bill Coffey must be getting a good chuckle out of all this. Position of strength But rather than say it serves Waronker right for pulling his four teams out of the SEHL and embarking on an ego trip into debt, I'd prefer to simply be thankful that the FireAntz management had the sense not to follow him. It's a decision that will be rewarded after this season, when minor league hockey goes through the drastic reorganization that has been building for years. As many as 10 teams, including Florence and Greensboro, could be dropping out of the ECHL. Several United Hockey League teams will also become "free agents." Which franchises survive and where they all end up is anybody's guess now. But when it happens, at least the FireAntz - along with SEHL cousins Knoxville and Huntsville - will be able to enter the process from a position of strength. Each of those franchises has displayed an ability to overcome obstacles, such as their four-team league, and proven their ability to hold down costs while putting an entertaining product on the ice. In the long run, those factors are far more appealing to other teams, leagues and investors than bounced checks and horror stories, regardless of whether the WHA2 survives the season. Web posted on Jan. 16, 2004		Home News Schedule Photos Links Message Board Email: [email protected] This article is copyright 2004 by the Fayetteville Observer and is used for informational purposes only.

COMMENTARY

By Brett Friedlander
Staff writer

The rumors are swirling, as they have been since the moment the WHA2 broke off from what is now known as the South East Hockey League.

But now they're starting to get serious.

Depending on who and what you believe, the WHA2 is hemorrhaging money at such a rate that founder David Waronker is on the verge of folding up shop after the league's all-star game on Jan. 27.

Speculation that Waronker is looking to incorporate two of his teams, Orlando and Jacksonville, into the SEHL to finish out the season were fueled after discussions between two WHA2 operatives with Huntsville Channel Cats owner John Cherney were held last week.

Whether the call was purely social or as desperate as some SEHL supporters would like to portray it, doesn't matter. The fact is that the WHA2 is in deep financial trouble.

FireAntz players Ryan Kiley and Matt Kohansky, both of whom started the season with the Miami Manatees of the WHA2, relate horror stories about players being asked to take paycuts, paychecks bouncing (when they were made available at all) and a laundry list of broken promises.

Somewhere in Ocean Isle Beach, Bill Coffey must be getting a good chuckle out of all this.

Position of strength

But rather than say it serves Waronker right for pulling his four teams out of the SEHL and embarking on an ego trip into debt, I'd prefer to simply be thankful that the FireAntz management had the sense not to follow him.

It's a decision that will be rewarded after this season, when minor league hockey goes through the drastic reorganization that has been building for years.

As many as 10 teams, including Florence and Greensboro, could be dropping out of the ECHL. Several United Hockey League teams will also become "free agents."

Which franchises survive and where they all end up is anybody's guess now.

But when it happens, at least the FireAntz - along with SEHL cousins Knoxville and Huntsville - will be able to enter the process from a position of strength.

Each of those franchises has displayed an ability to overcome obstacles, such as their four-team league, and proven their ability to hold down costs while putting an entertaining product on the ice.

In the long run, those factors are far more appealing to other teams, leagues and investors than bounced checks and horror stories, regardless of whether the WHA2 survives the season.

Web posted on Jan. 16, 2004

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