I strangely have to admit...I am actually less mad that Hoody won than happy that guys like Ballard and Olver lost. Hoody has been giving away free rides for years and it has numbed me to his process. Now you have upstarts in Fresno and Idaho that bought their way to good regular seasons only to get punted when it matters. It comes down to coaching. As tough as it is to say, Hoody is one darn good coach. No tricks. No frills. He can flat out coach. He proved it this year by beating both of these wannabes. Actually, Olver has a decent resume. Nonetheless, the reputations of both these guys were overshadowed by the Hoodster.
The true task for the WSHL teams next year is to compete with Fresno's 25 players who went there because they were promised spots on their NAHL team. I hate to admit it folks, but you can't compete with that. It doesn't matter that they were misled. It doesn't matter that Fresno will play all of it's games vs. the Alaska teams and Wenatchee exclusively. What matters is kids can tell their buddies back home they are a part of the new watered down NAHL, where teams like Fresno won't be scouted. Sucks to be you.
So in a wierd way, I am pulling for Hoody. He played in a one team league for years and when newcomers came in and tried to buy the farm instead of work it, Hoody overcame.
Shame on you, NAHL, for allowing this crazy expansion. Shame on you WSHL for continuing to accept rule bending. Kudos to you Hoody for sticking to your guns and thwarting off guys who actually have worse street credit than you had when you had your major sponsor to back your agenda in PHX.
Good luck to you and Boulder at Nattys, except when you play the Totes and Horns, of course.
posted 15 March 2010 05:45
posted 16 March 2010 09:56
posted 25 March 2010 21:48
