The Vig

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Update: Well, it’s true. The two J’s have cleaned house and slashed their payroll down to next to zero. The question now is what did the league office know and when? And what does the league office do now? There’s an outside audit of the books due to be conducted in the next several days, the purpose of which is unclear. There remain, as of this morning, dozens of unpaid bills and many upset vendors. League president Ron Robison has cast his lot with the two J’s. He may be in for a shock over the next several days as the depth of the Hawks’ leadership and finance crises is discovered.

The organization has spent the last few seasons trading on the names and reputations of its employees. From it’s inception, the Winter Hawks have always been a mom-and-pop operation where deals were more likely done via handshake than by contract. You can thank Dean Vrooman for the majority of that goodwill. He’s gone. And now so is the rest of their goodwill crew. Like Vrooman, I expect those let go today will take the high road, at least publicly. Fans all know those were decent, hardworking employees that were let go this morning.

Without their human capital, it’s difficult to see how the organization can continue. Apparently there’s a deal in place to move the franchise to Salem by 2010. All that stands in the way is about $2 million in improvements to the Expo Center on the state fairgrounds. Will they be able to make it that long? Or will they simply fold-up the tents and try and reconstitute themselves in two years? I’m guessing they’ll do their best to limp along.

They’ll be doing it without me. I love hockey and I love the Winter Hawks, but the combination of today’s firings and the impending move to Salem has me at the end of my rope. I don’t see how I can pour my heart out for an organization this poorly managed, and one planning to rip my heart out by moving 50 miles away from my home.

Andy offers his thoughts here. Dylan B. here.

Now before the entire Hawks front office get their knickers in a twist, let’s all take a moment to appreciate what “drop the cow” means.

Where’d “Drop the Cow” come from in the first place? From an anecdote I remember Eric Idle tell in the first season of Saturday Night Live, way back when I was, like, ten. The point being, when a skit (joke, job, conversation, etc.) has gone on long enough and is starting to lose momentum, you drop the “cow” and move on before said “cow” dies altogether. That’s why so many Monty Python skits just end in such a Dali-esque fashion.

See? That’s funny. Normally I don’t tell Python jokes (I love Monty Python, but I loathe people who love Monty Python…think about that…it works for Star Trek too), but this one was too good. And it reminded me of this season.

Of course it can be argued that the cow dropped way back in December and we’ve been waiting for it to die ever since, but whatever. The point is, tonight’s the night.

I haven’t been around much at all since January. The flu followed immediately by a business trip to Salt Lake City pretty much did me in for most of January and February. I followed as best I could on my Palm. Friends would look at me with a mixture of pity and amusement as I checked in.

“Why do you follow that bunch of losers,” they would ask. They’re not even hockey fans yet they know what’s happening in the MC.

Yeah, it’s been frustrating for everyone.  The front office continues to tell us there’s been progress, but it’s obvious to anyone with two open eyes that they’ve taken a major step backward this season, both on and off the ice.  Blame injuries, I guess.  Blame attitudes.  Blame absentee coaching.  As for the off-ice stuff, the league is making all the right noises about stepping in, but I have a feeling it will all go for naught.  Remember a year ago when the league declared the MC didn’t meet their standards?  Notice how far that got them.  Now they’ve directed Goldsmith to get a new GM.  Who’s name was immediately floated?  Kromm.  Right.  I’m sure he and Bardsley will help the organization out of the woods.  Can’t wait, by the way, to see the next Southwestern wunderkind Bardsley brings into town.  And speaking of Southwestern scouting, whatever happened to that Dallas pipeline that Donovan promised during that fan gathering at Claudia’s in ‘06?  I thought the “silent” partner down there was going to work the area.

Promises promises.

And so it goes.  At some point, as Dylan pointed out a few weeks back, the Trib will dial up Goldsmith, get him good and agitated, and get him to say something spectacular like “I’m a winner” or “this place is a dump” or “we won’t have another season like this”.  Even if they hire a competent GM, I fear everything will still get filtered through J2 and we’ll end up right back here next season.

There’s a path out of this.  Here’s hoping WHL commissioner Ron Robison can our Moses and convince Goldsmith to hire him.