Well.....where to start. I guess I'll apologize for the lack of posting over the last while. I've been busy with a couple of holidays- first back to my home town of Flin Flon, Manitoba, then off to Toronto, Ottawa, and Niagara Falls. It was a great time seeing the sights in T.O. like the CN Tower, the Hockey Hall of Fame, Air Canada Centre, and Rogers Centre (plus a great Blue Jays game) After that it was off to Ottawa to see Capitol Hill, Rideau Hall, and yes- Scotia Bank Place. Niagara Falls speaks for itself. No offense to the American readers of the blog (are there any?) But the Canadian Falls (horeshoe falls) put the falls on the American side to SHAME.
Every time I go on holidays something Bulldogs related happens. Nothing seems to happen when I'm around. We went on our first holiday, and Dave Whistle resigned. Off to the second holiday, and the word first broke of the possible ownership change within the Dogs involving the Okanagan Hockey School and the Okanagan Hockey Academy. At least I was around for the official announcement Tuesday morning at the Mulitplex. And was I ever around! I'm proud to say that as of right now, this is the only place you will be able to hear the complete version of the press conference announcing the ownership change. Click the link below to listen to the 20 minutes or so of the official comments, courtesy of 93.3 The Peak FM.
Bulldogs Ownership Change Press Conference Audio
For those that don't have the benefit of speakers, visit the Bulldogs website for the offical release HERE
While kudos is certainly deserved to the outgoing ownership partners for their efforts to bring the team under local ownership just before I arrived here four years ago, at the same time I am very excited with this change and I think the future is looking up for the new owners (Okanagan Hockey School LTD and John Dowling) and the remaining local partners- Dennis See and Dr. David Ness.
I will say this about the previous ownership group- They deserve credit for everything they put into the team. I sure didn't hear alot of positive comments over the last season, but I know that they had honest aspirations to put forth their best efforts in assembling a competitive team to build off of the great year in 2005-2006. As we all know, things didn't go according to plan. I will end it at that. I shouda been a politican....
It was mentioned at the press conference that the organization was hoping to name a coach by the end of the week. Well, here we are Wednesday afternoon and the decision has already been made. The new Head Coach and GM of the Bulldogs is none other than Alan Kerr, a member of the ownership group and the head coach of the Okanagan Hockey Academy since 2003. Again, head on over to the Bulldogs website to read the press release. Alan comes with quite the resume- he played in the BCHL and the WHL, as well in the NHL with a career spanning over a decade. Besides a player and besides coaching at the Okanagan Hockey Academy, he was also an assistant coach with the Kelowna Rockets of the WHL. Alan impressed me with his comments at the press conference about work ethic....Bulldog fans and the community have never asked for anything more from their team than an honest, lunch-bucket work ethic.
It was my pleasure to have new Bulldogs President Andy Oakes on the Peak Morning show today. I will be posting that interview here on the blog tomorrow. I'm also excited to get the opportunity to interview Alan Kerr tomorrow on my morning show just after 8:10am. Catch it if you can on your radio at 93.3FM. If you can't tune in I will also post that interview here.
As I wrap this up I'd like to offer up congrats to my good friend and colleague Pat Siedlecki on being named the Play-by-Play voice of the Lethbridge Hurricanes of the WHL. Clippers vs Bulldogs games will never be the same! For those that don't know, Pat used to be the voice of the Bulldogs for season one, along with the Junior B Port Alberni Bandits before the Dogs came to town. We sat on the opposite sides of plenty of heated games between the Dogs and Clips and it's a testament to our professionalism that we never let that get between being able to laugh it up once the game was over. Pat will be the play-by-play voice and News Director for "The Lounge" as he follows former Island Radio president Paul Larsen, who has started his own broadcasting company with the new station already on the air in Lethbridge and one more coming online next year in Medicine Hat.
That's all I have for now. The audio from the interviews with Andy Oakes and Alan Kerr will probably be posted tomorrow. As always, I'd love to hear your emails HERE so don't be shy!
Hammer
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