Entry 21: New Writers and Discussing the new Winnipeg hockey team.

Hey FOLKS, the primary purpose of today's blog is to discuss the fact that Gerrymandering and Bolo Ties now has four writers...(three new ones).  The purpose of adding these new writers is to add diversity(even though they're all white), different view points(Even though we grew up in the same county), and further the creativity that this blog so heavily stresses.  With the increase of writers, there should be a genuine increase in readers as well and stuff.  So I hope you enjoy the increase in entries, and the diversity in the writing and topics.

So, discussing something else completely different.  In NHL news, for those of you who do not know, the Atlanta Thrashers owned by the Atlanta Spirit Group(Owner of Philips Arena in Atlanta and the NBA's Atlanta Hawks) have been sold to True North Sports and Entertainment Limited.  What does that mean?  The Thrashers are moving to Winnipeg.  Now.  I know what most of you are thinking.  "Where the fuck is Winnipeg?"(Most people casually swear when they think in contrast to when they speak).  Winnipeg is the largest city in the Canadian Province of Manitoba in central Canada.  Coincidentally, it'll be the second smallest city to feature a professional sports team in North America.(The smallest being Salt Lake City).  Winnipeg hasn't had a professional hockey team since the Jets left town in 1996 to move to Phoenix.  (Typical fairweather team...The team probably had a uniform asthma attack and was looking for a drier comment.)  I looked to interview long tenured winnipeg jet/phoenix coyote Shane Doan for a comment, but I couldn't find him.  Anyway, with the sale finalized, all that remains is a vote by the NHL board of governors to solidify the team's placing in the league.  Should the owners come to a super majority, which they should, Winnipeg will have a place in the league next year.

Now there have been many questions raised by all of this, such as, what will they be called?  There's been a misconception that the Coyotes organization owns the trademark "Jets", because the original team relocated to Phoenix.  However, because the Coyotes are in fact owned by the NHL, commissioner Gary Bettman, and the owners of TNSE have made it clear that if they decide to name the team the Jets, there will be no difficulty in doing so.  Another discussed root is, will they name the NHL franchise after the AHL Manitoba Moose?  Most fans are in unanimous agreement that that would be terrible.   Then there's a disagreement over whether the team should be called Winnipeg or Manitoba?  In my opinion, the team should be called the Jets.  Why?  Well, when it was announced the sale was finalized, footage of fans flooded the internet showing fans draped in Jets colors chanting, "Let's Go Jets!"  For you see, despite losing the team because of lack of Corporate sponsoring, the fans of Winnipeg never gave up hope on their beloved franchise returning.  So here's to TNSE naming their newly purchased team, the Jets.

Picture Winnipeg above Minnesota.

The next matter of controversy is regarding divisional realignments.  There's been talk of putting them in the North Western division in the west, the central division, and even keeping them in the south east division for a season(where the thrashers played.)  If scheduling is indeed finalized, then obviously they'll HAVE to play in the south east for a season, but if it isn't?  What makes the most sense is putting them in the North West, moving Minnesota to the central division, and taking Nashville or Columbus and moving them to the Southeast, successfully moving everything around fairly equally.  But that's open for discussion.

Commissioner Bettman

I'm truly excited for the fans of Manitoba, for Gary Bettman made it clear that if the team is to succeed, they'll need to sell at least 13000 tickets(it's a 15000 capacity arena, when most in the NHL are around 18000), they successfully met the drive within a week despite above average ticket prices to meet the expenses of a smaller arena.  Hockey fever truly exists in Manitoba.

Either way, I'd like to congratulate the fans of Winnipeg, and I'd like to give my condolences to the fans of Atlanta. (Who lost their team due to corporate mismanagement, not because of their fans).


Anyway, that's all for today.  Phil Away!

Nyanyannyan.