any Minot updates?

[PikevilleOT]

Haven't heard much so far... any word on who they are signing, bringing back? ..just wanted to break the weekend silence;)

[psbf]

that too, about most of the league yet I get ignored.

[PikevilleOT]

what about your X? any returnees? the management must know by now is DeGroat or McCrommon or any of last year is coming back.

[psbf]

I wish I knew. Their website has not been updated since the Draft was announced and I've not heard anything from them, despite emailing them many times. I called them and I only get a tape.

[rockin2007]

that Kevin Rice is not returning because hes going to be an assistant coach for the Dakota Wizards in NBA-D.

[pikevilleout]

If Daleo doesnt return to Minot...but thats a "big if", where someone mentioned he may be overseas (check zeke41s post) , I wonder if Ronnie Fields will stay at Minot. I personally would like to see him in a Miners uniform.

[rockin2007]

Ive heard that Ronnie was going overseas. Someone was saying last year that he wasn't going to come back this year unless things changed because of all the "drama" from the team.

[PikevilleOT]

what was some of the "drama" besides Strick being booted?

[buffnav]

I heard a rumor up here late last season that Ronnie had signed on to be a player/coach this year, but who knows.

[psbf]

Under the Skyrockets Draft selections, I found a piece with info on Joe Clark;
Not surprising to anyone, I'm sure,

'Former Skyrockets CEO Clark owes state
An order passed by the State of North Dakota and Ward County on behalf of Job Service North Dakota on Monday ruled that former Minot Skyrockets, LLC, CEO Joe Clark owes money for unpaid unemployment compensation during 2007.
The ruling came after Clark failed to appear or plea in the alloted time frame.
The original sum owed to Job Service was $4,836, as ruled on by the state back in January of this year. Clark now owes monies in the sum of $5,282.96 plus interest as ruled on by the Northwest Judicial Court.

[OKCAVS67]

http://minotdailynews.com/page/content.detail/id/519623.html?nav=5016


The Minot Skyrockets have a hired a new head coach for the 2008-09 Continental Basketball Association season.

Former NBA player Michael Sanders will replace former head coach Chris Daleo this season.

Sanders most recently served as an assistant for the Charlotte Bobcats of the NBA last season. In all he brings 26 years of professional basketball experience.

[pikevilleout]

with that being said..new coach at minot then still my ? remains where will ronnie fields go?

[FreezinUpHere]

Why didn't Daleo come back? Mr. Sanders is a nice replacement.

[FrontOffice]

Daleo might be hanging up the whistle for a while...

[psbf]

reading a poster saying that Daleo went overseas.

[PikevilleOT]

Daleo might be hanging up the whistle for a while...

a move into another league management role? something else in the works? any info?

[Patroons1]

Why the big question about where the guy who never ever won a CBA championship go??? who cares!? :rolleyes: If you must ponder, the real answer is what I have been saying all along, he is afraid of the Patroons, Derrick Rowland and the storied history.

[PikevilleOT]

bump.... any updates besides head coach announced??? player signings?

[buffnav]

From the local CBS station up here.......


Oct 15 2008 8:47PM
KXMCTV Minot
The Minot Skyrockets introduced their new head Basketball coach today at a press conference.

The team has named Michael Sanders as the new coach replacing Chris Daleo.

Sanders is a former CBA player who also played at the NBA level and was an assistant coach in the NBA as well.

The new coach says he's dedicated to putting a team on the floor that plays as a team.

Michael Sanders, Skyrockets coach:Nobody wants to be around players that are gonna be preMadonnas and stuff like that you know and be selfish because you know once you bring selfish guys in you're not gonna be successful with them. So that's one thing we're not gonna be look to doing is bringing those selfish players. We're gonna want to bring in guys that want to play the right way and want to have an attitude to win.

The new coach is hoping to bring back a couple of players from last year's conference championship team and build from there.

Sanders:I had an opportunity to talk to one player in particular, Ronnie Fields, actually two players. Lee Scruggs. Both of those guys have indicated that they would like to come back. Right now Lee Scruggs is probably on the bubble because he has the opportunity talking to his agent he may have an opportunity overseas so we'll just have to see how that plays out.

This year's CBA will be comprised of just 5 teams playing a 32 game schedule which means teams will see each other quite a bit this season.

Sanders:It would be helpful if we had a league that has a lot of teams because you get tired of seeing one another you know too many times and you know beating up on each team so I think the league will be strong as it is and hopefully in the future it will start to grow and more people will come in and bring teams into the league.

The Skyrockets open their season December 14th at East Kentucky with their first home game December 17th against Albany.



I like Scruggs, got to talk to him a few times last year, he has a pretty good outside shot, but still he's a 7 footer. He needs to play more down low, that was one of the more frustrating things last year. Fields is a great player, like a coach on the floor, but he shoots too many fade aways. At one point last year I was expecting him to start shooting fade away free throws. :D

[skyrocketsfan23]

I heard through the skyrockets office that Ronnie Fields is going to be back in a skyrockets uniform.

[pikevilleout]

from a fans view, thats great i thought ronnie was a great ball player has a sweet fade away its a shame what happened to him early in his life with the wreck and all, i wouldve loved to seen him in his prime or in the nba...lol..but overall thought he was a very nice guy and a good ball player itll be nice to see him on the court battling the miners once again.

[psbf]

the league office about the Xplosion. I told them I wanted an actual answer and not an automatic response. Commissioner Dennis Treaux responded saying that announcement should be made shortly.

[Patroons1]

PSBF, what did you ask them?

[psbf]

To put it simply, I told them that there was nothing coming out of the Xplosion and I wanted an actuall answer as to what is going on, not an automated one.

[psbf]

I'll let you be the judge, here is the reply;

'Hello;

I understand your a diehard approach to the Xplosion, as you have asked of their status many tiimes. The response is still the same, the Xplosion will be a member of the CBA this season. They are in the process of signing players and announcements should be forthcoming.

Dennis Traux
CBA

[zeke41]

What is Dennis Traux, the CBA Commissioner, doing answering emails for the Xplosion? Him having access to the X's email box sounds like a huge warning sign. Where's Freddie Lewis? Who exactly owns the X? Why aren't there staff members for the X responding instead of the CBA Commissioner?

This doesn't sound good! If they don't have staff in place by now...a month before the season is set to start, this could get really ugly for Pitt. and the rest of the CBA.:confused:

[psbf]

Zeke, my friend, re-read my original posting. I contacted the league office.

[psbf]

about the possibility that the league may have taken over the Xplosion, since majority owner Freddy Lewis seems to want nothing to do with it now.

[basketball facts]

Freddy Lewis was never an owner. He never invested one dime with the franchise.

[zeke41]

PSBF...my friend...the response still begs the question: How come no one from the Xplosion responded? Clearly, if Dennis Traux has to respond, either there isn't an Xplosion staff cemented in place to forward your email to, or there is not a staff member in Pitt. that knows what the heck is going on, and it is very close to the beginning of the season.

Even if there is an elusive staff in place, this is a horrible way to run a team successfully, and that is sad, especially for fans like you, PSBF. No PR means poor marketing means more crowds under 100 fans this season...which means more money that may as well be burned!

This is unfortunate...I send along my sympathy, PSBF...I hope I'm drastically wrong about all of this!

[zeke41]

I noticed this months ago but never brought it up, but it really sheds more light on how dysfunctional the CBA has become. I posted the Bio of Freddie Lewis found on the X's "CBA" website. I know the X came from the ABA, but shouldn't someone have proofread the bio and shed the ABA references like

"He fervently believes that Pittsburgh and the ABA will be a winning combination, and that his team will produce future stars that will rise to greater heights in professional basketball, just as he did almost 40 years ago."

Websites are a good inclination of how professionally an organization is run. It's sad to see the CBA take a dive over the years. Read the bio for yourself. Oh, and according to the website, Freddie Lewis is listed as the General Manager/Majority Owner. A little misleading by the CBA if this is not true!

http://www.pittsburghxplosion.com/xplosion/frontoffice.php

Freddie Lewis, an original ABA legend, is the driving force behind the Pittsburgh Xplosion and its goal to lead the resurgence of professional basketball in the region.

During his 9-year ABA career with the Indiana Pacers and the St. Louis Spirit, Freddie averaged 17 points and 4.2 assists per game. He played in the ABA All Star game four times and was named MVP of the All Star game in the 1974-75 season. As a member of the Indiana Pacers, he earned three ABA championship rings.

Freddie developed his shooting and ball-handling skills as a prolific guard for McKeesport High School. His prowess on the basketball court continued at Eastern Arizona Junior College and then Arizona State University. In 1966, he was drafted in the 10 th round by the Cincinnati Royals of the NBA. Freddie played one season for the Royals and with NBA superstar Oscar Robertson before jumping to the ABA and Indiana in 1967. In his first season with the Pacers, Freddie averaged 20.6 points per game. Overall, he averaged more than 20 points in three different ABA seasons, with a career-best average of 22.2 points for the St. Louis Spirit during the 1975-1976 season, when he was 32 years old.

In 1976, Freddie rejoined the Pacers after the team joined the NBA as part of the historic merger with the ABA. He retired after the 1976-1977 season after an 11-year professional career, including 2 years in the NBA and the remainder in the ABA.

Freddie, 62, resides in McKeesport. In honor of his achievements in professional basketball, the ABA this year named one of its divisions the Freddie Lewis Division, which includes the Pittsburgh Xplosion. He fervently believes that Pittsburgh and the ABA will be a winning combination, and that his team will produce future stars that will rise to greater heights in professional basketball, just as he did almost 40 years ago.

[psbf]

ok, Basketball, I'm going by what is listed on the Xplosion team link.

Zeke, unfortunately you're right. It seems the X have no more office staff. The guy who I purchased my tix from told me he was let go and I no longer get responses from them, nor do they answer the phone. I only have rumors that Freddy Lewis was selling the team and no confirmation. The season is about a month away and still nobody to purchase tix from!
I lost respect for the league office last season and the response that I received leaves me feeling no better about them. I'm trying to promote the X in the hopes of finding a new investor, I'm always wearing my Xplosion stuff around town now and my Aunt is helping to distribute information pages that I put together. One of the local reporters who wrote an article on the team earlier, I keep him updated. When I see a Basketball game on tv, it reminds me of the Xplosion action that I witnessed. I can't let their name die, regardless of those at the head who seem not to care. We are hosting the All-Star game so someone needs to care(imo). Thanks, Zeke, I have to believe! The old Piranhas only lasted one season, despite grabbing success. I can't let the Xplosion leave also. I have to keep Basketball youth in mind, too much talent here. I don't want to sound like they won't make the season, as will be at the games, regardless. I'll make sure others know too.

[PikevilleOT]

perhaps some of the other teams/management knows more about the behind the scenes in Pitt?? that does sound bad..VERY BAD.. when people can't even buy tickets. Is the league supporting the Xplosion or is this going to turn out badly?

[psbf]

that others have their own opinions, but I have to believe positively. If there were just someone around to answer the phones for the sake of ticket purchase, I could promote more. There have been many who wanted to know how to get tickets. That's the frustrating part:mad:

[DakotaWiz]

A press release came out saying that Ronnie Fields will be back in Minot again this season.