Thank you, Joe Newman. Seriously.

[LightningMan]

Given that my loyalties are with a team that fled the ABA, I am sure some of you think that this is a joke of some kind or sarcasm, but I do actually mean it sincerely.

At some point Joe and his Red, White, and Blue Flying Circus talked the owners of the Rochester RazorSharks, the Maryland Nighthawks, and the Wilmington Sea Dawgs to join his dysfunctional party with promises of "affordable family entertainment" or whatever the catch phrase was. Now going into their third season, the second in the PBL, I'm seeing 1200 to 1400 at a game on a Thursday, moms and dads and kids and coeds and old farts like me all together having a great time. Family friendly. Affordable. Entertaining. In a league where the teams show up for their scheduled games. Nice uniforms. Good referees. Well matched teams. Wilmington tonight was living the snake oil dream that Joe keeps peddling.

I had a really good time at the Sea Dawgs game tonight. It wouldn't have happened without Joe Newman. And so, sincerely, for that I am thankful. I just wish the dozens (hundreds?) of other teams and towns that Joe has bilked, defrauded, or otherwise bamboozled got to experience it. The dream Joe is peddling is possible. Just not with Joe and his league.

[nksports]

Given that my loyalties are with a team that fled the ABA, I am sure some of you think that this is a joke of some kind or sarcasm, but I do actually mean it sincerely.

At some point Joe and his Red, White, and Blue Flying Circus talked the owners of the Rochester RazorSharks, the Maryland Nighthawks, and the Wilmington Sea Dawgs to join his dysfunctional party with promises of "affordable family entertainment" or whatever the catch phrase was. Now going into their third season, the second in the PBL, I'm seeing 1200 to 1400 at a game on a Thursday, moms and dads and kids and coeds and old farts like me all together having a great time. Family friendly. Affordable. Entertaining. In a league where the teams show up for their scheduled games. Nice uniforms. Good referees. Well matched teams. Wilmington tonight was living the snake oil dream that Joe keeps peddling.

I had a really good time at the Sea Dawgs game tonight. It wouldn't have happened without Joe Newman. And so, sincerely, for that I am thankful. I just wish the dozens (hundreds?) of other teams and towns that Joe has bilked, defrauded, or otherwise bamboozled got to experience it. The dream Joe is peddling is possible. Just not with Joe and his league.

That's kind of like in "Conan the Barbarian," when Conan (played by Gov. Arnold) confronts Thulsa Doom (James Earl Jones), who tells Conan he is his father, because without him, Conan's life would have no purpose.

But I suppose, just as Doom can bring some girl to jump off a cliff to her death just by his summons, Newman can bring an ABA franchise to its death just by its under capitalization.

[Paul S]

See I agree with Lightningman 100 percent. Joe's vision of what can be is I think astute and a great one. Thing is, by letting in anyone who can cobble together (a promise of) 10k through a payday advance, 401k loan or credit cards is diluting the league.

What Joe should have done was have an ABA where the real teams can play and actually keep committments. Then have an ABA2.0 or ABAlite where the 10k wanna-be's have to prove themselves before they can go to the real league.

[runninref]

Lightening man ... well stated and I concur. Love him or hate him, Joe Newman has many great ideas and could sell ice in Alaska, however his organizational skills and management style is lacking. I so wish Q was as advertized before his demise. I so wish the ABA had quality management from day one to see Newman's vision come to fruition. I so wish the the CBA would have become a regional league to weather the economic storm. Now even that league appears to be DOA. As the saying goes, "you can wish in one hand and sh*t in the other and see which one fills up faster."

Paul S ... What happened to the semipro league the ABA was planning in Louisville? I thought that was going to address the problem of the fly by night dreamers in the ABA. Again, great ideas from Mr. Newman, but no ability to put them into action.:mrgreen:

[ABARedWhiteBlue]

Paul S ... What happened to the semipro league the ABA was planning in Louisville? I thought that was going to address the problem of the fly by night dreamers in the ABA. Again, great ideas from Mr. Newman, but no ability to put them into action.:mrgreen:

According to the website, there is a meeting tomorrow, and "tryouts" next week:
http://www.thel-aba.com/pageschedule.html

I still maintain that there will be a team from this thing that will play this year as part of the 09 season.

Might as well, every other random team around the country is now part of the schedule...

[a1sports]

Madoff had great ideas also.........


ABA
Still comes down to a ponzi-type of scheme to make money for himself and screw everyone else.

[The Magician]

... It wouldn't have happened without Joe Newman. And so, sincerely, for that I am thankful.

I think I'm going to be sick ...

[The Magician]

See I agree with Lightningman 100 percent. Joe's vision of what can be is I think astute and a great one.

Ugh, I think I'm going to be sick AGAIN ...