Motor City Snipers??

[Global-Hockey]

Who are the Motor City Snipers? Where do they play? and I would appreciate any other information on this team. I would get the information myself, but their is nothing on the League's, website and the teams site is not working.

[preeths]

I know they are based in Detroit and have named their head coach. We have some info here on OSC in the IIHL section.

[BigMike]

and there is more infomation posted at


http://www.************.com/

[Big Chris]

Killbreath, do us all a favor and disappear. And take the joke you call the iiihl with you.

[Global-Hockey]

Okay, I went to the ************ site and there is a schedule. But can anybody tell me where they play? I am reading about games and seeing stats, but the one thing I am not seeing is WHERE the heck I can buy a ticket, and if I could buy one, where in the hell can I watch them play?The league ownership should be giving tickets away to anybody that wants one. I can not believe that this league hired a PR guy. What the heck is he doing? Because he sure as heck is not providing the fans or the press any information. This team should be in every paper in the area. Oakland Press, Detroit News and Free Press to name a few. I thought PR guys were hired to do press releases, get the leagues name in front of people. But I guess this PR guy is doing thte same thing he did with the last league he was with NOTHING. Maybe that is why he only lasted 1 year. Is it so hard to promote this league? The Vipers when they were here drew 8 to 9,000 fans a game, Fans in Detroit are looking for a ticke that does not cost $55.00. The Snipers games would be packed. But what do we get? A schedule with no home arena, no place to buy tickets, nothing. Just foe snot make sense. Mr. MIke you want to see how a real PR person promotes your league. Drop me an email here and I will have the League in every newspaper of every city they play in. Tickets will be at every business that will let me put them in (and they will be free), Players will be available on sports talk shows, interviews will be established on TV sports broadcasts. Your arenas will be full, your league will get the exposure it deserves. Because it sure isn't getting it now. UNless of course there is really not anything to promote?

[BigMike]

GB
The PR person wrote for the Detroit Vipers
how do you think the news got out. the first five years there was nothing much on their web site .The Vipers Pit was built and all the news was published there which had nothing to do with the Organization
Someone who cared enough about the fans built it for the fans

You hardly read about the Vipers in these papers you mentioned

The PR person does a great job, We worked hand in hand and I have worked with him on and off all these years

The releases are sent to the papers you mentioned and more. they haven't published them. they just care about the NHL. Minor Leagues get the last to nothing I am sure this is one reason for this web site to get the Minor League news out

I gave up on the League mentioned after a year also for very good reasons

more news is getting out now than before

there were no recaps before, were there??

I agree to some degree in what you are saying but I know why,
things happened......All businesses do not disclose everything to the public...

I will know more about the Snipers and it will be published
the arena for the Snipers is being rented Little Big Mr Pizza Man owns it now!! and that held up a lot of things also
He Owns the Red Wings & Tigers , bought the place Big surprise huh??

it's renamed did you read that???

there is a list of the arenas on that web site, it was published some time ago and at least I got a schedule for you fans , that is more than you had last week
a thank you would be nice to hear

[Global-Hockey]

Mike. I am not at war with you, I want to be a fan of your league. However your PR guy did not write Press releases for the Vipers, he owned a Free Monthly publication called "Great Lakes Hockey" I knew both PR guys, and Larry was not one of them. One of the Vipers PR guys is now with the Columbus Blue Jackets and the other is in Florida with an another minor league team. I wrote for a Major Sports paper so I do know a little bit about press releases ( I am still in the hockey business in a small way),in fact, Larry and I know each other. And you don't hear anythng abut the Vipers because they folded 3 years ago. But I can tell you this, they had coverage and it was very good coverage. But Larry had nothing to do with it. All I want is a place to buy a ticket and watch a game, and if your involved with Mike the Pizza man, then your team will always be paying more rent that you should, because he will not open the Joe up for you. Your response was like you don't have a clue about what your league is doing. Don't you know where they play? You side stepped that question with a statement about the guy who owns the Red Wings, and Tigers. Pizza man Mike does not do things or set up teams and not promote them, he thrives on the attention and how much he is doing for the fans, the city and blah, blah, blah (He has a big head an likes to be praised). I truly do not believe that the Detroit papers and the Oakland Press refused to print anything about your league. When the CoHL (Now UHL) were being talked about (a year prior to the first dropping of the puck Detroit vs Thunder Bay) they were already printing items about the league, possible teams, that sort of thing. Detroit is a sports town and so is the area. I am in the business, I do know a little something about press releases and how to get them in the papers. I have done it before. I will thank you when the web site is up, the arenas are announced, and I can buy a ticket and actually watch a game.

[BigMike]

GB

Mike. I am not at war with you, I want to be a fan of your league.

This is not my League . I have no ownership or any money invested in it

and I have never stated I did.

[Global-Hockey]

Okay, whatever you say. This is no win situation for the IIHL and the fans. I am not going to trash the league, or the owners because at this point this is a runaway ship on its way to the bottom. If you are not an owner or an investor, you sure are defending a bunch of people that couldn't run a church bake sale correctly.The PR department is terrible (not one press release from Mr. Nader on the site), the website itself is a cartoon, it is full of dead links, and yet you defend these people. If your not an owner or an investor then every league needs a fan like you,

[Dan K]

The ************ site has links to news articles, one of which says the team will play at the State Fair Coliseum. This is where the Motor City All Americans were supposed to play, so did the Vipers replace that team or was it simply renamed? Also, I know North Country was replaced by Soo City, but what happened to the Chelsea-based team called the Southern Michigan Super Wolves?

[Global-Hockey]

The Vipers were part of the IHL. That league folded 3 years ago. Good luck finding out any other information. Getting information out of the IIHL is like trying to find a contact lense in a bathtub full of sand. You know it is there somewhere, but for some reason you can't locate it. Has to be the poorest PR and front office staff in professional sports. But they seem to like it that way. Thank you for the arena location on the Snipers, you seem to know more than the PR guy does.

[BigMike]

I do know a little something about press releases and how to get them in the papers. I have done it before

I have received Press Releases from the IIHL and on the e-mail list the Detrout Free Press and other newspapers e-mails were sent the same infomation
It's up to the editor what gets published

so do you go in the office and demand they print your release??
I think not

As I mentioned Minor Leagues are on the lowest end of what gets published. they will clain they do not have the space , so I have been told

ha ha ha

Giving out free tickets broke the back of the Vipers why buy a ticket when you can get them free it caught up with them and didn't pay the bills and sponsors backed off , so nothing was left
Couldn't even support a UHL team after that
and the owner actually went all out for the Pistons and didn't give a hoot about hockey or the true supporting fans

I was a season ticket holder and it ticked me off people coming in and setting in seats next to me for free and I paid 30 some dollars a seat
that makes no sense

[Big Chris]

Just like Killbreath to run smack and SLANDER other teams and leagues that came before him. He did this everytime he tried to launch a new roller hockey 'league'.
http://www.geocities.com/xhionline

Extreme Hockey International (XHI) was created by Mike Killbreath and a group of individuals who were originally interested in buying franchises in either RHI or Major League Roller Hockey. They quickly became skeptical of the so-called "big leagues" of the sport, and with good reason as it turned out. Both RHI and Major League collapsed last summer to create a huge opportunity for XHI to replace them as the only pro game on the horizon! Originally planning to move forward as a "minor league feeder system" to the "big league" operations, XHI leaders revamped and revised their business plan.

Killbreath, no 'Professional' sports league would openly run smack on other leagues that came before theirs. Especially since you had yet to show you were capable of fielding teams to play a single game. If you are so damn rich like you claim then suck it up and lose a few buck to make things work instead of running 'tryout camps' with no scouts or coaches there to scout the players who paid money to be there. (Last time I checked you did this with the Great Lakes IHA that never happened and with the iihl and I am pretty sure that is FRAUD.)

http://www.esportsdesk.com/xhi

THE PRO GAME "FLOP" TO DATE: Why? It's very easy to identify the problem. Roller hockey isn't a "Major League" sport and will never attract the necessary "MAJOR" TV dollars that have been hard to come by in the US market even by NHL teams. The operators of RHI and Major League Roller Hockey must have had malfunctioning calculators in business plans that included coast-to-coast travel budgets and huge player salaries for minor league ice hockey performers.

No player in RHI ever made more then $10,000 for a season at anytime in RHI history unless they did endorsement commercials for the ESPN2 tv deal. The RHI had it's share of problems to be sure but what you said was libelous. Not becoming of a man who claims to be this big time newspaper mogul.

Killbreath, nobody is going to show up to see the circus you call a 'league' if you pay them. Give it up and stop running smack on people who want to see your excuse for a league.

And do us a favor and fold this bird before you stick around long enough to get arrested...

[Global-Hockey]

Okay, here we go again. I guess I need to educate you about a few things. 1) The Owner of the Vipers also owns the building, therefore he could give tickets away because he still received income from the parking of 7000 cars at $5.00 a car =$35,000 pure profit a game before the fans even entered the Palace. 2) He got 100% of the concession sales and at $6.00 for a glass of beer, pennants, etc=A lot of money before the fans even set down. 3) The IHL Commissioner before Moss put the league out of business with his rapid expansion to San Francisco, Las Vegas, Manitoba, Utah, San Antonio, to mention a few. Bill used the Pistons airplane to shuttle his players to these far out of the way cities. The IHL was a great league with Muskegon, Peoria, Ft. Wayne, Kalamazoo, Flint and Saginaw. Front office Greed of the IHL cost this league, not the team owners. 4) The Detroit Falcons (then to Port Huron) were never owned by Mr. Davidson. They were owned by Dr. Afr who scuttled the team after taking many dollars from season ticket holders and sponsors and delivering them nothing. His son put the Lexington team out of business in the AHL with the same attitude. If you paid $30.00 for a front row seat on the ice, which I believe was the price range (I don't know because I was always in the press box for the paper I was covering the team for, and even did a couple periods of calling the game with John before he went to the NHL) then good for you. You were a good fan. But that has nothing to do with the lack of coverage of the IIHL which is what this discussion is about. LACK of COVERAGE, Lack of fan support, lack of NEWS.

[BigMike]

You mentioned the News coverage and the IHL was an example that came to my mind

I guess this whole forum is devoted to knocking the League

Enjoy

[Big Chris]

You mentioned the News coverage and the IHL was an example that came to my mind

I guess this whole forum is devoted to knocking the League

Enjoy

Wrong answer Killbreath. You chose to run smack on other leagues and teams that came before you and dropped names and were called on it.

Time to present actual FACTS before you start running smack.

You are a joke.

[peetie12]

You mentioned the News coverage and the IHL was an example that came to my mind

I guess this whole forum is devoted to knocking the League

Enjoy

Posted Thursday, January 1 at 8:41pm?

What's going on here? Isn't there more important things going on in the league than this stupid message board? There's only five people that post here on a regular basis anyway.

Perhaps instead of surfing the net looking for negative posts, time could be spent thanking a certain father who deserves many many thanks.

All I know is that my guys better be taken care of as they deserve to be taken care of. I personally made sure they were taken care of today, and it pisses me off that posting on this message board is the highest priority right now.

[Global-Hockey]

Shaun. Again, I am not at war with anybody connected with this league (I even sent you a private email that I am waiting on an answer from you from the interview you did with my publiation back in May of 1999 when you were with Corpus Christi). I am a hockey fan, I am still in the business and all I have asked for is a schedule, where I can buy a ticket, what time the games start. That is all any fan wants. I don't want to run the league, I don't want to be the PR guy. I want to watch a hockey game that is not going to cost me $50.00 to get in the door. I will agree that there has been some very minor coverage on the other site. I wanted to go to the Sniper home opener this coming Saturday for two reasons to watch a game and to see my old friend Darrin Banks who is coaching this team. The release from the IIHL says it is Saturday, they told me where, but NO TIME of the game. Can I even buy a ticket? and if so where? Playing before 50 to 75 people is not going to help this league survive. Just give me some information and I will jump on the bandwagaon, but when I ask a question, and all I get is dancing around the cabbage patch with no answers from a certain person who offers nothing but rudeness, and goes off on everything but the question presented, then, yes that makes me mad. Just be professional in your answer. I am tired of the "It is his fault not mine" answers. Accept the blame, and answer the question regardless of what the answer is. Then this league and certain people associated with the league will gain respect which leads to a following. I appreciate your defense of the league and your team, and you have been the only one associated with the league to even have the guts to give a professional answer. No excuses from you, just the way it is. Maybe you should be the PR guy, then maybe all this so called league bashing will stop, It will stop wih me if I could only get a few questions answered without me looking like I am the one at fault for the situation.

[peetie12]

Well, first of all I'm not the Shaun Peet that you are thinking about. I've got an unrelated twin brother that I've never met who is 4 or 5 years older than myself. He's a 6'3" 220lb left-handed defenseman who went to Dartmouth of the ECAC. I'm a 6'3" 220lb left-handed defenseman who started out at Cornell of the ECAC. We spell our names the exact same way, which has got to be about the biggest coincidence in all of pro hockey.

Also, as I stated on another post somewhere on this site, I have quit as the GM of the Ice Cats, and have also chosen to no longer play for the team. I cannot afford to make the sacrifices that I have had to make if I am to be a full-time student. Things that needed to get done weeks ago still haven't been done, and because I haven't been able to move forward I no longer have the time to accomplish major tasks associated with the GM role. Class starts Monday at 8:00am. I have said from Day #1 that I am a student first, and whatever time I had left would be allocated to the Ice Cats. But there is no way at this point that I would be able to succeed as a student since there is so much work to do for the Ice Cats that I've been trying to finalize for weeks now that still isn't done.

I'll support the Ice Cats as long as they benefit the community in which I consider myself a part of.

[BigMike]

Wrong answer Killbreath. You chose to run smack on other leagues and teams that came before you and dropped names and were called on it.

Time to present actual FACTS before you start running smack.

You are a joke.

peetie12

isn't this the statement you should have quoted??
It's discusting how this poster always knocking Officials from the League

believes in freedom of speech but he goes to far in my opinion

I never claimed to be Mike Killbreath but this idiot always attacks anything I have to say


The IHL is a League International Hockey League that folded FYI
And BigChris I am sure you were not there
you don't have a clue

nor did you take Joe up on going to a game he offered give you a front row seat and to let you in free because you repeatly stated this League would not play one game
I believe you will never attend a game being your in Canada anyhow

[BigMike]

Global-Hockey

I again sent an e-mail trying to get the times and even the scores of the game I am still waiting . I have made several long distance phones calls also

I want to see Darren as well

[Big Chris]

Wrong answer Killbreath. You chose to run smack on other leagues and teams that came before you and dropped names and were called on it.

Time to present actual FACTS before you start running smack.

You are a joke.

peetie12

isn't this the statement you should have quoted??
It's discusting how this poster always knocking Officials from the League

believes in freedom of speech but he goes to far in my opinion

I never claimed to be Mike Killbreath but this idiot always attacks anything I have to say


The IHL is a League International Hockey League that folded FYI
And BigChris I am sure you were not there
you don't have a clue

nor did you take Joe up on going to a game he offered give you a front row seat and to let you in free because you repeatly stated this League would not play one game
I believe you will never attend a game being your in Canada anyhow

I called you on the constant slamming of other leagues that came before you Killbreath. (IP numbers don't lie pal.) I have posted numerous comments you have made towards other leagues that ACTUALLY PLAYED that you could have easily been sued over. (Since you are so damn lawsuit happy, glass houses...)

Yes I stated that you would never play a game. Since there isn't a single photo from a game and boxscores have been so hard to come by one has to really wonder if any of those games have been legit. Joe and his team seem to have disappeared off the face of the earth anyway so I doubt he's in a position to offer me said tickets right now.

Playing a handful of games in secrecy because you don't want people to show up is proof positive how arrogant and pathetic this league is. The seconds are ticking away on this thing...

[peetie12]

Easy, easy Chris.

You take a chance on your own reputation with that last post. The league HAS played games. In the Athens Messenger and the Athens News there WERE photos and recaps of the games, and pictures of the crowds at the games. Lansing has played a bunch of home games without 45,000 students around, so their gate has suffered.

Northern Michigan would have played a game this afternoon if they would have had somebody to play against.

[patmc16]

WOW! I've learned more about this whole situation from reading through these posts than I could find anywhere else. I have been trying to follow this league since it was first mentioned on OSC. I'm a fan of all minor league sports and ones in Michigan in particular. As a would-be-fan it is very frustrating. There is next to nothing to be found. Of course the papers are not going to give it much coverage. When the AHL, the top rung of the minor league ladder, gets next to no coverage and the IIHL is positioned as the bottom rung of the ladder, what else could we expect. When no one else promotes you, you need to promote yourself. A league such as this should depend on their web site to promote itself. There is nothing there either..... dead end links and a bunch of "coming soon" pages. If the league really is up and running, nothing should still be "coming soon". I did read somewhere that the Snipers were to play their first home game at the Michigan State Fairgrounds Colisuem today, 1/3. I happened to pass by the fairgrounds today, not to go to the game, since there is nothing to be found anywhere I looked for ticket info or times. It looked like a fairground should look in the middle of winter..... abandoned. The whole situation kind of reminds me of the first reincarnation of the ABA back in 2000. At least I know that league actually existed, as I was at the Detroit Dogs inaugural game. I had thought I'd seen the worst PR job then. After they won the first championship, the local tv sports couldn't get an appointment with the head of PR. I forget which station it was but they said as much on the air and never spoke of the team or league again. The Dogs were dead after a second season full of cancelled games and in high school gym's when they did play. Even with all that they look like PT Barnum compared to the IIHL. It's kinda sad. The whole thing looks like a lot of smoke and mirrors. While it's too bad for anyone who wanted to be a fan, I really feel for anyone who has a financial interest in this mess. "If you (really) build it, they (or at least I) will come".

BTW, this is my first post. Any more will be less winded. ;-)

[Big Chris]

Well with the Coach of the first place Ice Nuts resigning tonight this league is looking worse and worse. Considering how bad this league was before, imagine how bad it must be now.

[REVVED]

Well with the Coach of the first place Ice Nuts resigning tonight this league is looking worse and worse. Considering how bad this league was before, imagine how bad it must be now.

11-0 and quits?!? WTF?

[real info]

the real shame in all of this is that you have players that have been trying to play hockey for months. They havent been paid, they have been jerked around, and even worse they have had their dreams and valuable playing time wasted.

We as fans have had our hopes for new local teams once again wasted. The IIHL people are the type of people that "burn" local markets and make it more difficult for real minor league teams to emerge. The UHL, WPHL/CHL Combo, ECHL/WCHL and AHL/IHL combos were created to build better, stronger leagues. One of the elements was getting rid of franchises that were finacialy inept. The IIHL has teams that dont have GM, Coaches and of course bus companies that already have not been paid.

How in January do you not have a schedule. How are there only a handful of teams that have played games? Why is the league taking a few days break coming up so that it can re-evaluate.

Worse than fans being burned you have players that cant afford to be out of pocket that have spent their own money and have not gotten paid.

You should be ashamed!!!!!

[Big Chris]

And all the while it is Killbreath that seems to get away unscathed. He is the one who shouldn't be sleeping at night here. He has taken the dreams of young players and turned them into toilet paper.

Mike Killbreath, as far as I'm concerned you are a FRAUD and should be in jail. I am sick of your ruining young players and staff members' lives. I am sick of your constantly threatening to sue everyone. I am sick of your lies and I am absolutly sick of your still being allowed to be a part of the sport I love at all. You are the biggest a-hole who ever lived and deserve everything that is coming to you.

[Global-Hockey]

Well I too tried to catch a Snipers game. Guess what? Couldn't find them. One posting (Schedule) said the game was at 2:30, another said the game was at 5:30, and nobody was at the fairgrounds to let me in anyway. This is such a sad situation for the players, many left college to play for this league. I guess their college playing days are over if they accepted any sort of money, housing, food, etc. I doubt many will ever advance past a beer league game now. RIP IIHL. But then you were never really born anyway. :(

[hunter49770]

i have been to every predators home game. i have talked with their GM, and he is working very hard to keep it all together. They are drawing a couple hundred per game, and people are really enjoying themselves. as for the rest of the league i dont know, all i can say is that this really is good hockey, and i hope it lasts.

[Global-Hockey]

i have been to every predators home game. i have talked with their GM, and he is working very hard to keep it all together. They are drawing a couple hundred per game, and people are really enjoying themselves. as for the rest of the league i dont know, all i can say is that this really is good hockey, and i hope it lasts.

Mr/Ms: Hunter, I truly hope this league somehow gets up and running. Fans need a league where the top ticket is like $12.00, the NHL and now even the AHL is charging that much to park your car. I want to support this league, its players. However I have not seen a game yet because the Detroit Franchise has only played on the road and the first schedule had them at home last weekend, but nobody seemed to know anything about anything when I went to the fairgrounds. I am willing to see what happens, I plan on being at the Snipers games this weekend. Providing I can get on the property. Recent press release stated it was at 2:30, so I will hold off on any more comments until I actually see the team on the ice with a visiting team. :shock:

[Sewer-rat]

I hope you get to see a game, but I would plan on bringing a nice warm coat, because I've got this sneeking suspicion that you may be standing there all alone in the cold. I don't think I'm psychic, but just call it a hunch. I think I'm going to set up a hot chocolate stand there. I'll be rich!

[REVVED]

I hope you get to see a game, but I would plan on bringing a nice warm coat, because I've got this sneeking suspicion that you may be standing there all alone in the cold. I don't think I'm psychic, but just call it a hunch. I think I'm going to set up a hot chocolate stand there. I'll be rich!

:? Do you mean the weather in Detroit in January :wink: or :twisted: do you mean there will be Sniper hockey when Hell freezes over? :lol:

[Big Chris]

Apparently there is a press conference scheduled in the next day or so. I guess Killbreath is going to get one last day of media attention before he runs away again.

Amazing...

[BigMike]

Fox Sports
televised the Snipers on the ice and that arena is really nice
See the Players and Darren Banks
if you can catch it

[Global-Hockey]

Well I guess it is bye-bye for the Snipers who had both games cancelled today for this weekends action. I have tried very hard to have an open mind about the IIHL, but this action closed it for me. Lansing shuts down for 10 days in the middle of hockey season, The Snipers have played 2 games and they seem to be going dark, Joe quits the Predators, Peetie quits the Ohio team, Lansings coach and GM after an 11-0 start quits. No uniforms, no transportation, no pucks, no refs, no buildings, NO LEAGUE. :(

[BigMike]

Global Hockey you are mis informed in your posting

you won't get the staright answers here for sure

[Big Chris]

Killbreath, get the hell off of this board. You have scammed enough people for one lifetime.

You are an incompetant owner and lousy businessman. You treat everyone around you like crap and cannot back up what you say with legitimate actions.

I pity you.

[Global-Hockey]

Big Mike

Please tell me what the facts are then? Please tell me which one of the statements I made were not true? The Snipers games were cancelled at the last minute. True or false? Joe quit the league. True of false? Only one team has what you could call uniforms. True or false?, The Lansing GM/Coach quit after an 11-0 start. True of false?, The League owes a lot of money to bus companies. True or false?, The Coach of the Athens team quit. True or False?. Refs have not been paid. True of False? OGP (the leagues Puck Maker) has not been paid and they only received an order for Predators pucks anyway. True or false? I did not go into details as to what any of the above mentioned things happened, all I stated was that they did happen. Please tell me which statements are wrong?

[therealstory]

Let me clarify a few items. OGP has been paid in advance by the Predators. The rest of the teams never placed an order after I negotiated a league wide deal. Because they have no $$$. Further, any press releases that dont come from me, are not true. There is a release being prepared by the league with comments and quoptes I did not make. I have been threatened with lawsuits over this, but do not care. The predators are the only team that has paid all of its bills. That is the bottom line. Every other team has outstanding debit, and dont worry sports fans, the responsible parties will be held accountable. As for me thank you all for the well wishes i have received i appreciate them all. I am still with the Preds, and will be making more news real soon. Joe kolodziej

[Big Chris]

It's pathetic that all Killbreath has is empty threats and this message board after all of this.

Joe, Killbreath doesn't have the balls to sue anyone because:

A) He would be opening himself up to a potential IRS audit because his finances would be come fair game in a court of law.

B) The MOTHER of all countersuits would come his way because everyone he ever screwed over will show up to repute him.

C) That said he would even open himself up to criminal charges. I guess you have noticed that he likes to work behind locked doors and prefers nobody pay attention to the man behind the curtain so to speak.

Killbreath is dead in the water when it comes to lawsuits, (wouldn't he have tried to sue me first if he had the guts??) He likes to bully people around and make them do whatever he wants. He's nothing and has nothing but it's time for all of us to take him to task so that he can never ruin another young person's life again.

[BigMike]

As Far as the Snipers are concerned I was at the Press Conference

I know why the games were canceled

[REVVED]

As Far as the Snipers are concerned I was at the Press Conference

I know why the games were canceled

AND?!?!?

Spit it out Mikey. You gotta learn how to share with the rest of the class. Cloaks and shadows may be your M.O., but this IS a news site - the idea is to provide information and opinions.

[Sewer-rat]

Look at this mess. I thought the coach from lansing resigned. What is going on hear??? Who do we belive??????

http://www.theiihl.com/IceNuts1504.html

[Sewer-rat]

here :|

[Friendlyref]

Sewer Rat,

Thanks for this post because I never would have known. Here is what we know about Killbreath:

1. He still owes the Hotel in Lansing over $3000
2. He still owes Ice Sports the IceNuts Practice Rink over $900
3. When I showed in Lansing on 11/29/03 not 1 thing was in place. No practice facility, no Hotel deal, Killbreath wanted players to pay there own way through Training Camp, Room meals Everything. As GM, I struck a hotel deal to get my players free rooms for a week. Then Killbreath stated when I picked my players the team would then pay for hotels until we found the players housing. Killbreath wanted to put these guys with host families! As GM I struck a deal with an aprtment complex to get the players cheaper rent on 2 bedroom apartments. Making $125 a week and Killbreath makes the players pay for there own living.
4. Still has NOT PAID the referees!!!
5. I resign, Shaun Peet in Ohio Valley resigns, Joe in Northern Michigan Resigns his post from the league, The coach and gm in Ohio Valley prior to Shaun resigns and Larry Nader the PR guy resigned. But it is all our fault.

As for not showing up for work, I resigned on 01/02/04 In East Lansing. I went home to Indy because we had New Years Day off. Yes I advised my sponsors to collect there money from him because I was not going down with his sinking ship and I did want them to go down with it either. So don't get me started about owing money he bounce a $1018.41 check to me and he gave me $320 of it back, so he still OWES me close to $700 in salary and over $900 in cell phone bills becaue fat cheap ass would not provide me an office. As for IceNuts staff, I was the staff I had no marketing staff and no PR staff until Larry came on board in Mid December. People in Lansing told Killbreath not to schedule any home games in December because the students are out of town. What does he do. He schedules 8 home games in December, thats why we didn't draw. I worked 20 days tring to make it work. The budget, While 2 other teams were spending $3000 a week in salaries I was at $2275.00 Killbreath wants his teams at $1775 for 16 players. Not to mention he wanted me to play as well. All for $200 a week. I never misrepresented myself or promised anything I could not deliver to sponsors or my players. Killbreath did a reference check on me with Mitch at USF and he told Killbreath I was the Head Coach. I never withheld money from the gate, to CYA i had an official check printed from the bank and it has been mailed certified because I knew this prick would accuse me of something like this. He has some nerve making statements about missing money, but then again when you hand money out like candy on halloween how can you keep track of it. Yes I opened up an account at Ice Sports to get some basics, Pucks, Tape, Water bottles sticks for players, and yes I bought a stick for myself because I gave to players 2 of my shafts and I broke my last stick I had because Killbreath hadn't bought sticks for anyone. Thats why an ccount was opened. Not for personal use. This "underage female staff memeber" was the girlfriend of the person videotaping our games. she didn't do squat for me or the team, and did not belong on the bus along with he rest of KillBreaths familty that he brought on the bus on that trip. And when I say family, I am talking wife, daughter, daughters boyfriend. And this "underage staff member went out of her way to say she was 21. Not the 1st time I have been lied too by someone associated with Killbreath. The truth will comeout in the Athens Messanger this week, and the truth is that Killbreath is a liar, a thief and should be in jail. One last thing, the cops laughed at the fact they had to respond to his call. Ask anyone I am not hard to find. When Killbreath was trying to call me I was at the border getting one my players visas extended so he could go play at the AA level, another $37 out of my pocket that Killbreath never paid me back for. Not that I am complaining about that because the player was well worth every penny. Funny, at 8-0 the team does a story about me saying how wonderful I am. At 10-0 I am worthless. I will admit I am sure I made mistakes along the way, I have never worked in the business community before. But Killbreath promised he would "train me". Boy am I glad I never experienced that type of training. who knows how I would have turned out. Killbreath has done such a great job in Lansing: he owes thousands of dollars, to this day has not marketed the team one bit, just expects people to show up. Bounced checks to players and me. Killbreath just go away you ruined the perfect idea by being cheap, lying to everyone you come in contact with. I will stake my reputation and word over Killbreath's anyday. For those who continue to support me, thanks it means alot to my wife and I.

[Big Chris]

Here's my take on this whole matter. I'm going to go through Killbreath's statement and try to translate Killbreath-ese:

Lansing Ice Nuts Fire Top Official

Lying through his teeth right out of the gate, man he's nothing if he isn't consistant...


Lansing Ice Nuts President Mike Killbreath has announced that Chris Blaisuis has been fired. Blaisuis was the General Manager & Director of Operations for the International Independent Hockey League (IIHL) club owned by Family Advantage Marketing LLC.

If he had been fired don't you think it would have taken him a little less time AFTER HE PUBLICALLY RESIGNED TO SAY SO? By the way Family Advantage Marketing was registered at the exact same time as the IIHL by the same person. Co-incidence?


The team will continue to be coached by Rosty Saglo.

My condollences Rusty.

Saglo and Ice Nuts captains Adam Rivers and Ethan Burnes met with Killbreath after the team's New Year's Eve game and presented a list of concerns about Blaisuis, according to Killbreath. At the top of the list was the fact that Saglo, Rivers and Burnes said every player would be signing a letter stating they would not take the ice again if Blaisuis was not immediately removed.

Then why did all but one or two players remain with the club if you fired Chris? Man, this statement has libel suit writen all over it. (Undefeated teams don't demand their coach be fired after he already resigned.)

"The long list of concerns includes missing money and charging personal items, and team items, without authorization," Killbreath said. "We have contacted the police about the matter. The police told us some of the items may be a civil situation but the threat of pressing charges on some items may help get restitution for us."

You owe untold thousands of dollars to the players, coaches, bus companies, hotels, and God knows how many others Killbreath and YOU are calling the police? Who do you think they are going to believe, a team that has been denied wages or even uniforms and pucks or a man who runs scam tryout camps? Who do you think is going to back you up you fool?


Killbreath said efforts to meet with Blaisuis have failed and telephone calls have not been returned after Blaisuis learned that Saglo, Burnes and Rivers had set up the meeting to voice complaints by players.

Sure Killbreath, resort to name dropping when you run out of people to screw over.

Killbreath said Blaisuis did not show up for work on New Year's Day, Friday, Saturday or Sunday.

You broke your contract by witholding everyone's wages and simply not giving anyone on that team a damn thing.


Killbreath took over as General Manager & Director of Operatons on New Year's Eve and he accompanied the team on its road trip Saturday to Harbor Springs. The Ice Nuts won 2-1 over the Northern Michigan Predators to improve their record to 10-0.

Last time I checked the Ice Nuts were 11-0 BEFORE Chris resigned. Stop trying to revise history to fit your needs Killbreath.


Players say Blaisuis left for his home in Indianapolis after the New Year's Eve game, but returned Friday to tell advertisers, staff and players that the team was out of business. A day-long effort by Ice Nuts staff to find him concluded with them alerting police that he had surfaced at the hotel room being furnished to him by the hockey club at 6 am on Saturday.

Translation: Killbreath tried to blackmail him into resturning by threatening to call the cops and threw a tantrem when they told him he didn't have a case. By they way, Killbreath never once paid his hotel bill that he promiced to pay him.


The police visited him there. "The police told me he is threatening to sue us for firing him and basically denied taking money from our gate," Killbreath said. "We have statements from the individuals who ran the gate on New Year's Eve and handed him a huge wad of cash. We also have witnesses who heard him say he ran no gate for the last two games and there was no money to turn in. I personally met with him to get an accounting for other missing cash after the New Year's Eve game and he signed a document witnessed by two individuals that cleared the slate on $700 he owed to the hockey club. He promised to get an accounting for the rest and I have not seen him since and he won't return telephone calls."

Considering the fact that next to nobody ever went to games in Athens how could Chris have POSSIBLY come away with a 'huge wad of cash'? By the way Killbreath, how the hell can someone you owe over a thousand dollars to owe you ANY money? You refused to pay your team a cent. Collectors would have taken that money and your assets away from you in an instant.


Killbreath said players told him Blaisuis had personal problems due to telling his wife he was making more than double what his actual salary was for his first job in pro hockey. "It's disappointing because he has plenty of potential and I was personally very excited by listening to his goals, but he needs to show some credibility by stepping up to the plate to make this right on the money side for us," Killbreath stressed.

Killbreath, you are officially a slimy son of a ***** for bringing a man's wife into the tiff between you and Chris. By the way Killbreath, you have no credibility to begin with so don't even start to trash anyone else's.


Killbreath said Blaisuis had been given numerous warnings about his behavior toward players and staff, as well as warnings about how to correct problems with his job performance. Blaisuis allowed an underage female staff member to drink beer on a bus trip to Ohio. Players and staff also complain that he consistently uses foul language and generally acts in an abusive manner toward them, according to Killbreath. "This type of behavior can't be tolerated," Killbreath said.

I believe Webster's Dictionary has a definition for the word LIBEL and this quote is listed as it's prime example. There is also a picture of Mike Killbreath there as well I believe...


He added that the team's biggest draw so far has been a mere 330 fans and the gate wasn't turned in by Blaisuis. Killbreath said Blaisuis was operating on a budget geared for attracting 3,000 fans. "He missed on his estimates," Killbreath said. "We provided him with a budget based on his projections and he isn't doing the things necessary to achieve his attendance goals."

If you expected 3000 fans to show up Killbreath the WHY THE HELL DID YOU REFUSE TO MARKET THE TEAM AT ALL??? Killbreath, you were the owner and Chris was the Coach. Who's job is it to pay for and handle the marketing of the hockey club? Chris did his job with an 11-0 record dispite no money or uniforms. How did you do at your job smart guy? Thought so...


had no previous professional experience as a coach, or as a player, despite comments he has made around the community, including to TV stations and the Lansing State Journal at two press conferences.

He won you 11 straight games didn't he? More then you ever will at the pro level.

Misrepresenting himself and his experience is a credibility issue because business people and fans can easily access internet hockey statistics to confirm he has no such pro experience," KIllbreath said.Blaisuis also presented himself as head coach at South Florida with two championship seasons in the College Hockey South. He was actually the assistant coach and not the head coach of the college club program as presented on his resume and as presented by Blaisuis to everyone around the Lansing community. Killbreath added that it was also a volunteer position and not a paid position as presented by Blaisuis.

Actually Killbreath I have read every single press release in iihl history and it was YOU who represented him that way. Again, how can anyone with so little credibility be able to play the credibility card? Also, no PROFESSIONAL hockey league tells their coaches they are simply volunteers AFTER they sign a contract. You are a freaking joke Killbreath.

as been advanced a considerable sum of money and was handed a significant amount of petty cash for minor needs on a pre-approved basis, but his contract clearly states that he has no authority to charge items or be reimbursed for anything except pre-authorized expenses," Killbreath said. "He has no authority to trade advertising for personal items, or for any items. He also made promises of hefty bonus items to players that could not be offered and the captains knew this couldn't be done after reviewing a copy of his contract with Rosty Saglo."

I thought his name was Rusty. Also, you made Chris act as surrogate owner and gave him no money, no equipment, no hotel rooms, no pucks, no home rink, NOTHING. You should be arrested for fraud because that is NOT A PROFESSIONAL HOCKEY TEAM LIKE YOU CLAIM.

Killbreath also offered a huge salute to the efforts of Saglo. "What's amazing in all this is that Rosty Saglo is here trying to join our ownership team and is essentially a volunteer at this point in time on a visitor status visa," Killbreath said. "His wife is a lawyer in the Ukraine who will be joining a law firm soon in Port Huron where Rosty played in the UHL. Rosty and Bobby McKillop are two kep guys who could have a franchise in this league next year in Port Huron with some local partners there."

Back to Port Huron eh Killbreath? Didn't you already have a situation where you refused to pay them money you agreed to there already? Didn't you already screw up the CEHL franchise there? Isn't Saglo's status illegal?


McKillop is currently captain of the Motor City Snipers hockey club in the IIHL. Both the Snipers and Ice Nuts are owned by Family Advantage Marketing LLC. The same company also owns the IIHL's Ohio Valley Ice Cats.

FAM LLC is a dummy corperation owned by Killbreath. It's nice to see he finally came clean about it to end an otherwise extremely libelous and bitter press release. Killbreath, you are nothing, always were nothing and always WILL be nothing. It doesn't matter how hard you try to blame others for your actions, the people will always know the truth. You cannot polish a turd, you just smear it around and make a terrible smell...

[The Shadow]

Bottom line? At least one person who has been wronged by Mr. Killbreath's behavior needs to contact the offices of the Attorneys General of the States of Michigan and Ohio... IMMEDIATELY! What's more, if Mr. Killbreath has engaged in the activities outlined in these posts ACROSS STATE LINES, then he is subject to Federal prosecution as well. You might not get your money back, but you'll set in motion the legal process which will guarantee that others won't be victimized in the future.

Justice must be served.