Ricardo Richardson To head up Cba

[albert]

Ricardo richardson formerly involved in the ABA has left the confines of Joe Newmans basement and is going to head up the CBA and is taking several ABA teams with him such as the following: rochester, Buffalo, Tampa, South Florida Pit Bulls,Maryland there will be ten teams in the new CBA and that makes a very nice league.

[rams80]

1) link?
2) hope they like lethal travel costs
3) knowing this guy's past accomplishments...RIP CBA

[panchess]

..but for the rest of the teams the travel wouldn't be too bad. Florida is the one place that is relatively cheap for northern teams to go to.

Two divisions like this might work:

North: Rochester, Buffalo, Albany, Rockford, Gary

South: Maryland, Yakama, Tampa, South Florida, TBA (Roanoke?)

I am assuming Michigan is dead. If a four-team Western division is formed, a largely divisional schedule might be the upshot.

[JAKMAN]

Until I see the article or press release confirming this, count me as skeptical.

[kahuna]

Until I see the article or press release confirming this, count me as skeptical.

I just spoke with Ricardo and he says rumor is not true. He has left the ABA and is consulting to teams.

[preeths]

Straight from the horse's keyboard:

Dear Editors,

I just recently received a call about a recent blog entry and rumor. I wanted to confirm that I did resign from the ABA as EVP and COO on April 8th, 2006; however, I wanted to set the record straight about me joining another pro basketball league. I am the Chairman & CEO of Verias Consulting (www.verias.com (http://www.verias.com/)), based in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Regards,

Ricardo A. Richardson

[panchess]

...though it is interesting that his bio doesn't mention the ABA...:)

[albert]

I see Ricardo's denial! I read carefully! Is Ricardo having discusssions with the CBA on being hired as a consultant to run the CBA. Is Ricardo having discussions with the CBA and has not yet signed on the dotted line. Will he deny any of the above? I stick to my opinion ! time will tell!

[rams80]

Ohhh....NOW it's an opinion rather than fact...

Credibility of above poster approaching zero fast...

[albert]

Always was a opinion ! I never posted a new article or any other (proof) What is considered fact A newpaper article ? lol keep watching

[rams80]

The way you started the topic seemed to indicate that you felt this was fact rather than uninformed speculation.

[preeths]

albert, you posted it as fact. If you meant it as opinion, you need to state it as such (i.e. use "I think," "IMHO," or "Here's what I believe will happen..."). Please be more responsible next time out as these are real people we're talking about.

[ABARedWhiteBlue]

Albert formerly involved in the OSC chat board has left the confines of his momma's basement and is going to head up a new discussion board and is taking several OSC posters with him such as the following: Chuck34, MCM2667, there will be opinions declared as fact without the truth to confuse things and that makes a very dangerous board.

Looks sort of silly in that context, doesn't it? Preeths is right - statements of fact with absolutely no basis to back them up are pointless.

Additionally, Ricardo has always been involved with Verias. I would very very interested if he and Joe went head-to-head; but, with the CBA moving its offices to Albany, I don't see him getting involved. However, his future may be tied to that of Demetrius Ford and the Pit Bulls; Ford spoke very highly of Ricardo in his email 'discussion' with Joe, and may bring him on board in some capacity when the Pit Bulls make their next move.

[panchess]

..if there is a connection, maybe Ricardo would be involved in a team in Indiana, which would make geographic sense for the CBA to go with Rockford and Gary. I am assuming Michigan is gone for next season.

[bectond]

I read an article two months ago where dude stated that he was in favor of changing the structure of the ABA, where the stronger teams would form a AAA type tier and the weaker teams would form AA and A tiers that feed the top teams(smart idea). I sent the Comm. an e-mail before the Rimrockers left with this same type of idea (copy what the arena football league does). I guess he figured the League would just continue to get cherry picked in it's current format and decided that the current plan may cause friction between the (relative to the ABA) have's and have not's causing the league to possibly fail. He and the owners that almost rebeled two years ago may have had enough (NO FACTS HAVE!!!) and they may start there own league with tiers(AAA/AA/A) like AFL, AFL2. However, I have not heard anything about him and the CBA.

Subject 2
With Hunter back in the Denver area does this mean that the whole Bend, Reno, San Jose expansion thing is dead? If so the CBA may be a 6 team league next year.

[Chuck the Writer]

With Hunter back in the Denver area does this mean that the whole Bend, Reno, San Jose expansion thing is dead? If so the CBA may be a 6 team league next year.

Here's the situation. The CBA has five teams at the moment - the entire Eastern Division and Yakama. The league has to re-establish more teams in the west for the Sun Kings, or that team will shrivel on the vine with travel costs. Each CBA team needs at least one team accessible by ground transport. So bringing in Bend or Reno or San Jose or at least one other team in Washington State (do you hear me Tacoma, Olympia, Bellingham, Kennewick?) will help the Sun Kings strengthen their base.

I know right now it seems like the CBA is getting poached left and right, both from the NBA (four teams jump to the D-League, plus they get the CBA commissioner), and from the ABA (putting a team in Hammond IN, 10 miles away from Gary). But let's not forget that the CBA has been down before. In fact, several times pundits have dumped dirt on the league's grave, only to watch the league climb out and survive to play another season.

Case in point:

1947-48: The Wilkes-Barre Barons, winners of the first EPBL (pre-CBA) championship, jump to the rival American Basketball League, where they win three more league championships. The EPBL ads teams in Williamsport, Sunbury, Philadelphia and Harrisburg, and continues on.

1961-62: Abe Saperstein's American Basketball League starts up as a rival to the NBA. Many of the ABL players are poached from EPBL teams. The ABL folds midway through its second season; many of the ex-EPBL players move back to the EPBL and the league continues on.

1967-68: The EPBL's top players are scooped up by the new American Basketball Association, to the point where by 1974 the EPBL (now Eastern Basketball Association, "EBA") has four teams left. Yet they survive, the ABA collapses, and the EBA continues on.

2000-01: Isiah Thomas. Do I have to say anything more?

2006-07: History will repeat itself. That which does not kill the CBA only makes it stronger.

[bectond]

The Tacoma owner in the ABA paid for a franchise three years ago, but the CBA would not approve of the Junior College gym he planned to play in. With the changes that occurred in the league office he may field a team since he is already out $150,000. The owner of the disbanded Great Lakes Storm has also stated that he wants to get back in (he has also already paid his expansion fee), but in a different city. I also heard that the former Kansas City Knights of the ABA want in. That is three teams plus Yakima, Gary and Albany. I'm not counting Rockford and Michigan just yet because one is up for sale and the other is at odds with the city. If those teams two teams can make it then great! The CBA will be back to where it was last year, eight teams.

As for Hammond, I don't think it will cut into Gary's fan base. As a matter of fact i'll be surprised if the Rollers avg. more than 500 fans per game. They may make it if their lease is extremely low because of the low cost of the league, but they will not adversely effect the Steelheads. Plus, they could make a great pre-season rival.

[panchess]

That would explain the Washington and Michigan interest.

Rockford certainly isn't asking like a dead team, but the Michigan Mayhem are.

I am still assuming that the moves in the Northeast will help the CBA land the ABA teams in Rochester and Buffalo, and perhaps Maryland. Maybe the NEPA Breakers of the USBL could be lured too.

[Chuck the Writer]

Maybe the NEPA Breakers of the USBL could be lured too.

If the NEPA Breakers go in, they've got to ditch that "NEPA" nickname. Sounds like the team is sponsored by an auto parts dealership. This is the CBA, where Scranton and Wilkes-Barre fought epic battles every season against each other. I would rather see either the "Wilkes-Barre Barons" or the "Scranton Miners" come back - or maybe a hybrid of the two, as the "Scranton-Wilkes Barre Miner Barons."

Yeah, that's a mouthful, I know.

[Minor League Man]

And go to Wachovia Center maybe?

But it would be rough on the team, wouldn't it (THREE LEAGUES IN LESS THAN ONE YEAR!)

[panchess]

..as a consultant with the CBA.

[preeths]

Release now up on OSC.

[albert]

I guess I wasn't wrong after all, Hows my credibility now!

[albert]

I guess my opinion was correct! anything else u want to know lol

[one way]

what really kills me as that all of these years people are saying what a great job Gary Hunter is doing in the CBA and what has he done?? Michigan -Folded- Great Lakes- Folded. What corporate sponsorships has been brought to the CBA??? And this guy is touted as being so great?? He is responsible for the big four clubs to leave the CBA- you cannot blame everything on I. Thomas. maybe the new guys in the CBA offices will get it right this time and the CBA will live on.

[bectond]

If no one else does it, i'll say it. Great call dude.

[Ken, Steelheads fan]

Huh?!? I thought albert's original post said Rico was the new head man of the CBA. The press release states that Richardson is doing the same thing he has already been doing...being a consultant (a freelancer).

one way,
You're spot on. It's time to stop blaming Isiah Thomas for all the CBA's ills. Towns like Rockford, Fort Wayne, and pick any town in Michigan just don't want the CBA anymore.