ABA Expansion: Welcome Hawaii!

[BreakersFan]

http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=3478820

If memory serves, the last ABA team in Hawaii folded before Christmas. At least their travel budget will be reasonable....

[WHAFAN]

Teams in the ABA can't travel from Indiana to Chicago, or Buffalo to Rochester or Miami to Orlando........how in the living hell is anyone gonna travel to Hawaii? I'm sure airlines are falling all over themselves to be associated with the ABA. Most of these idiotic ABA owners couldn't find Hawaii on a map, let alone afford to fly their team there and back. I guess the team Hawaii check just cleared Newman's bank..........welcome aboard!! Aloha, ComeOnIWannaLayYa !!

[The Sweeper]

Couple of questions about what was released:

"Hawaii has always been very supportive of an ABA team," said Joe Newman, ABA CEO. "The problem has been the cost of transportation to and from the mainland. That problem has been solved with a major airlines sponsorship that will make travel both ways as economical as traveling from Los Angeles to Sacramento. We are delighted to have Hawaii back and our players and coaches are thrilled with the idea of spending some winter days on the beautiful beaches of Hawaii."

Who's the airline sponsor? Where's the press release? Is this the same airline that's going to be flying folks to and from Halifax?

"We have quite a few announcements to make - venue, coaches, tryout camps, dance teams, sponsors," commented Moss. "While we are just making our first announcement, we have been working long and hard to put this together and are confident that we will have a fabulous organization and a great reception here in Hawaii. We are ready to go."

Quite a few?? That's an understatement. Why release this unless you have more details?

EDIT: How can you be 'ready to go' when the only thing you've got is a market reservation??

[tbayz1]

this team is just like Halifax, no one is gona go there and play

[BreakersFan]

Couple of questions about what was released:

"Hawaii has always been very supportive of an ABA team," said Joe Newman, ABA CEO. "The problem has been the cost of transportation to and from the mainland. That problem has been solved with a major airlines sponsorship that will make travel both ways as economical as traveling from Los Angeles to Sacramento. We are delighted to have Hawaii back and our players and coaches are thrilled with the idea of spending some winter days on the beautiful beaches of Hawaii."

Who's the airline sponsor? Where's the press release? Is this the same airline that's going to be flying folks to and from Halifax?

"We have quite a few announcements to make - venue, coaches, tryout camps, dance teams, sponsors," commented Moss. "While we are just making our first announcement, we have been working long and hard to put this together and are confident that we will have a fabulous organization and a great reception here in Hawaii. We are ready to go."

Quite a few?? That's an understatement. Why release this unless you have more details?

The airline will be announced soon - the new ABAAirlines, which will provide family-friendly, affordable rates to all ABA franchises. In addition, during the flights, fliers will be treated to multimedia entertainment produced by ABAMedia, which is "huge". No word on when the first ABA Red White and Blue concert will be held in Honolulu....

ABA Airlines will soon be announcing auditions for flight attendants and try-outs for pilots who may have been overlooked by other airlines. Aspiring attendants need to bring a cashier's check for $100 and their own pretzels to the audition. Aspiring pilots need to bring a cashier's' check for $100 their own Atari joystick. The proceeds from the auditions and try-outs will then be used to purchase the airplanes and gate slots for the new airline.

[TheStandard]

LOL THAT WAS A GOOD ONE.

what major airline? can Joe Newman ever stop bsing everyone?

There is no major airline. If there was one YOU WOULD HAVE MENTIONED IT.

My team does have an airline as a sponsor its JetBlue Airways. It's on our Uni's and on the court and all over the arena. Joe, go call David Neeleman and find out about that one. Oh he wont sponsor you he will only work with REAL LEAGUES.

[WHAFAN]

Hey BreakersFan..........that's some funny sh*t there!!

[BreakersFan]

Hey BreakersFan..........that's some funny sh*t there!!

Thanks - I can't hold a candle to Chuck, but I am tired and idle for the afternoon - the irreverence is flowing.....

[ABARedWhiteBlue]

Such a good start...

ALOHA HAWAII - THE ABA IS ON ITS WAY

14-Mar-2005
Indianapolis, IN -- Joe Newman, ABA CEO, today announced that the rapidly expanding professional basketball league will have a team playing in Honolulu, Hawaii beginning in November. According to Newman, "We have had great interest from the great state of Hawaii and the city of Honolulu for quite sometime - but the problem has been transportation. The wonderful ownership group, headed by Orrys Williams, has overcome that final obstacle - and the league will approve the team for play beginning this fall. We are extremely excited about Hawaii and this ownership group. They've put everything together beautifully."

The ownership group will be headed by Orrys Williams, who has an extensive background in business and sports in Hawaii. After earning three degrees in Aerospace Engineering, Physics and English and having spent seventeen years in the field of aerospace engineering with General Dynamics and Boeing Aerospace Group, Williams entered the sports arena and travelled on behalf of leading shoe companies to colleges, universities and high schools. He also was Director of Team Sports with the Molton Ball Company and signed a contract for the balls to be used as the Official Basketball of the Olympic Games in Barcelona in 1992. A world class sprinter with an Olympic Bronze medal, Williams currently owns a Sports Marketing Company that represents basketball and soccer players.

Williams stated, "This team will be a model basketball team. We will reach out to the Hawaiian people for their support and in return we will build them one of the best teams in the ABA. Our goal will be to entertain our fans and become a vital professional sports entity here in the State of Hawaii. We will have Hawaiian players on our team."

He added, "We plan to meet with local townships, create creative press guides, work with manufacturers/retail outlets, specialty shops and pursue the consumer sports market to sell our logo and name on products to all the people of Hawaii and to millions of visiting tourists. This will be a great thing for Hawaii and we're proud to be a part of the ABA."

http://www.abalive.com/news/releases/?newsid=2005031406002

Hey, travel has been solved!

Williams said the team secured a sponsorship with Hawaiian Airlines to help defray some of the travel costs.

"We just have to have the heart and belief that this is needed here in Hawaii and people are going to support us," Williams said. "We're not quitters, we'll bring it out there and it's going to last."

http://starbulletin.com/2005/12/01/sports/story08.html

Oops...

ASK THE CEO - HAWAII

31-Jan-2006
Question from ML, DL, BR, TM and about 50 others (questions combined): "What happened in Hawaii? The stories coming from there are so negative. The team started. Then stopped. Then started again. Then stopped again. Why?"

Answer: Thanks to all of you for your questions and comments (some not very nice). Obviously, there is a lot of interest in the Hawaii Mega Force. I am sorry that it turned out as it has. First, let me say that Orrys Williams, the Mega Force owner, is a fine man. He has a long and distinguished career in both sports and the aerospace industry. He is an honest and decent man; a good father, a good husband and a quality individual. We have great respect for him. He is also a senior citizen, an African-American, and an entrepreneur. He loves Hawaii. Owning a professional basketball team was a lifelong dream and we were very pleased when he finally was able to achieve his dream.

When we admitted the Mega Force into the league, it was with the clear understanding that flights to and from Hawaii would be at substantially reduced rates by airlines serving Hawaii. The ABA and Mr. Williams went into the season believing that this critical element in their acceptance was in place. In fact, it wasn't. And flights were at least three times higher than estimated or quoted - making it almost impossible for mainland teams to travel to Hawaii and vice versa, for Hawaii to come to the mainland. Games were missed and this started a whole series of events including cancelled games in both Hawaii and on the mainland. It upset all of the teams. Hawaii was suspended. In December, we thought we had the flight problem worked out and re-instated the Mega Force. It simply did not work. And it was necessary to suspend Hawaii for the season.

This is a very sad and tragic time for everyone - for Hawaii, the players, the coaches, the fans, the media, the other ABA teams - and most of all for the Williams family. Missing games is one thing. Have a lifelong dream shattered another. Interest in the team in Hawaii is incredible. We should have an ABA team there. We have been approached by another group and have been asked for the opportunity to return next season. They have assured us that they can overcome the problems of this season - both the travel/airline problem - and the bad PR problem. We are seriously considering it. However, we want to apologize to everyone for all of the turmoil this has caused and hope that you now understand why the situation is what it is. Hopefully we will return to Hawaii next season.

http://www.abalive.com/news/releases/?newsid=2006013106009

[BreakersFan]

Such a good start...



http://www.abalive.com/news/releases/?newsid=2005031406002

Hey, travel has been solved!



http://starbulletin.com/2005/12/01/sports/story08.html

Oops...



http://www.abalive.com/news/releases/?newsid=2006013106009

Hey ABARWB, cut Joe some slack. This was way back in 2005. Dozens of teams have come and gone since then. He can't be expected to remember all them or thier particular issues.

[WHAFAN]

In Newman's statement about why Hawaii folded, why did he find it important to mention that the owner is a senior citizen and an African-American? If the owner was 26 years old and Greek, would that change anything? Newman is obsessed with this minority owner BS.........Anyone who gets involved with Newman and the ABA is an idiot. You can put lipstick on a pig but guess what? It's still a pig. The ABA is a pig with lipsticked minority owners.

[rider]

Joe will fund the flights for Hawai to play each other 18 times!

[WHAFAN]

At this point, the ABA couldn't afford 18 pounds of Hawaiian Salad, much less flights.

[rider]

lol, what a joke

[nksports]

Joe puts some serious stuff in his kool aid. I'm sure he's told all the other owners, "sure I'll help pay your airfare to Hawaii." And in their kool aid induced haze, they will believe him. Then when that team gets to the airport with no flight, no reservations and no money to pay for a flight — Hawaii gets no game.
Not to mention the question does the Hawaii owner have the money to fly off the mainland, or will they use one of those side-rigger canoes and paddle to the mainland.

[WHAFAN]

If the canoe gets lost on the way to the mainland, hopefully team Hawaii will wash ashore on Gilligan's Island. The basketball court the Globetrotters used might still be there. Newman is like the Professor..........he could make a telephone from a coconut shell, but can't patch a hole in the side of a boat. Joe and Connie Newman as Thurston and Lovey Howell..........Brad Hester as Gilligan............right Lil Buddy??

[rider]

Do not show disrepect to Gilligan! How dare you bring up Joe's name in the same breath as Gilligan.

[The Sweeper]

Sung to the tune of "Gilligan's Isle"-Not perfect, please forgive me (I am not Chuck, either)
--------------------
Just sit right back and you’ll hear a tale
A tale of the ABA
That started from this mid-west town
But will never have their day

The CEO was an insane man
The head ref was one too
Sixty teams started that that year
At the end, there was only two

The season started getting rough
More than half the teams were tossed
If not for the balls of the spineless crew
The season wouldn’t have been lost
The season wouldn’t have been lost

The league ran aground on the shore of this deserted Hawaiian isle
With Joe Newman, and Connie too
Tom Chichester, and Brad Hester
No movie star, you know the rest
Put here by “Joe Newman’s Guile”!

-------------
Exit music

So this is the tale of the ABA
They’re here for a short, short time
They’ll have to make the best of things
Joe will be serving time

Joe Newman and Tommy C
Will do their very worst
To make the teams uncomfortable
This league is very cursed

No cash, no coach, no place to play
Not a single fan around
Like the league office asks
“Can’t you get it off the ground?”

So join us here next year, my friend
You’re sure to get a smile
From that aging CEO
Known as “Newman’s Guile”!

[Sam Hill]

"Hawaii has always been very supportive of an ABA team," said Joe Newman, ABA CEO. "The problem has been the cost of transportation to and from the mainland. That problem has been solved with a major airlines sponsorship that will make travel both ways as economical as traveling from Los Angeles to Sacramento.

Guarantee you it won't happen.

Right now. Today. May 31, 2007. Write it down. Won't happen.

[Alumni96]

Most teams will have a better chance of getting to Hawaii by bus than waiting for Joe Newman's check to clear. Its good to see the Mississippi Miracles finally got out of Wilmington. Although it must have been quite the long walk back.

[TheStandard]

you got a better bet swimming and avoiding the sharks and killer whales than getting a honest word from Joe

[nksports]

Sung to the tune of "Gilligan's Isle"-Not perfect, please forgive me (I am not Chuck, either)
--------------------
Just sit right back and you’ll hear a tale
A tale of the ABA
That started from this mid-west town
But will never have their day

The CEO was an insane man
The head ref was one too
Sixty teams started that that year
At the end, there was only two

The season started getting rough
More than half the teams were tossed
If not for the balls of the spineless crew
The season wouldn’t have been lost
The season wouldn’t have been lost

The league ran aground on the shore of this deserted Hawaiian isle
With Joe Newman, and Connie too
Tom Chichester, and Brad Hester
No movie star, you know the rest
Put here by “Joe Newman’s Guile”!

-------------
Exit music

So this is the tale of the ABA
They’re here for a short, short time
They’ll have to make the best of things
Joe will be serving time

Joe Newman and Tommy C
Will do their very worst
To make the teams uncomfortable
This league is very cursed

No cash, no coach, no place to play
Not a single fan around
Like the league office asks
“Can’t you get it off the ground?”

So join us here next year, my friend
You’re sure to get a smile
From that aging CEO
Known as “Newman’s Guile”!

Stop, It's too darned funny. True, but funny.

[SignGuyDino]

Didn't Uncle Joe say no more teams like a month ago? Or was I supposed to forget that?

[Fells]

Good Lord, now I have seen it all. A league that can't afford to go from Dallas to Arkansas is now going to have teams flying in and out of Hawaii??

Eric, your Gilligan spoof was HYSTERICAL!!!!

Back to work and preparing for two baseball seasons......

[TheStandard]

Chris which two baseball seasons? Lake Monsters one of them I bet.

[The Sweeper]

I believe the other one is the Mountaineers. They start their season next Friday.

[TheStandard]

What league does the mountaineers play in?

[The Sweeper]

New England Collegiate Baseball League

[TheStandard]

imagine Joe Newman and Dick Tinkham running a baseball league

[Paul S]

You have to wonder which is the longest road trip in minor league sports.

Past interleague.....Probably Brisbane Broncos (australia) vs Wigan (UK) in the Rugby Super League.

Past true league......Probably Barcelona Dragons vs Sacramento Surge of the WLAF

Current....Puerto Rico Islanders vs Vancouver Whitecaps of the USL Div 1

Future..... Halifax Rainmen vs Hawaii Chapter 11 Volcano Joes of ABA

Of course all this is laboring under the delusion that the Hawaii Chapter 11 Volcano Joes will actually play a game. Our man smokin' Joe Newman will probably (for once) actually go and visit an owner, then release a press release stressing...........

-owner is a good guy Translation- Please don't sue me
-fans were great. Translation- Please don't sue me theres no refund money
- market is great. Translation- Please keep the suckers coming
-owner is an minority Translation- Please keep the minority suckers coming
- we'll be back Translation- BS

[Paul S]

Originally Posted by The Sweeper
Sung to the tune of "Gilligan's Isle"-Not perfect, please forgive me (I am not Chuck, either)
--------------------
Just sit right back and you’ll hear a tale
A tale of the ABA
That started from this mid-west town
But will never have their day


that was a riot..............good post. Had me laughing. Poor Joe might be singing along to Jailhouse Blues one day.............


But the ABA airlines post was the funniest one yet.

[ABARedWhiteBlue]

Just another quick question about the ABA's latest announcement...

"Hawaii has always been very supportive of an ABA team," said Joe Newman, ABA CEO.

How is it possible to make that comment with a straight face? They had two home games total, with a total of 50 fans at their first game (and less at their second).