Oklahoma ownership change. Micheal Ray is back

[PatroonsFan]

http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=3573289

[heavesrock]

I guess this is a good thing. What happens to Livingston now? Are the players coming back?

[Chuck the Writer]

My suspicion is that according to the press release, Cliff Levingston will coach tomorrow night's game in Albany, then Micheal Ray will take over as head coach on the 27th when the Cavalry return home.

What happens to Daryan Selvy, Marvin Phillips and Curtis Haywood? Don't know. Most likely the guys that were signed on an emergency basis to get through this Pittsburgh-Albany road trip - Randy Gill, Marlowe Currie, etc. - will be released.

This will be only the second time in modern league history that a coach has taken a leave of absence in mid-season, only to return later in the season. In the 1994-95 season, Mike Thibault took a leave of absence from the Omaha Racers to coach in an international tournament; assistant coach Eric Chapman took over as official coach until Thibault returned.

If Cliff Levingston does not win tomorrow night's match at Albany, and if he does not coach another game in the league, he will be one of only five coaches to go winless in a season, a list that includes Steve Tucker (0-10 this season for RGV) and Bill Klucas (went 0-18 for the Sun Kings one season - yes, there was a time when the Sun Kings were the CBA's doormat team. And yes, that was a long long long long time ago).

[psbf]

I'm sure the Cavalry will be glad to be getting their uniforms back.

[heavesrock]

It appears all the players who left will be coming back: http://kswo.com/global/video/popup/pop_player.asp?ClipID1=2044343&h1=New%20Cavs%20owners%20shake%20things%20up,%20br ing%20back%20former%20coach&vt1=v&at1=Sport&d1=145200&LaunchPageAdTag=Sport&activePane=info&playerVersion=1&hostPageUrl=http://kswo.com/Global/category.asp?C=84965&nav=menu495_4&rnd=98820296

[OKCAVS67]

In Lawton's Paper today there is an article about the entire mess that has happened over the last week.

It appears that last Wednesday or Thursday the former owners were going to have news conference to announce the folding of the CAVS.
The article goes on to say that players paychecks have bounced as well as a big check written to cover half the cost of the renovations at the Great Plains Col. where the Cavs play home games.

Yes, there is a Santa Claus!!!!

After all of that, four friends (2 lawyers and 2 businessmen), all local, purchased the team from Hopgood and company. Don't know the selling price, but the new owners have kept Otis Birdsong as the GM and President of the team as well as hire Micheal Ray Richardson back as the head coach effective after the game at Albany.

The new owners are also working with the CBA to get all the players that left the team back without counting against the team due to former ownership not taking care of the team.

From what has been said, all six players are due back in uniform come the next home game on the 27th. Seems the six players have been practicing with Micheal Ray Richardson while waiting for things to pass.

The new owners are also going to adjust ticket prices and have special promotions to get more fans in the stands. Nothing has been announced as of yet for those items.

[heavesrock]

Great News. Unfortunately one can only read the first few paragraphs of that story on the paper's website. RGV or GF should pick up Marlow Currie or one of the other players brought in by OK. They could use him.

[jjbballfan]

This is really odd.... because in the article about the coach leaving/being fired the CBA said that all finances were fine as far as they could tell.... I think the league is having problems.... I will say this though... with Oklahoma and Minot being bought by local owners and Tuckman buying Great Falls and trying to help out there I think that the teams are atleast getting better. But if the CBA is going to miss something like this the league is in trouble.... I really think the CBA needs something though because the Dleague is having enough problems getting creditable players to play for them and they pay them a lot more then the CBA pays there players...

[OKCAVS67]

From the local TV stations web site today:

Lawton_The former owner of the Oklahoma Cavalry basketball team didn't meet his financial obligation and now someone else will have to pick up the tab. Former owner Baron Hopgood relinquished his ownership rights on Christmas Eve. Since then, according to Comanche County authorities, 7News has learned that he didn't keep his end of the deal to pay for upgrades to the Great Plains Coliseum. He also failed to pay some of the players.

The Comanche County Trust Authority spokesperson says it paid its share of the improvements - the agreed to half that was supposed to be split between the trust authority and Hopgood. Now, it will look for ways to carry on with its new ownership.

So far, the county authority board has put in $150,000 for improvements to the coliseum which now finally looks like an arena with stadium seating, new team decals on the floors, a locker room and more. Hopgood had agreed to match that amount, but County Commissioner Ron Kirby says he failed to meet his obligation.


Stay tuned and I will try to report about the game tomorrow night and how packed the stand are.

[Ken, Steelheads fan]

In Lawton's Paper today there is an article about the entire mess that has happened over the last week.

It appears that last Wednesday or Thursday the former owners were going to have news conference to announce the folding of the CAVS.
The article goes on to say that players paychecks have bounced as well as a big check written to cover half the cost of the renovations at the Great Plains Col. where the Cavs play home games.

Yes, there is a Santa Claus!!!!

After all of that, four friends (2 lawyers and 2 businessmen), all local, purchased the team from Hopgood and company. Don't know the selling price, but the new owners have kept Otis Birdsong as the GM and President of the team as well as hire Micheal Ray Richardson back as the head coach effective after the game at Albany.

The new owners are also working with the CBA to get all the players that left the team back without counting against the team due to former ownership not taking care of the team.

From what has been said, all six players are due back in uniform come the next home game on the 27th. Seems the six players have been practicing with Micheal Ray Richardson while waiting for things to pass.

The new owners are also going to adjust ticket prices and have special promotions to get more fans in the stands. Nothing has been announced as of yet for those items.

I've been holding back on saying, I told you so on the Apex ownership group. The time isn't right yet. However, the time IS right to say I TOLD YOU SO with the Oklahoma Cavalry. A BIG red flag went up over the summer when the former owner tried to put a team in Oklahoma City without the approval of city government. Anyone who tries to do something like that also does not have the common sense to run a professional ball club. It's that simple.

Here's another red flag for you. Ricardo Richardson, the person responsible for placing all these underfunded teams in the CBA, is the same person responsible for placing many of those underfunded teams in the ABA.

[OKCAVS67]

Yeah, the former owners tried to go to Oklahoma City first to capitalize on the NBA leaving town, but OKC didn't go for it because they want another NBA team, not a minor league team. There is already three minor league teams in OKC, The Redhawks (Texas Rangers AAA team), The Blazers (AA Minor hockey team playing in the CHL) and The Yard Dawgz (Arena 2 football). OKC didn't want another one.

We all saw the red flags here in Lawton, but I think most of the people didn't care about them because we were getting a sports team in town.

Somebody should have done some more research on the fomer owner to see how financially stable the guy was. I did a google search on him and found some shading dealings in the past with him. Not sure if it is the same guy, but that would send up red flags with me?

The new owners are doing what they can for damage control. New ticket prices, Discounts for Military and students, Family packages - 4 tickets for $10 each, and they going to announce more things after the first of the year.

The new owners took control of the team because they knew that if the team folded that Lawton wouldn't see another minor league team for at least another 5-10 years. They are also looking at building a new arena for the team and to maybe bring in a hockey team and or indoor football team. Of course that is seveal years down the road when Baron Hopgood's name will a forgotten memory.

[bectond]

Here's another red flag for you. Ricardo Richardson, the person responsible for placing all these underfunded teams in the CBA, is the same person responsible for placing many of those underfunded teams in the ABA.

How many of the current CBA franchises are in the league due to Richardson-
Atlanta, Pittsburgh, Pikesville and Lawton?

Therefore, he is responsible for 40% of the league. (30% now that Lawton has been sold). IMHO you're right, the ABA guy may have to much influence.
I remember he and the former owner were holding a press conference in OKL City to announce an arena deal at a local college, the School did not know anything about it, the city did not want anything to do with them and he knew damn well the owner did not have any funds.

[Ken, Steelheads fan]

...I remember he and the former owner were holding a press conference in OKL City to announce an arena deal at a local college, the School did not know anything about it, the city did not want anything to do with them and he knew damn well the owner did not have any funds.

Yeah, I forgot about that one. Another red flag. 8)

[OKCAVS67]

Right now I think the new owners are going in the right direction.

They are going to meet up with the Great Plains Col. board of directors next week to try and figure out a way to pay off the debt that B. Hopgood left behind.

They have already lowered childrens tickets prices and started family nights - 4 tickets at $10 each.

Darold Crow is done for the season with a Torn ACL- Just announced on the radio broadcast.

The Game time for Jan 2, 08 has been moved to 1:00 pm so that once the game is over everyone can go home to watch OU beat up on West Virginia in the Fiesta Bowl.

The Game on Feb. 2 will also include a free concert by Miranda Lambert, Country star, after the game.

Web feed for the game is not up yet, but the Radio Announcers just said one side of the Col. is packed, behind them and the crowd is still coming in.

[basketoz]

Trying to get a straight answer via email from Richardson about obtaining a copy of the League's Media Guide was difficult enough a few months ago, let alone anything of a serious nature.

And amazingly whilst obtaining any and all publications desired from the NBA with a minimum amount of fuss, the CBA (or Ricardo) in particular firstly seemed to have difficulty providing the relevant information in respect to obtaining one, and secondly made a major fanfare over the payment (apparently $10 US) to obtain one (whilst i may add i have recieved over recent seasons numerous publications from the NBA, NBDL, WNBA and CBA - previously at no expense through my media affilliations).

And yes i after the less then impressive exchange and public relations exercise chose not to pursue a copy of it, this season.

[OKCAVS67]

I think alot of it comes down to either a city has a sports team or don't have one.

In the case of Lawton, it had nothing. Movie theaters and Sonic Drive Inn's, and Indian Casino's, that's just about it. When the opportunity came, the city leaders jumped without looking first. They gave Hopgood the "beneifit of the doubt" and got the team here. They learned their lesson from this one.

Luckily there was some smart buisness men in town that saw this as a chance to fix a wrong and keep the team in Lawton and keep it playing.

The new owners do have thier work cut out for them. It has been reported that Hopgood left town with sponser and Season ticket money.

Last nights crowd was reported to be 1,076. That number should increase with more home games and the town learning about the players and team. There has been only 5 home games so far. There will be 8 home games in Jan.


Just watch out. Daryan Selvy, Marvin Phillips, Judson Stubbs, Curtis Haywood and the rest of the Cavs were abit rusty last night. Wait till the rust comes off and then they will back in the hunt for the league title......