Cleveland (re)joins

[psbf]

I don't post in this area much anymore, but I happened to notice that the Cleveland Rockers(used to be in the Xplosion's Division) have been added. Of course, JN, ignores this stat and welcomes them, instead of saying welcome back. Yes, this is the Cleveland Rockers, same name used when we played them.

[tbayz1]

http://www.oursportscentral.com/serv...es/?id=3694865

[ABARedWhiteBlue]

http://www.oursportscentral.com/serv...es/?id=3694865

Cleveland Rockers Set To Play This Season
08/03/08 - American Basketball Association (ABA)

• Discuss this story on the American Basketball Association message board...
Indianapolis, IN. The American Basketball Association (ABA) today announced that the Cleveland Rockers are set to begin play in December in an exciting renovated arena created especially to suit the Rockers with a brand new wood floor, corporate suits and a team office suite. According to Joe Newman, ABA CEO, "We are extremely pleased that after eight months of effort, Pierre Hall and his organization were able to put this together; the Rockers will be a great addition to the league."
The team is owned by Elite Sports & Entertainment group headed by Pierre Hall, the President and GM. Pierre has a strong background in both sales and marketing and is the perfect combination of sports professional and business man. He has previously been GM for three ABA teams and has been a part of the ABA for over four years. He currently represents several professional basketball players, is a Pro-Trainer and also owns and is developing a chain of training schools throughout the country called Americas Proprepping Athletic Schools (www.propreppers.com).

"It is very exciting for us to have this wonderful new facility and to be part of the fast-growing ABA," added Hall. "There's no doubt that this is a league on the move and we are proud to be a part of it. We have tryouts scheduled, a dance team and mascot tryouts scheduled and have our ticket sales, sponsorship sales and intern program in full swing. We will be ready and strong." For more information about the Cleveland Rockers, email Pierre Hall at ppierreh@yahoo.com or visit www.clevelandrockers.com or www.abalive.com.

Pardon me, but this man is an idiot (I don't usually sink to Joe-levels, but allow me this one time).

- The 'website' he lists for his team (http://www.clevelandrockers.com/) brings you to "Your unique local guide to Cleveland furniture."
- His other website - http://www.propreppers.com/ says "This site is under construction"
- The ONLY link to "Americas Proprepping Athletic Schools" on Google is this release
- Pierre was a co-defendant with the ABA in a lawsuit:

Cleveland Municipal Court, Cuyahoga County, Ohio. Cause No. - James P. Dod vs. Perry R. Hall, a/k/a Pierre Hall, d/b/a Next Level Sports Franchise Development, LLC, d/b/a The Cleveland Rockers, d/b/a The Lake Erie Rockers, Ralph W. Underhill, American Basketball Association, Inc., and American Basketball Association, LLC

http://www.secinfo.com/d12TC3.ur26.htm
- The Clevelaad Rockers were a WNBA team. The previous incarnation of this ABA franchise - and the league - didn't even know what their name was, and virtually copied the WNBA logo. I asked Pierre about it back then:

----- Original Message ----
From: Adam/NJ <abaredwhiteblue@yahoo.com>
To: Pierre Hall <clevelandabarockers@yahoo.com>
Sent: Wednesday, November 2, 2005 1:52:07 PM
Subject: Re: team name


Thanks, Pierre
ABAlive currently lists you as the Lake Erie Rockers, with no mention of Cleveland. Your website is clevelandrockers, with no mention of Lake Erie, and the team is referred to as the "Cleveland Rockers" throughout the website,except for "Lake Erie's" on the top of the home page. Your logo also only says "Cleveland" on it.

As for the logo, I didn't mean to say it was an exact match, having added the cityscape to the background, but the guitar "R" and lettering in are pretty close.

Thanks for your time...

***
Pierre Hall <clevelandabarockers@yahoo.com> wrote:
Adam, we are the Lake Erie Cleveland Rockers check the ABALive website again.
And Adam please review the logos they are not the same.
See attachment for WNBA logo.


Thanks
Pierre Hall President/GM
Lake Erie Cleveland Rockers

***

Adam/NJ <abaredwhiteblue@yahoo.com> wrote:
Good evening!
Could you confirm your team's name? It has been listed on ABAlive.com and elsewhere as the Lake Erie Rockers, but your website says Cleveland Rockers, and uses the old WNBA team's logo.

A couple ABA discussion boards are looking for clarification.

A second question; if you are indeed the Cleveland Rockers, did you have to pay a rights fee to use the WNBA logo? The NBA may still own its rights.

Thanks...

Adam

He never answered my reply - probably because he faded away. But now he's back, and Joe - as per SOP - never acknowledges his previous failed history with the Rockers.

Tres Newman-esque...

[tops804]

...They played in a high-school gym in the southeast suburbs. Other than
nice uniforms, and too many postponed games they didn't offer much else.

The gym came after an announcement that they would be playing in a
local training facility for the local MISL team. The relocation was never
explained. As was anything else, such as the franchises' demise or why
"next" home games listed on the website weren't played.

No mention of what exactly the new facility is. My guess is that despite what
the article says, it is a work "in progress..." -- all evidence points to another
"Joe wish" for a bigger market turning into an unfinished season.

[The Magician]

Cleveland Rockers Set To Play This Season
08/03/08
http://www.oursportscentral.com/serv...es/?id=3694865

The team is owned by Elite Sports & Entertainment group headed by Pierre Hall, the President and GM. Pierre has a strong background in both sales and marketing and is the perfect combination of sports professional and business man. He has previously been GM for three ABA teams and has been a part of the ABA for over four years.

Pretty much tells the story ... Looks like success around the ABA to me

I imagine those PREVIOUS ABA teams are no longer around ???

The ABA CEO is caught up in his own ABA Fantasy League. That happens when you spend all day in a basement with nothing to do but playing with your McDonald's monopoly game pieces ...

[tops804]

http://www.clevelandrockersfan.com/index.html

Congratulations Rockers!!!!!

Your first "Gwizz" moment...

http://www.clevelandrockersfan.com/tryoutcamp.html

NOTE: Our Rooster is open for all 12 positions
please attend the camp of your choose.

[BreakersFan]

"There's no doubt that this is a league on the move."

That's the understatement of the year - everything is moving in the ABA - the teams, the dates on the schedule, the venues, the promises, the non-basketball stuff, etc, etc, etc

[ABARedWhiteBlue]

Word for word (and punctuation mark for punctuation mark) from their site:

The Cleveland Rockers are back and better than ever,
playing in the league that merge with the NBA. The America
Basketball Association (ABA), the Rockers will begin
playing Professional Men basketball in the 08-09 season at
the Cleveland's newest renovated Arena, "The Multiplex."
Nick Named THE MINI Q. The season will consist of 30
games, including two Exhibition games in November prior
to the Thanksgiving Day season opener.

The MISSION of The Rockers is to bring top Minor League
Professional Men basketball back to Cleveland. The
Rockers will provide entertainment for those who love
seeing basketball executed at an exceptional level at
affordable prices. A family of FIVE can enjoy the Pro games
for less than $40.00 Including Parking, WOW!!
!! A CHANCE TO WIN CASH AT EVERY HOME GAME!!

The Rockers player rooster will consist of 12 well known
and outstanding players that will have a mix of local and
national talent and former NBA, and European players
fighting for a chance to play in the NBA. These player are
your top D1, D2 and D3 stand-outs representing Colleges
and Universities across the United States. !!SEE tryout
Camps!!

[turbocamyes]

Cleveland/Lake Erie were 5-10 in 2005-06—1-2 at home, 4-8 on the road. They beat Pittsburgh, Toledo and Detroit each once and Ohio twice. Their last home game was 12/22 and were finished after their 1/22 game at Toledo (a 116-128 loss.) Their record in November was 3-2, 2-5 in December and 0-3 in January.

I have only three boxscore for the Rockers--2 scoring summaries from the Indiana broadcasts, and 1 full box against Detroit. The leading scorers were Jamal Harris at 21.3, Steve Bowie, 20.0, and Damon Stringer, 17.7. Stringer has played in China, Cyprus and Slovenia. It is possible they were on IBL rosters that year, also.

[sportsguy12]

Originally Posted by turbocamyes

Cleveland/Lake Erie were 5-10 in 2005-06—1-2 at home, 4-8 on the road. They beat Pittsburgh, Toledo and Detroit each once and Ohio twice. Their last home game was 12/22 and were finished after their 1/22 game at Toledo (a 116-128 loss.) Their record in November was 3-2, 2-5 in December and 0-3 in January.

I have only three boxscore for the Rockers--2 scoring summaries from the Indiana broadcasts, and 1 full box against Detroit. The leading scorers were Jamal Harris at 21.3, Steve Bowie, 20.0, and Damon Stringer, 17.7. Stringer has played in China, Cyprus and Slovenia. It is possible they were on IBL rosters that year, also.

I find it even more annoying that they stole the name and logo of the old WNBA team in Cleveland. They couldn't find something a little more original?