Rainmen leave ABA effective immideately, Pursuing D-League Membership

[misenern]

From Chris Parson's Rainmen Blog:

Big news, pretty much exactly what I expected:

The Rainmen have officially left the ABA and will not be going to Quebec for the ABA Play Offs.

In addition, Livingston will be putting together a team of professionals and investors to investigate joining the NBA D-League. No word on how close they are to being accepted into the D-League but:

1) I know that Livingston has had close contact with the D-League and various D-League and NBA owners over the last few weeks trying to facilitate a move to North America’s premier minor league.

2) The Raptors publically have made it very clear that they want a team in southern Ontario.

http://rainmenblog.wordpress.com/200...ue-membership/

[LightningMan]

It's becoming an ABA tradition for a playoff team to leave the league during the playoffs!

[Sam Hill]

This.

Warms my heart.

Cue Newman talking about what backstabbing bad people Livingston and his people are in 3...2....1.....

[williamhughes11]

What, they don't want the "prestige" of trying to become ABA champions?

It says a lot about a league when a team decides to drop out right before a playoff game where they were expected to have the advantage of playing a team that played the night before.

[formerlyknownasfells]

Here is a copy of the release...

Halifax, N.S.) Owner of The Halifax Rainmen has officially removed the team from the American Basketball Association, effective 10:00 a.m. today, March 19. The Rainmen will be not participating in the league’s play-offs, scheduled in Quebec later this month.



“After all the challenges we faced this year, it became obvious that the ABA is not the right league for the Halifax Rainmen. Our fans, our corporate partners, our season tickets holders and this city deserve better, and I will do every thing I can to deliver,” added team owner Andre Levingston.

Levingston is excited to announce future plans of the Halifax Rainmen. The team plans to make a run at becoming a member of the NBA’s Developmental League.


“I am so thrilled to begin the process of negotiating to become an NBA Developmental team. Tomorrow we will start to assemble a task force of professionals to begin to make our case to present to the league as soon as possible,” said Levingston.

Levingston commits the Rainmen will stay in Halifax regardless of the success of the future NBA D-League negotiations.

[tops804]

Shall we open up the bets on how soon until the Rainmen are removed from
the ABA's team page???

I say by 1 p.m. ET, unless of course Joe still thinks they will "beg to come back"
by tournament time...

[formerlyknownasfells]

My question is when the mushroom cloud over Indianapolis will be able to be viewed on Pluto.

[tops804]

Originally Posted by formerlyknownasfells

My question is when the mushroom cloud over Indianapolis will be able to be viewed on Pluto.

My next question, is who is the next team to leave Joe during the playoffs???

"Mean-Sprited-Teams"

[Sam Hill]

Originally Posted by formerlyknownasfells

My question is when the mushroom cloud over Indianapolis will be able to be viewed on Pluto.

[formerlyknownasfells]

Originally Posted by tops804

My next question, is who is the next team to leave Joe during the playoffs???

"Mean-Sprited-Teams"

Let's put it this way, things could get REALLY interesting. Think about it, San Francisco is in the Great Eight and they aren't exactly the pillar of financial stability, so they could go. (As stable as a fault line during an earthquake.) Manchester and Vermont are solid, so I don't see them going anywhere. Here is the irony of the whole situation; if another team drops out, Maywood and their 3-23 record could end up in the Great Eight.

This just keeps getting better and better by the second.