Puerto Rico has just dropped out of the PBL

[The Sweeper]

http://www.metronews.ca/halifax/sports/ ... e-from-pbl

MATTHEW WUEST
METRO HALIFAX
March 30, 2010 2:06 a.m.

The Halifax Rainmen are headed to the playoffs after the Premier Basketball League expelled one of its top teams yesterday.

The PBL announced the second-place Puerto Rico Capitanes — considered a top contender with an impressive 14-3 record — are no longer in the league because of a “blatant disregard for league rules,” according to commissioner Tom Doyle.

Doyle said the Capitanes left hotel bills unpaid in Maryland and Quebec City and that they only submitted two potential playoff dates — instead of the six requested. Perhaps most serious, Doyle said the Capitanes threatened to go home instead of travel to Halifax on Sunday, March 21, for a much-anticipated game against the Rainmen, and only made the trip after owner Andre Levingston intervened and chartered a $12,000 flight to get them here.

Doyle said the Capitanes were issued a written warning on Monday, March 22, to pay back the hotels and Levingston, as well as submit more playoff dates, with a deadline to respond of Wednesday, March 24, at noon ET.

“Not a peep,” Doyle said, of what happened when the deadline passed.

Doyle said the owners decided unanimously on Friday, March 26, to expel the Capitanes.

“If you don’t want to be a part of the league, if you don’t want to play by our rules, then I don’t want you in here,” Doyle said.

The departure of the Capitanes leaves the Rochester RazorSharks (14-4) in second behind the Lawton-Fort Sill Cavalry (16-2), with the Rainmen (11-6) in third, one game ahead of the Vermont Frost Heaves (10-7).

The Rainmen were in a fight with the Frost Heaves for the fourth and final playoff spot before the Capitanes were expelled, but now, both clubs have secured post-season berths.

The Capitanes’ schedule in the Baloncesto Superior Nacional — the top league in Puerto Rico — starts tomorrow, but they were originally scheduled to play in the PBL simultaneously.

A wealth of talent leaves with the Capitanes, including PBL scoring leader and MVP favourite Elias Ayuso.

Doyle said the Capitanes had a contractual obligation to pay for their travel and that the “league will assist Andre in getting that money back.”

[Frank Mart]

http://www.primerahora.com/diario/notic ... pbl/377637

The PR team's lawyer filed an injunction that could suspend the PBL. Then put a demand on the PBL

Thanks

[one way]

This is priceless. How many clown are coming out of the clown cars? PBL is the ABA which is the WBA which is the IBL. All the same, junk

[misenern]

[quote=""Frank Mart""]http://www.primerahora.com/diario/notic ... pbl/377637

The PR team's lawyer filed an injunction that could suspend the PBL. Then put a demand on the PBL

Thanks[/quote]

This is a huge mess. But does PR think they can actually sue the PBL for kicking them out? They are demanding that they be reinstated for the playoffs. Crazyness.

[ABARedWhiteBlue]

Google translate version:

Arecibo is threatening to sue the PBL
Tuesday, March 30th, 2010
Raúl Álzaga / Primera Hora Raul Álzaga / First Time
Within 24 hours, the Premier Basketball League and its president Severka Hrywnak may be subject to a federal injunction request and to face a lawsuit for damages not immediately revoke the suspension imposed on them by the Arecibo Captains and confiscated their participation in the playoffs.

According to Jose Couto, a lawyer for the Captains, the team submitted a letter yesterday electronically, by fax and by registered letter, which warns the PBL of the legal consequences of his actions and urged it to reconsider Arecibo can participate the postseason - for which he has earned the right with his record of 14-3.

The Captains were suspended because they allegedly owed $ 11,500 to the Halifax team for a charter flight to the Canadian quintet had to rent for Arecibo arrived in time to a set schedule.

"Undoubtedly this is a suspension and convenience ventajería discriminate based on competitive and we go to the federal forum to defend ourselves if necessary.

The first would be an injunction to stop the suspension and the latter a claim if the request is not met, "said Couto Hrywnak arguing that incurs a serious conflict of interest in issuing the suspension decision.

"That man is president of the league and, in turn, seized the Rochester Razorbacks, who is the team with which the captains would dispute the second place this Saturday at Arecibo and court advantage between the two teams in the playoffs."

"It is an invention of it (Hrywnak) denotes the last minute and the disruption that persists in this league," said Couto. "But hopefully with the letter we sent you reconsider ... If we are going to remove, which is on the court.

[PikevilleOT]

this one makes the PBL look more ABA-ish again....

[CHris902]

What do you do if you have a team with tons of money running around refusing to pay bills, yanking the league around, demanding that games only be played when they want them to be played, (and only two dates? What if another team actually beats them in one of the first two games?) and burning treating other teams like absolute crap? I am not sure that, given the circumstances, the PBL had any other option.


That said, there should have been mechanisms in place in advance of the season starting that would provide the league with other discplinary options. In addition, the Capitanes' lawyer has a good argument about the Doc, Doyle and Rochester being in conflict of interest. They need to bring in a third party commissioner or have a non-owner judicial board or something.

[Ken, Steelheads fan]

[quote=""The Sweeper""]http://www.metronews.ca/halifax/sports/ ... e-from-pbl

MATTHEW WUEST
METRO HALIFAX
March 30, 2010 2:06 a.m.

The Halifax Rainmen are headed to the playoffs after the Premier Basketball League expelled one of its top teams yesterday.

The PBL announced the second-place Puerto Rico Capitanes — considered a top contender with an impressive 14-3 record — are no longer in the league because of a “blatant disregard for league rules,” according to commissioner Tom Doyle.

Doyle said the Capitanes left hotel bills unpaid in Maryland and Quebec City and that they only submitted two potential playoff dates — instead of the six requested. Perhaps most serious, Doyle said the Capitanes threatened to go home instead of travel to Halifax on Sunday, March 21, for a much-anticipated game against the Rainmen, and only made the trip after owner Andre Levingston intervened and chartered a $12,000 flight to get them here.

Doyle said the Capitanes were issued a written warning on Monday, March 22, to pay back the hotels and Levingston, as well as submit more playoff dates, with a deadline to respond of Wednesday, March 24, at noon ET.

“Not a peep,” Doyle said, of what happened when the deadline passed.

Doyle said the owners decided unanimously on Friday, March 26, to expel the Capitanes.

“If you don’t want to be a part of the league, if you don’t want to play by our rules, then I don’t want you in here,” Doyle said.

The departure of the Capitanes leaves the Rochester RazorSharks (14-4) in second behind the Lawton-Fort Sill Cavalry (16-2), with the Rainmen (11-6) in third, one game ahead of the Vermont Frost Heaves (10-7).

The Rainmen were in a fight with the Frost Heaves for the fourth and final playoff spot before the Capitanes were expelled, but now, both clubs have secured post-season berths.

The Capitanes’ schedule in the Baloncesto Superior Nacional — the top league in Puerto Rico — starts tomorrow, but they were originally scheduled to play in the PBL simultaneously.

A wealth of talent leaves with the Capitanes, including PBL scoring leader and MVP favourite Elias Ayuso.

Doyle said the Capitanes had a contractual obligation to pay for their travel and that the “league will assist Andre in getting that money back.”[/quote]
{Emphasis is mine}
Tom was doing just fine until he got to the I part. There's no "I" in WE or OUR. He just couldn't keep his ego in check for a second or two...and didn't he say something similar after booting out Battle Creek last season??? The PBL is still in need of a public relations person.

[quote=""one way""]This is priceless. How many clown are coming out of the clown cars? PBL is the ABA which is the WBA which is the IBL. All the same, junk[/quote]
I just visualized fifteen or so clowns emerging from the trunk of a car.

[preeths]

Chris, great point. It's not always just about impropriety. You also have to avoid the appearance of impropriety.

[LightningMan]

[quote=""CHris902""]What do you do if you have a team with tons of money running around refusing to pay bills, yanking the league around, demanding that games only be played when they want them to be played, (and only two dates? What if another team actually beats them in one of the first two games?) and burning treating other teams like absolute crap? I am not sure that, given the circumstances, the PBL had any other option.[/quote]
I' m with you.

As ugly and self serving to Rochester as this appears, if any of the facts about payment and playoff dates are correct, what alternative was the PBL left with? If the Capitanes were allowed to do this with impunity, a lot of the same people moaning about the expulsion would instead be moaning about the PBL not acting like a league.