Ice Cats President Angry at Ohio University Newspaper
January 15, 2004 - International Independent Hockey League (IIHL)
Ohio Valley Ice Cats News Release
Ohio Valley Ice Cats President Mike Killbreath has announced that his International Independent Hockey League (IIHL) team will be sold or moved.
"Although Marcus Marazon and his staff at Ohio University's Bird Arena have been tremendous to work with, I can't consider working with Ohio University after a story that appeared in the student-run newspaper," KIllbreath said. "The story that appeared in Wednesday's Athens Post was full of slanderous statements and outright lies. I talked with a top official of Ohio University to express my shock, anger and disappointment in allowing such garbage to be printed."
Killbreath said an operator interested in keeping the Ice Cats in Athens has made an offer to buy the team, but he stressed that a decision needs to be made Friday to secure home dates reserved for the rest of the season.
"Marcus informed me that he has already sold some of the dates, which would be okay, because the IIHL is looking at the possibility of shortening the season and possibly going with a 5-team or 6-team format because we have a combined $75,400 owed to the league right now," Killbreath said.
He wasn't sure the sale could be completed fast enough to save pro hockey for the Athens community. "I have a $50,000 offer but he needs to show me the money quickly," KIllbreath said. "Otherwise, dates won't be available at Bird Arena and this team will be moved elsewhere."
The $50,000 offer includes getting about $12,000 worth of equipment and a $40,000 discount over the price of buying an expansion team at $90,000 next season.
Anyone with a better offer can call Killbreath at (810) 249-7351.
The Ice Cats have a 2-5-1 record and lead the IIHL's South Division with 5 points. They have not actually won on the ice, however, because they were awarded two forfeit victories over the Soo City Mavericks when the IIHL put a halt to the team's continued violation of import rules. Teams are not allowed to use more than 6 foreign-born players and the Mavericks were using 14 Canadians.
The Ice Cats lost 7-5 to the Lansing Ice Nuts in their home opener at Bird Arena on Dec. 12 and skated to a 1-1 tie on Dec. 13 before losing in an overtime shootout to the same Ice Nuts. The Ice Nuts currently lead the IIHL with an 11-1 record.
"We had some quality local guys but they didn't go on the road trips and the team was struggling to attract good players to Athens," Killbreath said. "The team lost 15-2 in Harbor Springs and lost 13-0 in Lansing. We were also operating with an interim General Manager who was a student volunteer and the team captain was running practices. I'm 4 1/2 hours away and also operate the Lansing hockey club."
The Ice Cats had a rough start. "Our original General Manager attracted only 6 players to the first day of training camp after 6 weeks of recruiting efforts," Killbreath said. "Needless to say, his resignation was accepted. It's been a disaster down there for me from the start, especially since we didn't yet have enough quality players capable of playing pro hockey."
Killbreath suspended 10 players without pay after they decided to head home for Athens after taking the 13-0 pounding in Lansing on New Year's Eve. "They ordered the bus to take them home and the bus took them as far as Toledo, demanding a credit card or cash to continue to Athens," Killbreath said. "The bus was supposed to take them to Harbor Springs. The players sat in a hotel room in Toledo, negotiating on whether or not they would get on three vans I was sending down to pick them up and take them where they were supposed to be."
Killbreath said the players in the Toledo hotel were demanding more pay, better sticks and wanted a promise that free apartments would be provided for every player. "They also wanted me to promise them I'd sign some star players by the next day to meet them in Harbor Springs so they wouldn't lose so badly," Killbreath said. "Guys losing hockey games 13-0 and 15-2 at the pro level are not going to play any better if they get a free apartment or more money."
Killbreath stressed that he also owns the Lansing Ice Nuts, who have an 11-1 record with the same payroll amount. Most of the Ice Nuts players have part-time jobs and they pay for their own apartments or live with host families.
"The IIHL is designed to allow players an opportunity to advance to the next level," Killbreath said. "It's a good product on the ice. I believe the fans who came out for the opening weekend in Athens liked what they saw. I believe the IIHL could have a sellout every game in Athens. The only problem is that the student newspaper would be running stories trying to shut down the team for violating the fire code."
Killbreath added that he has a specific dislike for reporters. "I'm the former owner of a media chain that included a daily newspaper, 3 monthly magazines and 10 community weekly newspapers," he said. "I got out of the newspaper business because I absolutely can't stand to be around the negative attitude of journalists. They never want to let the truth get in the way of a good story. In regard to the story in Wednesday's Athens Post, I'd call it the textbook example of libel."
International Independent Hockey League Stories from January 15, 2004
- Ice Cats President Angry at Ohio University Newspaper - Ohio Valley Ice Cats
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