WHA

[stripes]

The WHA has returned again, or is trying. The league has launched new franchises in Hope, Ashcroft and Nakusp, BC, to go along with teams in Lumby, Armstrong, Osoyoos and Oliver. They're promising an eighth team, but Town Council minutes in Osoyoos from June 16 show the community has rejected a lease agreement with the league, so that team would seem to be in jeopardy.

www.osoyoos.ca/siteengine/ActivePage.asp?PageID=101

The teams all have shiny new blogs. The new Hope blog had a picture of their arena: unfortunately, it's a picture of an arena in Hudson's Hope, which, according to google maps, is 1001 km away from Hope. Oopsy.

Google cache version:
www.google.ca/url?sa=t&ct=clnk&cd=1&url=http%3A%2F%2F209.85.165.104%2Fsearch%3Fq%3Dcache%3A41iHvMoO9hYJ%3Awhahopegoldenblades.blogspot.com%2F%2B%2522Hope%2BGolden%2BBlades%2522%26hl%3Den%26ct%3Dclnk%26cd%3D1%26gl%3Dca&ei=JKtzSLfcBabKgQSn0tHxAg&usg=AFQjCNFzj2fqklTGLtrMqmgCC5WHbYqnjA&sig2=X36WB2LIpNckyfQgWFWGzA

[newfan]

Stripes, I went with my kid to Global Showcase in Las Vagas. Garry Unger was there and now appears to be affilated with Banff Hockey Academy, as he was wearing the jackey and running around the place with Billy.
I talked to him and asked about WHA. He said (short version, paraphrased) that he thought it was a great concept, but that management had "screwed it all up"; that he did all he could to make it happen; that he finally had enough and moved on. He didn't see how it continue for another season.

[stripes]

Well, I've never understood what was so appealling about the concept of charging kids a whole boatload of money to play junior B hockey in tiny BC communities, but maybe that's just me. If people want to fork out the cash, I guess that's their choice. Canadian junior leagues tend to be gate-driven, while these "independent" leagues are relying on the players to cover the bills.

What grinds my gears is the fact that the league has called itself Junior A, when in reality it's a weak Junior B league. Might be just me, but I don't like dishonesty.