The blog post today is not from me - your Wrangler Curmudgeon, but from a guest...Have you checked out the Eugene Generals website? The Generals website is posting information about their players moving on to bigger and better things and posting an article about how their 'Spring Recruiting Season' is starting. What do you see from the Wranglers? Wow, a 3 on 3 Tournament? Wait, hold it, drum roll please, the Wranglers attended the Pear Blossom Festival. Holy moly, now that's hockey! Pear Blossom Festival? What the...?
I am totally confused on what are the Wranglers priorities. Based on last season's record the Wranglers should be hitting the pavement hard and announcing tenders, recruiting efforts, and who's the new coach. Not the freakin' Pear Blossom Festival. As the Generals' web posting said, they are going to Kent to the USA Hockey Pacific District Evaluation Camp. This camp is where the best young hockey players (92 & 93's) from Washington, Oregon, California, and Alaska are going to be. This is future talent! Then the following weekend they are going to Globals in Burnaby. Globals in Burnaby is where these showcase camps started. Helena, Seattle and Eugene found many of their best players at this showcase last season. Then, the Generals are teaming up with a BCHL team to offer a camp in Alaska. What players don't make it into the BCHL (Junior A, Tier 1) can be signed to play with the Generals. THIS IS GOOD RECRUITING and SMART RECRUITING! What are the Wranglers doing? Going to the Rose Festival next?
I read the General's web posting about a Generals player going to play Junior A hockey in Ontario (never mind the town, I can't pronounce it yet alone spell it). The article tells about the General's coach moving kids up to higher level leagues, about giving them exposure, and about what a great resource the coach has been. The Wranglers don't have a coach, and it is unsure of who (players) are coming back. Who wants to come back to a team that focuses on the local Pear Blossom Festival instead of hockey. Tourists are not hockey players. Who are you going to sign at the Pear Blossom Festival?
I recognize this is a bit of a rant, but I cannot understand what the Wranglers are doing and not doing. Kevin and Dan should get off of their butts drive up to Kent and Burnaby, watch some talent, and sign some players. We fans want a team that can win games. Forget the Wrangler girls (sorry ladies) but focus on hockey. If not, then do us all a favor and move on.
...Your Wrangler Blogger Curmudgeon cannot disagree with the above guest opinion. By the way, in 3 months the Wrangler Open Camp starts and in 4 months the 2009-2010 NorPac season starts.
