Geary Flips The Bird Towards Fan(s) in Evansville

[Sports Enthusiast]

What a guy!

http://www.courierpress.com/sports/...d63-e053-0100007f788e-374412461.html?d=mobile.

Click to read more...

 

[mfrerkes]

Not at all surprising given the individual involved. If there was a concerted effort to push Ron Geary out of the Ford Center, it's likely predicated on the fact he was an unprofessional person who didn't have the temperament or judgment to run a professional hockey team.

The fan heckling him was an idiot, but Geary should have better sense than that. It was the IceMen's final home game in Evansville. Is this the kind of public image he wants associated with such a solemn occasion?

 

[ADK34]

Evansville has some serious issues

 

[Sports Enthusiast]

Not at all surprising given the individual involved. If there was a concerted effort to push Ron Geary out of the Ford Center, it's likely predicated on the fact he was an unprofessional person who didn't have the temperament or judgment to run a professional hockey team.

The fan heckling him was an idiot, but Geary should have better sense than that. It was the IceMen's final home game in Evansville. Is this the kind of public image he wants associated with such a solemn occasion?

But could he beat THE DONALD?!

He seems to enjoy that he won't have a team anymore and that the people there are getting a worse product.

 

[toledo109]

I was in attendance when the Plymouth Whalers (OHL) played their last game. A lot of crying, picture taking, hugging, and just a depressing but interesting scene.


Sounds like the exact the opposite in Evansville.

 

[Sports Enthusiast]

I was in attendance when the Plymouth Whalers (OHL) played their last game. A lot of crying, picture taking, hugging, and just a depressing but interesting scene.


Sounds like the exact the opposite in Evansville.

Why was it their last game? Was it preventable? This sure was.

 

[mfrerkes]

He seems to enjoy that he won't have a team anymore and that the people there are getting a worse product.

If you look at the standings since Evansville joined the ECHL, you'll see Geary's team was consistently at the bottom every year. Now with Evansville moving to the SPHL, the city has a chance for some winning hockey under new ownership.

The SPHL may be a step down in terms of aggregate talent, but if their new franchise can win some games, it might be regarded as a better product (overall) for hockey fans in Evansville.

 

[Sports Enthusiast]

If you look at the standings since Evansville joined the ECHL, you'll see Geary's team was consistently at the bottom every year. Now with Evansville moving to the SPHL, the city has a chance for some winning hockey under new ownership.

The SPHL may be a step down in terms of aggregate talent, but if their new franchise can win some games, it might be regarded as a better product (overall) for hockey fans in Evansville.

Imagine if they were still at Swonder. I always questioned how viable that market was considering when they joined the CHL they were using a rec rink but the CHL was desperate.

 

[Gibbie42]

I was in attendance when the Plymouth Whalers (OHL) played their last game. A lot of crying, picture taking, hugging, and just a depressing but interesting scene.


Sounds like the exact the opposite in Evansville.

Actually no, it was exactly the same. Crying, hugs, lots of sadness, some laughter, pictures and hugs on the ice. More tears. One jackass decided that it was unheard of for the owner of the team to spend some time on the ice with his devoted staff and started screaming at him from the top of the bowl, where I'm guessing he thought he was safe. Said owner decided he had enough and came up top to give him a piece of his mind. Someone near me, emboldened by the earlier fan saw fit to say something similar to Mr. Geary and he got a piece of my mind to shut him up. This all took place after the majority of fans had either left or were down in the tunnel waiting for pics. After Mr. Geary returned to the ice, things went on as before. It should have been a nonissue but for certain bullying elements that decided to hammer the media with it and a local media that has nothing better to do than further sensationalize this whole thing.

 

[mfrerkes]

Imagine if they were still at Swonder. I always questioned how viable that market was considering when they joined the CHL they were using a rec rink but the CHL was desperate.

The Evansville market is viable for hockey. Their attendance numbers (at least up until Geary started coming unglued last fall) indicated a decent level of fan support. Unfortunately, pro hockey is an expensive game even when it's played in a cheap building. The Ford Center, being a brand new facility, is going to cost much more per game than Swonder ever would have. I'm not sure Geary fully appreciated that reality when the Ford Center was being built.

It's like driving a 1978 Ford Pinto that you paid off years ago, then suddenly upgrading to a 2016 Audi S5. You were used to not paying very much to operate a vehicle. Then, you get the shiny new car with all the bells and whistles, and you faint when the first payment comes due.

Geary seemed to be oblivious. A newer, bigger building with a larger operating budget isn't going to be cheap. He seemed to think the city could afford to just give away such a facility. That wasn't reality, and neither is renovating a dump in Owensboro for the IceMen. Geary is living on an entirely different planet in an entirely different solar system.

Luckily, hockey fans in Evansville will still have hockey. Maybe they'll even get a team that can finally make the playoffs.

 

[Dr Eville]

More news yesterday...

Ron Geary's new BFF, Owensboro Mayor Ron Payne abruptly announced yesterday that he will not seek re-election in November. In a short presser packed with political buddies and softball reporters, Payne stated it was time for him to step down, and enjoy family.

Given his rather boisterous and egotistical personality, that seems questionable at best. In a list of projects he wanted to see commence before he leaves office, anything to do with the Icemen and Ron Geary was left off. That was a crowning achievement just two short months ago, and now, not even a mention.....hmmmm.

My guess is Payne knows the Icemen are clearly a sinking ship at this point. As it publicly unravels, his opponents would tie Payne to finger-waving Geary at every chance they get. Not only would it jeopardize the election, but it could create enough unrest to derail the OTB. The OTB which I imagine has already created a nice deposit into Payne's retirement account.

Without it being an election issue, the Icemen saga can stay out of the limelight as it quietly unravels. In the meantime, Geary can proceed with his plans for the OTB, with Payne's unburdened assistance. By the time the Owensboro Icemen are officially removed from life support, the OTB is already past any help they need from city hall.

 

[Scoutin1]

If you look at the standings since Evansville joined the ECHL, you'll see Geary's team was consistently at the bottom every year. Now with Evansville moving to the SPHL, the city has a chance for some winning hockey under new ownership.

The SPHL may be a step down in terms of aggregate talent, but if their new franchise can win some games, it might be regarded as a better product (overall) for hockey fans in Evansville.

[mod] Why do you insist on speaking on subjects for which you have zero knowledge?

 

[offkilter]

[mod] Why do you insist on speaking on subjects for which you have zero knowledge?

I agree with mfrerkes. Looking at Evansville's four years in the ECHL they have had only one winning season where they were one game over .500 and finished last in the eastern conference twice. Under Geary's ownership it didn't look like Evansville was ever going to turn a corner. If you go back to their CHL days they have had only two winning seasons total and one single playoff appearance.

I do have to applaud the fanbase for staying in the 4500-5000 range through all that and this current ownership drama. Even more so after seeing first hand the effects of how having a consistently bad team year after year has more or less killed the AHL's Springfield fanbase.

 

[mfrerkes]

[mod] Why do you insist on speaking on subjects for which you have zero knowledge?

You offer nothing in your posts but childish personal attacks. Geary's days of owning a hockey team are over. Evansville has moved on without him, and so should you.

 

[Cyclones Rock]

Evansville attendance numbers are a farce. I went to a game on Friday April 1 and there were no more than 1500 in the building. Announced attendance was over 5000. It was more of an exaggeration than the few other games that I've been there, but the other games were announced vastly over real numbers as well.

The new team in the SPHL is inheriting a weak market; not anything near a "viable" one. The SPHLs lower cost structure and shorter season probably increases the long term survival possibilities for the Evansville market, but not by that much. The fact that the building's concessionaire owns the team increases the chances substantially, but doesn't make the team's long term existence anything more than a middling possibilty.

The Venueworks involvement in the negotiations with Geary and the City smells very fishy. Especially given that Venueworks contract comes up for renewal very shortly and that they now own 90% of the new team.

Geary is hardly a saint, but the rest of the negotiators weren't much better. In fact, they may have been in collusion with one another and undercut Geary's bargaining ability which would make them far worse. Giving the finger to some clown who is heckling you isn't a big deal. I've been given the finger by a player or two I've heckled. I've never been undeserving of it. LOL

 

[mfrerkes]

The new team in the SPHL is inheriting a weak market; not anything near a "viable" one. The SPHLs lower cost structure and shorter season probably increases the long term survival possibilities for the Evansville market, but not by that much. The fact that the building's concessionaire owns the team increases the chances substantially, but doesn't make the team's long term existence anything more than a middling possibilty.

It's not surprising that the IceMen's turnout has been down given what transpired over the winter. On top of that, their team is absolutely awful and has been for years. There's only so much loyalty you can expect from a fan base under those unfortunate circumstances. A new chapter is set to begin shortly. I'll be interested to see where it all goes.

I've experienced first-hand how new ownership can change everything. I live in a market that had its hockey team on the proverbial "death bed" for years. Four years ago, few people would have believed the Mallards would be averaging 4300+ in the ECHL...but here they are.

Evansville has the same opportunity in the SPHL. Yeah, it's a drop in talent level. However, as you mentioned, the league's cost structure gives them a better shot at breaking even. Couple that fact with a few winning seasons, and fan turnout could easily grow into something substantial.

There's no reason to count Evansville out just yet.

 

[Sports Enthusiast]

I agree with mfrerkes. Looking at Evansville's four years in the ECHL they have had only one winning season where they were one game over .500 and finished last in the eastern conference twice. Under Geary's ownership it didn't look like Evansville was ever going to turn a corner. If you go back to their CHL days they have had only two winning seasons total and one single playoff appearance.

I do have to applaud the fanbase for staying in the 4500-5000 range through all that and this current ownership drama. Even more so after seeing first hand the effects of how having a consistently bad team year after year has more or less killed the AHL's Springfield fanbase.

At this level year to year its a crapshoot. A team can be bad one year and really good the next and vice versa unless you have a rare coach like a Martinson who has done this a million years and knows what he's doing. So few coaches like that now though.