News Article: News & Notes XXXII: Simply Having a Wonderful Canesmas Time

[A Star is Burns]

Lizard Kings or Bust! Solar Bears just stole half the Boardwalk Bullies colors and then added some

I actually always really liked the Roanoke Express logo for some reason

Grew up in Roanoke watching the Express. And I always liked the Express logo and name. Fun team. Lots of fun teams back then.

I still have family there and visit fairly frequently. They have the Rail Yard Dawgs owned by Brock McGinn and his family. I haven't been able to make it to a game when down there yet, but doesn't seem like it would be as charming as the Express.

 

[WreckingCrew]

Grew up in Roanoke watching the Express. And I always liked the Express logo and name. Fun team. Lots of fun teams back then.

I still have family there and visit fairly frequently. They have the Rail Yard Dawgs owned by Brock McGinn and his family. I haven't been able to make it to a game when down there yet, but doesn't seem like it would be as charming as the Express.

Richmond and Roanoke were two of the biggest rivalries my Checkers had...I can't remember which, but back in the mid-90s one of our games had a bench clearing brawl and it took FOREVER for the refs to figure out who was still eligible to play. There were 2 very short benches when it was all done lol I miss those old ECHL days when the Checkers had teams in Greensboro, Richmond, Roanoke, Columbia, Charelston, Norfolk, Macon, just all over the place. The merger with the west and subsequent cutting of a lot of eastern teams nearly killed the league...fewer teams meant more travel, which meant more expense, which means teams who were suffering financially dropped out, which meant even fewer teams, more travel, more expense...you see where that feedback loop is going.

 

[HisIceness]

Richmond and Roanoke were two of the biggest rivalries my Checkers had...I can't remember which, but back in the mid-90s one of our games had a bench clearing brawl and it took FOREVER for the refs to figure out who was still eligible to play. There were 2 very short benches when it was all done lol I miss those old ECHL days when the Checkers had teams in Greensboro, Richmond, Roanoke, Columbia, Charelston, Norfolk, Macon, just all over the place. The merger with the west and subsequent cutting of a lot of eastern teams nearly killed the league...fewer teams meant more travel, which meant more expense, which means teams who were suffering financially dropped out, which meant even fewer teams, more travel, more expense...you see where that feedback loop is going.

I remember a bench-clearing brawl around 1996 but I think it was against the South Carolina Stingrays aka 'Stink-Rays' as Checkers fans called them. Might have been during the playoffs.

I remember another bench-clearing brawl at Dorton in the early 90's. It wasn't that one night against Greensboro (the season opener where something like 200 penalty minutes got racked up) that all the long-timers and die-hards talk about but there was still fight after fight going on. Lot of rowdiness in the stands too.

Speaking of rowdiness in the stands, check out this video from Greensboro in 1994. One of my favorite videos of the 90's ECHL era.

 

[tarheelhockey]

I actually always really liked the Roanoke Express logo for some reason

They also had solid jerseys back in the day.

Contextually, this was at a time when minor league unis were either direct NHL replicas or the fever dream of a Myrtle Beach tshirt vendor. And 5 years before the Minnesota Wild existed.

 

[WreckingCrew]

I remember a bench-clearing brawl around 1996 but I think it was against the South Carolina Stingrays aka 'Stink-Rays' as Checkers fans called them. Might have been during the playoffs.

I remember another bench-clearing brawl at Dorton in the early 90's. It wasn't that one night against Greensboro (the season opener where something like 200 penalty minutes got racked up) that all the long-timers and die-hards talk about but there was still fight after fight going on. Lot of rowdiness in the stands too.

Speaking of rowdiness in the stands, check out this video from Greensboro in 1994. One of my favorite videos of the 90's ECHL era.

Honestly, it's been so long, and I was so young, I may not be remembering quite right or mixing up teams. I swear it was Richmond or Roanoke, might have been Greensboro? That said, given the nature of the league back then, there were LOTS of line brawls and a fair amount of bench-clearing brawls so it's easy to get them mixed up

They also had solid jerseys back in the day.

Contextually, this was at a time when minor league unis were either direct NHL replicas or the fever dream of a Myrtle Beach tshirt vendor. And 5 years before the Minnesota Wild existed.

Honestly, if the Canes & Checkers do split ties, I would LOVE to see the Checkers get these bad-boys back!

I would have no problem if they made their "throwback" from this last year the main jersey

And the rare "Orange Blast"!

 

[SvechneJerk]

I remember a bench-clearing brawl around 1996 but I think it was against the South Carolina Stingrays aka 'Stink-Rays' as Checkers fans called them. Might have been during the playoffs.

I remember another bench-clearing brawl at Dorton in the early 90's. It wasn't that one night against Greensboro (the season opener where something like 200 penalty minutes got racked up) that all the long-timers and die-hards talk about but there was still fight after fight going on. Lot of rowdiness in the stands too.

Speaking of rowdiness in the stands, check out this video from Greensboro in 1994. One of my favorite videos of the 90's ECHL era.

I was there - 3rd row seats, in the corner, though I thought it was on Halloween since we carved a few pumpkins for our tailgate (or maybe that was the home opener, due to the Fair?). Regardless, that was a VERY memorable game.

 

[DaveG]

Richmond and Roanoke were two of the biggest rivalries my Checkers had...I can't remember which, but back in the mid-90s one of our games had a bench clearing brawl and it took FOREVER for the refs to figure out who was still eligible to play. There were 2 very short benches when it was all done lol I miss those old ECHL days when the Checkers had teams in Greensboro, Richmond, Roanoke, Columbia, Charelston, Norfolk, Macon, just all over the place. The merger with the west and subsequent cutting of a lot of eastern teams nearly killed the league...fewer teams meant more travel, which meant more expense, which means teams who were suffering financially dropped out, which meant even fewer teams, more travel, more expense...you see where that feedback loop is going.

I still think that it was a major MAJOR mistake on the ECHL's part to take in the WCHL teams that they did when that league folded. Economically it just made a lot more sense to have a league in the southeast and Mid-Atlantic spanning from Dayton and Johnstown down to Louisiana and Tallahassee. While the league doesn't seem to be in any real danger on the whole the increased travel expenses took a toll on individual franchises. It was certainly more stable as a regional AA caliber league back in the 90s/early 2000s than trying to be a national AA league since 2003.

 

[HisIceness]

I was there - 3rd row seats, in the corner, though I thought it was on Halloween since we carved a few pumpkins for our tailgate (or maybe that was the home opener, due to the Fair?). Regardless, that was a VERY memorable game.

1992-93 Raleigh Icecaps Results and Schedule at hockeydb.com

Yep, home opener on Halloween night 1992. 7-2 Icecaps win.

I've been wanting to see video of this night ever since I first heard about it, but nothing has come up yet (and unfortunately probably never will). I did however come across this article of that night, a night that had the ECHL commissioner in the building.

ECHL PUTS MONARCHS ON PROBATION\ COMMISSIONER CLAMPS DOWN

There was a lot of dislike between the Monarchs and Icecaps.

 

[HisIceness]

I still think that it was a major MAJOR mistake on the ECHL's part to take in the WCHL teams that they did when that league folded. Economically it just made a lot more sense to have a league in the southeast and Mid-Atlantic spanning from Dayton and Johnstown down to Louisiana and Tallahassee. While the league doesn't seem to be in any real danger on the whole the increased travel expenses took a toll on individual franchises. It was certainly more stable as a regional AA caliber league back in the 90s/early 2000s than trying to be a national AA league since 2003.

I think Greensboro leaving for the AHL in 1995 hurt the league more than what meets the eye. Everyone hated the Monarchs and the Monarchs embraced being the villains, a lot of rivalries disappeared with them leaving.

That was one move that backfired big-time. The Greensboro fans didn't respond well to the "upgrade" and that would set the stage for the NHLs temporary stay.

 

[GoldiFox]

1992-93 Raleigh Icecaps Results and Schedule at hockeydb.com

Yep, home opener on Halloween night 1992. 7-2 Icecaps win.

I've been wanting to see video of this night ever since I first heard about it, but nothing has come up yet (and unfortunately probably never will). I did however come across this article of that night, a night that had the ECHL commissioner in the building.

ECHL PUTS MONARCHS ON PROBATION\ COMMISSIONER CLAMPS DOWN

There was a lot of dislike between the Monarchs and Icecaps.

I wonder if that was the game that stuck with me as a kid where the arena was as loud as I had ever heard it for the last 5-10 minutes with "warm up the bus" chants. The whole building was going nuts.

 

[tarheelhockey]

I still think that it was a major MAJOR mistake on the ECHL's part to take in the WCHL teams that they did when that league folded. Economically it just made a lot more sense to have a league in the southeast and Mid-Atlantic spanning from Dayton and Johnstown down to Louisiana and Tallahassee. While the league doesn't seem to be in any real danger on the whole the increased travel expenses took a toll on individual franchises. It was certainly more stable as a regional AA caliber league back in the 90s/early 2000s than trying to be a national AA league since 2003.

I suspect it comes down to controlling salaries. As long as there’s competition between leagues, salaries spiral upward, and that’s the main threat to the business model. By consolidating the AA hockey market, and gobbling up all the good hockey towns, they made it difficult for anyone to muscle in on them. Which is good business sense in the abstract.

But I agree, the ECHL is much more “generic team vs generic team” than it used to be. Consolidating hurt the product. Hard to imagine there are rivalries on the scale of the Brophy/Brubaker years. Frankly it doesn’t help that they have to focus on actual hockey and not having fights all over the place.

 

[Navin R Slavin]

I suspect it comes down to controlling salaries. As long as there’s competition between leagues, salaries spiral upward, and that’s the main threat to the business model. By consolidating the AA hockey market, and gobbling up all the good hockey towns, they made it difficult for anyone to muscle in on them. Which is good business sense in the abstract.

But I agree, the ECHL is much more “generic team vs generic team” than it used to be. Consolidating hurt the product. Hard to imagine there are rivalries on the scale of the Brophy/Brubaker years. Frankly it doesn’t help that they have to focus on actual hockey and not having fights all over the place.

1992-93 Raleigh Icecaps Results and Schedule at hockeydb.com

Yep, home opener on Halloween night 1992. 7-2 Icecaps win.

I've been wanting to see video of this night ever since I first heard about it, but nothing has come up yet (and unfortunately probably never will). I did however come across this article of that night, a night that had the ECHL commissioner in the building.

ECHL PUTS MONARCHS ON PROBATION\ COMMISSIONER CLAMPS DOWN

There was a lot of dislike between the Monarchs and Icecaps.

Yes. Because Brubaker was a raging asshole.

I still remember hearing ads on Triad radio about games between the Monarchs and the "waaaaaah Raleigh Icecaps!" Greensboro was the perfect goon franchise for goon hockey.

 

[bleedgreen]

I suspect it comes down to controlling salaries. As long as there’s competition between leagues, salaries spiral upward, and that’s the main threat to the business model. By consolidating the AA hockey market, and gobbling up all the good hockey towns, they made it difficult for anyone to muscle in on them. Which is good business sense in the abstract.

But I agree, the ECHL is much more “generic team vs generic team” than it used to be. Consolidating hurt the product. Hard to imagine there are rivalries on the scale of the Brophy/Brubaker years. Frankly it doesn’t help that they have to focus on actual hockey and not having fights all over the place.

Going to a Colorado Eagles game was always been a fun albeit repetitive experience. Two periods of bloodletting in the form of fisticuffs then one period of trying to win. The crowd was similar to the ones in Gladiator.

Last one I went to before they went to the AHL they actually tried playing hockey most of the game. You could smell the disappointment. I imagine this has changed the appeal to minor league hockey across the board to some extent.

 

[tarheelhockey]

Going to a Colorado Eagles game was always been a fun albeit repetitive experience. Two periods of bloodletting in the form of fisticuffs then one period of trying to win. The crowd was similar to the ones in Gladiator.

Last one I went to before they went to the AHL they actually tried playing hockey most of the game. You could smell the disappointment. I imagine this has changed the appeal to minor league hockey across the board to some extent.

The more time passes, the more it really hits home how much hockey and especially minor league hockey relied on unhinged violence as a sales pitch from the 70s to the 00s.

It's a shame that it all went in the direction of stage-fighting and heavyweights. That was a setup for an epidemic of CTE and all the liability it implies. In a different timeline, I feel like fighting culture could have been preserved if it had been kept between ordinary players actually getting mad at each other and trying to pull hair and poke eyeballs.

 

[Navin R Slavin]

The more time passes, the more it really hits home how much hockey and especially minor league hockey relied on unhinged violence as a sales pitch from the 70s to the 00s.

It's a shame that it all went in the direction of stage-fighting and heavyweights. That was a setup for an epidemic of CTE and all the liability it implies. In a different timeline, I feel like fighting culture could have been preserved if it had been kept between ordinary players actually getting mad at each other and trying to pull hair and poke eyeballs.

Rudy Tomjanovich on line 1. He'd like to have a word.

 

[tarheelhockey]

Rudy Tomjanovich on line 1. He'd like to have a word.

To be fair, if a hockey player were punched that way he'd do a Looney Tunes 360-degree flip and end up with a broken nose instead of a fractured spine.

 

[Navin R Slavin]

Steve Moore is on line 2. He'd like to have a word.

 

[SvechneJerk]

1992-93 Raleigh Icecaps Results and Schedule at hockeydb.com

Yep, home opener on Halloween night 1992. 7-2 Icecaps win.

I've been wanting to see video of this night ever since I first heard about it, but nothing has come up yet (and unfortunately probably never will). I did however come across this article of that night, a night that had the ECHL commissioner in the building.

ECHL PUTS MONARCHS ON PROBATION\ COMMISSIONER CLAMPS DOWN

There was a lot of dislike between the Monarchs and Icecaps.

Ahh - good times.

IceCaps owner Miles Wolff told the News & Observer of Raleigh that he was going to remove the seats behind the opponents' bench to keep fans away from players. Fights among fans apparently broke out in the stands.

It was an all out brawl, at one point. It seemed like there were at least 10-15 people going at it.

 

[AD Skinner]

Honestly, it's been so long, and I was so young, I may not be remembering quite right or mixing up teams. I swear it was Richmond or Roanoke, might have been Greensboro? That said, given the nature of the league back then, there were LOTS of line brawls and a fair amount of bench-clearing brawls so it's easy to get them mixed up


Honestly, if the Canes & Checkers do split ties, I would LOVE to see the Checkers get these bad-boys back!

I would have no problem if they made their "throwback" from this last year the main jersey

And the rare "Orange Blast"!

Those remind me a ton of the Knoxville Ice Bears of the SPHL

Though it seemed like they wore something different every other game for promos and whatnot. Minor league jerseys have such a unique appeal. Remember Roller Hockey International? I always liked these

 

[HisIceness]

@SvechneJerk

Aw man, someone out there has video of that night I just know it.

I remember people getting kicked out of Icecaps and Checkers games as a youngster, and I remember a few fights but nothing like that. It was always one jackass trying to fight 5-6 people and failing miserably. I do remember however the time at Bojangles (this would have been 2001-ish) watching a guy attempt to pour his beer on the opposing teams bench but before he could, he got horse-collared the likes I've never seen by a cop who was smaller than the dude doing the pouring. The cup flew in the air and beer just splattered everywhere. I got a pretty good view of it as I was sitting about 6 rows up and the dude was being a jackass the whole night. That was wild.

About 10 years ago, in their last season before the AHL upgrade, the Checkers did a "midnight game" about mid-season. I didn't go but one of my friends worked as an usher at Spectrum Center said that was the wildest night he's ever been involved with excluding concerts. Lot of drunken fools bar-hopping and then getting into fights in the stands. I think the Checkers put out a statement later on that they wouldn't do such a thing again, but I can't prove that. I do know the season-ticket holders were not happy about that night.

 

[the halleJOKEL]

sounds like the PNC lease is close to being extended another 5 years

https://www.newsobserver.com/sports/article242839556.html

 

[hblueridgegal]

Jake is looking nimble. He just had another baby last week. The idea of being quarantined away from family at such a time would be tough to deal with to me. Even with FaceTime and Zoom etc it would be hard. Nothing like members of the Armed Forces face but still.

 

[hblueridgegal]

Nino is living the best quarantine life. Not sure why he’d want to come back either. He’s out fine dining in gorgeous spots, boating on the sunny seas, has a number of modeling gigs, etc.

I saw that our Vegas odds are 50/1 - formerly 20/1

 

[Navin R Slavin]

Jake is looking nimble. He just had another baby last week. The idea of being quarantined away from family at such a time would be tough to deal with to me. Even with FaceTime and Zoom etc it would be hard. Nothing like members of the Armed Forces face but still.

Like those Marsblades. Been looking at those.

 

[BHD]

Been watching full games from the 2006 SCF. Staal was sooooo good.