My take on the Phoenix Coyotes' saga

Today, I'd like to post on the Phoenix Coyotes. Now everyone that knows me knows that I like sports a lot (too much according to the love of my life)...the Phoenix saga is one that should be addressed in parts...

First off, there is Jerry Moyes. He signed a contract to let the NHL take the team (in exchange for him not having to continue to lose money), then put the team he didn't own anymore into bankruptcy...on top of that, his company guaranteed their lease with the City of Glendale (or Glendale would get 750 million dollars). As part of his bankruptcy, he signed an intent to sell to Jim Balsille under the condition that Balsille can move the team (a clause that Moyes did not have the authority to agree to, and which would automatically violate the lease, making the City of Glendale an even bigger debtor than Moyes)...Moyes put a team he didn't own into bankruptcy and orchestrated an agreement of sale which would de-fraud the NHL and the City of Glendale out of close to 1 billion dollars combined...he should go to jail!

Then, there is Balsille. He has never put in a legitimate bid for an expansion. He wants to buy a team for next to nothing with a condition that he be able to move it without ever having to compensate the league for them losing their biggest potential bargaining chip. If the court were ever to award the team to Jim, the NHL would appeal and the Supreme Court would likely reverse the decision.

Doug MacLean joined the Balsille bid to give it credit...how does having the man who ruined Columbus' cap situation (and spent years keeping Columbus at the bottom of the standings with poor decision after poor decision. Sure, the guy can coach...but he can't hire coaches, and he signs players to ridiculous contracts, cough...Rick Nash at 5.4 million after 2 seasons, Huselius at 4.75 million and Umberger at 3.75 million...cough

The NHL also wants to buy the team; to be able to privately sell the team at a later date...Bruckheimer was interested at two different points in the selling process, but has twice had Moyes reveal aspects of his bid that were supposed to be sealed. If the NHL buys the team, they can take the time to see if Phoenix is a viable market or if the team should be moved...keep in mind that the fans of Phoenix only had a good team at the very beginning, but the team has been terrible for a decade...in contrast, Winnipeg was starting to get better every year as their attendance dwindled.

And last but not least are the Toronto Maple Leafs...they have been saying over and over again that they will block any attempts to add a team to Southern Ontario, despite Anti-trust courts having determined that no team can hold rights to a territory, but that a league as a whole can...the funny thing is that if Toronto really upsets the NHL, the NHL can force a sale, in effect forcing the Maple Leafs to sell (perhaps to Balsille, allowing him to own a team in Southern Ontario)...either way, this is a classless move by an organization that has constantly been run by elitist snobs...