Somethings Cooking

A place to discuss what's happening to those teams in the MidWest Conference for those who ARE interested.

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BeenThereDoneThat
Posts: 398
Joined: Sat Dec 13, 2014 12:31 pm

Somethings Cooking

Post by BeenThereDoneThat »

After the GOJHL Board of Directors cancelled a promised league meeting last Thursday, a group of owners decided that it was necessary that the league teams should meet and discuss the many varied situations facing the league today. The Board of Directors were apparently invited to attend but none joined in on the Zoom Call. I was told that 18 to 20 teams participated.

Why did the teams deem it necessary to have this meeting ? Why did the Board not participate in the Zoom Call ? Are the owners and the Board at lager heads over which direction the league should take ?

The only direction I see is that no league will start until Hockey Canada gives the go ahead. What other direction is there ?

Is this a leadership problem or is it an unstable ownership group trying to dictate ?
FrozenPonds
Posts: 235
Joined: Sat Nov 12, 2016 11:26 pm

Re: Somethings Cooking

Post by FrozenPonds »

Not sure if anything is cooking but there should be. I honestly dont get it. It really baffles my mind at the direction.... Wait, what I mean to say is this league has no direction or visión. Part of the problem is you cant be a "yes" man and get things accomplished. Add to that... You need to have 26 teams/owners in the decisión-making process and that is a recipe for a lack of productivity to get any decisions made. But it could be done with the correct approach. You want to have progress? Direction? Or visión? You can start be getting rid of the entire league executive. Some of these guys have been around far, far too long! They are the reason why this league is a shadow of its former self... And i am going back to the mid-80s and 90s... When this league was pumping out players to the NCAA like crazy.

Its really sad... I saw an tweet on my twitter from an NOJHL team that had "signed a player away" from a GOJHL team. No offense but who would want to go up there when they SHOULD be able to compete in a comparable GOJHL. I played against Chris Pronger when he was in Stratford.. He came from Dryden.. DRYDEN to play down here. Why??? Because the product was much better back then.. On the Ice and more important.. On the leadership side!! Until changes are made at the top... The GOJHL will continue to be regarded at the bottom.
ILuvHackey
Posts: 380
Joined: Fri Aug 07, 2015 8:26 am

Re: Somethings Cooking

Post by ILuvHackey »

FrozenPonds wrote: Mon Jul 13, 2020 2:16 am Not sure if anything is cooking but there should be. I honestly dont get it. It really baffles my mind at the direction.... Wait, what I mean to say is this league has no direction or visión. Part of the problem is you cant be a "yes" man and get things accomplished. Add to that... You need to have 26 teams/owners in the decisión-making process and that is a recipe for a lack of productivity to get any decisions made. But it could be done with the correct approach. You want to have progress? Direction? Or visión? You can start be getting rid of the entire league executive. Some of these guys have been around far, far too long! They are the reason why this league is a shadow of its former self... And i am going back to the mid-80s and 90s... When this league was pumping out players to the NCAA like crazy.

Its really sad... I saw an tweet on my twitter from an NOJHL team that had "signed a player away" from a GOJHL team. No offense but who would want to go up there when they SHOULD be able to compete in a comparable GOJHL. I played against Chris Pronger when he was in Stratford.. He came from Dryden.. DRYDEN to play down here. Why??? Because the product was much better back then.. On the Ice and more important.. On the leadership side!! Until changes are made at the top... The GOJHL will continue to be regarded at the bottom.
A vs. B - pretty simple.

Advisors convince their kids on going to "A" leagues, where they pay 10K, and get kick backs from said programs.
FrozenPonds
Posts: 235
Joined: Sat Nov 12, 2016 11:26 pm

Re: Somethings Cooking

Post by FrozenPonds »

That can be offset with the right plan in place!
ILuvHackey
Posts: 380
Joined: Fri Aug 07, 2015 8:26 am

Re: Somethings Cooking

Post by ILuvHackey »

FrozenPonds wrote: Mon Jul 13, 2020 10:49 am That can be offset with the right plan in place!
A plan to be classified as Jr A? Sure.

Otherwise, GOJ is at the mercy of other leagues being able to take their players pretty damn easy.
BeenThereDoneThat
Posts: 398
Joined: Sat Dec 13, 2014 12:31 pm

Re: Somethings Cooking

Post by BeenThereDoneThat »

Its time to stick a fork in this league. They have rolled over and have played dead ever since they signed the agreement with the OJHL. The OJ continues to drive the GO into dismay.

Its time for the 9 or 10 good teams (good owners ) to pull up stakes and find another league to play in, (OJHL, CCHL). Leave the deadbeat owners along with the dysfunctional Board to wander into the future with no plans and no idea where the road leads
FrozenPonds
Posts: 235
Joined: Sat Nov 12, 2016 11:26 pm

Re: Somethings Cooking

Post by FrozenPonds »

ILuvHackey wrote: Mon Jul 13, 2020 3:51 pm
FrozenPonds wrote: Mon Jul 13, 2020 10:49 am That can be offset with the right plan in place!
A plan to be classified as Jr A? Sure.

Otherwise, GOJ is at the mercy of other leagues being able to take their players pretty damn easy.
Not necessarily....but the league must want to take the steps necessary to get back to where it once was. Sure the "advisors" get into the parents heads with visions of grandeur. But this league has one thing that no other loop in this province has...a list of alumni that is as long as it is deep! No other league even comes close. This league also has something that no other loop in this province has...an established fanbase and very good attendance! It also has some teams that have been around for 45+ years!

You want to compete in any industry you need to have a product and you need to sell and market the sh*t out of it!! This league has the product but it has no one, apparently, to take the bull by the horns, make decisions, and get things done! As for the OJHL taking kids, well, there is an inherent problem with that as well! Granted, I will agree with you that "advisors" push kids to the OJHL...but this is a message to parents...you want to go "A", get your kid out of this province as it is a$$-backwards! Go to the BCHL, AJHL or even the SJHL. There is the NAHL which has placed more kids to the NCAA than any other league in NA! But to pay $10k to play in the OJHL? Desperate parents looking for the promised land!

In saying that...the GOJHL was once in the Top 10 development leagues in NA. It was even ahead of the OJHL. Not sure where either stands today. Sell the product....to stakeholders..including ownership, current players, potential future players, NCAA recruiters etc. Is it going to happen overnight? No..especially with the current island of misfit toys making the decisions. Heck, it might not even happen at all and probably won't! These teams, owners, players and fans deserve MORE than what they are being given!! That is why players leave...soon to be followed by the fans as well!

Some days...it would be better to dissolve this leagues current structure...go back to 3 Conferences to be overseen by 1 commish....let the decisions that impact each conference BE MADE by each conference. What benefits/affects the Western Conference, may not have anything to do with the other two...but currently, they can have a huge impact on any decision. Sometimes past practices work better than the current practice! That is why there is such a distribution among corporations regarding past and best practices! It makes things more fluid, profitable and productive.

And when does this "collusion" of a deal between the OHA and the OJHL end? Does this league have a plan ready? You have opened up Pandora's box by allowing Brantford to establish roots in your footprint! What's the plan fellas?
ILuvHackey
Posts: 380
Joined: Fri Aug 07, 2015 8:26 am

Re: Somethings Cooking

Post by ILuvHackey »

BeenThereDoneThat wrote: Wed Jul 15, 2020 12:36 pm Its time to stick a fork in this league. They have rolled over and have played dead ever since they signed the agreement with the OJHL. The OJ continues to drive the GO into dismay.

Its time for the 9 or 10 good teams (good owners ) to pull up stakes and find another league to play in, (OJHL, CCHL). Leave the deadbeat owners along with the dysfunctional Board to wander into the future with no plans and no idea where the road leads
Who are the good franchises in your opinion? Honest question.

I believe most of the owners suck in this league too, but there are some good ones
FrozenPonds
Posts: 235
Joined: Sat Nov 12, 2016 11:26 pm

Re: Somethings Cooking

Post by FrozenPonds »

That is the million dollar question! Who are the good owners? But there are also some really good community owned teams that should be included.

This has all been talked about before...gotta have the ball$ to take that first step. I will say it again...if you want to get results...positive results and put a plan in place to get this league on an upward projectory...then you need to remove the current commish (nothing but a buddy appointment) and the board. Restructure and allow each conference to oversee decisions that concern their respective conference!

I have been openly critical of current leadership and rightfully so! The decisions that have been made, or more importantly, not made, have had a detrimental affect on the league and the direction of the league. There is no direction. Owners were patting themselves on the back when they got Collingwood to put up $150k for a "B" franchise...that failed and in the process, a glorious opportunity to add a critical 4th Conference was lost. It's called having a vision! Some of these fellas only vision is about the almighty dollar and they believe that they can dictate the value of a franchise. What they fail to realize is that a 4th Conference would have added value immediately to the league. They blew it!
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