Too good to be true, again

Well if you haven't heard, Judge Baum denied Balsillie's motion to move the Phoenix Coyotes to Hamilton. Not much else to say, except that I am disappointed but not surprised. Such is the life of a Hamiltonian.

At least Balsillie is not giving up the fight, but don't expect anything positive to come out of the Coyotes. There is no chance that Bettman will flip flop and start negotiating with Balsillie on this one.

I hope whoever gets suckered into keeping the Coyotes in Phoenix enjoys a long, depressing, and expensive stint in the desert.

Time to update my list...

Hockey greats support NHL in Hamilton

Here's the latest video made available on makeitseven.ca. I believe it's a teaser for the upcoming documentary on searching for the last Hamilton Tigers jersey. Momentum is really picking up, and it was great to see people referring to Hamilton's team as the Tigers. 

Dear Jim Balsillie:

With so much activity on the news, blogs, and social networking these days, I feel like my little blog cannot keep up (it’s also hard to keep up because this is just a hobby, not my bread and butter). But I do want to take the time to articulate what I, and I think most Hamiltonians would like to say to you. It’s simply two words:

Thank you.

On behalf of Hamiltonians and all Canadians, thank-you for championing the movement for a seventh NHL team in Canada and for believing in the City of Hamilton. I have always believed Hamilton has the right bones to be a magnificent city. The bourgeoning arts culture on James Street, opening up the Farmer’s market to York Blvd, the reconnection to the Hamilton Harbour, and now, hopefully, the inclusion of an NHL team can only assist with this renaissance.

Your actions reflect Hamilton’s ambitions. For over 30 years, we have wanted a team to represent us, but were treated more as a nuisance than a true destination. Regardless of the outcome, I want to thank-you for taking the time (and money) out of your busy professional and personal life to take the lead. Few people have the chutzpah to do what you are doing, and I just want to make sure you know it is greatly appreciated and even admired.

When I started this blog a few years ago, I thought I was the only person on this planet who cared about Hamilton’s professional hockey history and future. With the constant rejection from the NHL, I even gave up on watching the sport because it felt artificial and was catering to needs of people who did not appreciate what this sport is about. So along with David and Sam Wesley’s book, a documentary on searching for the lost Hamilton Tigers Jersey, and great editorials, your determination to bring the NHL to Hamilton has piqued my interest once again. I believe many others feel the same way.

My only suggestion, which should not come as a surprise, is that if a team in Hamilton does come to fruition, you should consider Hamilton's history by naming them the Hamilton Tigers, and to use their original “H” crest for a logo.

Best of luck with this movement.

Sincerely,

Joe Camilleri
Hamilton Tigers (c. 1920; 20??)