Post by Free Agent Fan on Jan 10, 2007 11:35:41 GMT -5
This was a column in todays paper by John Dudley.
Maybe Dave Hodas' fortunes are changing.
In a month, Hodas begins his third season as owner of the Erie Freeze.
He has a stable coaching situation-for now. His fellow AIFA owners are quiet and scandal-free. Season ticket sales and sponsorship are up.
There's even an end in sight to repeated attempts by hackers to cripple the teams web site.
"I'm very confident this is going to be our best year yet," said Hodas, whose franchise reached the then-AIFL championship game its first season, then went through a rough year on the field and at the gate in 2006.
The Freeze has never duplicated the huge crowd for its inaugural game in 2005. Last year brought a messy midseason coaching change.
One hurdle appears to be cleared.
Coach Dave Arnold, promoted when Jerry Crafts left, lost his job as an assistant at Gannon when athletic director Bill Elias dismissed himself as football coach last fall.
Arnold is shopping for a college position but said Tuesday he's "totally concentrated on the Freeze."
"We're going to have a lot of great athletes,"id Arnold, who expects to sign eight players from last weekend's final tryout. Practice begins Jan. 22. "On paper, this is the best team we've had since I've been here."
Hodas said Arnold could approach his Gannon salary if he reaches wins and postseason incentives. He expects Arnold to stay.
"I have a back up plan," he said. "I've learned you have to have one although I don't think I'll have to go to it."
Off the field, the team is approaching last years total of 1,300 season tickets about a month before the Feb. 17 home opener. Sponsorships are up, too, and Hodas credits the team's effort to distance lf from the train wreck that was the former Erie Invaders.
"That was in our face constantly the first two years," Hodas said. "I think people realize we're going to be around awhile."
Hodas has a new deal to televise games on Image Sports Network. The league will stream games live online.
Speaking of the web, Hodas said a more secure Freeze site is due to launch Feb. 1. That should end days like Monday, when surfers were greeted with "HACKED" in bold, red type for the third time in two months.
Hodas said the league hasn't missed ousted founder Andrew Haines, the Leona Helmsley of sports commissioners.
"I haven't heard much from the new owners," Hodas said. "But usually in this business no news is good news."
Maybe Dave Hodas' fortunes are changing.
In a month, Hodas begins his third season as owner of the Erie Freeze.
He has a stable coaching situation-for now. His fellow AIFA owners are quiet and scandal-free. Season ticket sales and sponsorship are up.
There's even an end in sight to repeated attempts by hackers to cripple the teams web site.
"I'm very confident this is going to be our best year yet," said Hodas, whose franchise reached the then-AIFL championship game its first season, then went through a rough year on the field and at the gate in 2006.
The Freeze has never duplicated the huge crowd for its inaugural game in 2005. Last year brought a messy midseason coaching change.
One hurdle appears to be cleared.
Coach Dave Arnold, promoted when Jerry Crafts left, lost his job as an assistant at Gannon when athletic director Bill Elias dismissed himself as football coach last fall.
Arnold is shopping for a college position but said Tuesday he's "totally concentrated on the Freeze."
"We're going to have a lot of great athletes,"id Arnold, who expects to sign eight players from last weekend's final tryout. Practice begins Jan. 22. "On paper, this is the best team we've had since I've been here."
Hodas said Arnold could approach his Gannon salary if he reaches wins and postseason incentives. He expects Arnold to stay.
"I have a back up plan," he said. "I've learned you have to have one although I don't think I'll have to go to it."
Off the field, the team is approaching last years total of 1,300 season tickets about a month before the Feb. 17 home opener. Sponsorships are up, too, and Hodas credits the team's effort to distance lf from the train wreck that was the former Erie Invaders.
"That was in our face constantly the first two years," Hodas said. "I think people realize we're going to be around awhile."
Hodas has a new deal to televise games on Image Sports Network. The league will stream games live online.
Speaking of the web, Hodas said a more secure Freeze site is due to launch Feb. 1. That should end days like Monday, when surfers were greeted with "HACKED" in bold, red type for the third time in two months.
Hodas said the league hasn't missed ousted founder Andrew Haines, the Leona Helmsley of sports commissioners.
"I haven't heard much from the new owners," Hodas said. "But usually in this business no news is good news."
