SB Nation Arizona - Phoenix Coyotes Could Have NHL Deadline, Flesh-Eating Fish Supporters Thrilledhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/46593/arizona-fave.png2011-04-28T06:37:55-07:00http://arizona.sbnation.com/rss/stream/18916242011-04-28T06:37:55-07:002011-04-28T06:37:55-07:00Phoenix Coyotes Nemesis Goldwater Institute Swims With The Fishes...Literally
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<p>Wednesday, good friend of the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nhl/teams/phoenix-coyotes">Phoenix Coyotes</a> relocation project, Clint Bolick of the Goldwater Institute, presented the most important oral arguments to be heard in the Arizona Court of Appeals, Division One this session. As attorneys for Ms. Vong, a Gilbert area former spa owner, Bolick argued against the state government's right to regulate a nail salon's use of so-called "fish pedicures."</p>
<p>Yes, Bolick used his witty repartee to charm Presiding Judge Swann and Judges Irvine and Portley for why the spa's failure to file timely its appeal to the administrative proceeding was excused under the state and federal constitutions. With a charming opener stating that the state's "Motion to Dismiss was as toothless as the fish in question in this lawsuit," and a closing that the "fish just want to get back to work," Bolick prosecuted the rights of the working class that demands our state's resources.</p>
<p>And for this, more than one media outlet was in attendance. Heck, the national news has been covering this case for several weeks.</p>
<p>Why? Because as has become Goldwater's position recently, it's all about getting their name in the press and drawing attention to themselves as evidenced by the numerous press releases that GWI made about this fairly mundane case. However, after oral arguments, there was Clint on the steps of the Court of Appeals holding a press conference presumably for longer than his 30 minute oral argument lasted.</p>
<p>But that's how it goes in the wonderful world of GWI.</p>
<p>The case heard by Judges Swann, Irvine and Portley right before Bolick's charade involved whether an undocumented worker that was hired by a house flipper and injured performing work at one of the flipper's houses was entitled to receive worker's compensation.</p>
<p>In these fairly heady times of immigration debate in our state, this was a pretty meaty case, in my opinion. Number of media in attendance: 0. Number of stories you'll see about the arguments or the opinion when it gets drafted several weeks from now: probably none.</p>
<p>But, hey, Clint Bolick was on the news again today for Goldwater and that's a victory for them.</p>
https://arizona.sbnation.com/phoenix-coyotes/2011/4/28/2138911/phoenix-coyotes-nemesis-goldwater-institute-swims-with-the-fishesSeth Pollack2011-04-27T14:39:28-07:002011-04-27T14:39:28-07:00Winnipeg Mayor Says Phoenix Coyotes Not Moving North
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<p>The biggest supporters for the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nhl/teams/phoenix-coyotes">Phoenix Coyotes</a> to fail is the fans and media of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. They are absolutely salivating over the prospect of returning the Coyotes to the northern prairie from which they fled south in 1996. They thrill at every bit of negative information about the process and have become the Goldwater Institute's prime constituency.</p>
<p>It must have been extremely painful for the Winnipeg Free Press then, to report this latest blow to their small town hopes and dreams.</p>
<p><span style="line-height: 9px;">"</span>Winnipeg Mayor Sam Katz said he doesn't believe the Phoenix Coyotes will return to the franchise's birthplace," the WFP reported in a <a href="http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/NHLs-Coyotes-likely-wont-howl-in-Winnipeg-Katz-says-120805139.html" target="_blank">terse online story</a>.</p>
<p>"Speaking to reporters outside his office this afternoon, Katz urged Winnipeg hockey fans not to believe every rumour they hear about the NHL's return."</p>
<p>It's hard to say how much a small town mayor like Katz really knows about the goings-on between the NHL and the team who currently resides in the 12th largest TV market in the country. Maybe Katz is just practicing the ancient art of "reverse jinx". Or perhaps he actually knows something of the good news that the rest of us are waiting (impatiently) to become official.</p>
<p><i>Editor's Note: We have every intention of leaving the image of flesh-eating fish on the front page of SB Nation Arizona as long as we possibly can. We do this as a reminder of the GWI lunacy and because we are fairly certain the opportunity to have such a picture on our site will not come around again.</i></p>
https://arizona.sbnation.com/phoenix-coyotes/2011/4/27/2137566/winnipeg-mayor-says-phoenix-coyotes-not-moving-northSeth Pollack2011-04-27T08:34:38-07:002011-04-27T08:34:38-07:00Phoenix Coyotes Ownership Saga Now Has Unofficial Deadline From NHL
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<p>We knew that May would be the big do-or-die month for efforts to keep the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nhl/teams/phoenix-coyotes">Phoenix Coyotes</a> from becoming the Winnipeg Jets or, it now seems, the Manitoba Moose. The battle lines are drawn, with entertainment-starved Winnipeg residents crying for a team while the players are publicly expressing their desire to stay in Phoenix. The Coyotes fans that filled the building to 71.4 percent capacity obviously want to keep their team in the 12th largest TV market in the country (including Canada). The NHL, fresh off a new TV deal with NBC, obviously agrees with the fans that keeping the team in Arizona is the best thing for the league.</p>
<p>The best, most reliable source of information for the past several years when it comes to the Phoenix Coyotes ownership situation and its dealings with the NHL has been the Phoenix Business Journal. The PBJ is now <a href="http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/morning_call/2011/04/private-decisions-loom-over-coyotes-fate.html" target="_blank">reporting</a> that the NHL would like to have an answer by May 6 on the feasibility of selling the team to Chicago businessman Matthew Hulsizer.</p>
<p>The NHL reportedly won't make any kind of official announcement until late May or early June once the Stanley Cup Playoffs are over, but for their own purposes they want some kind of resolution in the next week to ten days.</p>
<p>There have been multiple reports that the NHL is working to find alternate financing for the current deal. The city of Glendale bond sale that was originally going to facilitate the transaction is now apparently dead thanks mostly to the interference from the Goldwater Institute. We are sure they, along with their <a href="http://arizona.sbnation.com/2011/3/28/2076752/canada-loves-goldwater-institute" target="_blank">Canadian supporters</a>, are thrilled. There is no word yet on any <a href="http://arizona.sbnation.com/phoenix-coyotes/2011/4/22/2127583/phoenix-coyotes-deal-held-up-by-tiny-group-of-nut-jobs-meeting-audio/origin" target="_blank">cupcake </a>or <a href="http://arizona.sbnation.com/phoenix-coyotes/2011/4/26/2135017/phoenix-coyotes-opposition-by-goldwater-institute-dropped-in-favor-of" target="_blank">foot-nibbling</a> celebrations.</p>
<p>Either a new source of funding will have to be arranged or the deal terms significantly changed. A change in terms, however, requires new approval from the Glendale City Council. </p>
<p>The NHL may be willing to wait through that process if there's an agreement in place that looks like it has a chance of getting done. Otherwise, they will continue negotiations with True North Entertainment to sell the team back to Canada where they may be renamed the Manitoba Moose instead of the Winnipeg Jets according to the report.</p>
<p>It remains to be seen if the May 6 unofficial deadline will be real, but clearly the NHL can't let this drag on much past early June. Plans need to be made for next season and goaltender <span>Ilya Bryzgalov</span> needs to know if he's going to have to play in Russian which <a href="http://arizona.sbnation.com/phoenix-coyotes/2011/4/21/2125813/ilya-bryzgalov-picks-russia-over-having-to-play-in-winnipeg" target="_blank">he finds preferable to being signed to play in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada</a>.</p>
https://arizona.sbnation.com/phoenix-coyotes/2011/4/27/2136577/phoenix-coyotes-ownership-saga-now-has-unofficial-deadline-from-nhlSeth Pollack2011-04-26T13:36:20-07:002011-04-26T13:36:20-07:00Phoenix Coyotes Opposition By Goldwater Institute Dropped In Favor Of Flesh-Eating Fish
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<p>The <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nhl/teams/phoenix-coyotes" class="sbn-auto-link">Phoenix Coyotes</a> fight to stay where the belong at Jobing.com arena in the city of Glendale took a strange turn with news that the Goldwater Institute has involved themselves in another "taxpayer rights" case. GWI is the prime roadblock to completing the deal to keep the Coyotes from having to move to Winnipeg <a target="_blank" href="http://arizona.sbnation.com/phoenix-coyotes/2011/4/21/2125813/ilya-bryzgalov-picks-russia-over-having-to-play-in-winnipeg">which several players</a> have decried as cruel and inhumane treatment.</p>
<p>One might think at this point that the Goldwater Institute has a fetish of sorts for such treatment or perhaps they really like feet...or fish that eat the dead skin off feet. Thanks to local radio hosts Roc and Manuch of 1060 am The Fan, we learned via <a target="_blank" href="http://twitter.com/#!/rocandmanuch/status/62972825513889792">tweet </a>of GWI's latest crusade.</p>
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<p>Later this week, the Arizona Court of Appeals is scheduled to hear a lawsuit filed by Goldwater on behalf of a Gilbert spa owner told by the state Board of Cosmetology in 2009 that she was no longer permitted to use her feet-feasting fish during pedicures. - The Phoenix New Times <a target="_blank" href="http://blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com/valleyfever/2011/04/foot-feasting_fish_case_to_be.php">reported</a></p>
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<p><a target="_blank" href="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/598695/dr_fish.jpg"><img src="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/598695/dr_fish_medium.jpg" class="photo" alt="Dr_fish_medium"></a> <br id="1303850794613"></p>
<p>A precious nugget from this latest GWI misadventure is a quote from attorney Clint Bolick. </p>
<p>"Some people will view this as a fishy lawsuit. But it affects the economic liberty of every American. Too many small businesses have been destroyed by overzealous regulation. If we have anything to do with it, Cindy Vong's spa fish will not be one of them," Bolick said.</p>
<p>Bolick, fans of the Coyotes might recall, was the attorney famously busted for signing up on Facebook for a page that supports moving the team back to Winnipeg. The upside here for Bolick is that he can always fall back on his flesh-eating fish experience if the whole "public watchdog" thing doesn't pan out. We can't confirm that Bolick hasn't joined any foot-nibbling Facebook pages.</p>
<p>We also have no confirmation if GWI's Darcy Olsen tried to resolve this case with a <a target="_blank" href="http://arizona.sbnation.com/phoenix-coyotes/2011/4/22/2127583/phoenix-coyotes-deal-held-up-by-tiny-group-of-nut-jobs-meeting-audio/origin">gift of cupcakes.</a>..or maybe in this case dead foot skin would have been more her style.</p>
<p><i>Editor's Note: We can't confirm if GWI has dropped its opposition to the Coyotes deal but our standards for facts, honesty, and common decency have been lowered in order to speak to Goldwater on their level.</i></p>
https://arizona.sbnation.com/phoenix-coyotes/2011/4/26/2135017/phoenix-coyotes-opposition-by-goldwater-institute-dropped-in-favor-ofSeth Pollack2011-04-23T07:00:34-07:002011-04-23T07:00:34-07:00Coyotes Ownership Questions Still Loom, But Fans See Glimmer Of Hope
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<p>Well, without much surprise, the "Cupcake Summit" did not result in a settlement of the differences between the Goldwater Institute and the City of Glendale and the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nhl/teams/phoenix-coyotes" class="sbn-auto-link">Phoenix Coyotes</a> remain in limbo. As Seth has eloquently <a href="http://arizona.sbnation.com/phoenix-coyotes/2011/4/22/2127583/phoenix-coyotes-deal-held-up-by-tiny-group-of-nut-jobs-meeting-audio" target="_blank">pointed out</a>, however, the Summit did do a fine job of making sure that Goldwater looks like a "watchdog" that has brought a rubberband gun to a shootout. I encourage everyone to listen to the audio, read the transcript and review Goldwater's<a href="http://arizona.sbnation.com/phoenix-coyotes/2011/4/22/2127583/phoenix-coyotes-deal-held-up-by-tiny-group-of-nut-jobs-meeting-audio" target="_blank"> "7 Issues and 7 Solutions" document </a>and make your own decisions.</p>
<p>The takeaway to me is that it appears Glendale and Matthew Hulsizer (who certainly looks the best coming away from the Summit from everything I've seen/heard) are going to try and get this deal finalized, get the bonds sold and simply deal with Goldwater when/if they bring a lawsuit. Is there a valid challenge to the deal? It looks like we are getting to the point where it will be put up/shut up for Goldwater, and really that would be progress in this whole ordeal.</p>
<p>For a group that was so insistent that everything happens in front of the press, my thoughts are that Goldwater does not come off looking great here, so perhaps they would've been best allowing this meeting to happen behind closed doors and trying to spin it however they want. Personally, I'm not surprised that Matthew Hulsizer left early nor that he seemed aggravated by the way he was treated by Goldwater Institute.</p>
<p>At this point, it's still wait and see for the Phoenix Coyotes and their fans. The commentary today from Don Maloney and Dave Tippett is encouraging as both feel the team will be back. My impression from speaking with Mr. Hulsizer on the concourse before game four is that the deal is going to get done.</p>
<p>Goldwater's stretched their 15 minutes of fame about as far as it is going to go. What will really be interesting is whether the bonds sell and whether Hulsizer and Glendale sue Goldwater for tortious interference - that will be an interesting lawsuit. I can't wait to see Goldwater start fighting discovery requests if Hulsizer and Glendale start asking Goldwater who they were talking to that may have effected the City's bond ratings.</p>
<p>Personally, I'm ready to focus on free agents, the draft and what the Coyotes need to do to win a playoff series next year (avoiding Detroit in the first round would be a good first start).</p>
<p>This is an ordeal that's been ongoing for about two years longer than it should have by any reasonable analysis. Although there's still not a definite answer, my take is that we're closer than ever to a resolution and I think that resolution will be the Coyotes staying. But, hey, I picked the Coyotes to win in 6 games over Detroit so perhaps I should just stay out of prognosticating.</p>
https://arizona.sbnation.com/phoenix-coyotes/2011/4/23/2128087/phoenix-coyotes-ownership-questions-still-loom-fans-see-glimmer-of-hopeJordan Ellel2011-04-22T14:31:44-07:002011-04-22T14:31:44-07:00Phoenix Coyotes Deal Held Up By Tiny Group Of Nut Jobs, Meeting Audio Reveals
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<p>The more you learn about the Goldwater Institute the more wacky this whole story becomes. It's this small group of conservative activists who's "institute" has a budget of less than $3 million that's holding up the deal that would sell the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nhl/teams/phoenix-coyotes">Phoenix Coyotes</a> to the Matthew Hulsizer and keep the team in Glendale. The GWI isn't a fly in the ointment as much as it is mosquito in the ocean.</p>
<p>In a meeting held Thursday afternoon between the city and GWI we learn just why they've stalled for so long in sitting down across the table with their adversaries. They are a joke and completely out of their league and unprofessional, uninformed, and clearly uninterested in a solution.</p>
<p>You do have to give GWI credit for two things: first, they have good taste in cupcakes and second, they have managed to stubble on a bit of leverage that's allowed them to parlay their small size and no standing in the sale into huge publicity.</p>
<p>The gathering on Thursday began with GWI's Darcy Olsen announcing that the meeting would called "The Cupcake Summit" and she produced cupcakes. The cupcukes, as can be heard on the audio of the meeting, were described as "ooey gooey" cupcakes from renowned Phoenix bakery, <a href="http://www.tammiecoecakes.com/" target="_blank">Tammie Coe</a>.</p>
<p>One thing all sides can agree on is the quality of Tammie Coe baked goods. From there, things predictably went south as the Goldwater Institute raised points that would have been laughed out of a first year law school class.</p>
<p><b>[Note by Seth Pollack, 04/22/11 4:10 PM MST ]</b></p>
<p>Having listened to the audio of the entire meeting, what stands out is where the Goldwater Institute's passion points were. They didn't make a principled case for government involvement in the private deal. They didn't spend their time arguing the finer points of the who owns the parking rights and how much the city was paying for them.</p>
<p>What got Olsen and the GWI fired up was their complaint that the City didn't give them records fast enough. They seemed somehow personally insulted that Glendale treat them with enough respect and they are particularly miffed that an outside attorney, without authorization from the city, threatened to sue them.</p>
<p>That's not the behavior of a responsible public watchdog. That's the behavior of a grandstanding political organization who's most concerned with its own interests. They need to understand that this isn't a joke and it most certainly isn't about them.</p>
<p>It will be a tragedy if these clowns are able to force the Coyotes out of town.</p>
<p>Listen for yourself and read the <a href="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/595513/GWI_concerns.pdf">GWI document</a>..</p>
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<p>Meanwhile, the Canadian vultures are circling:</p>
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<p><a target="_blank" href="http://sports.nationalpost.com/2011/04/21/wait-for-the-white-flag-winnipeg/">Wait for the white flag, Winnipeg | Posted Sports | National Post</a><br>It might be prudent to hold off popping the corks for the Welcome Home celebration until you see the white flag officially go up in Glendale, and in the NHL offices, and wherever else a roadblock might be erected. In other words, don’t trust the Desert Dogs to come when you call. Wait until you see the whites of their eyes. And even then, be careful.</p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/teams/story/?id=363138&hubname=nhl-coyotes">Jets fans wait patiently as Coyotes might leave Phoenix</a><br>"It always has to be cautious enthusiasm . . . but we're more than prepared at our end," said Darren Ford, a 33-year-old wine and spirits dealer and de-facto leader of the Bring Back the Jets campaign. "Everyone is really optimistic that if one team isn't coming, Phoenix, then Atlanta is.</p>
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https://arizona.sbnation.com/2011/4/22/2333982/phoenix-coyotes-deal-held-up-by-tiny-group-of-nut-jobs-meeting-audioSeth Pollack