Confirmed with Link: All-Purpose "Days of Our Meruelo" Talk

[Fuhrious]

I've got nothing but sympathy for you guys who stuck around this long, but it's absolutely wild to hear some of you rationalize AM as a "savvy businessman but an inexperienced professional sports owner" as if "paying bills" is somehow advanced-level sports-centric economics.

Ditto slagging Katie Strang as "morally compromised" because "she wrote something mean about the team I like, once".

Absolutely wild.

 

[TheLegend]

Meruelo was too controlling essentially and cheap. He wanted to approve all checks cut, often times making the goal of what the check was needed for less effective. We aren't even necessarily talking about 7 figure checks. What I would qualify as pennies for a billionaire who is trying to lock in a very important deal. I guess it all adds up but this seemed to be the biggest fault.

Tracks with what I read about Meruelo when he bought the franchise. He literally said in an interview he has people running his various operations, but they all report directly to him and all the checks go through him.

His son is useless. Basically did nothing in the organization.

You can pretty much tell that, given they had to create a job title just for him. Junior is your typical child of a self-made billionaire who grew up never learning what a real work ethic is.

The person also told me after the Tempe vote they were definitely gone. They wouldn't state where. At the time I didn't think much of it but now I am wondering if SLC was in the works a long time ago.

Tracks with what Marek Friedman and other have recently said. BoG were fine with playing at Mullett as long as TED stayed on track.

 

[TheLegend]

I've got nothing but sympathy for you guys who stuck around this long, but it's absolutely wild to hear some of you rationalize AM as a "savvy businessman but an inexperienced professional sports owner" as if "paying bills" is somehow advanced-level sports-centric economics.

Ditto slagging Katie Strang as "morally compromised" because "she wrote something mean about the team I like, once".

Absolutely wild.

Being a self made billionaire you can't fault the guy for having the drive.

Still..... gets to a point where you get so big with success the pride turns into raw ego.

 

[The Feckless Puck]

Tracks with what I read about Meruelo when he bought the franchise. He literally said in an interview he has people running his various operations, but they all report directly to him and all the checks go through him.

The picture I get of Alex Meruelo, Hockey Owner, is this, based on everything that's come out so far:

* He wanted to buy a sports team to be part of the club with his peers, and maybe get some tax breaks and that sweet gambling license in AZ.

* He believed he could get his way simply through the force of his personality.

* He has no vested interest in the team outside of it being a satellite company he owns and whose checks he writes.

* He may not even have seen the team play more than a handful of times.

* He is trying to run the business the same way he runs every other business of his - through a mixture of bluster, strong-arm tactics, and daring people to make him pay them.

...and this is the most generous assessment I can make, based on the available evidence. He's like a Hispanic amalgam of Jerry Moyes and Steve Ellman - he has the development ambitions of Ellman, combined with the conflict of interests and exploitative business practices of Moyes.

You can pretty much tell that, given they had to create a job title just for him. Junior is your typical child of a self-made billionaire who grew up never learning what a real work ethic is.

Definite nepo baby. His sister is probably the one who suggested the "high end fashion" thing, and Alex Jr. is just the figurehead to give him something to do. But the fact that Senior even gave them this little project speaks to how little he cares about the actual hockey operations of the franchise... he hired Bill Armstrong (proving that even a blind squirrel can occasionally find a nut) and then moved on.

 

[rt]

Friedman said nhl will announce relocation tomorrow afternoon following BOG zoom call.

 

[Dead Coyote]

Without sitting in the room all we can do is speculate, which you and others are good at, to what is going to happen. The presser in a couple of days should give us a better feel of what's ahead. I believe AM wants to still build the arena, but many believe he won't or can't and that could include the NHL. What I do know for sure is that losing the Coyotes will be devastating to anything hockey related in the valley, more than anyone of us realize.

So Seravelli, Whyshninski, and Friedman are all speculating?

Way to dodge the question buddy.

 

[LAIslanderFan]

You have to give AM credit for hiring Bill Armstrong and the fact that he was open to letting Armstrong tear the whole thing down for 4 years and allow a complete rebuild says something deeper than everyone is giving Meruelo credit for. This team will mature and be a very good team going forward, and to just give BA all the credit is a mistake. Usually when a billionaire comes in and buys a franchise they want to make a big splash, usually to the detriment of the organization long term. AM allowed the rebuild process to take place and I think that was the right move. Armstrong does nothing without AM's approval. This all went south with the Tempe vote.

 

[DustyDangler]

I've got nothing but sympathy for you guys who stuck around this long, but it's absolutely wild to hear some of you rationalize AM as a "savvy businessman but an inexperienced professional sports owner" as if "paying bills" is somehow advanced-level sports-centric economics.

Ditto slagging Katie Strang as "morally compromised" because "she wrote something mean about the team I like, once".

Absolutely wild.

AM not being in Glendale because Glendale kicked him for not paying bills is a lie. Doesn't mean AM isn't incompetent but the not paying bills thing is untrue.

"Morally compromised" is from me and is not hockey related. She was a big component in derailing Trevor Bauer's career.

 

[Bondurant]

I've got nothing but sympathy for you guys who stuck around this long, but it's absolutely wild to hear some of you rationalize AM as a "savvy businessman but an inexperienced professional sports owner" as if "paying bills" is somehow advanced-level sports-centric economics.

Ditto slagging Katie Strang as "morally compromised" because "she wrote something mean about the team I like, once".

Absolutely wild.

Okay.

 

[DustyDangler]

You have to give AM credit for hiring Bill Armstrong and the fact that he was open to letting Armstrong tear the whole thing down for 4 years and allow a complete rebuild says something deeper than everyone is giving Meruelo credit for. This team will mature and be a very good team going forward, and to just give BA all the credit is a mistake. Usually when a billionaire comes in and buys a franchise they want to make a big splash, usually to the detriment of the organization long term. AM allowed the rebuild process to take place and I think that was the right move. Armstrong does nothing without AM's approval. This all went south with the Tempe vote.

The BA thing is the only thing AM did right. Everything else he and XG touched was a fail.

 

[Dead Coyote]

I've got nothing but sympathy for you guys who stuck around this long, but it's absolutely wild to hear some of you rationalize AM as a "savvy businessman but an inexperienced professional sports owner" as if "paying bills" is somehow advanced-level sports-centric economics.

Ditto slagging Katie Strang as "morally compromised" because "she wrote something mean about the team I like, once".

Absolutely wild.

Katie Strang has done nothing but bitch and whine and moan and complain about the franchise since day one.

She's made mountains out of ant hills in a time where NO ONE else was reporting any of the issues she was. And she's done it over, and over, and over again. Katie Strang has wrote about a narrative and been possibly one of the least impartial reporters of the organization for YEARS. There hasn't been a single positive article from Katie Strang about the Coyotes. If you look at any article she writes, you'll find that she'll bring up things to paint a picture that are irrelevant, go back to the past 30 years of ownership bullshit, and quote nebulous "employees" and "vendors" when she wants to talk about how shit an organization the Coyotes are and how shit of a person AM is.

Coyotes, Tempe City Council to move forward in arena talks

The Tempe City Council voted Thursday night to move forward in negotiations with the Arizona Coyotes on an arena development deal that would make Tempe the team’s long-term home.

theathletic.com

‘Every other team in the league will be laughing’: Imagining the Coyotes’ future in Arizona

While the team attempts to get a $1.7 billion arena project approved, it will play in a 5,000-seat arena on the Arizona State campus.

theathletic.com

Arizona Coyotes roiled by finger-pointing, fear and financial woes

An investigation revealed claims of a “toxic” work environment and financial troubles exceeding what has previously been disclosed.

theathletic.com

She may very well be right! It's certainly possible and perhaps even likely that these issues have been going on for years since AM took over and that what she wrote is the truth. But that doesn't make her bias any better and it doesn't make what she wrote any good either.

 

[TheLegend]

Katie Strang has done nothing but bitch and whine and moan and complain about the franchise since day one.

She's made mountains out of ant hills in a time where NO ONE else was reporting any of the issues she was. And she's done it over, and over, and over again. Katie Strang has wrote about a narrative and been possibly one of the least impartial reporters of the organization for YEARS. There hasn't been a single positive article from Katie Strang about the Coyotes. If you look at any article she writes, you'll find that she'll bring up things to paint a picture that are irrelevant, go back to the past 30 years of ownership bullshit, and quote nebulous "employees" and "vendors" when she wants to talk about how shit an organization the Coyotes are and how shit of a person AM is.

Coyotes, Tempe City Council to move forward in arena talks

The Tempe City Council voted Thursday night to move forward in negotiations with the Arizona Coyotes on an arena development deal that would make Tempe the team’s long-term home.

theathletic.com

‘Every other team in the league will be laughing’: Imagining the Coyotes’ future in Arizona

While the team attempts to get a $1.7 billion arena project approved, it will play in a 5,000-seat arena on the Arizona State campus.

theathletic.com

Arizona Coyotes roiled by finger-pointing, fear and financial woes

An investigation revealed claims of a “toxic” work environment and financial troubles exceeding what has previously been disclosed.

theathletic.com

She may very well be right! It's certainly possible and perhaps even likely that these issues have been going on for years since AM took over and that what she wrote is the truth. But that doesn't make her bias any better and it doesn't make what she wrote any good either.

Katie Strang last I checked lives in Michigan.

So most of her writing is based upon interviews she had on the phone.

I've seen her in podcasts also say the Arizona market is a good one. So her writing doesn't reflect upon her thoughts of the fans or the market as much as it's what she hears about the ownerships it's had.

 

[The Feckless Puck]

She may very well be right! It's certainly possible and perhaps even likely that these issues have been going on for years since AM took over and that what she wrote is the truth. But that doesn't make her bias any better and it doesn't make what she wrote any good either.

Here's the problem. If a reporter is right, and has the facts, and is writing the truth... does that make her biased, or does it make you, the reader, the biased one for not accepting it?

For me it's all about receipts. I can't stand Frank Seravalli. But he had the receipts. He had the scoop. It doesn't matter if it's the only scoop he's ever had in his miserable, nasal life. He. Was. Right. That I hate what the truth means doesn't change the fact that it's the truth one bit.

The truth - the ACTUAL truth - does not care who you cheer for, does not care for your attempts to spin it to fit a narrative, does not require your admiration of the one telling it. And that's where I am. I'm a bitter Coyotes fan who hates everything about what's happening and why it happened, and I hate how some miserable people are enjoying it and rubbing it in my face. But all I care about is finding out the truth, and if it takes a Katie Strang, a Frank Seravalli, or a John f***ing Gambadoro to get to it, then so be it.

 

[Dead Coyote]

Katie Strang last I checked lives in Michigan.

So most of her writing is based upon interviews she had on the phone.

I've seen her in podcasts also say the Arizona market is a good one. So her writing doesn't reflect upon her thoughts of the fans or the market as much as it's what she hears about the ownerships it's had.

While I don't think it's ideal to quote people without saying who they are, or anything official about them, I understand that sometimes that isn't best practice when it's an employee in a massive sports organization that could be fired because of that (side note: Why is there no protection for this kind of shit?) but what I'm saying is that the problem with her is HOW she frames things. If you want to report that AM didn't pay his part time employees on time, report it. If you want to report that the Coyotes culture in the room sucks and AM yells at his employees, report it.

There is no need to "report" that XG has a 2.5m mansion that has been lightly furnished. There is no need to "report" that Employee #2454204 was originally going to take the hit for the Miller pick, but ah, nothing actually happened and she still has her job. Did GMBA yell at and threaten an unnamed reporter that if she went through with her story he would tell all the other GM's in the league about the way she does business? I'm sure it wouldn't be the first time a GM has said something like that to a reporter. Shit there's probably a bunch of Torts interviews that say exactly that. But it all comes down to he said / she said bullshit, this isn't actual reporting or investigative journalism, this is just throwing mud at the wall and seeing what sticks.

Not to mention the many, many times Katie Strang HAS been wrong, like the ASU logo and "good behaviour" clause, or the many, many quotes she floated about how the Coyotes would NEVER be profitable at Mullett and would struggle to make even as much as they did in Glendale, or that they would only get 1000 seats sold a game.

 

[DustyDangler]

Here's the problem. If a reporter is right, and has the facts, and is writing the truth... does that make her biased, or does it make you, the reader, the biased one for not accepting it?

For me it's all about receipts. I can't stand Frank Seravalli. But he had the receipts. He had the scoop. It doesn't matter if it's the only scoop he's ever had in his miserable, nasal life. He. Was. Right. That I hate what the truth means doesn't change the fact that it's the truth one bit.

The truth - the ACTUAL truth - does not care who you cheer for, does not care for your attempts to spin it to fit a narrative, does not require your admiration of the one telling it. And that's where I am. I'm a bitter Coyotes fan who hates everything about what's happening and why it happened, and I hate how some miserable people are enjoying it and rubbing it in my face. But all I care about is finding out the truth, and if it takes a Katie Strang, a Frank Seravalli, or a John f***ing Gambadoro to get to it, then so be it.

If a reporter will lie about one topic, how can they be trusted about another? If the 3 mentioned hadn't been so sketch in the past, it would've been easier to believe them in the present.

 

[Dead Coyote]

Here's the problem. If a reporter is right, and has the facts, and is writing the truth... does that make her biased, or does it make you, the reader, the biased one for not accepting it?

For me it's all about receipts. I can't stand Frank Seravalli. But he had the receipts. He had the scoop. It doesn't matter if it's the only scoop he's ever had in his miserable, nasal life. He. Was. Right. That I hate what the truth means doesn't change the fact that it's the truth one bit.

The truth - the ACTUAL truth - does not care who you cheer for, does not care for your attempts to spin it to fit a narrative, does not require your admiration of the one telling it. And that's where I am. I'm a bitter Coyotes fan who hates everything about what's happening and why it happened, and I hate how some miserable people are enjoying it and rubbing it in my face. But all I care about is finding out the truth, and if it takes a Katie Strang, a Frank Seravalli, or a John f***ing Gambadoro to get to it, then so be it.

My issue is not with what she reports. She was probably one of the first people to say Meruelo treats his employees like shit. She's most likely (which we will probably find out for sure when Craig, Pete, etc speak out publicly) going to be right about a lot of other stuff.

My issue is HOW she reports it. Routinely framing the Coyotes in the worst possible light. Making completely unverifiable statements from "employees" and "vendors" she won't name. Painting XG, AM, GMBA, Gary Bettman and everyone in between as delusional, angry rich scumbags. She has very clearly been biased against the Coyotes for years, and it has to do with her writing, not with what she reports.

You can't quote people calling the Arizona organization a dumpster fire in your article where it serves no other purpose but to shit on the Coyotes and then say you aren't biased. You can't write a paragraph about how rich XG is and tell me that has something to do with the Coyotes arena troubles.

 

[The Feckless Puck]

If a reporter will lie about one topic, how can they be trusted about another? If the 3 mentioned hadn't been so sketch in the past, it would've been easier to believe them in the present.

That's why you get your information from multiple sources and chase receipts, not spin or narrative. The truth is often in the aggregate.

 

[GhostofTommyBolin]

This is all going to come out soon, but the reason they're leaving and Meruelo is selling is because he didn't have the money to finance the project and after desperately searching for it, found no one who would do it.

The potential "in-state buyer" didn't exist. Completely fabricated. There was another potential buyer not named Ishbia that was interested but Meruelo told him to pound sand.

There's more coming but the bottom line is, he never had the money to do this himself, for those of you who keep saying he's a billionaire, yada yada.

Also, if he decides to retain the Roadrunners, they're rebranding the franchise and it will be constantly ridiculed if they go with the name they're planning on using. Alex Jr. is involved in that, if that tells you anything.

Dump on me all you want, but I haven't been wrong yet.

 

[The Feckless Puck]

Also, if he decides to retain the Roadrunners, they're rebranding the franchise and it will be constantly ridiculed if they go with the name they're planning on using. Alex Jr. is involved in that, if that tells you anything.

Oh god, I don't know if I have the strength to live in the same state as an Alex Meruelo Jr.-branded and operated minor league hockey team...

 

[Jormungandr]

This is all going to come out soon, but the reason they're leaving and Meruelo is selling is because he didn't have the money to finance the project and after desperately searching for it, found no one who would do it.

The potential "in-state buyer" didn't exist. Completely fabricated. There was another potential buyer not named Ishbia that was interested but Meruelo told him to pound sand.

There's more coming but the bottom line is, he never had the money to do this himself, for those of you who keep saying he's a billionaire, yada yada.

Also, if he decides to retain the Roadrunners, they're rebranding the franchise and it will be constantly ridiculed if they go with the name they're planning on using. Alex Jr. is involved in that, if that tells you anything.

Dump on me all you want, but I haven't been wrong yet.

Are you basing all of this off that Reddit post?

 

[Jagged Ice]

This is all going to come out soon, but the reason they're leaving and Meruelo is selling is because he didn't have the money to finance the project and after desperately searching for it, found no one who would do it.

The potential "in-state buyer" didn't exist. Completely fabricated. There was another potential buyer not named Ishbia that was interested but Meruelo told him to pound sand.

There's more coming but the bottom line is, he never had the money to do this himself, for those of you who keep saying he's a billionaire, yada yada.

Also, if he decides to retain the Roadrunners, they're rebranding the franchise and it will be constantly ridiculed if they go with the name they're planning on using. Alex Jr. is involved in that, if that tells you anything.

Dump on me all you want, but I haven't been wrong yet.

Not much to disagree with here, so no dumping from me. What I find sad but understandable is people holding out hope that AM is going to build an arena in NE Phoenix and get an expansion team for us. All within 5 years.
"Let's just wait and see what the announcement is." Haha, ok.

 

[DustyDangler]

This is all going to come out soon, but the reason they're leaving and Meruelo is selling is because he didn't have the money to finance the project and after desperately searching for it, found no one who would do it.

The potential "in-state buyer" didn't exist. Completely fabricated. There was another potential buyer not named Ishbia that was interested but Meruelo told him to pound sand.

There's more coming but the bottom line is, he never had the money to do this himself, for those of you who keep saying he's a billionaire, yada yada.

Also, if he decides to retain the Roadrunners, they're rebranding the franchise and it will be constantly ridiculed if they go with the name they're planning on using. Alex Jr. is involved in that, if that tells you anything.

Dump on me all you want, but I haven't been wrong yet.

Everybody and their brother reports he has a net worth of $2b+. Doesn't mean he has $3b to commit to this overreaching project.

 

[Sinurgy]

I haven't been wrong yet.

 

[DustyDangler]

Not much to disagree with here, so no dumping from me. What I find sad but understandable is people holding out hope that AM is going to build an arena in NE Phoenix and get an expansion team for us. All within 5 years.
"Let's just wait and see what the announcement is." Haha, ok.

Even if he could...who would want him to? I believe Marek called the NHL deal with AM as "Go away money". Go away is precisely what AM should do.

 

[Sinurgy]

Are you basing all of this off that Reddit post?

He he hasn't been wrong yet, he's got that infallible insider info.