Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, May 10, 1990 TAG: 9005090007
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By RANDY KING SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Speaking by phone from Birmingham, Ala., where last week he was granted ownership of a franchise in the new Global Hockey League, Geery said he has been placed "between a rock and a hard place" by Brabham and the rest of the ECHL team owners.
Brabham, the Vinton businessman who sold the Lancers to Geery last summer, owns controlling interest in the league's Johnstown (Pa.) franchise.
"They've got me in a vise and [they're] turning the knob," Geery said of the league's owners.
"I thought Henry and I had a deal that he would buy the club back for the same amount [$60,000] I paid for it. Now he's saying he won't do it.
"Also, I've talked to [ECHL commissioner] Pat Kelly, and he said the other owners have voted not to let me use the Lancers as a farm club of the Global league team.
"And my third choice - to move the franchise to another location - appears to be out, too, because there's no place to move to. So I don't know what's going to happen."
Brabham, who left for Reno, Nev., Tuesday, said Monday night that the ECHL team no longer is worth $60,000.
"I would give him back half of it [$30,000], but that's it," Brabham said. "There's been too much damage done.
"First, he told the media he's moving the team to Greenville [S.C.]. He hasn't sold one ticket for next season. Plus, a lot of the equipment is missing. Apparently, the boys just took anything they wanted home since Richard hasn't been around to take care of things."
Brabham said Geery has until June 1 to determine what to do with the team.
"The league is having a meeting on June 3 in Hilton Head, [S.C.]," Brabham said. "If he's not present to ask to hold the franchise for a year or to sell to someone else, the league owners will vote to pull the franchise."
Brabham said the league owners voted against allowing Geery to use the Virginia franchise as a GHL farm club because "they thought the team would be too good for the rest of the league."
Brabham said Geery's remaining options include "selling the team back to me for a reasonable figure" or "selling to someone else."
Geery said the league's refusal to let Virginia serve as a GHL farm club has killed the possibility of selling the franchise to "two other interested parties."
"I don't know what in the hell is going on," Geery said. "I wish somebody would tell me. I don't have to operate, I guess."
Brabham has an answer for that one, too.
"If he doesn't want to operate, that's fine," Brabham said.
"If he does that, I will bring a team in here. He won't get anything if he does that. He'd better take what he can get."
In another ECHL development, the Nashville (Tenn.) Knights have decided not to renew the contract of head coach Archie Henderson.
No replacement has been named.
by CNB