According to UHL commissioner Richard Brosal, on Friday night Kalamazoo goaltender Tom Askey's pads "were measured and they were legal." He called the contrary reporting by another newspaper "negligent."
In other thoughts, do you think the loss of Daniel Goneau for four games will cause the Komets a lot of problems? I think he's more valuable than he's given credit for being.
-- By Justin A. Cohn, The Journal Gazette
Sorry to beat a dead horse with this issue, but I'm getting a lot of questions about it. I'm just passing along the information I've gathered. Not trying to throw anyone under the bus.
Posted by: Justin Cohn | December 17, 2006 at 06:09 PM
I know this is off topic. I was just curious if knew who the new player is with the Komets that many of us saw friday night?
Posted by: K.M. | December 17, 2006 at 06:16 PM
I will stand by the other report because I do not believe it would have been written had a credible source not said it was so.
Posted by: Tony E | December 17, 2006 at 06:17 PM
Like I said, Tony, I'm just passing along the information. I have no idea where his information came from. And neither do his readers, I might add. But you're not impartial anyway, Tony. lol.
Posted by: Justin Cohn | December 17, 2006 at 06:46 PM
Yes the loss of Daniel will effect the K's, but I think the K's have more problems because we are just a so-so hockey club. We really don't put the fear into anyone and I think that is shown with our road record. Richardson said it they don't hate loosing enough. We don't have a mean streak in us at all. We never tried at all to set the tempo at home against Kzoo. We have Elmira coming in Friday and Rockford on the 26th. It is time for this club to start playing with a little mean streak. Our power play has gone south and we don't play the body at all enough. Our defense needs to start making other teams forwards pay the price in front on the net and in the corners. The forwards need to start making opposing defensemen look over their shoulder.
Posted by: David | December 17, 2006 at 07:31 PM
Justin I am impartial in that if I thought there was anything sinister in the report I would have said so. I think both of you work very hard at being 100% accurate in your stories. When either of you write something I don't think twice about believing it. Justin you will remember I took up for you when the Flint folk were on the attack. I can understand if someone calls one of you out on a point of accuracy. But when it gets personal or the attacks go towards integrity I would stand up for both of you equally. That has not happened on this blog at all but it is happening elsewhere.
As far as Daniel goes, I do think it will be a loss. It has to be when you lose a top tier player. But I think the team is balanced enough that they will be able to overcome it in the short term. I think after those 4 games you will get back a healthy, rested and motivated player.
Posted by: Tony E | December 17, 2006 at 07:56 PM
Isn't this sort of like Galbraith's little departure last year at the same time of year for 2 weeks?
Posted by: Hit Somebody!!! | December 17, 2006 at 08:36 PM
After this past weekends home and home series with the Kalamzoo Wings, there was a slight rumble in the media and stands about if Tom Askey was using illegal pads. I thought it would be fun to do alittle detective work. I'm nothing more then a fan with insomnia so my opinion means absolutely nothing however, in warm ups on FRIDAY Tom was wearing VERY white pads and a tad larger then the ones he took the ice with. If you saw him take the ice, you saw him shaking the pads out and bending them to get a better feel (Anyone who's dawned the tools of ignorance knows that's what you do with unfamilar equipment)
The thing about Askey is that he's had the same style of pads (even color scheme) for many years in a row so unless you're paying attention, you're not going to catch the small differences in the pads from year to year and thus how he could POSSIBLY (not saying he did) get away with switching up the pads from time to time.
Here's a picture of Tom in the exhibition game against the Komets, where the pads are brand new and both KOHO logos are completly intact http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f6/TheBL04/Askey.jpg
These are the same pads that he wore in warmups on Friday, could someone have warned him that they were going to check his pads and he threw on his old ones real quick and that's how they passed inspection? Makes you wonder...
Posted by: Brandon | December 17, 2006 at 08:51 PM
Now here's a picture from Friday nights game, notice the fading of the KOHO logo on the RIGHT leg pad only pads do NOT fade that quickly. http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f6/TheBL04/Askey2.jpg
Let's take a look back at his time in Europe, shall we?
Here's a picture of Tommy Boy wearing pads that have the same KOHO fading, on the same RIGHT LEG PAD also, the patch you see on the pad is nothing more then just that, a patch and is EASILY removed http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f6/TheBL04/saipa20051129_04.jpg
Here's another picture of Thomas wearing pads in Europe that are the same color scheme (only looks darker in the picture) where ONLY the right leg's KOHO is faded http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f6/TheBL04/Tom_Askey_HIFK.jpg
I heard claims that Askey was wearing Nie's pads on Friday night, I also heard that he was wearing Albans old ones but it's clear in the pictures that Askey did wear his own pads as you can see in this photo, http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f6/TheBL04/Askey2.jpg from Friday and also on Saturday.. http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f6/TheBL04/DSC_0003.jpg
My PERSONAL opinion, I think it's clear that Askey has 2 sets of pads that he wears, the new pair (which I believe are illegal) and his older pair which are fine. The only thing I can think of is that Askey got tipped off they were going to measure his pads so he threw on his old ones before the ref got into the locker room, why else would he wear 1 pair in warmups and another during the game? Things that make you go HMMMMMM
Posted by: Brandon | December 17, 2006 at 08:51 PM
I just wish I had a picture of Askey during warmups on Friday, that would be THE picture to the story. Prehaps someone else does? I can promise on anything you'd like that Askey WAS wearing his newer pads during warmups...do we have a security camera in the arena that we could hack?
Posted by: Brandon | December 17, 2006 at 08:55 PM
Wow.....we should call you Scoops...Brandon...LOL
Posted by: Hit Somebody!!! | December 17, 2006 at 09:07 PM
We have Pad-Gate....and Skate-Gate all in the same weekend. No wonder Beetle wants to leave the team for 2 weeks...LOL
Posted by: Hit Somebody!!! | December 17, 2006 at 09:30 PM
Tony, you know I was just giving you a hard time, right?
Anyway, it seems Blake admitted the error, so it's a moot point. My reporting here was correct, though, so for those of you telling me I couldn't have been right, well, smirk.
I do think it's funny, when I admit a tiny mistake, I get, "Well, Justin, how incredulous for you to be human. You suck." The other guy does it and the response is, "Aw, well, that's OK. You're always perfect, let me kiss the boo-boo and make it better." lol
Posted by: Justin Cohn | December 17, 2006 at 11:04 PM
Lol yes I thought you were. I just wanted you to know I had your back too. Really I think the flack you got was from the out of town readers and Blake got some of that on the trash boards too. If you caught any grief from the hometown crowd I am not remembering. I think Fort Wayne is lucky to have two hard working writers who do not engage in gossip and inuendo as is so common in sportswriting these days.
Posted by: Tony E | December 17, 2006 at 11:24 PM
When I said I would stand by the other report I wasn't saying you were wrong. Actually I typo'd because I was trying to say I would stand by ON the other report. I was wanting for all of the facts to come out. Lol that is why I am not a writer. I forget important parts of sentences....like words ;-)
Posted by: Tony E | December 17, 2006 at 11:27 PM
He is much more fragile than you are Justin...Can't the two of you play a little more harder and take the body a little more up there? You guys never drop your gloves. This is supposed to be the jungle.
You have 2 groups on his site:
Those who kiss his a--!!!
And those of us who don't!!!
Just calling it like I see it.
Posted by: Hit Somebody!!! | December 17, 2006 at 11:27 PM
Hit you are right! We need a goon enforcer reporter! Someone who will fight for their stories and not be afraid of going into the corners to get the dirt.
Posted by: Tony E | December 17, 2006 at 11:32 PM
He can't be a reporter that takes a normal shift. He has to be just a guy that fights only. He definitely can't have other skills. We don't want a skilled reporter to end up injured or suspended doing the dirty work. Not a goon, a tough guy reporter. Kind of like Jim Rome...wait, that would be an agitator like a Galbraith or Grills....maybe more like Geraldo...yeah...that's it.
Posted by: Hit Somebody!!! | December 17, 2006 at 11:37 PM
Pad Gate
Brandon, see if these links to pics help make your case.
Right pad looks longer top and bottom
http://www.wingsstadium.com/photogallery/06-07/11-19_game/kickoffclassicetc%20102.jpg
10/15/06 game vs elmira, different pads
http://www.shutterfly.com/progal/slideshow.jsp?auto=0&aid=768a5498cf46be52caef&idx=3
Posted by: Burgee | December 18, 2006 at 12:50 AM
What would have happened to Askey if they would have found that he was cheating? And did anyone tip off Hawthorne to check the pads or is it a normal thing for a ref to do each game. Wonder if someone from the Komets noticed something and asked Hawthorne to check it out. If it is true that the pads he had on during warm-ups were different then the pads he wore during the game, then someone has some explaining to do...and then they owe Blake an apology and Brosal needs to retract his "negligent" claim.
Posted by: Hit Somebody!!! | December 18, 2006 at 01:21 AM
Yes, someone from the Komets asked to have the pads checked. They must not have been very confident in it though, or they would have asked during the game so they could get a power play out of it. If they ask during the game and are wrong, then the K's get a penalty. ... You're correct, Blake is more fragile. lol. ... And hey, I'm not afraid to drop the gloves, pull his jersey, er, sweater vest, over his head and mix it up. Unfortunately, he's not an every day player. (No Sunday paper,) so it's hard to keep the rivalry going.
Posted by: Justin Cohn | December 18, 2006 at 01:29 AM
WOW, this pad thing really got out of control huh. I was to busy sleeping through the Jets-Vikings to notice.
As for Goneau. It's in his contract to leave so to say anything about it really doesn't make any sense as far as if it's okay. I know he's a professional so I'm taking it on faith that while he's gone he still takes time to skate and work out somewhere to stay in the groove. And I think his perfromance in the first couple of games bac will be crucial. I really think he needs to put on a good perfromance or he could see some bench time.
Posted by: Greg | December 18, 2006 at 08:17 AM
Is the paper still doing that guest reporter thing for the school kids? Let's recruit them for enforcer reporter. They're young. They're tough. They're looking for a job. They work cheap.
Posted by: Annie | December 18, 2006 at 10:18 AM
Yeah, we're still doing that. They work cheap; not so good under deadline though.
Posted by: Justin Cohn | December 18, 2006 at 11:36 AM
Better look into why Pascal was put on IR Dec. 16 those skates must have really hurt
Posted by: David | December 18, 2006 at 02:33 PM
They put him on IR because he does have an injury -- shoulder -- but that's not why he wasn't playing last weekend. Believe it or not, it was the skate thing. They put him on IR to save the roster space. Same old stuff.
Posted by: Justin Cohn | December 18, 2006 at 02:43 PM