Moving on

As the PBL and ABA gear up for the 2009-2010 season, I think it’s pretty clear that Montreal will not have a team in either league this time around. This surprises nobody, and I can’t even say it’s a bad thing: talented players will have a chance to play for a team which can offer them a real contract worth real (if perhaps insufficient) money. And fans won’t suffer further disappointment watching another team with great potential fizzle and die.

Since ‘Team Montreal’ failed so catastrophically last season, I’ve cut off contact with the previous owners of this city’s teams. So, I can’t really tell you whether rumours that the Matrix would rise again were ever anything more than just rumours. What I can tell you is that the players aren’t just sitting idly by.

Last I spoke to them, both Tommy Mitchell (Montreal Royal, 2007-2008) and Buster Perkins (Montreal Sasquat’ch/Team Montreal, 2009) were in negotiations with teams overseas. I haven’t heard of anything being finalized yet, but I have high hopes for both players.

Jamaal Wise (Montreal Sasquat’ch, 2009) is recovering from knee surgery, and will hopefully be back on the court soon.

Montreal’s own Marco Volcy (Montreal Matrix/Montreal Royal, 2005-2008) just released a new music video, with a new album set to come out in early 2010.

And I just read that former Sasquat’ch head coach Alejandro Hasbani will be working with the Kebs this season.  (You may recall I wasn’t a big fan of coach Hasbani’s style, but maybe it will work in Quebec City)

On a semi-related note:
You may recall that when the PBL disbanded the Montreal Sasquat’ch, they implied that the league would take care of the players. Well, that hasn’t happened. I tried several times to reach the PBL for comment, but of course what busy corporation has time to answer a lowly fan?

Well, I’m persistent.  So last month, I decided to take a more public approach, and posted on the PBL’s Facebook fan page.  Apparently that’s more effective, because I had a reply mere days later.  The exchange went like this:

me: I have to say I’m really disappointed with what happened in Montreal this season… I thought one of the goals of the PBL was to vet owners before handing over franchises, and that clearly did not happen with EITHER of Montreal’s ownership …groups this past season…. from what I’ve heard, the players weren’t taken care of by the league either. Any plans to rectify that?

some unidentified person from the PBL: There is currently a lawsuit filed against the Montreal Owner. Once the lawsuit is settled, the players will be taken care of accordingly.

me: does that cover both ownerships? because the second half of the season was far worse than the first

Well gee, that just settles everything doesn’t it?  It’s interesting to know that someone decided to take the ownership to court (I can only assume they mean the Sasquat’ch owner, since ‘Team Montreal’ had no contracts and therefor the owner can’t really be held legally responsible for anything).  Obviously if the league is in any way involved with the suit, they can’t discuss particulars.  And, even if they aren’t involved, it’s got to be pretty embarrassing for them…. after all, they were responsible for vetting the team, no matter how many times they circumvent the issue.

I have no idea who’s taking the team to court or what the allegations are (although I can think of numerous possibilities), but the league’s response to it is the interesting part: “Once the lawsuit is settled, the players will be taken care of accordingly.”

This can mean one of a two things:

1. The league is suing the ownership, and will use the settlement to compensate the players.
2. The players are suing the ownership, and the league will bear no financial responsibility.

Both situations, of course, assume that the suit is successful (which I hope it is with all my heart).  There are some other possibilities involving joint suits, or only some of the players being involved in the suit…. but you get the general idea.

The problem is that, whether or not the league is involved in the suit, it’s at least partially their fault it came to this…. because they were supposed to have vetted the ownership to begin with!  Not only that but, even if the suit is settled in a timely matter (and I don’t even know what ought to be considered timely for something like this…. a year? two? ten?), compensation for the players comes far too late.  A season’s salary, other opportunities…. these are things the players cannot get back.

~ by mtlbballgirl on September 12, 2009.