How Incompetence & Overconfidence KILLED The Arizona Coyotes

[@MikePorterfield]

I’ll never understand the criticism of Utahs TEMPORARY UNIFORMS as being boring. It’s a classic design for a team that doesn’t have a name yet. !?!?

[@Xerxes910]

Having worked the games since 2008 it's sad to say but the best operator/owner of the Coyotes was the NHL. Gary Bettman is a Saint in my book for how hard he tried to keep the Coyotes in the Valley and IMO the only reason they were sold/moved is that they could no longer put up with the Meruelo group. Remember they had a 4 year contract for Mullet and were only into their second year there when the NHL saw no future with them in charge.

[@PittsburghPenguin]

This is the truest statement yet. And that is a sad indictment of how poorly this franchise was run from the start.

[@Xerxes910]

@@PittsburghPenguin The truth is that this valley only needs ONE multiuse arena and it should be shared by the Suns, Coyotes, Mercury, and any other sport that wants to use it. The Yotes and Suns would be better served by being under one owner and in one arena.

[@PittsburghPenguin]

@@Xerxes910 I agree completely

[@geoff3103]

he's still in an incompetent boob for not doing what he had to do to get them back downtown. That did them in. Cheapness.

[@wainber1]

The move into Mullett Arena was an absolute last resort but the NHL should never have let the Yotes get to that point. The loss of a referendum on whether the Yotes should get to build an arena in Tempe was one of what'd turn out to be a crucial death blow to keeping that franchise active beyond this April.

[@Utonian21]

All the bitching and moaning and complaining about the jerseys is really funny to me, because those are only going to be the uniforms for the first year. In future that shit will not matter, and y'all will feel dumb for complaining about it so much

[@gavindough3344]

All this yapping about Utah is entertaining since it’s a state that has already cared for and done more for the coyotes than Arizona ever did in the team’s miserable existence. Watch them make the playoffs in their first year now that they’re no longer a poverty franchise with fans that can actually fill an arena. I feel for the (minimal) true fans out there but don’t worry, when the Jets leave Winnipeg you’ll have another shot. Maybe Arizona will be a state of note by then

[@jbjstyx]

I normally like this podcast, I found it fair and balanced while the team was moving to utah. But holy shit Craig your rant about our uniforms, that grinds my gears. A) its only for a year and B) the idea that SLC doesn't have an identity? Fine I vote we become the pioneers, and ban any and all alcohol sales in the delta center and put captain moroni on every jersey, is that enough identity for you? As fot the Jazz, We'll give up the name as. soon as the Lakers gives up their name back to minnesota and we take toronto's Raptors, until then sorry, but you're shit outta luck

[@jamiehomewood7733]

The salt that came out when the Utah discussion came up was hilarious. It comes off as bitter for and unserious. They need something to rant against, so let them rant. Give me my Cartman drinking tears meme.

[@LegalAmerican4]

They can't stop blaming SLC and Utah residents for their sorrow. I get that it's natural to be frustrated, but what are they gaining? Smith took a team in a horrible situation and had to put some placeholders in for the first year which is nothing any team owner wants to do. Who freaking cares what their uniform looks like? We'll be watching NHL hockey while the Coyotes remnants continue to fizzle out. It's like a homeless person making fun of me because Chick Fil A gave me a sandwich with slightly wilted lettuce. At least I have the sandwich.

[@jasonm1838]

I don’t know if people from Arizona know this. But nobody outside Arizona thinks there is anything Arizona except for the Grand Canyon. Y’all don’t have much more identity than Utah.

[@FlyAndMTB]

I could really make the argument that Utah has more of an identity than Arizona does. There is a reason Arizona was the last of the contiguous states to receive statehood.

[@MrTAFSIYNOT]

Get out of your Mama's basement.

[@Utonian21]

Him calling Utah "bland" was very funny to me because literally all think about when I imagine Arizona is just endless desert and cacti, lmao

[@jasonm1838]

@@FlyAndMTB yeah I probably should have worded my comment to say that Utah has more identity than Arizona instead of don’t have much more identity than Utah.

[@stevehirzel6871]

Phoenix is the ugliest city in the US. Downtown is dusty, dirty, and hideous.

[@JeffS-nb9bt]

If you don’t like the Utah jerseys for this season, let’s see the coyote jerseys for this season. 😂.

[@gablefisk-govphost817]

I feel for all of you in AZ, and I've been rooting for you to succeed, but serious question.....Where were the journalists calling Merulo out before this happened? It was obvious he was a flim-flam man YEARS ago, yet we received mostly cheerleading from the journos following the team.

[@oscarmancinas1753]

Craig's still lying about the Tempe deal. a) Tempe is still getting sued by Phx bc that proposal violated a preexisting deal with the nearby airport. You can find the legal notice online with a search. So no, that deal wasn't a slam dunk for Tempe. b) Why on earth do ppl actually think he was going to cover all or most of the Tempe arena with his own $$? Craig and his PHNX hockey bozos carried water for a hapless rich guy, and now that rich guy is bailing on this whole thing and Craig's mad because he (rightly) looks like a lost PR guy for a dysfunctional organization

[@666mathew]

Craig Morgan is just like watching One America News Network.

[@stevehirzel6871]

True. Right up to the team landing in Salt Lake, Craig was sharing his “insider” knowledge that the team was staying in PHX and there was NO WAY the NHL would go to Utah.

[@geoff3103]

I'd say its 99% incompetence and 1% overconfidence, with 100% cheapness thrown in. ALL they had to do was play downtown, either in a new arena or i a rehabbed Footprint Center. THATS it.

[@woodystang67]

The Utah Outlaws is by far the best option. It is also historical to Utah since Butch Cassidy is from Utah. It was settled by outlaws. The Mormons were forced out of there homes in Missouri. It also has the best marketing available compared to the Yeti and Mammoths.

[@MistValleyGaming]

I hate to inform you guys of this, but the Coyotes jerseys were universally despised and hated outside of Arizona. Like, i don't know ANYBODY who didn't make those unis the brunt of many jokes. They weren't a hockey jersey, they were a bad painting by a bad artist that nobody could understand.

[@JacobsonSportsNetwork]

Caris, I'm disappointed. Utah is well known for dinosaur fossils.

[@edwardcasper5231]

Does the Valley really need 7 (seven) arenas???

[@Kolari85]

This started so well and ended so poorly. You should get off this crazy train, Craig.

[@ragemachine1559]

Karma caught up to the team, should have been relocated a long time ago

[@quiksilver259]

They shouldn’t have hired AM. It could and can work you just need competent ownership

[@ragemachine1559]

@@quiksilver259 problem is like today nobody wants to own an NHL team in that market. Bleeds money constantly

[@NHLCrazy2007]

Great show! Erik, I admit I have never seen you host a show because I mainly have been following the Coyotes and Suns. You are awesome, man. Also, I enjoyed Bo's thoughts on the Coyotes, too! Craig has so much to offer from all angles and even new ones we have never thought of.

[@nickb2912]

NHL hockey will be back in Arizona, phoenix is too big of a market to not have all four professional sports. There are four other cities that are too big to not have all four such as Houston, Atlanta, and Seattle

[@stevehirzel6871]

Nah. 30 years of failure under various owners is more than enough. Saskatoon, Hamilton, Quebec, Houston, Milwaukee, Orlando, kansas City are all better options.

[@nickb2912]

@@stevehirzel6871 It was mainly because of bad ownership. Hamilton won't happen because the leafs won't allow it.

[@stevehirzel6871]

@@nickb2912 8 different owners- Burke, Gluckstern, Ellman (RED ROBIN!), Moyes, NHL, IceArizona, Barroway and then Meruelo…yeah, all AZ needed was a chance. As for Hamilton, the NHL will “encourage” Toronto ($$$) and itll happen.

[@nickb2912]

@@stevehirzel6871 They just need the right owner, look at vegas

[@scooterthefrog]

​@nickb2912, the Leafs don't care. They would pocket the tax for invading their territory and never know the difference. The Sabers, on the other hand would kill that idea dead in a half a second because it would destroy their attendance.

[@Falkenroth1]

My Mullett Roadrunner tickets were refunded this afternoon.

[@elosogonzalez8739]

I think you should get behind the team in Utah. The fans loved the players as much as the players loved the fans in Arizona. I'm not saying you need to cover them on a daily basis, but at least have respect for what's left of "That team in the Valley". Thanks!😊

[@adellelo956]

Now Utah will just take the Coyotes name and branding 🤷‍♂️

[@alexe1707]

I say name the team the Storming Mormons.

[@LegalAmerican4]

Do you idiots ever get tired of saying that? This comment is only made about 13 times per comment section.

[@stephencruse6525]

Craig Morgan is a clown

[@lawrenceturner3891]

Oh

[@okolo22000]

Do we know if this land deal will be rescheduled at all or was this cancellation was a plan to screw over Alex Meruelo on purpose? Either way even if more groups want to purchase this land deal, how do we know this won’t happen again?

[@davechan8613]

It was canceled because Meruelo didn’t have the proper zoning for a 17,000 seat arena. It was his incompetence. No need to screw him as he keeps screwing himself.

[@okolo22000]

@@davechan8613 Alrighty then so if all there really is just a zoning permit problem; does it really take 8-10 months solely to get a proper zoning permit for that land? Now as for everybody else what about all the other bidders plus any potential future bidders who may’ve wanted a spot that frankly does more of a disservice for the state to let sit there and be a wasteland for… pray tell knows how long? You would think that somebody NOT named Alex Meruelo could’ve made a qualifying bid for that land so the state could be done with this rather than put it off for the time being. If what they say is true then that would mean that Alex Meruelo quite literally lost an unopposed race… with himself.

[@JohnSmith-nf5gk]

The Kachina was an abomination. It was a monument to the state of Arizona’s complete disrespect for a sport that they never deserved, and duly lost

[@jeandelisi9441]

Diamondbacks are the next to leave. SLC would be a great place for them.

[@shanewilson8728]

I wish you people would get off Alex Meruelo back. Alex Meruelo is doing his best, and if he still believes he can bring an NHL expansion team back to Arizona, then we need to get behind him and support him. I have complete confidence in Alex Meruelo that he will bring an NHL expansion to Arizona.

[@BraylenOlsen]

Hi Alex.

[@Pajo25ify]

Blink twice if Alex Meruelo is making you say this

[@mrjeffwithaG]

LOL

[@PittsburghPenguin]

Hey Alex. If this was your best shot, I'm horrified to wonder what your worst would have been.

[@twjonesjr]

Found Alex Jr's burner

Arizona will comeback in expansion in the future