STORM BLITZ ISSUE #9 Sunday 5 January 1997 If you have any comments on Storm Blitz, please feel free to e-mail inter.the.storm@poboxes.com any time. In this very packed issue : * Ice hockey Under The Moon? * Storm sign 2 new players * Lipsey blasts Storm players * Stormforce speaks out over Lawless issue * Storm beat Ayr in tight match * * Panthers humiliate Storm in Nottingham * Basingstoke and Cardiff win on Saturday * Brad Zavisha's birthday * Peterborough continue their fixtures * Jago rumours * Stephen Cooper to retire from GB * Barnes signs for Nottingham * GB U-21 finish 4th in Group C * Latest Superleague table * Who's next at the Nynex? * Forthcoming Storm fixtures * Next on TV & Radio * Get back issues of Storm Blitz * How to unsubscribe to Storm Blitz ------------------------- > ICE HOCKEY UNDER THE MOON? Channel 4 is relaunching its all-night sports programme NightSports as "Under The Moon" to be shown every Wednesday night between 12.00 midnight and 5.30am. Last year the programme showed live NHL ice hockey and there may be similar coverage this series. They have got a livelier presenter than last time I believe as well! > STORM SIGN TWO NEW PLAYERS Although strangely not widely reported, John Lawless just beat the Dec 31 transfer deadline to sign two new players to try and see Storm's now dismal league performance improve. The two new players are defender Brad Turner (not another Brad!) and forward David Latta. David Latta was a player that Lawless tried to sign a few weeks ago, but he was refused a work permit and so the deal was thought to be off. However, the situation resolved itself just in time for him to join the team. > LIPSEY BLASTS STORM PLAYERS The Moston & Middleton Express has picked up another Storm story that others seem to have ignored. In the following article, Assistant Coach Daryl Lipsey has his say about Storm's lack of determination to win their games and what he thinks about it. The article is written by Peter Collins, the sports editor of the newspaper and it has the headline WORK YOUR BUTTS with the sub-headline ROCK BOTTOM STORM GET NEW YEAR WARNING. The article was printed in the 2 January edition of the newspaper. The article now follows: Manchester Storm enter 1997 with only one way they can go - up! Recent results sees them start 1997 propping up the Superleague and one man who is far from impressed is assistant coach Daryl Lipsey. "Certain players are not performing and it's not just the new guys. Some of the players from last season aren't pulling their weight either", Daryl warned this week. "If they want to be playing here next year they've got to start showing what they can do now. It's not only their careers that are on the line, John Lawless and I could be out of a job if we don't start winning games. That's what's really annoying me - our livelihoods are being put in jeopardy by these players." Only Hilton Ruggles and Stephen Cooper have contracts extending beyond this season, the rest come up for renewal in the summer. Added Lipsey, "Although we're planning bid changes in the summer player-wise we're still prepared to be proved wrong, but if players are going to do that they've got to start doing it now. We've got to get the Storm working their butts off because that's what wins games. Against Cardiff last Friday, every player did their job and showed what they can do when they want to, we just didn't have much luck. But against Bracknell the following night they were over-confident and in the third period we failed to compete and never looked like scoring." > STORMFORCE SPEAKS OUT OVER LAWLESS ISSUE I received a statement from Stormforce's press officer, Mick Thompson, which reflects the views of the Stormforce committee. The statement refers to the ongoing issue with regard to the programme editorial from the Storm v Steelers game earlier in the season. The full story can be found by visiting Inter The Storm's Official Stormforce pages. The particular page can be found at: http://www.geocities.com/Colosseum/3859/lawless.html To follow is the statement in full: The conclusion to the episode of the missing editorial was to say the least eye-opening, even though I (Mick Thompson, Stormforce press officer) am not prepared to say exactly what was said, I think everyone will have a fair idea from the following remarks: Mr Lawless firmly believes what he says goes no matter which part of the Storm it concerns, there is no point in discussing any matter as his point of view is final. The reason, well he didn't like the piece and would do it again. To sum up Mr Lawless, "The EGO has landed". God help the Storm. One last point. If any Ogden Entertainment employee used the language that Mr Lawless did at the last Stormforce meeting they would be sacked on the spot. Mr Lawless has lost a LOT of respect over this incident. > STORM BEAT AYR IN TIGHT MATCH In a tight game at the Nynex on Sunday, Storm finally got a much needed victory 2-1 against Ayr Scottish Eagles. Dale Jago opened the scoring for Storm in the first period before Matt Hoffman levelled things at 1-1. The second period had no goals but lots of fighting. Stephen Cooper and bad-boy Ryan Kummu were penalised amongst others and there were 2+4 penalties going round. The third period was still tight, but Nick Poole scored the winner with 7 minutes remaining to the delight of the crowd. Ayr pulled their netminder with 1 minute remaining as they did in the previous match against Storm, but this time there was no last gasp equaliser as Eric Raymond, the new netminder, held out and deservedly won Man of the Match for his performance. The fighting continued after the 60 minutes with most of the players becoming involved. Storm's next game is at Ayr in three days time - I suspect their could be a backlash from the home team on that occasion. > NOTTINGHAM, SHEFFIELD & CARDIFF ALL WIN In other results on Sunday, Nottingham Panthers had an emphatic victory over Bracknell Bees at the Beehive. They were 1-0 up at the end of the first, before having a great second with the score 5-0 to Nottingham at the end of the second. The third period saw Bees get on the scoreboard with two goals, but with Panthers' four, the final score was 9-2 to Nottingham. Meanwhile Sheffield Steelers had a close game with Basingstoke Bison, eventually winning it 5-4, despite a last chance effort to equalise as Bison pulled their netminder Gallace in the dying seconds. In the other game, Cardiff Devils defeated the Cobras in Newcastle 6-2. There was a hat-trick from Steve Thornton, while the other Cardiff goals were from Doug McEwan, Ian Cooper and Doug McCarthy. > PANTHERS HUMILIATE STORM IN NOTTINGHAM Storm went to Nottingham live on SKY to play the Panthers and were humiliated 8-1. This performance has now shown the rest of the country how dire the Storm have become. Serious improvements are needed. Further details as I get them. > BASINGSTOKE AND CARDIFF WIN ON SATURDAY In other results on Saturday, Basingstoke Bison defeated Newcastle Cobras 6-5 after overtime and Cardiff Devils defeated Ayr Scottish Eagles 6-3. > BRAD ZAVISHA'S BIRTHDAY Saturday 4 January was Brad Zavisha's birthday! The Nottingham game was NOT a good way to celebrate it though! > PETERBOROUGH CONTINUE THEIR FIXTURES Trouble-torn Peterborough Pirates, who have been "saved" once again are now continuing with their fixtures after a number of Premier League fixtures have been disrupted for a number of weeks due to their off-ice problems. They have some work to do to finish in a respectable position as they were defeated 14-4 at Telford Tigers in Saturday's game. > JAGO RUMOURS There are rumours circulating (with no evidence I must add) that crowd favourite Dale Jago may be leaving Storm at the end of the season to go to a German Elite League club. > STEPHEN COOPER TO RETIRE FROM GB Stephen Cooper was asked if he was going to be continue playing for GB and he said that he was to retire as he had "had enough after 15 years and it is time to move over for someone younger to join the GB squad". Jeff Lindsay was also asked and he confirmed that he will be continuing to play for GB and he is looking forward to the World Championships in April. > BARNES SIGNS FOR NOTTINGHAM Steve Barnes, who was involved in a number of incidents that led to his release from the Storm, has signed for Nottingham Panthers. > GB U-21 FINISH 4th IN GROUP C Great Britain's Under-21 side played off for the bronze medal in the World Junior Championships Group C after losing their first group game and winning the next two. This set up a match against Denmark on Friday 3 January, which unfortunately Denmark won 5-4. This means that GB missed out on a bronze medal but finished in 4th place in the Group C Championship. > LATEST SUPERLEAGUE TABLE Pl W D OL NL +/- Points Cardiff Devils 26 18 2 0 6 +38 38 Sheffield Steelers 24 15 3 2 4 +28 35 Newcastle Cobras 25 12 2 4 7 +11 30 Nottingham Panths 26 12 1 2 11 +9 27 Ayr Scottish E 24 8 6 0 10 -11 22 Basingstoke Bison 26 9 2 1 14 -19 21 Bracknell Bees 24 8 2 0 14 -26 18 Manchester Storm 23 7 2 1 13 -30 17 Up to and including games on 5 January > WHO'S NEXT AT THE NYNEX? Manchester Storm v Basingstoke Bison - Sunday 12 January 1997 - Superleague. Basingstoke are Storm's bogey team, as Storm are always expected to do well against them but rarely do. Bison humiliated Storm at the Nynex 8-3 in November after having lost away after overtime. The third meeting was away and that was also a Bison win, this time 6-4. I can see a Storm victory at last, although it will be close. The prediction for this game is...Manchester Storm 4 - 3 Basingstoke Bison. Manchester Storm v Cardiff Devils - Thursday 16 January 1997 - Superleague. This game is to be live on SKY SPORTS and is unlikely to produce much needed points for Storm. The last meeting between the two sides ended with a 2-1 victory for Cardiff that Storm played well in, but Storm's performances since then give much less cause for optimism. Cardiff should be well and truly out of their temporary rut by then riding high at the top of the league, while Storm will probably still be bottom of the league. The prediction for this game is...Manchester Storm 2 - 5 Cardiff Devils. > FORTHCOMING STORM FIXTURES WED 15 JAN - Ayr Scottish Eagles v Manchester Storm, Superleague, 7.30 face off. THU 16 JAN - Manchester Storm v Cardiff Devils, Superleague, 7.30 face off. TUE 21 JAN - Sheffield Steelers v Manchester Storm, Superleague, 7.30 face off. THU 23 JAN - Manchester Storm v Bracknell Bees, Superleague, 7.30 face off. SAT 25 JAN - Newcastle Cobras v Manchester Storm, Superleague, 6.30 face off. SUN 26 JAN - Manchester Storm v Basingstoke Bison, Superleague, 6.00 face off. WED 29 JAN - Manchester Storm v Newcastle Cobras, Superleague, 7.30 face off. FRI 31 JAN - Sheffield Steelers v Manchester Storm, Superleague, 7.30 face off. > NEXT ON TV & RADIO WED 08 JAN - HTV WALES - Highlights of a recent Cardiff Devils game plus goals from other recent games - 10.40 - 11.40pm THU 09 JAN - SKY SPORTS - Cardiff Devils v Sheffield Steelers - LIVE - 7.00 - 10.00pm WED 15 JAN - BBC RADIO SHEFFIELD - Sheffield Steelers v Nottingham Panthers - LIVE - 7.00 - 10.00pm (*TO BE CONFIRMED*) WED 15 JAN - HTV WALES - Highlights of a recent Cardiff Devils game plus goals from other recent games - 10.40 - 11.40pm THU 16 JAN - SKY SPORTS - Manchester Storm v Cardiff Devils - LIVE - 7.00 - 10.00pm > GET BACK ISSUES OF STORM BLITZ Issues 1 - 8 are still available. If you didn't get them, or want them again, send an e-mail to inter.the.storm@poboxes.com and let me know which you want and I'll forward them on to you. > HOW TO UNSUBSCRIBE TO STORM BLITZ Easy! Send an e-mail to inter.the.storm@poboxes.com telling me that you don't want Storm Blitz any more. Also use this address if you wish to change e-mail addresses or if you have any comments. *** END OF STORM BLITZ ISSUE #9 *** INTER THE STORM can be accessed at: http://www.geocities.com/Colosseum/3859/storm.html