Sorry for the lack of correspondence. Have been battling all kinds of computer problems (neither was working for a few hours there) along with, you know, work. (Annoying stuff.)
Besides, the most interesting Bridgeport-related bit has been Marty Biron‘s arrival in Uniondale, which won’t necessarily affect the Sound Tigers right away. At worst, perhaps the Islanders can have their extra goaltenders call games on the radio… Nah, they’ve got a simulcast good to go. (Very sad news about King and Mears, two good guys we’ll miss. You wouldn’t think this will go well.)
(Not sure about the new Newsday site, either. But who am I? Can’t even get my computer to boot up half the time.)
So what else is knew? Well, Brad Lauer is leaving Milwaukee for Ottawa. Here’s a roundabout story: When he was a junior coach, Lauer was once linked in the press to a Sound Tigers’ assistant coach’s job. He took his name out of the running very early in the process, and the assistant coaches that year, 2005-06, were Pat Bingham and Lane Lambert. Well, you know what happened next: The coaching staff got whacked a year later. Lambert wound up as an assistant in Milwaukee; when he got promoted to the lead job, Brad Lauer became one of his assistants. No longer.
Onetime Sound Tiger Olivier Labelle signed with Reading in the Coast. Also in the Coast, former Wolf Pack defenseman Brent Thompson is the new head coach in Alaska.
The Post-Star reports that Adirondack will have a coach soon. The Flyers also signed a bunch of people, including Joey Mormina, Lukas Kaspar and Krys Kolanos.
T.J. Trevelyan, once a P-Broon, goes to Worcester. Danny Bois goes out to the Blackhawks; Daren Machesney to Manitoba. Danny Richmond, son of Steve, re-upped with St. Louis.
Jonathan notes that Nathan Smith and Ryan Lannon rejoined Chuck Fletcher in Minnesota. BTW, talked Thursday morning to Pete Zingoni, who pointed out an interesting coincidence in the new Minnesota front office. Meanwhile, Jonathan also wonders how Andy Chiodo will be received if/when he starts at the south end of Wachovia Arena for Binghamton instead of the north end for the Penguins. The crowd may not cheer wildly. It might not think he’s terrific. Particularly if he wins.
A neat press release: The Thrashers send congratulations to a charter season-ticketholder, one who actually has success in a playoff.
Our man Sean Spillane is bloggin’ away at the Gathering of the Vibes.
Hurray for Mark Buehrle, perhaps an underappreciated ace, and for DeWayne Wise, for that catch. (And for Ramon Castro, who spent a few years down the block.)
An, um, interesting week at Pearls Before Swine culminates with an, um, interesting confluence of probably my three favorite comic strips of the moment.
And RIP writer and teacher Frank McCourt and actor Dallas McKennon and former scout Herb Hammond.