NHL - Lanigan???

[Chris R]

due to economic concerns, I let my subscription to AR1.com lapse... so, what's up with Lanigan at NHL?

[Chamoo]

due to economic concerns, I let my subscription to AR1.com lapse... so, what's up with Lanigan at NHL?

He is out.

[Chris R]

so Newman is gone, Haas is apparently not in control of his faculties and the only healthy and alive owner is out - what happens next??

[Mark in Oshawa]

Chris, if we collect all the spare change in our couches, maybe we can make em an offer?

It is a SAD state of affairs there....

[call_me_andrew]

Chris, if we collect all the spare change in our couches, maybe we can make em an offer?

It is a SAD state of affairs there....

I've been considering the prospect of fans collectively buying an IndyCar team.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MyFootballClub

[MDS]

so Newman is gone, Haas is apparently not in control of his faculties and the only healthy and alive owner is out - what happens next??

A lot has been rumored about this team for weeks now as far as new ownership goes and obviously no one knows what is going to happen because the rumors are just so scattered. Of the names mentioned the ones I would consider serious contenders are Bryan Herta, Robby Gordon and Carl Russo. How much of this is people throwing out names, I don't know, but all three make sense to me Carl seemed to enjoy his time in Champ Car and had legitimate time constraints that forced him to sell RuSport. Herta wants to move up, and could bring the resources of his lights team to the deal and Robby Gordon, well I'm not sure what is going on with Robby at the moment, but I've heard he's considering it.

[TURN3]

A lot has been rumored about this team for weeks now as far as new ownership goes and obviously no one knows what is going to happen because the rumors are just so scattered. Of the names mentioned the ones I would consider serious contenders are Bryan Herta, Robby Gordon and Carl Russo. How much of this is people throwing out names, I don't know, but all three make sense to me Carl seemed to enjoy his time in Champ Car and had legitimate time constraints that forced him to sell RuSport. Herta wants to move up, and could bring the resources of his lights team to the deal and Robby Gordon, well I'm not sure what is going on with Robby at the moment, but I've heard he's considering it.

Too bad Gerry Forsythe can't swallow sour grapes, but then again he already has resources to re-start his team. No need to buy NHL if he ever decided to get back into the game. Whatever happened to Carl's old partner, turned Forsythe partner, Petit (sp?)? He hopped around from team to team in ChampCar, seemed like a well funded guy.

[MDS]

I don't think its sour grapes with Gerry anymore sadly. They may have lost the battle but Tony George seems to have lost the war, and I'm sure GF likes that.

I think the reason there isn't a Foysthe Racing anymore has more to do with Gerry not liking to lose money, combined with age and health issues.

[anthonyvop]

Word is unless NHL finds a big sponsor or a buyer they will shut their doors after Indy.

[Scotty G.]

Murphy The Bear is reporting Jacques Villenueve will join Newman/Haas.

As a driver or owner (or both)?

[Chris R]

Murphy The Bear is reporting Jacques Villenueve will join Newman/Haas.

As a driver or owner (or both)?

now THAT could be making lemonade out of lemons!! A well known, reasonably respected name, an outspoken but not brash character, a strong Canadian/international presence..... here's hoping that rumor has legs....

[Mark in Oshawa]

Murphy The Bear is reporting Jacques Villenueve will join Newman/Haas.

As a driver or owner (or both)?

Murphy the bear? Oh never mind...I like the rumour tho. Might be the only way JV gets a ride back in a series that matters...

[glauistean]

Alas, Paul Newman is now gone and he and no other person on that team could hold a candle to him. Not the Andretti's, Unsers, PT's or Bourdais.

This team was Paul Newman. See how fast those sponsors ran once Paul passed. How many did he really bring with just his name?! Most , I imagine.

FYI, spoke with a top financial guy at Motorola last week. I asked about the Danica deal and the money spent. You know the rumor, it went from 21 mil to 27 mil over three years. In fact it was more and a total waste of money. This from the guy with the purse strings and before anyone says anything about Versus. They (Motorola) had an out clause but they did not activate it.

Danica is only good at projecting this sexy image. Hence Go Daddy.

[MDS]

It's official btw, the website has been changed to Newman Haas.

Again lots of rumors floating around, I've heard about JV, but that didn't sound plausable as he's been fairly dismissive of AOWR since he left and the split happened. Maybe he finds himself unwanted in NASCAR, too old and too poor to play in F-1, unsuccessful in music, and buying Newman Haas would allow him to build a new dynasty for himself. NHR has shown decent speed at a number of the events so far. He should have enough cash to buy the team, but I'm doubtful about his ability to attract sponsors. I'm sure he could get some Canadian sponsors to cover Edmonton and Toronto, but beyond that? He couldn't get any back for his NASCAR adventures so I'm kind of doubtful he could get $10-$12 million for a top flight two car team. The only place I've seen this reported is Murphy's twitter feed.

There is a complicated scenario floating around involving Lotus moving from KV and setting up their own team out the former NHL shop with Haas being the distributor for Lotus, but trust me there was a lot of anger about Takuma going to KV this year and not NHL, so I don't know how that would happen.

[anthonyvop]

Murphy The Bear is reporting Jacques Villenueve will join Newman/Haas.

As a driver or owner (or both)?

Murphy the bear? Don't hold your breath.

[elan 02]

First off, I am just a fan. Last week-end at LB when we where going back to our room (Hyatt) Mr Haas and his wife where sitting at the entry lobby/bar having a drink and a smoke. They looked like they've looked every year that I have seen them for maybe 12 years now. If he has some health issues he looks very good .I sure would not say he is down.

[Mark in Oshawa]

First off, I am just a fan. Last week-end at LB when we where going back to our room (Hyatt) Mr Haas and his wife where sitting at the entry lobby/bar having a drink and a smoke. They looked like they've looked every year that I have seen them for maybe 12 years now. If he has some health issues he looks very good .I sure would not say he is down.

Well, something isn't right at Newman-Haas, so if Carl is his jolly old self...then something is going on financially. Not having PLN around to charm sponsors is a definate kick in the teeth, but then why jettison Lanigan?

[bblocker68]

Carl Russo? Really? Last we saw him, he bolted out of CC faster than anyone alive.

[dataman1]

First off, I am just a fan. Last week-end at LB when we where going back to our room (Hyatt) Mr Haas and his wife where sitting at the entry lobby/bar having a drink and a smoke. They looked like they've looked every year that I have seen them for maybe 12 years now. If he has some health issues he looks very good .I sure would not say he is down.

No argument with what you saw however I saw him at Long Beach in a 4 seater golf cart, complete with his classic cigar, another man driving and the Mrs. and another lady in back. Carl was slumped over to his right holding onto a cane between his legs. If that cart made a quick turn he would have tumbled out. How sad.

[champmember]

Those of you who were active with the league back in the champcar days....does anyone ever remember seeing Carl's wife at any race? The fact that she is now going to them all is cause for concern.

There could be some validity to the rumors about her and Big Mike not getting along. Carl may be still getting around, but that does not mean he is still as active in the team mentally as he once was.

[Chamoo]

Carl Russo? Really? Last we saw him, he bolted out of CC faster than anyone alive.

Russo had legitimate time constraints about a new job he accepted that forced him out of his ownership of RuSport.

[DBell]

Russo had legitimate time constraints about a new job he accepted that forced him out of his ownership of RuSport.

That was the official reason given at the time and there may have been truth in that reason, but the scuttlebutt at the time was that he was unhappy with the lack of direction of the series and decided to cut his losses. He could've hired people to run his team day to day if he still wanted to be in racing.

[garyshell]

That was the official reason given at the time and there may have been truth in that reason, but the scuttlebutt at the time was that he was unhappy with the lack of direction of the series and decided to cut his losses. He could've hired people to run his team day to day if he still wanted to be in racing.


What's the point of being in racing if you are just going to farm it out for someone else to run for you? Where is the reward in that? We all know the best way to make a small fortune in racing is to start with a large one, so why spend the money if you aren't going to be around to enjoy it? Sounds pointless to me.

Gary

[Chris R]

Actually either take on the situation does not preclude him from wanting to have an IRL team. If he loved the sport and didn't have time, perhaps he does now... If he walked away due to poor direction etc. perhaps he is happier with what he sees now (The 3 Amigos and TG are all gone from running the sport and PG is out of it entirely...)

Overall he seemed like a decent guy who a whole bunch of people seemed to have a lot of respect for and he seemed to be of adequate means to be a top notch participant - just the type of person the sport needs....

[MDS]

That was the official reason given at the time and there may have been truth in that reason, but the scuttlebutt at the time was that he was unhappy with the lack of direction of the series and decided to cut his losses. He could've hired people to run his team day to day if he still wanted to be in racing.

I don't think Carl was ever 100 percent happy with the series, but he always talked up the sport whenever he talked and I know some of his former employees who said he truly loved racing. Also he brought in CDW, which was the last major sponsor to enter CC, so odds are he could find sponsorship in this environment.

The other reason I think Carl left at the end of 2006 is he sensed the economic downturn coming.

Either way, the economy is on the mend, and the sport is completely different than when Russo left. He has the money, and according to some the passion, to take over a team. Maybe it's just wishful thinking because Carl ran RuSport well and people would like to see that kind of ownership back in the sport.

[booger]

So nobody here has any idea what happened to Mike Lanigan? And no official word from NHL? That's really bad handling of pr if you ask me. I can't believe it!

[Mark in Oshawa]

So nobody here has any idea what happened to Mike Lanigan? And no official word from NHL? That's really bad handling of pr if you ask me. I can't believe it!
Well the IRL isn't going to publish negative news if they are not in the loop. It is up to Newman-Haas or Lanigan to say what is going on...and they aint talking. Cant get a press release out of people not willing to talk. IT isn't the IRL's job to speculate or try to fill in the holes.

It sucks...but at some point, these things happen.