Colorado Mammoth Message Board

Hey Steve! Hope you're doing well. Sorry to bug you about this incident, but it matters. Just read some posts that Willie was fined as a result of this. Also heard a rumor that he can no longer operate from his historic announcing position. If this is true, and if it ultimately prevents Willie from continuing in his job as the Mammoth announcer...... We have Willie's back, and we hope that you do too.

+1.. I think you need to have Commish Daniel come out and see what 15,000+ fans do when Willie B. is calling the game! Then Mr. Daniel needs to see how boring other announcers are.

Because I'm not sure if SG will read the ongoing debate in the Mammoth section, I'll point out here that there is a dissenting opinion. So "we" does not speak for all of us.

+1 Willie B does a great job. The best PA man in the NLL.

Why not just move him to the home penalty box?

First and foremost, we are extremely supportive of Willie. I have communicated with him and have emphasized that he can't possibly let the League influence his love for the Mammoth and the game and he should know that the Mammoth and its fans have a great love for what he does in Pepsi Center. I think ultimately he knows we love him and need him at our home games, we will talk more through the offseason.

Because there has been much discussion about the issue, let me clarify what happened and what is happening. Willie is considered during our games as a "minor official" with his place in the timekeepers area. He has been in the same spot for 8 seasons, he has been a fixture at more Mammoth games than anyone except maybe me and many of you!!!

We have never had an incident with Willie there in 60 or so games. Most of the opposing players know him and like him a lot.

Contrary to some bloggers incorrect post, Willie was fined $150 by the NLL League office, for engaging in derogatory or disparging remarks towards a player. He was seen on the DVD of the game with a somewhat disgruntled look and a few choice words for a player that had physically and verbally abused him. The words were not heard on DVD but clearly it was a short, heated exchange.

The rule that he was fined under was written specifically so that announcers don't make derogatory or disparaging remarks over the PA system to the entire crowd. This was a very unique application of rule 20.1 in the NLL rule book. I was somewhat shocked by the ruling as the previous game for us in Calgary had their PA announcer call Rich Catton, over the PA system, an "eFFing reject" with no fine or recourse.

Nonetheless, Willie was fined by the League. And while I agree with the League to a certain extent that the announcer should not engage players in the penalty box, I beleive that a full investigation of the incident would have, and should have, resulted in further discipline towards other parties.

Willie was hit by the penalty box door, with force, was spit at and was sprayed with a water bottle. I would have gotten heated as well, and I am not sure if I would have restrained myself as well as Willie. The tape actually shows the referee in the penalty box talking to Willie while a Boston player reaches around and sprays water on his leg, the official doesn't see this but it is shown on DVD.

My opinion is that the League has a duty to protect our team's bench officials. Willie was fined immediately, the player has not been fined as of yet. I have no idea what is happening at this point with the incident. Multiple email questions posed by me to the League office have thus far gone unanswered.

We have been informed by the NLL that our PA announcer should be removed from the opposing penalty bench area and moved to the home bench area. He was there for a reason, logistically it was challenging based on the technical configuration of the box area. The NHL configuration is exactly the same with no incident. I do liken this to removing a referee from the floor and putting him up in the press box if he is abused by a player. The mentality that "he should not have been there" strikes me as peculiar especially after 8 years with no incident. At what point is the player equally responsible for his instigation of the event??

Again, I beleive that $150 is a small fine and probably warranted in this case for our announcer, after my discussion with Willie, he probably agrees. What I disagree with is that there was no equal application of justice in this case, there was no discussion with Willie to find out what happened, he wasn't asked for a statement, and in my opinion, as a representative of the Mammoth, he wasn't protected from harm in this case, regardless of his reaction.

There is no question Willie is a valuable member of the Mammoth family and a very important fixture in the entertainment at our games. Regardless of your opinion of what happened, I don't think anyone wants him to go away. Calmer heads will prevail over the off-season and I hope our fans will reach out to Willie and let him know they want him back, I know I do.

SG

Thank you very much for the information Steve!

Hopefully the NLL will come to their senses on this one.

Best wishes.

Thank you for the open response Steve.

I know many of us are quite upset over the unequal treatment of the sides. Regardless of how you feel about Willie B, most will agree that there are two parties and both should be reprimanded if either are.

Thank you very much for the candid response. The continued openness of the organization is a welcomed part of the game. I wish that the rest of the league could be as forthright. That game resulted in a couple of "unique" translations of the rules.

Good luck in the off season.

SG,

Thank you for clarifying and pointing out the facts on this issue. Your post now calls in the credibility of some of the writers on NLLInsider.com!

I for one hopes Willie B. does return to the Mammoth next year. He is part of the team, but furthermore he is part of the "fan experience". I had the opportunity to take a friend who works in the front office for the Rockies and he told me that Willie B. "definitely gets the crowd into it..and makes the game very entertaining". Also, Willie is very approachable before, during, and after the games. He never turns down a request for a simple handshake, autograph, or photo from a fan.

Do we need to start a fund for Willie? I can write a check right now! This fine is simply unjust.

Lastly, I do hope that you (SG) share some of these comments with Mr. Daniel. It is very obvious to me, that when it comes to this issue that something is not right here.

Willie B is actually the one who said it was $250. Not a journalist.

Dani...

I am getting glasses next week, but this is what I read from a NLLInsider post..



Again thanks to SG for clarifying!

Did you read your own quote before posting it? NLL Insider didn't even begin to claim that these were facts. He speculated that the Mammoth imposed the fine, and by using the word "supposed," he implied it wasn't verified. He commented on rumors that were circulating the league. Rumors started on Willie B's radio show. Again, not the journalist's fault.