Last week Condors President Matthew Riley and Head Coach Marty Raymond sat down for separate interviews with Bakersfield Californian Sports Writer Mike Griffith. Riley and Raymond not only recapped the 10th Anniversary Season, but also discussed the present and future of the Condors.

Below is an excerpt from Riley's interview:

Griffith: The Condors are one of just a few ECHL teams without an affiliation with a National Hockey League or American Hockey League team. How high of a priority is it to you, to try and secure an affiliation for next season?

Riley: It's of the highest priority and it has been the past few years. I can't say it was when we started our organization because frankly it was not. However, over the last three or four years we've solicited not only on an annual basis but on a daily basis and feel we've gotten very close and have opened up a lot of roads.

Click here to view Riley's full interview.

Below is an excerpt from Raymond's interview:

Griffith: Will you be doing things differently as head coach next season?

Raymond: I call this the no-option clause. This year I haven't been comfortable with some of the leadership group. Right from the beginning we had guys coming up saying well, we really don't want to do this for this reason or that... The warning is out: there will be zero option next season. It will be my way. We will do certain things a certain way.

For Raymond's full interview, click here.

The Condors season came to a close on Tuesday, April 22nd, with a 6-5 overtime loss in Victoria against the Salmon Kings in Game 6 of the National Conference Quarterfinals - the third overtime game of the series. For Bakersfield, it was the end of a great run, indeed of a rollercoaster season for Condorstown.

The Condors 10th Anniversary season opened with a bang, with a pair of hard-fought victories and over 13,000 fans filling the stands. Eventually that early momentum gave way to struggles throughout November and December, only to see injuries follow in January and February before the team righted the ship, made a few exciting acquisitions down the stretch, and won seven of their last nine games to overtake two teams and get into the playoffs for the fourth straight season.

A born-anew Condors club shocked the West Division Champion Salmon Kings with an overtime winner in Game 1, and nearly swept the first two games in Victoria, before an improbable third period rally by the home team in Game 2. Two more losses in Bakersfield left the Condors facing elimination and trailing 4-3 midway through the third period in Game 5. But the Condors refused to go down, coming back to win and force Game 6. Again in Victoria, and again trailing in the third, F Andrew Ianiero's late goal forced overtime again before the Condors bowed out.

The loss left no time for rest before the organization was back at it planning for next season, and there's no doubt that the Condors strong finish left many in Condorstown anxious for the 2008-09 season to drop the puck. Stay tuned to www.bakersfieldcondors.com for all the news during the off-season. Condors TV will have updates, interviews and highlights from community appearances and new player signings. The promotional schedule is being pieced together and the team will start adding names in June - when the official signing season commences.

One of the most furious finishes in team history is propelling us toward the start of next season... October 18 is closer than you think Condorstown!

Mark it on your calendars... circle the date... begin the countdown! Just 164 days from today, the Condors will drop the puck on the 2008-09 season, hosting the Ontario Reign in their first ECHL contest, at 7 p.m. for Opening Night.

The 72-game ECHL schedule features 36 home games during the regular season, 27 of which fall on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday. Bakersfield will face off against every team in the National Conference, including 10 games against Ontario, the most of any opponent.

Click here for a further breakdown of the schedule.

If you're looking for a different way to enjoy Condors hockey, be sure to look into the Condors On-Ice and Exclusive VIP Suites. The On-Ice and VIP Suites are great venues from which to watch a game, whether it be a night with family and friends or a business outing.

The On-Ice Suite, named the Budweiser 5-Hole Suite, is located on the glass behind the South Goal and is an unforgettable way to experience all the action up close and personal. Couches line the front of the suite, bringing the comfort of your living room rinkside at The Nest, and table seating is available behind the couches, ensuring a great view for everyone in the suite.

Reservations for the 5-Hole Suite include 40 tickets to the game and cost $1,300. Fans also have the option of purchasing up to 20 more tickets for the suite at $25 each.

If you're looking for less of an investment, check out the Exclusive VIP Suite. The VIP Suite overlooks the ice from the upper suite level and comes with 18 game tickets, closed-circuit and cable television, a personal restroom and waiter/waitress service, all for $500!

Catering for both suites is available at an additional cost.

The Condors are currently accepting suite reservations, which are handled on a first-come, first-served basis, and only one group will be sold for each suite per game, so be sure to contact the front office at (661) 324-PUCK (7825) today!

We would like to offer our deepest gratitude to all of Condorstown that helped make the Condors charitable events in 2007-08 such a huge success. This year, the Bakersfield Condors, alongside loyal fans, raised an astounding $433,620 in cash, goods and services for deserving non-profit organizations in Kern County!

Highlighting the year were four "Jersey Off Our Backs" auctions, the 4th Annual Condors Fighting Cancer Hockey-Thon, and several drives, including the yearly Teddy Bear Toss, benefiting local non-profit organizations.

For a full recap of all of this season's community events, click here.

Condors season ticket mini plans for the 2008-09 season have been finalized and are on sale now! As an added bonus, the first 100 people to purchase two seats as part of a 2008-09 ticket plan will receive a Condors Youth Jersey! Plan holders will also get one youth jersey for every two additional seats purchased. For example, if you buy four seats, you get two jerseys; if you buy six seats, you get three jerseys, and so on! The jerseys have a retail price of $100 at the Condors team store.

The Condors offer three different tiered mini plans - the Weekender Plan, the Saturday Assist Plan and the Pick 6 Plan - and start at just $42! For more information on the youth jersey and Mini Plans, including full pricing, click here or contact the Condors office at (661) 324-PUCK (7825).

For over half a decade, Memorial Hospital has shown their support of the Condors with signage on the ice, sponsoring the Condors Slapshot, which travels to a number of community events each year as well as sponsoring the T.H.I.N.K. program, in which over 3,900 students who met academic goals received free admission to select games.

"We feel fortunate to have a partnership with the Condors as they are extremely interested in the community," said Children's Miracle Network Program Director Janelle Capra. "Keeping fundraising dollars in our own community is the goal of both the Condors and Bakersfield Memorial Hospital Foundation. They have been very generous with helping us raise funds and take time to come to the hospital to visit the sick children."

The Condors are proud to support the Bakersfield Memorial Hospital House of Hope, a project which embodies the strength, generosity, and the hopes of our community. One lucky family will be drawn to win a charming new home. Other prizes include a new 2008 Mazda Tribute Hybrid, a 2008 SuperGlide Custom Harley-Davidson, season tickets to the Bakersfield Condors and more! When you purchase a $100 ticket for the House of Hope drawing, every penny of your money stays here to benefit the future of the Bakersfield and Kern County communities. The funds raised go toward the construction of Memorial Hospital's new patient tower, providing thousands of local people with a better chance of health and healing.

Call 395-1259 or visit Bakersfieldhouseofhope.com to get your ticket today! The grand prize drawing is Friday, May 16.

Have you watched the Condors play and wanted to get onto the ice yourself, but have little or no hockey experience? The Bakersfield Ice Sports Center is now holding an Adult Beginner Hockey Clinic every Wednesday night from 8:45 to 9:45 p.m. For the first half hour, participants will practice essential hockey skills. During the second half hour, you will get to scrimmage other hockey enthusiasts of your own skill level. For more information please call BISC Hockey Director (and Condors Legend) Paul Willett at 852- 7402.

Brand new at the Ice Sports Center is "Cheap Skate." Every Wednesday from 6 to 8:30 p.m., the public is welcome to come and skate for only $7. The reduced price includes ice time and skate rentals, so escape the Bakersfield heat and come enjoy the cool climate, lace up the skates and hit the ice!

Just two days ago, the Cincinnati Cyclones and Reading Royals squared off in a Game 7 of their American Conference semi-final matchup, during which Cincinnati prevailed. The ECHL made note that it was only the 13th Game 7 in the 20 years of ECHL History.

Two of those 13 belong to Bakersfield.

It was just two years ago, almost to the day, on May 8, 2006 when the Condors became the first team ever to compete in two Game 7's in the same season. In fact, before the 2006 Kelly Cup Playoffs, there had never been more than one Game 7 for the entire league in one season. For the Condors, who held 3-games-to-2 leads in both series, the results were mixed. One was a win (4-3 against Long Beach in the opening round), the other a loss (4-2 at Fresno).

"Its nerve-wracking, that's for sure," said F Sean Venedam, who was in his first season with the Condors. "It's win or go home, not like a game early in the series where if you lose you can come back the next game. It's all about who's going to come out harder and take chances and make mistakes and all those things combined. Obviously you're giving everything you can at that point."

One Game 7 is enough, but does it get any easier with a Game 7 in back-to-back series?

"It's never easy, and you definitely feel worn out. You're thinking 'Man, it's the second round and we've already played 14 games.' The body's beat up and you're giving everything you have. But whether it's Game 7, Game 6 or Game 4, it's never easy to lose in the playoffs."

After Cincy's win Monday night, the home team has claimed victory in 10 of the 13 Game 7's in ECHL history (77%).

The Condors official website, www.bakersfieldcondors.com, features many informative and interactive components that keep the site a fun and interesting source of information on everything Condors. Condors TV and the multimedia page allow fans to catch all the latest happenings in Condorstown through video and audio archives, including the latest video of the ice at The Nest being melted and a couple Condors packing up for the summer (click here to view). The Condors website is also loaded with breaking Condors news and ECHL news, as well as ticket plan information, community updates, roster and player profiles and much, much more to keep fans as up to date as possible!

However, with the Condors 10th Anniversary Season officially concluded and a new decade of Condors hockey being ushered in, there will be some minor changes to the official website. As part of this atmosphere of change and improvement, the Condors would like to know your overall impressions of the website, and encourage constructive criticism and ideas for improving the site just in case we're forgetting anything!

To chime in and let us know your thoughts and ideas, just send an email to andrewb@bakersfieldcondors.com. Thank you in advance for your input!

Ensure the same great seat to catch all the exciting action of Condors hockey next season with full season tickets! Full season ticket plans are on sale right now, and there's not a moment to lose in signing up, as seats are going fast!

In addition to experiencing every regular season home game from the same comfortable seat in The Nest, full season ticket packages also include the Condors home preseason game and the first four home games in the 2009 Kelly Cup Playoffs.

Full season ticket holders also receive a bevy of special benefits, ranging from the "Never-A-Wasted Ticket" Program to exclusive opportunities to meet the team! Full season ticket holders also receive complimentary tickets to catch the Condors on the road in Ontario, Fresno and Stockton as well as the right of first refusal for keeping their seats for extended playoff action.

For more information regarding full season tickets and a list of all the benefits included, click here or contact the Condors front office at (661) 324-PUCK (7825) right away!