HOLTY’S BLOG: CALIFORNIA HOCKEY

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Just this week, ESPN featured pool play games in little league regionals, dodgeball, light saber duels, corn hole, people playing video games and sumo wrestling. Safe to say, we could use some hockey.

You may like watching people playing video games, and that’s fine, but as I’ll remind you, it’s my blog and I’ll do what I want.

Now for the blog…

– Thanks to friend of the blog, Josh Cooper of The Athletic, for a pretty funny oral history on the night the Condor got loose.

– That was my second season here. Back then, I figured stuff like that must happen to every team, every year. In years since, I’ve realized that it was a pretty rare moment and it was fun to think about seeing that clip just about everywhere in the weeks and years since.

– Featured in the article was former Condors d-man Erik Burgdoerfer. Burgdoerfer is going into year two with the Ottawa organization and should he play in Belleville, will be reunited with former Condors Head Coach Troy Mann. Mann was his head coach in Bakersfield and in Hershey. This week, former Condors Assistant Coach Ryan Murphy, who was also in Hershey, was named as an assistant coach on Mann’s staff. It might be the only time a head coach, assistant coach, and player have been together on three different minor league organizations. I’ll have to check Elias, but if it’s in the blog, you can pretty much assure I’ve made it up without doing any research.

– Today is the 30th anniversary of the blockbuster trade which sent Wayne Gretzky from Edmonton to Los Angeles. In a way, it’s a day which paved the way for the Condors to eventually be successful and the connection is even stronger today with the Oilers. Plus, it’s an excuse to share the time he spent here at The Outdoor Classic. Also, he signed my book “To Holty – your friend, Wayne” so we’re practically best friends.

– When I look back on everything we’ve done here, the 3-4 hours in that NHL Alumni locker room at Bakersfield College may go down as my favorite time here. I’m not sure if it can be topped. Stanley Cup Champions, Hockey Hall of Famers, and others holding court while a very ordinary radio guy listened. Well, and chased around that R5 Disney band to do media interviews.

– You don’t have to bring anything but yourself (or your family) to today’s Ice Cream Social from 4:30 – 6:30 p.m. at Rabobank Arena. I’ll be your tour guide through the locker room for the evening. No questions about anything in the gym, because I’m unfamiliar with that room.

– I’ve been talking all summer and have hinted in the blog that not everything is complete roster wise currently. This week, Oilers General Manager Peter Chiarelli had more on the subject as the Oilers figure out whether a 14th forward for the big club is already in the organization or if they will need to bring someone in on a PTO. That, plus the news that the Darnell Nurse deal will be signed in the future makes things a little unsettled roster wise for now. It’s not a bad thing since competition breeds success in my mind.

– LOCK OF THE WEEK? You can get Brooks Koepka, who has only won 3 PGA tournaments (with two majors), for 20-1 in the final major of the year. The course favors long hitters, so expect him to be in the mix. He won the US Open each of the last two years and I’ll take him this weekend.

Until next time Condorstown…

Ryan Holt aka Holty is the Voice of the Condors and is in his 8th season. He was barely three months old when the Gretzky trade happened. Follow him on Twitter @CondorsHolty for more nonsense or shoot him an e-mail to RHolt@BakersfieldCondors.com with questions, comments, or blog ideas.