ON FAN 590/SPORTSNET:DANGELO IS DEVASTATED

Frank was just on with Bob McCown and was very sincere during the interview.
Saying he was completely devastated when getting the bad news last week in writing from the CFL.
He said he did not see it coming as the last meeting with the BOG went so well he and his people fully expected to get the franchise.
He met all of the conditions, money etc..
Even so, he did not want to say anything bad about the decision because he truly wants to get in the CFL. Leaving the door open to join up with the winning group, or possiby coming back if the winning bid for some reason does not pan out. Also, getting involved in other CFL market(s).

I wish him all the best. He's a great character, and seems to be in touch with the CFL.

I listened to the interview, and so it seems to me like he knows his stuff.

My opinion of D'angelo did change a little after the interview. But I think that's exactly the problem. He comes of to the pubic as a very outgoing CEO who might just be looking after his beer. He does seem truly genuine about the CFL and he makes a lot of sense about not having to make money therefore he would be a good fit as owner. Whatever the case I do like the CFL being cautious though. If there is going to be a team in Ottawa it has to stay. You can't be folding a team every few years. It hurts the fans and the leagues image. All propspective owners promise the world but you can't identify or follow a new team every few years and we gotta get this one right.

As for Dangelo, who knows it might all work out someday and he could be an owner. Hamilton, Toronto and Halifax all could have a future there.

Yeah I think the CFL lost out here. As much as I love to hate this guy for his Ben Johnson cheetah/old-time hockey commercials, imagine the marketing approach for his football team. CFL needs guys like this.

He wanted to call the OTTAWA TEAM , THE STEELBACKS [um , no thanks]

Why?

Frank said he agreed to all of the leagues requirements.

So, if the BOG didn’t like the name could they not veto it?

Do we have this interview available for download?

I can't find it on the Fan's website.

It’ll be on their website in a few hours time.

Sounds like the B.O.G.'s might be up to their old tricks? Leading a promising participant on just to shoot a hole in his balloon?

If it is, here we go again as the BOC(Board of Clowns)are at it and the league after a few years of prosperity, reverting back to the crisis mode.

He was really sabotaged by some of his antics back at the start of the process, rather then towards the end.

That may turn out to be a mistake on the leagues part, but there were a lot of question marks about the guy's motives amongst fans in Ottawa, so it was a concern.

He's acting more like a professional about it now, maybe he learned from his mistake and can be involved in the new group. I'll admit, even with my concerns about the guy, his enthusiasm is a definite positive.

Has the league given it's official side of the story yet?

Bob read a brief statement from the league confirming how Frank is out of the running and thanking him for being involved.
No mention on who is left and or the status of a new owner.

Unless the BOG are doing a lot of lying about wanting a team back in Ottawa. Telling Frank he was no longer needed may signal that the guy they really want, Eugene Melnyk, may be ready to step up and combine his Hockey team marketing with Jeff Hunt as president. That the only thing that makes sense to me.
A bunch of American partners having to go to-gether to raise the money doesn't sound that stable to me. Ottawa has already been down that road with the Watters group.

I wonder if Horn Chen is one of the mystery men in the group?

If D'Angelo had the money to pay the expansion fee, he should have been given the team.

That money would be more than enough to cover any losses that the league would suffer over a 2-4 year period if the Ottawa team did not succeed.

If the league doesn’t release any specific reasons then we can only assume that the BOG didn’t like D’Angelo’s business practices and/or they just didn’t like him personally.

The league will never go public if those are the reasons.

Or perhaps, someone BETTER than D'Angelo has the money to fund the team.

The CFL made this decision because they didn't like D'Angelo. He didn't help his case by going behind the CFL's back and blabbing away. The CFL doesn't like it when potential owners go to the media themselves, and they say so. So if D'Angelo is so hung up on making himself heard now, I doubt it's going to improve.

I bet they got a similar impression to mine - that wants to own a franchise so he can be the centre of attention and sell his beer. Honestly - he wanted to name the team after his beer. Not even multiple beers ... they would have been the Ottawa Steelback, not the Steelbacks. Give me a break ...

After the initial statement of the Steelback name, Frank changed his mind and said he would have kept the Renegades name.
As for his persona, some of the stuffed shirt owners should take note from Frank how to promote its product.
Even though he is devasted by the news, Frank said and I am glad he is not giving up in his quest to own a team.

You would think after this, the league would give a statement, a small press conference, something to update everyone on the current situation...What have we got? NOTHING. Thanks for keeping the fans of Ottawa up to date boys, way to keep us interested...