Oilers co-Owner Cal Nichols says he is being "guilt-
tripped" into not pulling out of the team's ownership group
by some of the team's smaller investors, according to Doug
Beazley of the EDMONTON SUN. Nichols: "Most of the
investors have asked me to stay. But I'm not going to stick
around where I'm not wanted." Both Nichols and fellow
investor Gary Gregg are "mulling over buyout offers from
fellow" investor Bruce Saville (EDMONTON SUN, 12/10).
Meanwhile, Oilers Investment Group Chair Jim Hole discussed
the ownership dispute for the first time, saying, "Guys have
to decide whether they want to be on the team or not. And
if they decide they're not going to be on the team, there's
an old expression in sport: What's said in the locker room
stays in the locker room." Hole, on calls by fellow owners
for a more "hands-on" ownership: "When you're in a limited
partnership, there's a tax advantage. But you can't be
involved in the day-to-day running of the company. It
doesn't allow you to involve yourself day-by-day. You lose
your rights as a limited partner" (EDMONTON SUN, 12/10).
KINDERGARTEN COP: Oilers President & GM Glen Sather,
who compared dealing with the team's ownership structure to
"kindergarten," said, "I'd love to meet the guy who could
run this hockey team any cheaper or any better than we're
doing it. This is not a nickel and dime business. We've
got too many egos" (EDMONTON SUN, 12/10).
