HOLTY’S BLOG: 7 Questions

If there is one thing I’ve grown to appreciate more as I’ve aged, it’s to enjoy the offseason. I remember my first offseason dragging and wishing we had games. Now, five seasons later, offseasons aren’t so bad.

The season will come folks. Games will be played. Fun will be had.

If you’re reading this and thinking “he must have had nothing to write about and is stalling,” you would be entirely correct. Then, good friend of the blog @Joe_Babik suggested “hey do what @KevinBartl used to do and just ask yourself questions and answer them.”

Is this a good idea? Yes.

Should I do it? Certainly.

How many questions will there be? I have no clue.

Why are you still reading this blog? Because it’s my blog and I’ll do what I want, but I always appreciate the readership.

Now for the blog…

  • Are the Condors playing preseason games this year?

Yes. Two of them in fact. The home game is against Stockton on Oct. 8 at 7 p.m. and the road game is at San Jose (Sharks Ice – their practice facility) on Oct. 9 at 6 p.m. Members get the home game free.

  • Will the Condors play in Canada again?

For our friends North of the Border … yes, the Condors are coming back to Canada. Safe to say the Condors will play at least two games up there with one of them being on Tuesday, Oct. 18. Bring your loonies, poutine, and Rush albums and come watch the funnest team in hockey play. It may even snow.

  • What’s this I hear about your office getting remodeled?

For the first time in its history, the Condors office, which was the Convention Center office, and hasn’t had new carpet since the Reagan administration, is undergoing a remodel. We’ll be closed from July 29 – August 4 while local companies paint walls, install new carpets, lay new tile, and assemble new office furniture.

  • Is sitting the new smoking?

Yes. Condors Strength & Conditioning Coach Patrick Love said so. As a result, most of us have requested new standing desks. @KevinBartl got his before everyone else and has literally been looking down on me ever since.

  • You’re giving stuff away to members?

We are and no I cannot be bribed to draw your name. All members are entered into various drawings throughout the summer to win great items. On Monday, we’ll pick names to win a new Condors polo live on our Facebook page. Other prizes include Dodgers tickets, Carrie Underwood tickets, jerseys, and more. Call 324-PUCK (7825) to get set up with a membership. Tell them Holty sent you.

  • Erik Burgdoerfer – what’s he up to?

He signed an NHL two-way contract with the Buffalo Sabres today. Their AHL affiliate is the Rochester Americans. He spent four full seasons (parts of five) in Bakersfield (ECHL) before he even got a sniff at the AHL. Knowing him for three of those seasons, it wasn’t always easy for him to keep going, but he continually gutted it out, getting his shot in OKC briefly and then two years in Hershey. Now at 27 he signs his first NHL contract.

  • Why aren’t the Oilers on NBC this year?

That’s a great question. You would think Connor McDavid would move the needle on that. This is why there needs to be the Bartl model of “Tuesday Night Random Matchup.” The Oilers would be perfect for that. Instead of having Pittsburgh be a rival of every team on Wednesdays, the Oilers could randomly matchup against the Minnesota Wild and that would draw interest! Time to get off the soapbox before I get in trouble…

Until next time Condorstown…

Ryan Holt a.k.a. Holty enters his sixth season in Condorstown in 2016-17. He single-handedly turned the Pirates and Red Sox seasons around, just ask him. Follow him on Twitter @CondorsHolty for other nonsense or shoot him an e-mail with blog ideas, comments, or questions to rholt@bakersfieldcondors.com