London (CP) - The owner of the Werewolves of London receives little to no respect for what he has accomplished. The Werewolves have posted a winning percentage of over .609 in the years it has been in the HBMHL, and yet they are usually considered second class. Their players are passed over for major awards, the ownership has never gotten a sniff of a major award, and all this team does is win. The only other team to have surpassed this winning percentage is New York, and they entered the league as an established franchise.
When asked about this situation the owner Mark Wendling stated the following. "Like I need a trophy to validate that we have the best franchise in the league. We know we are, the other teams know we are and the fans know we are, and that is all that matters at the end of the day. If the HBMHL chooses others to represent their champions, then they just don't follow the league."
When asked about the lack of activity of the team during the recent off season, owner Wendling had this to say. "We hit a financial crunch this year, some teams were helpful in ensuring we would not lose our good young talent, and we appreciated that, whereas the vultures also circled, and to them I seriously thought of retrieving my shotgun and utilizing it. When Dumont, I mean owners came forward to make offers that were nothing short of rape and pillaging the team, it made me sick. In the past we have helped teams get over the hump and we are happy to do so. Have you not noticed we don't trade with them very often".
The Werewolves had a tough preseason going 2-5-1, and there were rumblings that Don Cherry would retire as coach, but this was nothing more than rumours. "Yes Don and I talked in the off season about how much longer the 76 year old wanted to coach, and he said he would take it year by year." The man thought t0 be his replacement, his idol Bobby Orr, has been non committal. "I don't think so. I like to teach and work with the new young players. I see what Don goes through and I do not want that." Assistant Coach Brett Hull also is non-committal as he stated "Why would I want that pressure?" So as to the next coach of the Werewolves it is up in the air.
The Werewolves made very little changes. The team traded Rob Blake, Mike Knuble and Ryan Smyth to L.A. for an undisclosed amount of cash. The team also signed some of their players to new contracts, but added no one through trade or free agency. The results speak for themselves the team is 8 - 0 - 0 to start the season.
"Yep another great start for us, and we are on the back page." says Cherry. "You know what I don't give a rat's backside about the league, we just go out and win with what we have, and we show we are the best this league has. Our guys play their guts out night after night, and continue to win. We have built a team here in London, not like that so-called team in New England that has to have their uniform seamstress on call 24 hours a day to put names on jerseys."
As expected owner Mark Wendling is happy with the team. "How can you not be happy to start the season with eight wins? Its the best in the league again. We do feel for Winnipeg as last time we started well, they had the mirror record of ours the other way, and this season is no different. We respect their team, and can not figure out why they start so slow each year.
In a year where many people wrote off the Werewolves, and expected them to roll over, they have shown their teeth again, and are hunting for blood.
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