From the Cape Coral Daily Breeze:

Florida Everblades forward Bill Kinkel and Texas Wildcatter Riley Emerson engage in an extracurricular activity during the second period of Saturday’s preseason finale, which the Wildcatters won the game, 2-1.

This is, of course, the same Kinkle who said he wasn't going to fight in the pre-season...

Both teams will fight their way into the regular season with a two game series Friday and Saturday night at 7:30.

Sitting on a white sofa chair in his three-bedroom apartment that overlooks a man-made lake, Brett Peterson is wolfing down a plate of chicken and carrots when someone asks him how his abode compares to the housing his previous ECHL teams provided him.

Peterson, a first-year Florida Everblades forward who has played for two other ECHL clubs, looks up from his dinner and smiles.

"It's really night and day," said Peterson, 24. "The Blades treat you so well here. Everything is first class. The expectations to win are always high here but I don't think they should be that high. When you treat players like this, at this level, it's very simple: You win."

From the three-bedroom apartments to the pre-game and post-game dinners to the state-of-the-art team bus, the Everblades are known for treating their players the best in the 25-team ECHL.

I remember a similar article being written once upon a time about the Ice Gators. But that was a long time ago, and the Gators are no more.

Friday's News-Press will feature the pull-out section in it print edition on the Everblades.

Blades living large in SW Fla.

As the vice president of the Official Florida Everblades Fan Club and a season-ticket holder, Charles "Bubba" Devan estimates he spends about $2,000 of his own money on the team each season and about 12 to 14 hours a week performing club duties such loading the team bus with goodies or driving players to the airport.

Bubba's wife, Karen, is the fan club's chairwoman of sunshine and hospitality. Bubba, 64, said he and Karen, 63, are so devoted because the Everblades have become their extended family. Estero residents, whose two children are grown up and living out of state, the Devans have met many friends through the club since they helped found it five years ago.

My goodness. Has it been five years ago already?

Estero couple gets big charge from fan club

Also

Aucoin recalled by Hurricanes
Two Rats promoted

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Next Game
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Who: Texas Wildcaters at Florida Everblades
When: Friday, October 20, 2006; 7:30 PM
Where: Germain Arena
TV: B2 Network
Radio: Sportsradio 770 AM
Internet: www.abc-7.com
Web site: www.floridaeverblades.com