rally is tomorrow - be there!

Some great posts around the web about the Predators Rally tomorrow.

Seriously - all you bloggers out there that love "live blogging" and you photographers (i'm looking at you Wage) need to show up. This is going to be big. You don't want to miss it. My wife will probably be there off and on all day photographing the festivities.

For the Rally itself, we will be sitting with the rest of Cell Block 303 in section 103 if you want to come meet us. We'll be one of about 8,000 people wearing our jerseys. Mine doesn't have a name on it.

Misc Notes:
Hockey blogging celebrity Eklund just made a long, impassioned, very impressive post about why Nashville is a great hockey city, and explained why he is flying down to support the Rally (scroll down a bit to read the main part about Nashville).

Predators P.A. announcer and hockey-radio personality Paul McCann has made a few posts as well.

This event is going to be great.

Even if you aren't a Predators fan - especially if you aren't a Predators fan - this is a great time to come down to the arena for free - get inside, and see what this is all about.

It has been confirmed that players Ryan Suter, Chris Mason, Vern Fiddler, and Scott Nichol (at least) will be in attendance, that the new uniforms will be debuted, and that the ice pack and rival packs will be announced. No word on whether or not the new multi-million dollar high-def jumbotron has been installed yet. (It is supposed to go in sometime "this summer").

To make things even better, it is looking more and more like tomorrow will be a party to welcome (if unofficially at that point) our new local ownership. The local ownership team met with Leipold and NHL officials today in New York and apparently the meeting went well.

104.5 The Zone will be broadcasting all day live from the Sommet Center.

Here's their broadcast schedule of the day (from Paul McCann):
6am-10am - The Wake Up Zone with Frank Wycheck, Kevin Ingram, and Mark Howard. Predators player guests will be on

10am-2pm - Nashville Predators Insiders hosted by Willy Daunic and Pete Weber, and Paul McCann...possibly Eklund...?

Box Lunches will be available for only $5 from 11am - 1:30pm

2pm-6pm - The Sports Zone
George Plaster and Darren McFarland with Mike Coyne, Rick Regen, Butch Spyridon, and Ralph Shulz

6pm-7pm - THE RALLY
The Rally will be held on the floor of The Sommet Center... wear your Predator finest and prepare to get crazy!

7pm-9pm - The Sports Zone with George Plaster, Willy Daunic, and Darren McFarland

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While we're back on the topic of hockey, On The Forecheck has some interesting thoughts about what the addition of teams in Kansas City and Las Vegas would mean to re-aligning the league. Includes pretty pictures.

Update: The Predators just agreed to terms with Vern Fiddler, the last player on last years roster not accounted for through resigning, trade, or signing with someone else. This still leaves the Preds $1.5 million+ left to spend to get the salary floor. We're gonna be a very good team for one with that low a payroll.