Change Is In The Air

"The more things change, the more things stay the same for the Las Vegas Doggs. Three years go by, and three different EHCC teams were able to raise the EHCC plaque in front of the Doggs' faithful. None of which were in orange and brown. "

Change Is In The Air

by Max Powers / Reno Weekly Rag

After fifteen seasons the EHCC is going through some major changes - with arguably the most influential rule changes made in the past two years since the league went to an unbalanced schedule - and all teams have been forced to make adjustments.  Waiver priority has become more valuable, as more and more young players are being protected until, their MLB debut. Hitters' are no longer second thought to pitchers with the roster expansions. Some teams have stayed stagnant in their approach, and others have embraced the changes. Only time will tell which will work out for the best. 

The more things change, the more things stay the same for the Las Vegas Doggs. Three years go by, and three different EHCC teams were able to raise the EHCC plaque in front of the Doggs' faithful. None of which were in orange and brown. No other EHCC franchise can feel the pain that Las Vegas has in the past three years, except perhaps Bridgewater fans, who lived through four finals losses between 2001 and 2008, before finally taking home their first championship in 2009. LV and BRW are the only two teams to lose four separate EHCC finals since the league was founded in 2001. 

One major change has been announced for the Doggs however. Their manager, Roger Lodge, has announced he will be retiring from the EHCC at the conclusion of of the 2016 season. GM Howe Dogg announced the news at a recent press conference, stating, "We've been very fortunate to have a sports minded personality on our bench making game day decisions. Some teams are stuck with hot heads and others with micromanagers. Roger has shown us he can balance personalities in the clubhouse and bring a team together, even with major roster adjustments made without notice. He will be missed."

Lodge has been the Doggs' manager since 2003 and in his second season helped bring the EHCC plaque to Las Vegas for the first time in 2004. In an interview with reporters after the announcement Lodge had this to say about his time with the Doggs', "It's been an exciting time in my life to manage this club for the past thirteen seasons. I've had many discussions with my family and we feel this is the right time to step away. The league is going through so many changes, it's probably best I make a change as well." Lodge is under contract through the 2018 season, so he will leave some money on the table by retiring, but he has said he is sure of his decision. 

Las Vegas GM Howe Dogg has not announced a successor at time, though he did mention the club is looking at many options and will continue to do so throughout the 2016 season. 

"We will have someone to take Roger's spot on the bench before the end of this regular season. We are in a luxurious position in a way, where we can pick out someone to take his place and allow Roger to transition in the new manager before he leaves completely," Dogg told reporters at the recent press conference. 

Rumors have already begun to swirl on possible replacements including internal and external options, ranging from Bob Barker, to David Ortiz, to Michelle Obama. Stay tuned as we try to flush out the credible from the ridiculous. 

Max Power is a beat reporter for the Reno Weekly Rag. He likes to spend his Sundays writing online reviews of street intersections on Yelp. He believes his voice is important.