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Wednesday, August 24th

HUNTSVILLE (Al.): The Mayors' 10th title might have to wait for quite a while longer.

With all the changes that Rocket City's FBA franchise have undergone since their championship run in 2009, it was little shock that the team came under new ownership over the off-season. Some may question the new management's first order of business in the free-agency period, picking up prankster Evan Ashton (Lion, F) in a 5-year sign-and-trade deal that sent veteran Julio Onca (Black Panther, F/C) to Albany via a 2-year contract. And while a few of the other free agents have offers to consider, Xavier Knutten (Squirrel, G/F) has not received one -- possibly in respect to his extensive article in Furballer regarding not re-signing with the team.

Owner and temporary GM Stefan Calico (Tabby Cat) was not available for comment, having finalized the transfer of ownership and subsequent release of the old managers shortly before leaving for his annual camping vacation in northern Ontario, with a stop in Cape Cod. Sources close to the feline indicate that he has no current intentions of replacing the coaching staff as of yet, though he did invite some key individuals to the Cape for discussions about the Mayors' future. The identity of those individuals have not been confirmed, though rumors have been leaning towards one of the invited furs being Howard Schnitthund (German Shepherd), the former assistant head coach of the team.

---

As the black limousine pulled up to the quaint little cottage nestled within a copse of trees, the passenger in the vehicle was still wondering why he was here. Granted, it was not the first time that Bailey Brisbane (Catahoula Leopard Hound, G) had been on the island of Cape Cod, but the little bed-and-breakfast towards which he was now being ushered by the feline driver just seemed very odd for a meeting with his new boss. Then again, Stefan Calico was also supposed to be on vacation, which made it all the more unnerving for the canine as he stepped into the building.

The smells of breakfast were still heavy in the air, though the clock read half-past eleven when the new owner of the Huntsville Mayors looked up from his sudoku book to the tinkle of the bell attached to the entrance door. Stefan flicked his left ear and smiled warmly as he saw the young dog walk in from outside and begin approaching his table, followed by the driver he had sent to pick up the point guard. "Mister Brisbane, so glad of you to come! Please, have a seat! Want a drink -- juice, coffee, soda, anything?"

Bailey settled on the chair across from the well-dressed tabby, still feeling a bit nervous but remaining quite stoic in appearance. "Orange juice would be fine, thanks."

"Great!" replied the cat before turning to the other cat in the room. "Leo? Mind checking in back with Miss Vivian if she still has some freshly squeezed OJ for me and Bailey here?" After the driver nodded and stepped out of sight, Stefan hastily asked, "You don't mind if I call you Bailey, right?"

The casual tone of the feline relaxed the canine only a little bit. "Sure, Mr. Calico, but I'm still a little --"

"Confused?" offered the cat. "Curious? Worried? Relax, Bailey, I'm on vacation, and right now you are too! And call me Stefan, okay?"

"Okay," stammered Bailey, "Stefan. This is just not what I had expected for a professional meeting."

Before the tabby could respond, Leo returned holding a tray loaded with a pitcher of orange juice and a couple of glasses, followed by a grandmotherly sable who instantly beamed upon seeing the hound. "Ohhh, Stefan, is this the guest you were bringing? He's so rugged and handsome."

The dog smiled wanly at the mustelid, his ears folding back slightly as Calico chuckled. "Now, now, Miss Vivian, don't embarrass the lad, he's quite nervous as it is."

While Leo was serving the orange juice, Bailey managed to compose himself and say, "You have a lovely place here, ma'am."

The sable giggled lightly and petted the dog on the head. "And so polite! You'll make a fine girl very happy." She then leaned in and lowered her voice, "Just don't let this alleycat corrupt you now!"

Clearing his throat loudly, Stefan loudly mewled, "Thank you, Miss Vivian. Thank you, Leo. Right now Bailey and I have some things to discuss."

The driver cat gently tugged on Miss Vivian's shoulder, who giggled again and blew the tabby a kiss. "You be good now, Stefan," she winked before being escorted into the back rooms again.

Both player and owner sagged in their chairs and breathed a sigh, then looked at each other and grinned. "Miss Vivian is quite the character, isn't she?" quipped the feline.

"She's very nice," replied the hound, looking much more relaxed. "But what did you want to discuss?"

"Well, obviously it's about the team," Stefan began, "but more specifically, about what I hope your role for the team will be, if you still wanted to be part of the team."

Bailey straightened up in his seat. "I do want to stay, Mist-- Stefan. Last year was a challenge trying to get everyone on the same page. I think this year I can do better at that."

The tabby nodded, taking a sip of his juice. "I figured you would say that, which is one of the reasons why you were invited and not anyone else from the current roster. I have a goal for the Mayors, but it requires both you and [William] Handon (Panther, F/C) to extend your contracts with us after next season."

The dog sipped his own juice and noted, "It sounds like you've had this mapped out for quite some time now, but how do I fit into your plans?"

"Right now you two are the leaders of the team, because I can't count on [Wagner] Vaughters (Coyote, G) or Knutten to re-sign with the Mayors. And with the #2 pick coming up in the draft, it'll be either [Zoie] Wilds (African Hunting Dog, G/F) or [Nina] Lime (Wolf, G) joining us. No matter who gets drafted, I need you to be there for her, and make sure she can contribute to the team," said Stefan.

"That'll be easy," replied the hound confidently. "Wags did a pretty good job showing me the ropes. I think I can handle a girl."

"Not just one girl," said the cat, which got Bailey's ears to perk up slightly. "There's another lady in the league that I've got my eye on, and hopefully she'll sign with the Mayors as well."

"Bringing back the feminine touch to Huntsville?" joked the canine.

"That and more," replied Stefan. "Let me show you what I mean..."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Bailey had a lot to think about as the Massachusetts landscape rolled by outside the car's tinted window. The meeting with Stefan hadn't been very long, and Miss Vivian had even served them peanut butter sandwiches when they had finished. The feline had shared with him a lot of things about his vision for the future of the Mayors, and the dog was more than confident that he could execute his role within those plans.

"There are the players I want, primarily," the Huntsville GM had said, "while there are the ones who may need a bit more work, and then ones that will definitely need a lot of attention. Apart, they aren't as effective, but together they could be a force, and I know you have the skill to lead them into the future. Just remember that I want you to be one of the core nine, and you will be rewarded for your efforts."

Bailey closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "But you can't reveal any of this to anyone yet -- the media, your teammates, your friends and family," chided the cat. "The plan is not yet set in stone, and as talks break down over the course of the free agency period, your role may shift slightly. But you will be around this season, and I hope that you'll seriously consider staying for the seasons afterwards as one of the core nine."

The canine found it very empowering that the Mayors' owner had been very receptive to his input, and he fingered the collar and the "Pops" nametag around his neck idly. Thoughts of his family and all of the hard work it took to keep everyone organized floated through his mind, slowly being replaced with the images of his teammates this past season, and then the dreams of his future teammates hoisting him up on their shoulders as he raised the Healey Davis championship trophy.

In the driver's seat of the car, Leo checked briefly on his passenger, and noted the young hound was asleep with a relaxed smile on his muzzle.