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UPDATE: League replaces Tupelo Rock-N-Rollers
by John L. Pitts/NEMS Daily Journal
21 months ago | 1778 views | 4 4 comments | 14 14 recommendations | email to a friend | print
The Tupelo Rock-N-Rollers, a professional basketball team which reached its league finals last year, has been benched on the eve of this season’s tipoff.

A press release from the WBA Exposure League says the organization suspended operations of the Tupelo team on Sunday night and replaced it on the schedule with the Birmingham Steel, a Continental Basketball League franchise.

Tupelo team owner Russell Brooks could not be immediately reached for comment. Brooks was named the 2009 WBA executive of the year for his first-year team’s on-court success.

Brian Alexander, who was planning for his second season as head coach, called the news “very shocking.” He said he learned about the WBA’s move late Sunday.

The Tupelo franchise lost to the Buford, Ga., Majic 93-91 in last season’s championship game. In an 8-4 season, three of the Rock-N-Rollers’ losses came against the Majic.

The Rock-N-Rollers had held a pair of tryouts in Tupelo in recent weeks and were prepared to announce their roster on Monday.

Just a week ago, the league schedule indicated that Tupelo would open its season on Thursday at the Marietta (Ga.) Storm. The Rock-N-Rollers were set for a home game on Saturday against the Florida Flight.

The team had intended to play in area high school gyms this season.

Last season, the Tupelo team played most of its home games in a church gym, with one contest played at Columbus High School.

The Rock-N-Rollers were the latest effort to establish a pro sports toehold in Northeast Mississippi – an effort that has included failed franchises for indoor football, baseball, ice hockey and soccer.
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tupelojoe81
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May 11, 2010
and not to forget our T-Rex.....Monty Fletcher ran them into the ground. We had 3,000 a night there too, multiple nights of the week (Mudcats only played once a week and had 3,000) and then he thought putting a bunch of teenagers on the ice was a brilliant idea. WRONG. The only people that showed up then were the kids' parents. Shame on you Monty.
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tupelojoe81
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May 11, 2010
well, the Mudcats stood a chance, but Jim Waide doesnt understand that your budget should be based on common sense. He EXPECTED 6,000 fans a game, when Tupelo has only averaged 3,000.....he spent money like 6,000 would be at every game. Thats why the Mudcats failed.
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Bulldog1992
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May 11, 2010
Tupelo has never been ... not does it show any signs of ... ever being able to support (or even care about) semi-pro sports of any kind.

Why this is news and/or surprising to anyone is beyond me.
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tupelojoe81
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May 11, 2010
this sounds fishy.....we already had a schedule, not that I care, I wouldnt go watch them anyway, but they at least competed last year and had decent turnouts.....
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