We Got Wood - 39.4 - Wilson Named the First GM

[7teen]

When a new team, in this case an expansion team, is added to a league, the newly formed franchise can take a variety of routes when building things from the ground up. The team can start new, bring in fresh minds and fresh faces or the team can go out and get veteran leadership. Either way can work. In the case of the Portland Lumberjacks franchise, team owner David Wallace has chosen the experience route. At yet another luncheon today, he was joined by the first General Manager in Lumberjacks history, long-time Madison Wolves General Manager Chris Wilson.

"All I can say is it brings me great joy to know that in year one of this new franchise in Portland that we will have an experienced guy like Wilson at the helm of the roster decisions" Wallace spoke at the luncheon. "Any time you can add a guy with such rich history in this league, a man who has led a franchise to multiple Landis Championships and division crowns, you take the opportunity to do so. That goes without saying he has over 40 years of experience in the league!"

It first came out this week that Wilson was leaving the Madison franchise, the organization he had been with for over four decades. It came as a shock to some that Wilson would leave the team he'd spent so much time with. To others, it wasn't much of a shock considering some of the turmoil that struck the organization this off-season with many high profile former players leaving the organization blaming Wilson's off-season antics as cause.

"Wilson actually reached out to me several years ago" said Wallace. "News was coming out that there may be another expansion in the works and I was a front-runner for an ownership group with that franchise. He contacted me about becoming the GM of an expansion team and we had been in contact ever since. When it was announced Portland was getting a team and I was the owner then it all came to fruition. Now here we are."

Wilson, who only spoke briefly at the luncheon, indicated that work was already underway on the formation of a roster for the 2040 season. "We have a team in place right now and have begun some early looks at rosters across the league. We won't be able to do much until team's issue their protection lists at the end of this season, but we've done some window shopping already" Wilson stated. "Several GMs across the league have already reached out to us about potentially making deals as well to take on some of their higher priced players in exchange for prospects. We'll wait and see what the budget indicates we can afford here in Portland but it's definitely something we'll look into. Any time an expansion team can bring on some popular players to bring in fans while also acquiring some young talent it becomes a win for that expansion franchise!"

So things continue on the rise in Portland. The Lumberjacks now have jerseys, a stadium in construction, and now a General Manager to lead this team to dominance!