Kernels looked into purchasing RoughRiders

Found out recently that the Cedar Rapids Kernels, or members of the Cedar Rapids Kernels board of directors, inquired about purchasing their next-door neighbor Cedar Rapids RoughRiders. Kernels president Tom Barbee told me last week that the club was still "pursuing" the RoughRiders was not an accurate statement.

In fact, sources have said another potential suitor has signed an agreement with the RoughRiders current owners to exclusively pursue a purchase of the USHL hockey team. The Chicago-based group that owns the club has had it up for sale for about a year, though two or three potential deals have fallen through, the latest coming late in the summer with the owners of the NHL's Philadelphia Flyers.

We'll see if this deal actually goes through. There are sticking points to purchasing the club, sources say, including a less-than-desirable lease with the city regarding the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena and the fact that there is still unsolved ligitation against former owner Pat Forciea, who is in prison for fraud.