Eisbaeren Bremerhaven management tried to get the first six new Americans, Steve Esterkamp, Lou Campbell, Brandon Brooks, Jonathan Moore, Rodney Buford and Kevin Lyde on the same plane from Newark to Hamburg which could be seen as a mini geographical miracle since all players come from different spots in the States, but in the end Buford and Lyde did not make the flight, but the big question this season will be if coach Doug Spradley can get these Americans plus the other players to find a way to come together on the court. These questions seemed to have turned a total 180 degrees with the spectacular signing of Jeff Gibbs. One slowly has to ask, if manager Jan Rathjen has taken special magician courses with eccentric David Blaine, because what he has done in the short period in the off season has been incredible. He is already leading the early list for manager of the year. One could carefully say that the Bremerhaven Eisbaeren have gone from a playoff team to a title candidate in only 24 hours.

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