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Topic: Who was Nelson Skalbania?

angrymonkey
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 5769

posted 29 July 2004 10:46 AM

All that I know is that he was a business guy. I got a little annoyed watching him on tv. He wondered why his business of flipping commodities(buying and selling quickly) was thought of so badly by some people, making himself out to be like an ordinary business guy selling soft drinks or something.
But then later, he has what I guess is supposed to be his his amusing anecdote story of taking lots of hidden US cash down to Chile("when that dictator Allende was in power") and going to bank managers homes to buy paintings(marked national treasure-cannot leave country). At least most of them turned out to be fakes.
When he follows a guy that insists on paying his workers in other countries a western minimum wage, he does come across as someone just looking to make a fast buck.

From: the cold | Registered: May 2004 | IP: Logged

Scott Piatkowski
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 1299

posted 29 July 2004 11:04 AM

Skalbania was also responsible to signing 17-year-old Wayne Gretzky to a pro hockey contract (unlike the NHL, the old World Hockey Association had no age restrictions on player signings, thereby allowing people like Rick Vaive, Rob Ramage, Mark Messier and Gretzky to leave junior hockey and cash in a year early). Later, when the Indianapolis Racers (!) ran into financial trouble, he sold Gretzky to his friend Peter Pocklington. When the Edmonton Oilers joined the NHL, they were then able to protect him from the expansion/redistribution draft.

[ 29 July 2004: Message edited by: Scott Piatkowski ]

From: Kitchener-Waterloo | Registered: Sep 2001 | IP: Logged

Willowdale Wizard
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 3674

posted 29 July 2004 12:19 PM

supposedly, skalbania lost gretzky to pocklington due to a backgammon game.

[ 29 July 2004: Message edited by: Willowdale Wizard ]

From: england (hometown of toronto) | Registered: Jan 2003 | IP: Logged

BleedingHeart
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 3292

posted 29 July 2004 12:34 PM

A true sociopath

From: Kickin' and a gougin' in the mud and the blood and the beer | Registered: Nov 2002 | IP: Logged

beverly
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 5064

posted 29 July 2004 12:40 PM

I remember the scandal. Well I don't remember what it was about, but didn't Skalbania lose everything and almost go to jail. He was on TV alot. I thought he looked sleazy.

From: In my Apartment!!!! | Registered: Feb 2004 | IP: Logged

angrymonkey
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 5769

posted 29 July 2004 12:52 PM

He also talked about some life lessons. One of which is have a lot of money sacked away that no one knows about for inevitable divorce, blackmail, market fluctuation, etc.

From: the cold | Registered: May 2004 | IP: Logged

jrootham
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 838

posted 30 July 2004 02:40 AM

I can't resist. The best question that arose out of the scandal:

What is the capital of Skalbania?

From: Toronto | Registered: Jun 2001 | IP: Logged

fuslim
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 5546

posted 30 July 2004 04:39 AM

[B]What is the capital of Skalbania?}

S, of course. He,he,he...

I remember that guy. He was a typical high roller, lots of PR, pretty wife, lots of newspaper inches. His gig was real estate, and for a while in BC the market was booming.

He lived in Vancouver during the time his ittle empire went kaflooie, and went through a messy divorce from his wife (Helen?).

He was sort of a early Donald Trump, on a smaller scale.

From: Vancouver BC | Registered: Apr 2004 | IP: Logged

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