Epstein If you are a salesperson, you have probably told yourself, at some point in time, that you are so good, "…you could sell ice to Eskimo's".

Well, instead of "selling ice to Eskimo's", try a little tougher sell for your next phrase… "hockey in Pensacola."

That's right. Next time you have a big meeting you need to get jacked up about, look in the mirror and say, "… I am so good, I could sell hockey in Pensacola!". That is exactly what the Pensacola Ice Flyers' staff has to do every morning.

As one member of the fourperson front office team for the new Pensacola Ice Flyers, Aaron Epstein said, "I am convinced that either I am insane or incredibly lucky to be in on the ground floor of bringing professional hockey back to Pensacola.

"It is an incredible opportunity to take on the daunting task of bringing ice hockey back to the "Western Gate of the Sunshine State," said Epstein.

"This is the type of experience that us in sports management dream about. I am thankful for the opportunity because I have been given a second chance to pursue my career choice…. Something not everyone is afforded an opportunity to do. You see, I graduated and took the first job I could find with no thought as to where it might lead. It led me back home to be a desk jockey for a large Human Resources company. Not the ideal time or place for such an endeavor. But, fortunate - yes, I said fortunate - for me, I was laid off (another victim of the economy), and here I sit. I have no business card, office, or fancy sales pitch. All I have is a dream to bring another minor league team to the area and a deadline of July 15.

As daunting a task as bringing hockey back to Pensacola may sound (and trust me, in 104-degree heat, NO ONE is thinking about winter sports), it really makes sense. I love UWF and got my undergraduate degree from there, but save for basketball and baseball, there is no major collegiate spectator sport offered.

"Now, before all you soccer fans get up in arms, please realize I am a huge soccer fan. My brother is heading off to college next year to play, and I love the sport. But really, you are in the U.S. and in the South for that matter; facts are facts. But back to hockey, it really does make sense."

"We are a beach community with a southern flair, and sports are huge part of our lives. But in the winter, who fills the void left by the Pelicans?"

Sports, particularly minor league athletics, bring major league fun and entertainment at a very reasonable price. We bring in fans from other cities, and Tim Kerr along with the rest of the front office is wholeheartedly committed to giving back to the community as much as possible.

"I encourage everyone to join in the cause to bring hockey back to town. Not just because I need a job in the fall (though that is a cause in itself), but because it really does make sense. Let's bring back our team! And if I call you selling a sponsorship opportunity, take it easy on me, after all, I am selling hockey in Pensacola!"