CALGARY -- A Calgary Flame stepping from the tunnel onto the Saddledome ice Saturday would have required scuba gear. The Scotiabank Saddledome has been hit hard by the floods that ravaged parts of Southern Alberta. The floodwaters reached the eighth row of seats in the lower bowl and submerged the Flames dressing room, team president Ken King said Saturday. "That means if you were a hockey player walking from the tunnel onto the ice, you would be underwater yourself," he said. "Its very difficult to describe millions of gallons of water, sitting in that building." A contract signed by former Flames captain Jim Peplinski was among some portable memorabilia saved. But everything else on the Saddledome event level -- the nerve centre for games and concerts -- was "a total loss," King told reporters at a McMahon Stadium news conference. The event level is the lowest floor in the building. The ice plant, ice resurfacing machines, kitchens and Saddledome staff uniforms are examples of what was under water Saturday. "Everything that happens on the event level is drowned. Everything," King stated. He stressed that the Saddledome was "real estate, a building" and the loss of life and homes Southern Albertans have suffered is more important. But the Saddledome has been a part of the lifeblood of the city since it was built in 1983 for the arrival of the NHLs Flames and the 1988 Winter Olympics. In addition to serving as the home arena of the Flames, Western Hockey Leagues Hitmen, and National Lacrosse Leagues Roughnecks, it is a concert venue as well as exhibition space for the Calgary Stampede, which opens July 5. City officials have not cancelled this years Stampede. "Thats a move-in thats nine days from now," King said. "That may seem ludicrously ambitious, but this is Calgary." King dispelled the rumour that the Jumbotron was on the arena floor when the Elbow River gushed into the building early Friday morning. He confirmed, however, the electronics that operate the massive scoreboard were under about four metres of water "and not salvageable." He couldnt begin to put a dollar figure on the loss. "We believe our insurance is full and intact and will cover us for this eventuality," King said. Next seasons WHL and NHL schedules have yet to be released, but the WHL season starts the third week of September and the NHLs the first week of October. "Were going to be ready for the opening of the season," King vowed. "Thats our goal and our objective. "If something between us and that that were unaware of . . . and appreciate we dont know whats under there at this point. The quicker we can get in there and start pumping water, the quicker were going to be able to answer that question with certainty." But the floodwaters must recede before the restoration of the Saddledome can begin. "We have equipment, the biggest water pumps in North America on standby for us and many of them," King said. "We have people on standby to go to work, but they can only go to work and the equipment can only be put in place once we see the river subside and obviously the flood damage subside from our building." The Flames vice-president of building operations said the water line was starting to drop in the arena, but urged people to stay clear of the Saddledome because it was not safe there. "Theres a lot of heavy equipment moving around," Libby Raines said. Once the water is out, the Saddledome will be inspected, she added. "Well get our consultants in and make sure we get a thorough look at the building," she explained. "At this point, were fairly confident that we should be structurally intact, but, again, well have that all looked at." NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and CFL commissioner Mark Cohon have called to offer assistance, King said. The Flames also own the CFLs Calgary Stampeders and some hockey staff will work out of offices at McMahon Stadium starting Monday. Authentic Air Max 97 Sale . After Gasquet beat fifth-seeded Ivan Dodig of Croatia 7-5, 6-3, Tsonga followed up with a 6-7 (3), 6-2, 6-2 win against sixth-seeded Edouard Roger-Vasselin in an all-French match. Wholesale Air Max 97 Outlet . Woodson said during a radio interview Thursday that the Knicks Carmelo Anthony doesnt get the same calls as other superstars. http://www.airmax97discount.com/ .5 million, one-year contract on Friday. Hawkins, who turns 41 in December, will compete with Rex Brothers for the closers role at spring training. Clearance Air Max 97 Online . Terms of the deal were not immediately available. The 26-year-old finished last season with Clevelands Triple-A affiliate in Columbus after signing with the Indians in August. Discount Air Max 97 Shoes . The All-Pro lineman got the leg bent under him while trying to make a tackle during the first half of a 22-20 overtime loss at Miami on Thursday night. The medical staff initially thought hed torn the ligament, and the test a day later in Cincinnati confirmed it. Former Sussex seamer Lewis Hatchett is forging a new career as a motivational speaker, inspiring others with the remarkable story of how he overcame a disability to become a professional cricketer.Hatchett was born with Poland Syndrome, a rare condition which appears in only one in 100,000 births and which affects one side of the body in different ways. In Hatchetts case he is missing his right pectoral muscle and the two ribs that would have been behind it, which means his chest is visibly sunken on that part of his body, leaving complications that he has to deal with on a day-to-day basis.His right shoulder muscles overcompensated for the missing pectoral, causing these muscles to be over-used and they become fatigued quickly, resulting in aches, burning sensations and headaches daily along with his right chest offering little protection to his right lung.Although he was advised as a youngster not to play contact sports, Hatchetts determination helped him to overcome his condition. He spent six years as a professional with Sussex, taking 102 wickets in 53 first-team matches in all competitions, and batting in a bullet-proof vest.He was advised to retire at the end of last season because of a lower-back complaint.Hatchett is still adjusting to life outside the Sussex dressing room but he has kept busy by helping his brother Bradley in a business networking business, works as a personal trainer - a course he took with the help of PCA funding while he was playing - and has also begun a career as a motivational speaker.The more I have spoken about my condition and my path into the game, the more I have realised how rare this story is, Hatchett said. Its not just relevant to people with disabilities. A lot of the people who have heard me speak dont have a disability, but tell me that, having heard my story, they realise that they dont have a reason to complain about things that they think are wrong in their own lives.I believe that there aree so many messages in my story that are transferable to all aspects of life and I am really enjoying telling it.dddddddddddd Each time I speak I get better and the feedback is brilliant.Hatchett was not always so comfortable in discussing his condition and for a long time he hid it so that it could not be used as an excuse to not select him.I protected it because I didnt want to give anyone the chance to use it against me, to not pick me or to drop me. I could accept not being selected for my cricket, but not my body, that wasnt an option in my eyes, he said.I worked incredibly hard to make myself the fittest player in the team so no one could use my body against me. I know I did everything possible to play professional cricket and probably went further than I ever should have.My family never made it a big deal. I have a younger brother who is fully able-bodied. We competed against each for years and I didnt see myself as any different for him.I wasnt put in cotton wool. I wasnt protected from anything. As a youngster I knew I wasnt the best player around, but I knew I could work harder than everyone else I came up against and Id give myself a chance, which is what I did.Hatchetts condition meant that he had to work hard to develop his leading right arm for bowling and catching. The vulnerability of his right chest meant that, if struck, the consequences could have been fatal and so he had a specially-designed vest made out of Kevlar to protect the right side of his chest while batting.The chest guard was something I had built in my second year of being a pro because I realised that chest guards that you get off the shelf werent going to cut the mustard with bowlers bowling up to 90mph, Hatchett said. The Kevlar chest guard is literally bulletproof, so when I was batting I could say to bowlers, Im bulletproof! ' ' '