NHL and NHLPA both Suck -- but especially Goodenow

I have cut and pasted this from my Panthers mailing list (www.panthershockey.net/pml.html) and then edited it slightly. Rather than write a fancy new post, this sums a lot of it up. A lot of people who caused this suck, but as in any situation, some suck more than others. So to Bob Goodenow I say you suck the most. Yeah, Gary Bettman's to blame, but Bob, you sold out your followers and didn't accomplish anything by doing it. You, sir, are a disgrace.


First, on 2/16/05 19:52, Cheryl [EDITED] wrote:

> I can only speak for myself, but unlike you and Erin, this news doesn't make
> me happy at all.
I want to be clear: I am happy this charade of misery is over. I am not happy there is no hockey, but a 28 game season followed by 16 teams in a playoff (over 50% of teams!) with almost as many games is the season would have been an embarrassment. Better not to have it.

> I miss hockey. I want it back, and yes, I admit I was foolish enough to
> hope that the last minute back and forth might bring about some good news.
Even I had some hope. False hope it was, but like all of us my hope was trampled on by the feet of uncaring buttmunches.

> I understand you and Erin are sick of all the back and forth as am I, but
> canceling the season doesn't exactly make me want to party.
What an excellent idea. Maybe we should through a "Screw the NHL Party" -- anyone up for one? :D

> Sorry.
Don't be sorry. We don't have to agree :)



Then, on 2/16/05 21:12, Tom [EDITED] wrote:

>> Lastly, I want to know why you guys are SO DAMNED QUIET?
> Maybe this is something that the NHL should be worried about. Even if
> a deal can be struck for next season, fan support will be lackluster at
> best.
Yes, we all saw what happened to baseball and that was popular. The only potential saving grace for the NHL is the possibility the NBA is going to have a labour dispute next season. That will draw some fans. Ultimately, though, many teams will take years to recover. Some teams will not recover at all. You will see franchises fold or move within one year after play resumes.

The deal that was proposed, and then withdrawn, was NOT a good one for the league. I am quite honestly, shocked the players didn't take it. They're nuts. They are NEVER going to get a deal that good. The owners have all the cards. The deal they accept will be FAR WORSE -- if anyone thinks I'm wrong, I will bet you a week's pay (mine, not an NHLers).

There are very few jobs you can make ONE MILLION dollars per year (or much, much more). I would bet the collective salaries of all our list members are less than 2 or 3 players added together.

We WILL see replacement players on the ice if there's no settlement before next season starts. It's going to happen. Once it does, it's very likely many regular NHL players will cross that picket line. I believe you will see upwards of 70% of NHL players sign under the new pay system that the NHL will impose.

There will be legal battles -- big, expensive ones. However due to the multi-jurisdictional issues, it will be very difficult for the NHLPA to win. In fact, they probably will be bankrupt before winning. The US NLRB will probably not get seriously involved. The Canadian LRB might but their whole system is structured differently and neither the US nor Canada can enforce their rulings on a foreign government -- and they really can't force the NHL to comply with two differing sets of laws.

Further, every player is drawing US$5,000 or US$10,000 per month. Many of these players have multi-million dollar homes, expensive cars, families to support, bills to pay (like all of us). However their living expenses are SUBSTANTIALLY higher and this small stipend WILL NOT COVER their day to day living expenses. When they see their quality of life altered, the proverbial shit is going to hit the proverbial fan and make a not-very-proverbial mess. More importantly with all most no income the NHLPA will go bankrupt. That's going to decide the issue quickly.



Lastly, on 2/16/05 20:13, Judd [EDITED] wrote:

> I'm disgusted and a little disappointed with the result. Disgusted mainly
> because of the infantile actions of the last few days. Both of the two
> head honchos should be fired and though we throw that around loosely in
> sports, this is dead serious. The whole idea that it took this deadline
Yes, they SHOULD be fired. I totally agree. However, the owners have no incentive to fire Mr. Bettman. For them he did an excellent job. If I owned a team and Mr. Bettman was working for me, I'd extend his contract. The players, however, have a very serious gripe with Mr. Goodenow. He dragged it for months and then caved on the one demand he said from the start was a deal killer. He knew the players were desperate and he sold them out. And I think many of them KNOW it. If I were a union man, I'd be furious.

> way to salvage part of a season is totally disgusting. Perhaps it is
> because I know people who work for the Wild as well as camera operators
> who are hurting badly for work.
Remember: the rich owners and the rich players no longer give a crap about the people they hurt. You, your friends, me, fans, and everyone on this list are nothing more than a pimple on their collective asses. Don't ever forget that. Them's the facts.

> disappointed because I was looking forward to Keenan being back with the
Maybe you can see Iron Mike next season running the Replacement Road Show.

> team and seeing what Jacques Martin could do with an exciting young team.
Mr. Martin has enormous potential. Whether he can do it with an altered talent pool is open for discussion.

> And, lastly, I am disappointed because I think a shortened season might
> have made things exciting for the Panthers and the Wild -- one of which I
> was certain would get off to a good start and make the playoffs.
Yeah. Considering 16 teams were going to make the Fantasy Playoff Scheme, it was almost a given.

> Minnesota State High School Hockey Tournament. Very simply, and like
> everyone else, we've found other things. I don't even like using that
I'd like to see some of those HS & College games. And yes, you make a fantastic point. We've *ALL* found other things.

> season ticket holders who share the views of Eric) But I don't have much
> doubt that anyone who is subscribed to this list will miss elite-level
> hockey this year.
We'll all miss the sport. You are correct. I think everyone on this list is a HOCKEY fan. The question is will we miss the NHL? Like a spurned lover, we're very unhappy right now. We've all woken up and found our spouse has run off with nary a note.

> So, to sum up, this is a disgusting conclusion. It is a disappointing one
> in many ways as well. Was it a surprise? No. Will this hurt the NHL?
> I'm quite certain. Do I think this is a better alternative than a hastily
> put together solution at the last minute? It is most definitely.
Amen which is the ultimate point. Forget everything until this paragraph. In this we are totally united.

-- Rev. Eric

NHL and NHLPA both Suck

From the newswire "The NHL offered on Wednesday to go with the players' association proposal from Dec. 9 that featured a luxury-tax system and an immediate 24 percent rollback on all existing contracts. If it was determined after an unspecified period of time that the deal wasn't working, the agreement would be converted to the league's Feb. 2 proposal ."

So, as a hockey fan I must utter comments. First, insert your choice of vulgar invectives directed at Mr. Goodenow of the NHLPA and Mr. Bettman of the NHL. They're so low, I wouldn't shit on them.

Now, the quote above interests me. The NHL said without fail the NHLPA plan wouldn't work two months ago. So now they're saying they'll try it? Nope. It's some bad faith bargaining if you look at the qualifier. What they say is: We will try it. If we don't like it, we can impose our original proposal you didn't like.

Ask yourself: is the NHL really going to accept it, or just use it for a few months and then arbitrarily inflict their 2-2 proposal. I am really torqued off at the league. Mind you, I'm actually on their side and not the players but this one is just such a piss-poor plan I don't know what to say.

Fie on the lot, I say! FIE!

-- E

Scum Sucking Bastards (NHL Lockout)

Here's a subject near and dear to my heart. This is an OPINION piece dammit.

The NHL Lockout. First, let's start with the fact that the owners are low-life scum, the players' union is low-life scum. The commissioner is scum and the NHLPA boss is scum. So what we have is a pond (frozen) full of scum. Second, we have the fact the one side is SLIGHTLY less scummier than the other. Sadly, it's the owners. I hate to side with them because I have a natural distaste for owners of sports teams in all leagues (Huizenga, Waronker, Davis, Cohen, etc).

We are experiencing CLASH OF THE EGOS here. Bettman v Goodenow. It's a simple thing to solve. Lock 'em in a room with any fan from any city -- no food, water, restroom. Some common sense from the fans, and a few kicks to their collective testicles and it'll all be over.

A soft-cap PLUS a luxury tax PLUS a "Larry Bird" rule all tied to gate receipts adjusted by inflation index. All figured to be computed in one currency US$ or C$ is irrelevant based on the Int'l Bank exchange rate average over the 90 days prior to the start of the season. To compensate the players move UFA back from 31 to 27. Hard Rookie cap removing signing bonuses (but allow performance bonuses).

-- E