Bill Meltzer: Meltzer's Musings: CBA Works and Shoots; Friday Fix

Bill Meltzer: Meltzer's Musings: CBA Works and Shoots; Friday Fix
- bmeltzer

Both sides are just so unlikable at this point...they're making it easier to accept a canceled season...although I do expect a resolution and season starting in January, much like the 1994 lockout

It's disgusting....disgraceful....embarrassing....atrocious.....

It's an all around trainwreck. A travesty.

The tweet I read- I'm too lazy to find it to copy/paste it- that went something like this:

From deep inside the PA, a player claimed "We were ready to play. We wanted to play. But Don told us he could get us a better deal if we stand tight".

HOLY CRAP that made me lose my poop. I know it takes 2 to tango. It's a fact. As much as we all hate Bettman, one thing is certain.

He certainly isn't the scummiest scum of all the scum in this negotiation

I have 2 Christmas wishes. I wish to see my friends and family, and I wish to see hockey.

In baseball, batting .500 is superhuman....

I watched all of the posturing on TSN last night. I thought there was something shady in Fehr's manner. I also thought the look on the players' faces standing behind Fehr was totally inconsistent with the message.

I thought Bettman, and, especially, Daly were genuinely angry.

I did not think there was a simple financial model that would allow the make whole to work for this season. Going 10 years and amortizing the $300m over that period is not something that many businesses would be happy about. I think the moderate owners took a big risk and this break down has only hardened the position of the ownership hawks.

Can we kick Gary and Don out again please?

Bill, thank you for the clear explanation of the insane nonsense. What a train wreck.

why can't ek write like this??? everything's rainbows and unicorns with him. congrats on the wrestling analogies.

Jim Ross should have been in the house,

"Business is picking up King"

I don't think the WWE could create a soap opera of this magnitude

Just cancel it already, the whole thing is too draining

This quote form a player from another buzz blog sums it up best

From deep inside players side: "We were ready to play again. But Don came in and told us we could get more and to hold out"

a joke

Can we kick Gary and Don out again please?
- BulliesPhan87

I agree with this. It sounded like so much progress was made the other day when neither of them were there. Then they step back in, and it seems the negotiations took a major blow.

And I just can't stand Fehr. He's so cocky and condescending every time he's on camera. I thought Bettmn was bad... but Fehr really takes the cake as head weasel..

All that was missing from the charade was veteran wrestling broadcast Jim Ross shouting, "Why that's.... that's Gary Bettman's theme music! What the hell is going on?! He's not supposed to be here tonight!"
- bmeltzer

Oh Bill... this whole CBA mess has me a bit depressed and it's way too early for me to have to get up and come to work... but this made me laugh so hard... thanks for making my day!

Fehr doesn't care about the NHL or hockey. This is just a well paid gig to stroke his massive ego.

If the NHLPA doesn't come back and fix the mess they have created quickly the season is over. If that happens then the gloves will come off from the NHL. If they lose this season they will make sure it was worth their while. Watch for things like the end of guaranteed contracts and other very painful 'asks' to enter into the picture.

Good job Fehr. And the players blindly following him....a pack of lemmings are about to be led over the cliff.

And all the chirping that Crysby did for his owner, oh a fresh voice, he's the best owner and all that, and then he's left hanging is head, again, behind his leader.
This thing has felt it had no shot from the day he was hired because Fehr's reputation is more important to Fehr than any deal they can construct.

Also why they will never vote on anything.

Fehr doesn't care about the NHL or hockey. This is just a well paid gig to stroke his massive ego.

If the NHLPA doesn't come back and fix the mess they have created quickly the season is over. If that happens then the gloves will come off from the NHL. If they lose this season they will make sure it was worth their while. Watch for things like the end of guaranteed contracts and other very painful 'asks' to enter into the picture.

Good job Fehr. And the players blindly following him....a pack of lemmings are about to be led over the cliff.
- maaddmike

The NFL has it right, and they are enjoying a 10 year CBA. And probably thankful Mr Ego didn't screw them up.

Again, if its in every players best interest, why not a vote? Because its not in every players best interest, only one guy's best interest

Great write up Bill...
Sadly it's all ego's at this point.

Have a good Friday everyone!!!

It's disgusting....disgraceful....embarrassing....atrocious.....

It's an all around trainwreck. A travesty.

The tweet I read- I'm too lazy to find it to copy/paste it- that went something like this:

From deep inside the PA, a player claimed "We were ready to play. We wanted to play. But Don told us he could get us a better deal if we stand tight".

HOLY CRAP that made me lose my poop. I know it takes 2 to tango. It's a fact. As much as we all hate Bettman, one thing is certain.

He certainly isn't the scummiest scum of all the scum in this negotiation

I have 2 Christmas wishes. I wish to see my friends and family, and I wish to see hockey.

In baseball, batting .500 is superhuman....
- Giroux_Is_God

That player quote should be framed after the season is canceled, as it says it all, from the day they hired him, and this is December, not August, which makes it all the more nauseating.

I watched all of the posturing on TSN last night. I thought there was something shady in Fehr's manner. I also thought the look on the players' faces standing behind Fehr was totally inconsistent with the message.

I thought Bettman, and, especially, Daly were genuinely angry.

I did not think there was a simple financial model that would allow the make whole to work for this season. Going 10 years and amortizing the $300m over that period is not something that many businesses would be happy about. I think the moderate owners took a big risk and this break down has only hardened the position of the ownership hawks.
- spatso

I was pro-NHLPA before the lockout reached the stupid stage(say November 10th) and I see absolutely zero reason not to accept the offer as it was tabled yesterday afternoon.

Fehr's press conference was little more than a calculated PR move, but at the same time, if the sides were as close as what he said, there's really no reason the lockout should be ongoing.

Listening to replays of the press conferences I heard Bettman say that after the increased make whole offer the players moved their next important point to pensions. I definitely disagree with this. Pensions are an outdated notion. The players aren't a union of steel workers in the 1940s. Pensions should go the way of the dodo.

Bill Meltzer: Meltzer's Musings: CBA Works and Shoots; Friday Fix
- bmeltzer

Great write-up, Bill. You highlighted where both sides are still contributing to the problems/

Bad Luck Brian ‏@itsBLB Wins season tickets. NHL.

I was pro-NHLPA before the lockout reached the stupid stage(say November 10th) and I see absolutely zero reason not to accept the offer as it was tabled yesterday afternoon.

Fehr's press conference was little more than a calculated PR move, but at the same time, if the sides were as close as what he said, there's really no reason the lockout should be ongoing.
- Jsaquella

Agreed. Can the Players circumvent Fehr and vote on the proposal anyway?

yesterday pushed me to purchasing the Outdoor Classic tickets this year in Hershey. I am officially the biggest AHL fan this side of the Mississippi now

Agreed. Can the Players circumvent Fehr and vote on the proposal anyway?
- FlyersFirst

The hidden voice in this whole process are the player agents. A few of the big ones represent $milllions and $millions of talent that are not being paid. Watch for a high profile agent to speak up in the next day or so to suggest a pathway to resolution.

I was pro-NHLPA before the lockout reached the stupid stage(say November 10th) and I see absolutely zero reason not to accept the offer as it was tabled yesterday afternoon.

Fehr's press conference was little more than a calculated PR move, but at the same time, if the sides were as close as what he said, there's really no reason the lockout should be ongoing.
- Jsaquella

Accept the NHL's offer or the PA's rebuttal?

I am very curious as to our owners feelings in this whole mess, seems some of the owners are now speaking up. Where's Ed?

I am very curious as to our owners feelings in this whole mess, seems some of the owners are now speaking up. Where's Ed?
- jtb3rd

They aren't allowed to talk about negotiations unless possibly given the ok by Bettman. That may be how some of the guys in the player-owner negotiations have made a couple statements.