1488
- MnGump

1488 pieces of flair

This won't be the last time you will see this I think, but Fehr will be the reason this lockout takes out the entire season. I have to agree with the Owners on this. The last CBA made the players filthy, stinking rich. With Fehr at the helm, beating a dead horse, he is making a mockery of the sport we all love so dearly. I really hope when this is all said and done the players start looking for a new Rep and Fehr gets what's coming to him. The big Axe.
- hefnerta

Takes two people to tango! Bettman easy to blame for those teams not profiting.

I knew Starbucks is a bunch is Neo Nazis

Takes two people to tango! Bettman easy to blame for those teams not profiting.
- roenick

I'm talking about the past two weeks of the "tango" we have seen with Fehr and the owners. He is clearly in this thing to just get another notch on his belt. His interests aren't in the best for the players or the sport. I feel like from this point on, it's "Fehr's Game" or there is no game.

The reason the NHL is so hard-ass on these issues right now is because they already know Fehr's gonna wait until the absolute last minute to make a deal, if he even makes one. If the owners, today, go "well alright. to get a deal done, we'll go to 6 years max contract, 8 years CBA, and buy outs, but they count against the cap" Fehr would just reply "That's great, but we're looking for 8 year max contracts, 5 year cap, blah blah blah." If a deal gets done (I personally don't see it happening) it will be on the absolute last day when "all the cards on the table" so to speak.

The reason the NHL is so hard-ass on these issues right now is because they already know Fehr's gonna wait until the absolute last minute to make a deal, if he even makes one. If the owners, today, go "well alright. to get a deal done, we'll go to 6 years max contract, 8 years CBA, and buy outs, but they count against the cap" Fehr would just reply "That's great, but we're looking for 8 year max contracts, 5 year cap, blah blah blah." If a deal gets done (I personally don't see it happening) it will be on the absolute last day when "all the cards on the table" so to speak.
- Saundies

I think we'll see hockey Mid-January, but you're right. Fehr will drag this dog and pony show out as long as he can. Somebody is getting fired after this all this is said and done. I really hope it's Fehr's ass on the chopping block.

I think we'll see hockey Mid-January, but you're right. Fehr will drag this dog and pony show out as long as he can. Somebody is getting fired after this all this is said and done. I really hope it's Fehr's ass on the chopping block.
- hefnerta

The sad part about this whole thing is that if a deal does end up getting made here, I don't see anyone losing their jobs. Bettman would have "done the best he could" against Fehr, and Fehr would have "negotiated the best deal" for the players against the apparent "slave master" owners. It's already been said a thousand times but the biggest losers are us. I'd love to say I won't be watching another game but I love hockey and the Habs too much to just let it go. If the season gets cancelled though...could be a whole different story.

I think we'll see hockey Mid-January, but you're right. Fehr will drag this dog and pony show out as long as he can. Somebody is getting fired after this all this is said and done. I really hope it's Fehr's ass on the chopping block.
- hefnerta

Players really need to ask themselves; is holding out for an extra dollar in mid-January really better than signing a deal now, and getting a couple more pay cheques?

Because the answer is no.

i plan on seeing this kid in an islanders uniform in 3 years...once hockey starts up again:

http://sports.yahoo.com/b...ndorsement-195109711.html
- LetsGoIsles

In 3 years they will be called the Brooklyn Bombers

Players really need to ask themselves; is holding out for an extra dollar in mid-January really better than signing a deal now, and getting a couple more pay cheques?

Because the answer is no.
- Atomic Wedgie

You're one-hundred percent right, but this is what happens when pride gets in the way of logic. Right now it seems like the players are hellbent enough on "beating the owners" and "standing their ground" that, for some reason, a couple of pay-cheques might be worth holding out.

Maybe not all of them, but to speak out against it is blasphemy (see Hamrlik, Roman... a 20 year VET)

I think we'll see hockey Mid-January, but you're right. Fehr will drag this dog and pony show out as long as he can. Somebody is getting fired after this all this is said and done. I really hope it's Fehr's ass on the chopping block.
- hefnerta

Which just makes me all the angrier with the players--they hired the guy. They're the ones responsible for this. Though I have no illusions about the owners' self-interest, it is their capital on the line--it's their business--and they aren't treating the players unjustly. Please.

In the short-term, I love NHL hockey and miss the games, and so I suppose I would like to see a deal made. But, for the long-term health of the league and game, I hope the NHL holds the line and crushes the union--so that means no season and an eventual deal on the league's terms.

Players really need to ask themselves; is holding out for an extra dollar in mid-January really better than signing a deal now, and getting a couple more pay cheques?

Because the answer is no.
- Atomic Wedgie

Agreed, but I think with the cancellations until the 30th means that the December paycheck is already gone. Like everybody has been saying, the deal should have been made yesterday.

Which just makes me all the angrier with the players--they hired the guy. They're the ones responsible for this. Though I have no illusions about the owners' self-interest, it is their capital on the line--it's their business--and they aren't treating the players unjustly. Please.

In the short-term, I love NHL hockey and miss the games, and so I suppose I would like to see a deal made. But, for the long-term health of the league and game, I hope the NHL holds the line and crushes the union--so that means no season and an eventual deal on the league's terms.
- AL SEC0RD

What's the constant from the last three stoppages? Bettman. The players have had 3 diff execs. We will be locked out every time the CBA expires because the owners always want more. The players were content on playing with the old CBA's in 04-05 and this year. Owners will never be satisified.

I knew Starbucks is a bunch is Neo Nazis


- glove_was_stuck

What's the constant from the last three stoppages? Bettman. The players have had 3 diff execs. We will be locked out every time the CBA expires because the owners always want more. The players were content on playing with the old CBA's in 04-05 and this year. Owners will never be satisified.
- trolleytracks

And the owners shouldn't be satisfied. They just need to look at their peers to know that their current CBA could and should be improved upon.

You're one-hundred percent right, but this is what happens when pride gets in the way of logic. Right now it seems like the players are hellbent enough on "beating the owners" and "standing their ground" that, for some reason, a couple of pay-cheques might be worth holding out.

Maybe not all of them, but to speak out against it is blasphemy (see Hamrlik, Roman... a 20 year VET)
- Saundies

I'm glad Hammer said what he did. I think that's the most truth we've seen to date. Being a 20 year vet, he has suffered through all the work stoppages and just wants to get back on the ice because he knows his "time is coming". He's most likely saying what mos Vets are thinking. "Let us play and bow gracefully, not just hang the skates and sit it out.

Agreed, but I think with the cancellations until the 30th means that the December paycheck is already gone. Like everybody has been saying, the deal should have been made yesterday.
- hefnerta

of course the December paycheck is gone, why wouldnt it be?

I'm glad Hammer said what he did. I think that's the most truth we've seen to date. Being a 20 year vet, he has suffered through all the work stoppages and just wants to get back on the ice because he knows his "time is coming". He's most likely saying what mos Vets are thinking. "Let us play and bow gracefully, not just hang the skates and sit it out.
- hefnerta

I'm glad he said what he did too. I was really pissed off over all the disrespect he got for it. Back in the day, you respected the vets no matter what. So his opinion doesn't match yours, the guys been around much longer than you have and he's seen his fair share of work stoppages. What right do you have to shout him down like that? The guy's a former 1st overall pick FFS. I understand you want to appear united and all but that, to me, was really uncalled for.

Players really need to ask themselves; is holding out for an extra dollar in mid-January really better than signing a deal now, and getting a couple more pay cheques?

Because the answer is no.
- Atomic Wedgie

pay cheques vs. paychecks...not only can we not agree on how to spell it we cant even agree if it should be one or two words

Which just makes me all the angrier with the players--they hired the guy. They're the ones responsible for this. Though I have no illusions about the owners' self-interest, it is their capital on the line--it's their business--and they aren't treating the players unjustly. Please.

In the short-term, I love NHL hockey and miss the games, and so I suppose I would like to see a deal made. But, for the long-term health of the league and game, I hope the NHL holds the line and crushes the union--so that means no season and an eventual deal on the league's terms.
- AL SEC0RD

what he said

What's the constant from the last three stoppages? Bettman. The players have had 3 diff execs. We will be locked out every time the CBA expires because the owners always want more. The players were content on playing with the old CBA's in 04-05 and this year. Owners will never be satisified.
- trolleytracks

Like I said in a previous post, this last CBA made the players stupid rich. REALLY stupid rich. Of course they would want to play under those pretenses. The front loaded deals and massive "superstar" contracts are not what the NHL need to succeed.

How about we change course. I think by this time, everyone has pretty much stated who they blame, which side they support, etc. Nobody is going to change their minds.
So a different subject. Besides what the NHL wants in the CBA negotiations to help the League financially. Totally separate from the CBA issues. How does the League, or the team itself. Improve so that each franchise is viable, and increased revenue. What does a team like Columbus have to do to build it's fan base, to increase sponsor interest, and help increase revenue?

Bingo. The bottom line is this. The NHL players want, and think they deserve, a bigger piece of a smaller pie compared to their peers in the other major sports. That's called delusion.
- buffalofan19

Is this true? How would you even figure this out? According to statisticbrain.com the NHL had a yearly revenue of $2.9 billion and the average player salary was $1.3 million vs. the NBA's $3.8 billion in revenue and $5.2 million average salary. I think both leagues have 30 teams; 15/team in the NBA and 23/team in the NHL. So that's 450 for the NBA and 690 for the NHL. So whats that come to? Something like... NBA players get $2.4 bil of the $3.8 bil yearly revenue and the NHL players get $897 mil of the $2.9 bil. I can't even balance my checkbook so I probably screwed something up here, but it seems like the NBA players are getting a much bigger piece of the pie. Whatever it is players and owners are making an obscene amount of money and should stop being so petty and greedy.

What's the constant from the last three stoppages? Bettman. The players have had 3 diff execs. We will be locked out every time the CBA expires because the owners always want more. The players were content on playing with the old CBA's in 04-05 and this year. Owners will never be satisified.
- trolleytracks

How about we change course. I think by this time, everyone has pretty much stated who they blame, which side they support, etc. Nobody is going to change their minds.
So a different subject. Besides what the NHL wants in the CBA negotiations to help the League financially. Totally separate from the CBA issues. How does the League, or the team itself. Improve so that each franchise is viable, and increased revenue. What does a team like Columbus have to do to build it's fan base, to increase sponsor interest, and help increase revenue?
- MJL

Columbus can do nothing....either youre a hockey town or you're not...so my answer to that is relocate.