Bill Meltzer: Meltzer's Musings: Competitive Balance; Phantoms Roster Updates

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Bill Meltzer: Meltzer's Musings: Competitive Balance; Phantoms Roster Updates
- bmeltzer

Bettman uses the competitive balance argument because the PR folks at Frank Luntz's place told him that a simple cash grab turned off fans. Like me.

There's no reason for the current work stoppage out side of a cash grab. That's why I'm far more apathetic than angry. I don't side with either the owners or players. Neither side is negotiating to get a good, fair, long term deal in place. They're battling to win the PR war.

There's no reason for the current work stoppage out side of a cash grab... Neither side is negotiating to get a good, fair, long term deal in place.
- Jsaquella

Of course both sides are out to get what's best for their side! This is true for most labor negotiations. What's different with this CBA is that most labor negotiations start months or years in advance of the expiry date of the existing agreement.

The NHLPA was still getting up and putting their pants on when they should have been at work already!

It's all a clusterpluck...

good read Bill...good points.

Are we sure when Bettman says "competitive balance" he isn't talking about a team's ability to consistently make money? I guess since I associate Bettman with smarmy businessman, that's how I took it when I read it. Maybe he's back on the parity argument though.

Bill Meltzer: Meltzer's Musings: Competitive Balance; Phantoms Roster Updates
- bmeltzer

Good read Bill... but watch Ek will come to the defense of poor little Gary. You may be banned.

And just to be clear - what you saying is Bettman is fabricating(read lying) about the real reason the owners want more of the revenue split than the last time around?

Bettman uses the competitive balance argument because the PR folks at Frank Luntz's place told him that a simple cash grab turned off fans. Like me.

There's no reason for the current work stoppage out side of a cash grab. That's why I'm far more apathetic than angry. I don't side with either the owners or players. Neither side is negotiating to get a good, fair, long term deal in place. They're battling to win the PR war.
- Jsaquella

This

This lockout has affected me to the point that I forgot ALL day yesterday to comeback and check the board! There was more than two pages oh yea and I had a dream last night Bryz got ran outta town with Reid after a 4-3 win over Boston. Not that it would ever happen

Giroux leaving Germany for additional testing. Cue the concussion talk.

Fist on a Meltzer blog!

Scratch one off the bucket list...
- Coburns_Nose

Bettman uses the competitive balance argument because the PR folks at Frank Luntz's place told him that a simple cash grab turned off fans. Like me.

There's no reason for the current work stoppage out side of a cash grab. That's why I'm far more apathetic than angry. I don't side with either the owners or players. Neither side is negotiating to get a good, fair, long term deal in place. They're battling to win the PR war.
- Jsaquella

Yeah I agree with you..... I saw someone post a photo of a NHL players new ride which was a Ferrari 599 ummmm yeah we are crying about money ( Dont know who the player was ) Sick of this crap and just want hockey

Bill Meltzer: Meltzer's Musings: Competitive Balance; Phantoms Roster Updates
- bmeltzer

"Baloney" I like this choice of words but Bill did you want to use something a little more strong??

(frank)ing great.....

Broad Street Hockey ‏@BroadStHockey
Claude Giroux is leaving Berlin and returning to North America for "precautionary tests" following his head/neck injury, reports

EDIT:Very Laught

Re: Lockout

Bill Meltzer for the mother franking win!!!

Well done, sir. Well done.

Bill, I want you to email this to Bettman and Fehr.....and no I'm not joking....

Thanks for everything and for keeping us relatively sane through the absurdity of this situation.

Bill, I want you to email this to Bettman and Fehr.....and no I'm not joking....

Thanks for everything and for keeping us relatively sane through the absurdity of this situation.
- Giroux_Is_God

He tweeted the link. RT that ish! (I did, but only have a dozen followers. )

There was STRONG correlation between spending and regular season finish prior to the lockout. The randomness of a long and brutal playoff scheme involving more than half the league masked this for those that want to focus on superficial stuff (surviving to the Cup finals is hard). The NHL was correct that they had a competitive problem before. (There's a reason both the Leafs and Flyers cratered following the institution of the salary cap--happily the Flyers were well positioned to recover quickly.)

The argument now is that the rules have enabled better competition, but those same rules are straining weaker markets (they ave to spend a set amount each season, after all). So, competition is not removed from the equation, but the direct problem has shifted.

Ths is not to say the NHL is in the right here. It's disturbing how readily they demand to renig on agreements they ave made. They would not accept the players asking for a 5% bump to contract value across the board.

Hi Bill,

Good read as always. Playing devil's advocate for a minute (cue the jokes on the fact that that statement makes Bettman the devil!!):

I didn't read the quote, but based on what is said here:

1. the lockout is not a money grab
2. the lockout is about restoring/maintaining competitive balance

Those two positions are actually independent of each other. Proving one to be false doesn't necessarily invalidate the entire argument. There is a term in Logic that actually applies to this, but I've long-since forgotten it. But it's entirely possible that Bettman firmly believes the second statement to be true regardless of whether he knows the first statement to be false.

In other words, neither the NHL or the PA is going to come out and say "hey...we're greedy...we just want to suck out every dollar we possibly can." But with the second statement he can easily be referring to the other parts of the NHL's proposal (contract limits, delays in reaching FA, etc) as necessary in order to maintain competitive balance.

Just saying...

Giroux leaving Germany for additional testing. Cue the concussion talk.
- PLindbergh31

Hit reset at the main menu go into game options scroll down to injuries set to low, should eliminate concussions.

Hi Bill,

Good read as always. Playing devil's advocate for a minute (cue the jokes on the fact that that statement makes Bettman the devil!!):

I didn't read the quote, but based on what is said here:

1. the lockout is not a money grab
2. the lockout is about restoring/maintaining competitive balance

Those two positions are actually independent of each other. Proving one to be false doesn't necessarily invalidate the entire argument. There is a term in Logic that actually applies to this, but I've long-since forgotten it. But it's entirely possible that Bettman firmly believes the second statement to be true regardless of whether he knows the first statement to be false.

In other words, neither the NHL or the PA is going to come out and say "hey...we're greedy...we just want to suck out every dollar we possibly can." But with the second statement he can easily be referring to the other parts of the NHL's proposal (contract limits, delays in reaching FA, etc) as necessary in order to maintain competitive balance.

Just saying...
- TheGreat28

Sorry but the sticking points have been all money related. Therefore yes a money grab.

Sorry but the sticking points have been all money related. Therefore yes a money grab.
- JoeRussomanno

I'm not saying it's not a money grab. I guess what I'm saying is that it can be a money grab and Bettman's statement that it's about maintaining competitive balance can still be true.

Here's an example. Press conference after a college football game with final score 85 -10. Reporter: Coach, why were you running up the score there? Coach: It's not about running up the score, it's about winning the game".

Now, he didn't say he wasn't trying to run up the score. What he said was that winning the game was the end result he was trying to achieve.

Obviously both sides are trying to get the best deal for their constituents, which means the most money. But I do think Bettman believes he is truly trying to save the game, which in his mind means helping teams maintain profitability and preventing large market teams from monopolizing the best talent.

Fist on a Meltzer blog!

Scratch one off the bucket list...
- Coburns_Nose

So the NHL is now asking for a written statement of all of the desires of the NHLPA for the next CBA. I'm really glad to hear that they came up with this novel concept... In NOVEMBER.


http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=409837

So the NHL is now asking for a written statement of all of the desires of the NHLPA for the next CBA. I'm really glad to hear that they came up with this novel concept... In NOVEMBER.


http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=409837
- funmaster18

We can expect an answer to their request in January. If a regular company conducted business they way these two sides are they wouldn't last long. It's a joke the way this has been handled from the start.