Bill Meltzer: Meltzer's Musings: Saturday Games, Flyers Farm and Euro Roundup

Hi Bill.

Would just like to say thanks for the work you do, especially when there isnt as much to talk about.

A quick question, if you have the time. I have a feeling I know the answer, but just curious.

When the NHL starts up again. Will you come back with the same enthusiam?

This is very disheartening

When the NHL starts up again. Will you come back with the same enthusiam?
- flyer_nutter

For a while, it's going to be tough.

However, I remember the shortened 1994-95 season fondly nowadays. It's not for the half-season lost (of course) but for the Flyers' making it within two wins of the Cup Finals after missing the playoffs the five previous seasons; for the birth of the Legion of Doom line; Lindros winning the Hart Trophy; the reacquisition of Ron Hextall; and for the feeling afterwards that the Flyers were going to be contenders for years to come. It ended up being a good season.

The 2004-05 lost season was a big disappointment, and still is. The current lockout is the most senseless of them all, and I'm not inclined right now to forgive the leadership on either side.

But if I'm really honest with myself, apart from hockey writing being my profession, it's also a labor of love. So eventually the equilibrium will return where the NHL is concerned. Each time we go through one of these, however, the wounds take longer to heal.

This is very disheartening
- watsonnostaw

Yes, that it is for sure. I'm still not sure how we've gotten to this place of two months being flushed down the toilet and the Winter Classic supposedly on the brink of being canceled within a week.

Once the Winter Classic is canceled, I think this thing goes into 2013 and right to the brink of another full season being lost. Whether the whole season goes off the cliff or not, we'll see.

Yes, that it is for sure. I'm still not sure how we've gotten to this place of two months being flushed down the toilet and the Winter Classic supposedly on the brink of being canceled within a week.

Once the Winter Classic is canceled, I think this thing goes into 2013 and right to the brink of another full season being lost. Whether the whole season goes off the cliff or not, we'll see.
- bmeltzer

Couldn't they always cancel the Allstar game since the season is shortened and have the winter classic around that time?

Yes, that it is for sure. I'm still not sure how we've gotten to this place of two months being flushed down the toilet and the Winter Classic supposedly on the brink of being canceled within a week.

Once the Winter Classic is canceled, I think this thing goes into 2013 and right to the brink of another full season being lost. Whether the whole season goes off the cliff or not, we'll see.
- bmeltzer

I'm not sure I believe they need to cancel the WC this week. It's a $250,000 payment. The bigger payment is 12/7. If they can't deal with 250k, why are they flushing millions away. If they cancel the Winter Classic they are saying they are canceling December's games.

I'm not sure I believe they need to cancel the WC this week. It's a $250,000 payment. The bigger payment is 12/7. If they can't deal with 250k, why are they flushing millions away. If they cancel the Winter Classic they are saying they are canceling December's games.
- bodiva88

Exactly. Once they cancel the Winter Classic, forget about any hockey in 2012. Expect to go right to brink of a deadline to cancel the whole season.

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hope everyone in the Philly area is prepared for Sandy. Get plenty of water, beer, and batteries.

Exactly. Once they cancel the Winter Classic, forget about any hockey in 2012. Expect to go right to brink of a deadline to cancel the whole season.


- bmeltzer[/img]

I've sort of been of the belief we wouldn't see hockey when the league again went to a lockout & an unwillingness to actually negotiate a CBA.

hope everyone in the Philly area is prepared for Sandy. Get plenty of water, beer, and batteries.
- KGBflyers10

I'm betting it won't be nearly how bad they are calling for in any forecast

November 2nd on the NHL Network will have Oshawa vs Guelph

ashame Laughton is suspended

I asked one “insider” today whether there was any hope for a season still. The response: “Zero hope…season is done.”

Gary Bettman deserves ALL the blame for the league’s stupid, ridiculous, foolish, embarrassing, dumb, idiotic, brainless, irrational, inane, half-witted, absurd, preposterous, insane and mad initial offer to the players – the 43-percent, no arbitration, you-have-to-an-old-man-to-be-a-free-agent offer that also demanded one billion dollars in unmarked bills and a plane to Mexico.

http://blogs.denverpost.c...g-fights-nhl-pouts/11810/

I'm betting it won't be nearly how bad they are calling for in any forecast
- ob18

If the great lakes are getting tropical storm strength winds, I'm thinking it's not going to be a picnic here. But I'm way above flood plain and I always have the full disaster stuff on hand., All kinds of batteries and such. Just getting the water socked away and doing laundry. Charging up the Nook.

If the great lakes are getting tropical storm strength winds, I'm thinking it's not going to be a picnic here. But I'm way above flood plain and I always have the full disaster stuff on hand., All kinds of batteries and such. Just getting the water socked away and doing laundry. Charging up the Nook.
- bodiva88

It could be but I'm not going to get in a panic, nothing I can do to stop it so I'll just deal with it.

I'm betting it won't be nearly how bad they are calling for in any forecast
- ob18

we are still getting very heavy winds in miami, this storm is wicked

The drive to the shore on Friday is going to be the longest experience of my life. Have to see if it's still freaking there

What is it? 8" of rain here in the city? Woodland Ave is going to be a river.... 90+ mph winds? Good god.

As someone said- there's nothing you can do to stop it. The only thing to do is prepare.

We don't take these precautions up here. It's not Florida. We never get hit head on by full blown hurricanes....we're incredibly vulnerable and one is right on our doorstep. It's scary.

The drive to the shore on Friday is going to be the longest experience of my life. Have to see if it's still freaking there

What is it? 8" of rain here in the city? Woodland Ave is going to be a river.... 90+ mph winds? Good god.

As someone said- there's nothing you can do to stop it. The only thing to do is prepare.

We don't take these precautions up here. It's not Florida. We never get hit head on by full blown hurricanes....we're incredibly vulnerable and one is right on our doorstep. It's scary.
- Giroux_Is_God

Well, we do. And ones more powerful than this one. But this is likely to be sustained much longer than the typical Nor'easter because of the energy from the storm coming across from the Midwest. Thus the 2 feet of snow in West Virginia.

I'm urban. So it's not like I can get or use a generator, need a sump pump, or have to prepare the house/yard/cars. I just have to have water and food for me and the kitties and batteries so I can listen to the radio and see in the dark. I can live a few days without power or water if I have to. But people at the shore and near water need to be prepared.

The thing that shows how big this storm is? They expect it to bring tropical storm or even hurricane force winds as far inland as the Great Lakes. Sandy is big, ya'll.