OT - HOCKEY IS BACK
January 6th, 2013 at 11:30 AM ^
I'm just glad we haven't screwed up Michigan-Ohio State with shitty divisions....oh wait...
January 6th, 2013 at 2:13 PM ^
Couldn't agree more. The fact that the game at the Big House with Toronto sold out so quickly should be a fucking clue to the NHL, but the tassel loafer-wearing foof in the commissioner's office is too damn stupid to realize it.
January 6th, 2013 at 11:10 AM ^
The modern NHL is a joke. The scedules are complete crap. I will start watching more than once or twice a month when we start playing toronto, montreal, etc. three or four times a year. Shit, at least home and home everyone in the league for cripes sake!
January 6th, 2013 at 11:02 AM ^
I can't wait for my first email from Olympia Entertainment expecting me to be so excited for hockey's return that I'll lap up every ticket offer they throw at me. I'll still come running back like a good Pavlov's dog, but TV only, and hate myself for it, but I just wish there was a way to write a nasty reply to those ticket-selling emails that would ever reach someone other than a low-level sales monkey just happy to have his or her job back.
January 6th, 2013 at 11:05 AM ^
January 6th, 2013 at 11:23 AM ^
Big props to Scot Beckenbaugh for being the best damned federal mediator around and getting them back together with less than a week to spare.
January 6th, 2013 at 11:28 AM ^
January 6th, 2013 at 11:48 AM ^
You can't totally blame Bettman for this. I put more of the blame on the NHLPA, who have proven that, even though they are supposedly a players' association, they are reduced to the role of sock puppets for their agents. Too many owners are losing money under the current setup.
What other business model allows employees to receive a percentage of the gross while they are actually losing money? All the players really "gained" here was a percentage of a "pool" that isn't going to increase anytime soon.
Where is the money going to come from when both sides have damaged the game to a point where a lot more people don't care about them anymore? If they really wanted to do something constructive, they would have gotten together and tried to figure out how to make their sport attractive enough to get a decent TV contract.
January 6th, 2013 at 12:09 PM ^
employees to receive a percentage of the gross while they are actually losing money?"
Ooh, ooh, I know this one...it's called "The US Auto Industry".
January 6th, 2013 at 12:29 PM ^
If the players hadn't brought in Donald Fehr I would probably put 90% of the blame on Bettman. But Fehr has now orchestrated protracted and spiteful labor stoppages in two sports now, so yes, fuck him equally along with Bettman, who doesn't know any way to get a deal done other than to murder the sport.
January 6th, 2013 at 12:36 PM ^
To bring back the fans, Bettman and Fehr should go to games and drop the gloves during first intermission. Then two lucky fans will get their chance at them during 2nd intermission.
January 6th, 2013 at 2:20 PM ^
I'd pay good money to see that.
January 6th, 2013 at 12:49 PM ^
January 6th, 2013 at 2:48 PM ^
January 6th, 2013 at 1:58 PM ^
Too many owners are losing money under the current setup.I blame Bettman for this. He expanded the NHL into regions where teams are not garnering enough interest to make money. People parade around how the NHL is so much more popular and generates more revenue than before, but now we have eight or nine teams losing money because no one cares. Also, the owners agreed to the old contract, so they don't get to whine about it until they can re-negotiate. Not in my book.
January 6th, 2013 at 11:43 PM ^
Dude, they didn't just sign the contract. They got EVERYTHING they wanted. What idiots did they have working on their side that didn't catch the frontloaded contract loophole? They got the cap they wanted and it was supposed to be labor peace for decades to come. "Oh yea, sorry guys, we fucked up last time we locked you guys out for an entire year, we gotta do this again". Sorry, I really don't blame the players. Owners want to be saved from themselves. No one forced you to overpay for your POS franchise in the middle of nowhere and no one forced you to sign 2 guys for $200MM. How can the owners be signing these deals and then want to rescind them a month later and be trusted? How can you trust a proven liar sitting across the table from you?
January 6th, 2013 at 8:48 PM ^
January 6th, 2013 at 11:35 PM ^
Owners losing money is a load of crap for the most part. Look at the Panthers for example. The owner is crying poor. Yeah, the Florida Panthers hockey team probably costs him money but what the Panthers got him is a lease on a publicly funded arena which he rents out and fills on a near nightly basis for concerts and conventions when the Panthers aren't in play. He makes bank off that. He got that arena deal due to this ownership of the Panthers. Look at the main figures of the lockout---Jeremy Jacobs of Boston and Snider of Philly. You think those locales are hurting for money? This is the same Jeremy Jacobs that made memebers of stanley cup winning staff pay a $7K tax on their rings and when some couldn't afford it, the PLAYERS that people love to deride stepped up and paid for those low-level staff memebers because they knew how important they are. Fuck the owners.
January 6th, 2013 at 11:50 AM ^
January 6th, 2013 at 11:50 AM ^
January 6th, 2013 at 12:49 PM ^
Yeah I've heard a lot of people say that. I'm willing to admit that my life is so boring that I will immediately be glued to my tv watching hockey as soon as its back.
January 6th, 2013 at 11:50 AM ^
Can't wait to see a game at the Joe. Lets go Red Wings!
January 6th, 2013 at 11:54 AM ^
Screw you and your short season. See you next year, stupid NHL.
January 6th, 2013 at 11:58 AM ^
January 6th, 2013 at 12:08 PM ^
Drop the puck already.
January 6th, 2013 at 12:09 PM ^
January 6th, 2013 at 12:46 PM ^
January 6th, 2013 at 8:57 PM ^
Will feed you what they want to feed you down your throat 24/7. The last meaningful thing ESPN said was in 1999. Maybe.
January 6th, 2013 at 1:12 PM ^
January 6th, 2013 at 1:14 PM ^
I really don't get why people feel so personally insulted. If you love hockey, watch it and attend the games. Was the lockout shitty? Yeah, absolutely. Did they forget about the fans in pursuit of the best CBA possible for them? Yep. But they're back now. Hockey wasn't on so I haven't watched, but it's back now so I may as well watch it. If you love it, you'll watch. Anyone saying that they feel personally disrespected needs to get real, the NHL is a lot bigger than the percentage of fans that won't come back, and most of them will eventually come back anyway. All I'm saying is that the NHL is a business and they had an unfortunate business dispute, but they're back now. Also, none of this excuses how poorly either side handled the Lockout, but it's over now so be happy and watch rather than hold a pointless grudge which will most likely eventually end anyway. Happy hockey-watching.
January 6th, 2013 at 1:36 PM ^
January 6th, 2013 at 1:19 PM ^
January 6th, 2013 at 2:02 PM ^
January 6th, 2013 at 2:32 PM ^
January 6th, 2013 at 8:43 PM ^
but i'll limit it to Fire Gary
January 6th, 2013 at 9:56 PM ^
My personal lockout starts now. I am locking the NHL for an equal amount of games that I lost. I love Mike Illitch, but him and the NHL is not getting my attention and money. Unfortunately, the board of governors are too shortsighted to see the damage Bettman has caused the league from his mismanagement.
January 6th, 2013 at 10:17 PM ^
Ambivalence.