About that new deal
From players to journalists to fans, across the board I see people wondering if the NHL’s October 16 offer to the NHLPA is merely a publicity move. It is hard to ignore the boldly promoted 50/50 revenue split. Did their new PR consultant tell them to do this? Have they been sitting on this offer for weeks, waiting to spring it at the last minute to make them look like would-be saviors of the season, thus twisting the NHLPA’s arm? Who knows, who cares.
Whatever led to the NHL making a more reasonable offer than their first ridiculous one, they made it. If the NHLPA were to flat-out accept it, the NHL would have to honor it. Is it the best offer the players could get? Would the NHL accept a slightly tweaked counter-offer from the players? I wonder. They would if they truly did want this season to get under way.
Enough lockout non-news
(Originally published at Kukla’s Korner, October 3, 2012)
There’s a theory that refusing to give voice to your dark thoughts is more productive than letting rants run riot. I’m going to try that. The NHL CBA negotiations are going nowhere, both sides look kind of stupid, childish and not the least concerned with whether or not we see any NHL hockey this season. That wasn’t a rant, just a brief statement of fact. A more comprehensive discussion of the situation can be found here from Elliotte Friedman.
Here are some bits of info I’ve picked up about players and teams that matter in my hockey universe: Back on September 29th, Logan Couture’s team beat Joe Thornton’s now Rick Nashless team in Switzerland: (more…)
Name calling and other nonsense
(Originally published at Kukla’s Korner, September 26, 2012)
In a recent Economist, there’s a piece about the NHL lockout. It’s called “Greed v pride.” My first thought was “yay hockey!” All publicity is good, like when someone says “I don’t care what they write about me, so long as they spell my name right.” My second thought was “who’s who in the title there?” It really isn’t clear. Neither side is hurting for money, not really, and both sides would like to tell the world that no one pushes them around. So who is greedy and who is proud?
“When muscular millionaires and brash billionaires fight, neither side will crumple easily. All are alpha males; most can forego income for a long time. So the lockout could drag on.” Greed v pride, The Economist, Sept 22 2012
Makes sense to me. (more…)
Burn Baby Burn
Replacement players? Really? This lockout is already out of control. Using replacement players is such a preposterous idea that I can’t believe even Bettman’s gang would try it. You don’t go out and hire replacements during a lockout, that’s a tactic to use against strikes. The NHLPA already said they would play without a new deal, though the old deal did serve them better than any new one is likely to. Trying to use replacement players is laughable.
@SpectorsHockey: All due respect to @RealBillWatters, but I don’t believe the #NHL will go the replacement players route. Won’t break PA, fans won’t buy it.
Hard-core fans won’t buy it, but there are some potential ticket-buyers who might not notice. That’s sort of funny. Less funny is how entrenched this lockout already seems. More and more sound like they believe a full season will be lost. (more…)
petshark 