I tried promising myself that I wasn't going to write about the potential of an NHL lockout. Fortunately, I don't think this will count as 'writing' by definition, but rather a bitter rant about stupidity all around the board. Going back to my first point, I didn't want to dodge the lockout talk because I want to ignore the fact that it's an extremely realistic scenario (I'm a person that lives for bad news) for the league, but rather because of its redundancy throughout the hockey blogosphere.
My theory is that you have a thousand blogs talking about such a topic, and that anything I say is merely adding kindling to an already raging fire. Strike that, that's not a theory, that's actuality. Fact is, everyone wants to have a say when it comes to the prospect of a lockout and what it means, what they'll do in protest, et cetera, et-[expletive]-cetera.
Here's my take: You're all suckers.
Apologies in advance for being so blunt about it with the content that's on its way, but that's the way it's gotta be when it comes to this subject.
Your 'anger' and your alleged willingness to "walk away" from hockey is cute, but completely fraudulent. You're not going to 'quit watching hockey' when it comes back if there's a lockout, nor will your efforts to "protest" mean anything to anybody with power. But that's not stopping morons from having their say. Oh, wait, you haven't heard the new one?!
Well, let me fill you in...
The goal here is pretty simple: If you're a hockey fan on Twitter, and if you're really mad at those monsters that are taking hockey away from you, you 'unfollow' (or unsubscribe) from the National Hockey League and its players' Twitter updates.
As you can naturally assume, they'll be upset. So, so, SO upset, you guys. Without retweets and fanboy ball-washing about how awesome they are and how you'd just love a retweet about it being your dog's half birthday, the NHL and its players would simply be devastated beyond psychological repair. That'll show 'em, and we'll have hockey back even sooner than October! Hey, I clicked a button on my computer and now my favorite sport that's worth billions of dollars is back! I did it! Go team!
"You're mad? Well, go watch basketball and college hockey (if it's even in your area) for a year, and we'll see 'ya next time," the NHL will tell you with their decision if a lockout does in fact move forward. "We didn't get rid of those 'Thank You Fans' ice banners just yet. Hey, here's a free soda for when you come back, too."
Deep down, whether we're willing to admit it or not, the harsh reality for hockey fans is that once again we're all merely pawns in the grand scheme of things.
You're a hockey fan because it's hockey. It's not because you want something to watch beyond your Sunday football games, or because you occasionally need a break from the National Basketball Association. You're a hockey fan because it's, well, hockey. There's a certain rush that comes with the sport we love to watch, rant, and write about, and it's something that you'll come back to even if this is a shortened season, or even if there's no season at all! Saying otherwise or acting standoffish towards the league has become the common fan's sad-yet-funny attempt at a counteroffer to the undeniable truth that you
need this sport.
Something the league knows it, erasing any leverage you've convinced yourself of. Now this isn't a cry to make you feel like your opinion on the state of hockey is meaningless, but it can definitely be considered as my unofficial plea to put your revolutionary ideas away, and most importantly stop you from inviting me to your protest parties and Twitter rallies.
(No, but really, please stop.)
But just how does this conflict get resolved? I'm not sure, and everybody who suggests otherwise is speaking out of their goody-gumdrop or doom-and-gloom ass. Every hockey fan with a blog has declared their perceived start date for hockey, typically beginning with a "I hate to say it, but I don't think we'll see hockey before _________," and a hashtag to spread their angst. Most of them, despite their talent and affinity for guessing, don't know what the hell they're talking about, and even as I write this, I'm completely clueless as to whether or not we'll have hockey this fall.
While that's not necessarily our fault, as it's undoubtedly easy to be geared one way or another based on the tidbits and interviews that have come out of these heated debates between the players and owners, it's important to think about this with your brain over your heart. At its core, there's an immense amount of power and momentum generated from the image of
Donald Fehr speaking to the media with some of the game's best talent around him, but there's even more power from the owners that sign the checks of everyone involved in the game. It's power that resonates throughout the hockey-world when Commissioner Gary Bettman smashes your optimism with a "We have two sides that have different views of the world" quote.
For the NHLPA, the owners, and the league officials, this is a heated clash of power and money, an equation that can never be solved by basic reason or logic. However, unsurprisingly and incredibly naturally, fans have bought into the image conveyed with their favorite players sending out disparaging tweets geared towards the owners' demands and the current collective bargaining agreement.
"The @NHL says they won’t play past Sept 15th under current deal," New York goaltender
Henrik Lundqvist announced to nearly 170,000 Twitter followers last week, refusing to dance around who he believes to be at fault when it comes to the issue. "Apparently they don’t like the deal they designed. #CBA #nhlpa2012." The tweet, as simple as it was, was retweeted almost 2,000 times, and favorited by over 200 people.
Why's this relevant? Well, it's just a simple peek at how absolutely nasty this war between the two sides is going to get as time goes on without any real progress made. As you (probably) know, the sides officially have less than a month to work out a new deal before the chains go across the doors of all NHL facilities, officially "locking" players out of their team's clubhouse, locker room, and everything in between. But if your memory of life as a jaded hockey fan needed refreshing, looking at the Stanley Cup, you'll be reminded of this old, familiar feeling; "2004-05: Season not played," it says on hockey's holy grail, a permanent reminder of what was lost from an on-ice standpoint.
Now, eight years later, there's no dancing around the idea that the league honestly can't afford the hit it'd take from the PR side of things, with a lockout all but guaranteeing that hockey will never be considered one of the United States' 'big four' when it comes sports.
Already replaced on ESPN by NASCAR, Tim Tebow, and the WNBA when it comes to earning more than a bottomline mention featuring last night's scores, this is by all means hockey's last
real chance to avoid being a laughing stock. A lockout this time around and the WNBA and NASCAR diehards laugh at you while Tebow giggles but blesses you in the name of the Son, the Father, and the Holy Spirit.
And guess what? Like always, you're at the mercy of the league. Just like you were when the last one happened to us all.
I was in eighth grade when the 2004-05 NHL lockout happened, and I thought it was a great idea to pass around a 70 page, college-ruled notebook, requesting that everyone sign it in an effort to form some sort of petition to bring NHL hockey back. I was 13 years old, and it was my greatest idea to date, or so I told myself. Actually, it was a stupid idea that didn't make an impact at all, and eventually ended with somebody eventually never returning that notebook, ultimately getting me in trouble in class for not having my homework. It's a moment that makes you recall how stupid you were when you were a kid, and it's a moment that's reminding me how stupid some adults can be in this internet age.
In layman's terms, we as fans, reporters, or whatever-you-want-to-be-called, can't solve this, so why pretend like anything coming out of your virtual mouth is more than hot air to make you feel like you're doing something worthwhile?
Kids, leave your petitions at the door.
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