Get ready...to be disappointed...

Or our president to spend more money....there is the counterpoint.
- TrueGrit

I knew what it was - just, being a good Democrat, didn't want to say it.

Bettman has full backing of the owners...

Fehr on the otherhand is in a far more tenuous position.
- Al

Its fun to knock Bettman and hate the rich evil owners of anything successful in this country. However, as I suspected, much like politics, it is obvious that Fehr has been blatantly lying through the public....and God knows to how many of his constituency.

The players are fools to not recognize that many franchises suffer, but exist and provide more jobs for players and yet players want to cash in on garuanteed deals, while the league owns/subsidizes many franchises. Players have zero risk..owners all the risk.

I know the owners are not angels, but if the message is not clear by now how all have to share in economic viability of this league then this is another symptom of our moronic entitled society.

Bettman has full backing of the owners...

Fehr on the otherhand is in a far more tenuous position.
- Al

Fehr and his minions just let the best deal the players were ever going to see in this process vaporize a few hours ago.

Al, if Bettman's tactic leads to a CBA, I'll give him (limited) props.

Until then, I must disagree with you: his mission (and Fehr's) was to get a deal done - not to outlast the other and not get upstaged, losing more games (seasons) in the process.

Bettman may be winning his game, but it's not the game that was needed.

Two companies try to merge; the negotiators and due-diligence group try but can't reach an agreement; the companies go their separate ways - fine, a deal wasn't necessary. Fehr an Bettman would be good at that game.

Here, a deal is necessary - required - F and B have no clue, other than to beat the other with no guarantee of a deal.
- StLBravesFan

I agree maybe not the game that was needed but what the one Owners were going to play.

Fehr has stagnated the process and he had a lot more incentive to move things forward.

This sums it up pretty well....Unfortunately:http://www.startribune.co...orts/blogs/182467821.html

Eklunds optimism meter just flatlined!!

Bettman has full backing of the owners...

Fehr on the otherhand is in a far more tenuous position.
- Al

>Now hearing that the guy who almost got the deal done, Burkle, a moderate owner, with tons of labor experience, and thousands of employees in his career, is really upset with the NHLPA.
>Translation: the hardline owners are back in control
>Players will really get hosed now
>Can't understand the NHLPA objection to the 5-year contract ceiling (7-yr for keeping your own free agents) -- the unintended consequence of a 5-year ceiling is that the average player salary will go up more than if there is a no year ceiling -- how else will one team outbid another for a free agent?
>The NHL goofed in the last CBA with a cap floor -- to me, a contract year ceiling is another goof
>As Mark Recchi said, "Owners always find a way to pay good players."
>The players that are really screwed are the role players who have maybe a 3-5 year NHL career that averages $1million or less per year
>Wonder how those guys feel about giving up 25% of their career earnings so that Shea Weber gets his $110 million instead of $90 million -- plus 25% of these types of players won't even be in the NHL next year if the season is cancelled

PHUCK 'EM ALL

Plenty of blame on both sides but when Donald Fehr is involved...it equates to pure MISERY for fans.

>Now hearing that the guy who almost got the deal done, Burkle, a moderate owner, with tons of labor experience, and thousands of employees in his career, is really upset with the NHLPA.
>Translation: the hardline owners are back in control
>Players will really get hosed now
>Can't understand the NHLPA objection to the 5-year contract ceiling (7-yr for keeping your own free agents) -- the unintended consequence of a 5-year ceiling is that the average player salary will go up more than if there is a no year ceiling -- how else will one team outbid another for a free agent?
>The NHL goofed in the last CBA with a cap floor -- to me, a contract year ceiling is another goof
>As Mark Recchi said, "Owners always find a way to pay good players."
>The players that are really screwed are the role players who have maybe a 3-5 year NHL career that averages $1million or less per year
>Wonder how those guys feel about giving up 25% of their career earnings so that Shea Weber gets his $110 million instead of $90 million -- plus 25% of these types of players won't even be in the NHL next year if the season is cancelled
- SnapitUpstairs

Comedy...I played professional sports and have been close to it with many athletes and agents and can say the hubris and stupidity of athletes is rampant....now look at the evidence of the NHL players.

Comedy...I played professional sports and have been close to it with many athletes and agents and can say the hubris and stupidity of athletes is rampant....now look at the evidence of the NHL players.
- TrueGrit

Well, instead of hockey, I'm watching Casablanca for the 500th time.

Not a bad trade-off - amazingly great movie- almost perfect.

Quick JJ, take down your blog. No one will notice...
- bloatedmosquito

I have no fear of being wrong. My batting average is good enough.

>Now hearing that the guy who almost got the deal done, Burkle, a moderate owner, with tons of labor experience, and thousands of employees in his career, is really upset with the NHLPA.
>Translation: the hardline owners are back in control
>Players will really get hosed now
>Can't understand the NHLPA objection to the 5-year contract ceiling (7-yr for keeping your own free agents) -- the unintended consequence of a 5-year ceiling is that the average player salary will go up more than if there is a no year ceiling -- how else will one team outbid another for a free agent?
>The NHL goofed in the last CBA with a cap floor -- to me, a contract year ceiling is another goof
>As Mark Recchi said, "Owners always find a way to pay good players."
>The players that are really screwed are the role players who have maybe a 3-5 year NHL career that averages $1million or less per year
>Wonder how those guys feel about giving up 25% of their career earnings so that Shea Weber gets his $110 million instead of $90 million -- plus 25% of these types of players won't even be in the NHL next year if the season is cancelled
- SnapitUpstairs

...And to think it was the newbie owners that Bettman sent in and still nothing good has come.

I have no fear of being wrong. My batting average is good enough.
- John Jaeckel

The only way to never be wrong is to say nothing.

Comedy...I played professional sports and have been close to it with many athletes and agents and can say the hubris and stupidity of athletes is rampant....now look at the evidence of the NHL players.
- TrueGrit

>I have a close friend who is very connected with IMG
>His main IMG contact is an agent for a very famous, high-profile NBA player
>When the IMG agent was assigned this player, he was very excited about the career opportunities it would create for him as an agent
>One year later, the IMG agent can't wait to "dump" this player on someone else at IMG
>All this agent does is basically tell this famous player that he has already reached his max for spending this week -- in essence , he is balancing the superstar's checkbook

>I have a close friend who is very connected with IMG
>His main IMG contact is an agent for a very famous, high-profile NBA player
>When the IMG agent was assigned this player, he was very excited about the career opportunities it would create for him as an agent
>One year later, the IMG agent can't wait to "dump" this player on someone else at IMG
>All this agent does is basically tell this famous player that he has already reached his max for spending this week -- in essence , he is balancing the superstar's checkbook
- SnapitUpstairs

Jerry Maguire was a great movie that appeared to contain kernels of truth pertaining to the agent/athlete relationship. Wouldn't be surprised if half the agents are really baby sitters for many of these jackwagons.

So where does Rocky stand in all this? Is he one of the hardliners or moderats? If he's not a hardliner it would be nice if showed some leadership and get this thing settled instead of letting guys like Jacobs run the show.

>Now hearing that the guy who almost got the deal done, Burkle, a moderate owner, with tons of labor experience, and thousands of employees in his career, is really upset with the NHLPA.
>Translation: the hardline owners are back in control
>Players will really get hosed now
>Can't understand the NHLPA objection to the 5-year contract ceiling (7-yr for keeping your own free agents) -- the unintended consequence of a 5-year ceiling is that the average player salary will go up more than if there is a no year ceiling -- how else will one team outbid another for a free agent?>The NHL goofed in the last CBA with a cap floor -- to me, a contract year ceiling is another goof
>As Mark Recchi said, "Owners always find a way to pay good players."
>The players that are really screwed are the role players who have maybe a 3-5 year NHL career that averages $1million or less per year
>Wonder how those guys feel about giving up 25% of their career earnings so that Shea Weber gets his $110 million instead of $90 million -- plus 25% of these types of players won't even be in the NHL next year if the season is cancelled
- SnapitUpstairs

I wonder the same thing. I have no hard data but I suspect the majority of NHL players never get anywhere near a 5 year contract.

I propose the only way to save the season is let the players vote and see if they approve this....otherwise..DONE!

Here's Bettman's presser.......


http://watch.tsn.ca/clip820675#clip822014 …

...And to think it was the newbie owners that Bettman sent in and still nothing good has come.
- Al

>Burkle was definitely the guy that can "see both sides"
>He set the table and everybody was ready to eat
>But Fehr decided he had to "win" the negotiations
>With 13 (or more) of 30 NHL franchises losing money, and a TV contract that can't make some teams profitable, it seems there is a level of reality denial going on in the NHLPA camp
>My fear now is a lost season or more and some franchises, too
>Not to bum you out more Al, but I sure miss those Blackhawk Reports you do with the boys up North on XM

Well, instead of hockey, I'm watching Casablanca for the 500th time.

Not a bad trade-off - amazingly great movie- almost perfect.
- StLBravesFan

What? You mean your not watching like "sands through an hour glass, these are the days of our NHL lives?"

I wonder the same thing. I have no hard data but I suspect the majority of NHL players never get anywhere near a 5 year contract.

I propose the only way to save the season is let the players vote and see if they approve this....otherwise..DONE!
- bogiedoc

>Agreed -- keep hearing the players DO want to vote, but Fehr won't let them
>Seems that the impasse is built around issues, as you say, that really do not apply to many, many players

What? You mean your not watching like "sands through an hour glass, these are the days of our NHL lives?"
- bogiedoc

Better sometimes to watch the nobility of man, rather than his banality.

>I have a close friend who is very connected with IMG
>His main IMG contact is an agent for a very famous, high-profile NBA player
>When the IMG agent was assigned this player, he was very excited about the career opportunities it would create for him as an agent
>One year later, the IMG agent can't wait to "dump" this player on someone else at IMG
>All this agent does is basically tell this famous player that he has already reached his max for spending this week -- in essence , he is balancing the superstar's checkbook
- SnapitUpstairs

I thought I just heard Alan Iverson is playing in a China for not much money and his $4 mill+ mansion was just auctioned off due to a foreclosure...

>Burkle was definitely the guy that can "see both sides"
>He set the table and everybody was ready to eat
>But Fehr decided he had to "win" the negotiations
>With 13 (or more) of 30 NHL franchises losing money, and a TV contract that can't make some teams profitable, it seems there is a level of reality denial going on in the NHLPA camp
>My fear now is a lost season or more and some franchises, too
>Not to bum you out more Al, but I sure miss those Blackhawk Reports you do with the boys up North on XM
- SnapitUpstairs

Me too!

Well, instead of hockey, I'm watching Casablanca for the 500th time.

Not a bad trade-off - amazingly great movie- almost perfect.
- StLBravesFan

Best movie ever.