Hard to turn something this big and unwieldy.
- StLBravesFan

It's just going to take awhile to shake off the effects(is that right Buttons) of the Mayberry stream.

8 here.
- StLBravesFan

8 here also. I need a nap now.

Well, exCUUUUUUse me!!!!!!
- StLBravesFan

Let the record show I tried to keep the thread focused on hockey. Lord knows I get banned for both agreeing and disagreeing with people.

No: even I was too young (although the first 3 were in the 50's).

See my post a couple above: not sure I knew the Blackhawks existed until Mikita and Hull came up.
- StLBravesFan

bandwagon fan

Was Jimmy Waite the guy Belfour freaked on in practice, pushed him against the wall and told to quit acting like it was his job? Right before Belfour went to San Jose...
- Iknockuout

No. It was Jeff Hackett.

Let the record show I tried to keep the thread focused on hockey. Lord knows I get banned for both agreeing and disagreeing with people.
- Elbows15

Obviously impartiality is not your strong suit.

It's just going to take awhile to shake off the effects(is that right Buttons) of the Mayberry stream.
- Canardhawk

Mayberry lives on. It was glorious.

Mayberry lives on. It was glorious.
- Elbows15

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.

Hard to turn something this big and unwieldy.
- StLBravesFan

That is what she said?

I know this is completely unrelated, but I think it's interesting to touch upon the difference(s) between the NBA version of "free agency", and the other sports (particularly the NHL and less-so NFL and MLB).

While free agency begun at the same time in the NHL and NBA, in the NHL, the big moves are made almost immediately within the first couple of days. Players already have an idea of whether or not they are leaving, what kind of money they are looking for, and don't have a list of "teams" that they are are absolutely targeting/stubborn about (unless of course they are traded or whatnot).

In the NHL, MLB, and NFL, the beauty of free agency is that teams like CHI, NY, and LA could be favorites for X player heading into free agency, but a team like Colorado could swoop in and snag said-player. You never REALLY know.

In the NBA, free agency is almost TOO predictable. And what frustrates me about it is that the players themselves are more stubborn about singing because they try to see what other dominoes fall first or perhaps who could recruit them or where they can form the next "big three".

More specifically, I am talking about Carmelo Anthony and LeBron James (for those non-NBA followers, those are two of the biggest names in basketball).

BOTH players want to be paid the maximum salary. Both players are "weighing their options" and going from team to team and getting pitches from them as to why they should sign with them. They then take into account "okay, where can I make the most money, have the best living situation, and where can I win". What frustrates me about this process is that during the NBA free agency, ALL players are essentially linked, and almost every team is somehow affected.

As intense and discouraging this may sound, it really irks me that teams don't do anything until those players are sorted out.

As a matter of fact, I think I can recall exactly when Brad Richards was a FA before he signed with NY and left Dallas. I think it took 2-3 (might be wrong) weeks for him to sign (he was the biggest name on the market), but that didn't affect other teams from going on and improving their teams/waiting on his decision. Same goes for the idea of "recruiting". It doesn't happen frequently (from what I imagine), and Brad Richards didn't need to be wooed by his friend Henrik Lundqvist (for example). The only example I can think of players "uniting" is Zack Parise and Ryan Suter with the Wild, but even then that is NOT the norm. (Ryan Kesler wanting to play with his friend Kaner doesn't really count).

I kind of went on a tangent there and just wanted to let off steam for the way that this Carmelo/LeBron saga is playing out.

tl; dr - NBA free agency sucks, and is much worse than NHL free agency, as well as NFL and MLB.
- TommyHawk

Two things (and I do like NBA basketball):

NBA has a much different, much more complicated cap structure: not a hard cap, Bird rules, all sorts of exceptions that all you to go over the cap. Makes it more complicated to clear room to sign a FA.

Obviously, a superstar in basketball, being one of 5 playing most of the game (James, Anthony this year), can take a team from the bottom to the top; in hockey, even the best forward plays only 1/3 of a game - and can't, for instance, just take over in the last two minutes. Toews, Crosby, Kane certainly don't have nearly the impact on a game that James does. Even so, until the Hawks sign 88/19, they probably won't make any other moves.

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.
- Canardhawk

Literature? Really? How dare you?

Saw him play plenty of times 66. Went to my first game when I was 3. MY Dad was a huge Hawk fan going back to the 40's.

Went to a ton of games as a kid.
- Elbows15

Yep, saw all of them a lot. Mohns was one of the few guys to wear a helmet at the time so that set him apart for me as a kid. I wondered what an old bald guy was doing out there. Then I actually watched him as I got older and saw the light. I think my first game was 1959 or 60. I remember thinking what's all the fuss about the stanley cup in 1961. At the time I was more into the White Sox playing the Yankees. Then mid 60's started playing hockey and that was it. In the blood. And now I'm and old bald guy.

Where the hell is Ogie?

Literature? Really? How dare you?
- Elbows15

Don't accuse me of being well read.

Yep, saw all of them a lot. Mohns was one of the few guys to wear a helmet at the time so that set him apart for me as a kid. I wondered what an old bald guy was doing out there. Then I actually watched him as I got older and saw the light. I think my first game was 1959 or 60. I remember thinking what's all the fuss about the stanley cup in 1961. At the time I was more into the White Sox playing the Yankees. Then mid 60's started playing hockey and that was it. In the blood. And now I'm and old bald guy.
- 6628

Do you wear a helmet when you go out? In honor of Doug of course.

bandwagon fan
- BlazinMike

Jumped right on board when they won the Cup.

In 1961.

(Actually, probably a year before that).

My Dad and I - in the 50s, when I was a kid - would go to baseball games - a lot of what Billy Crystal said (in City Slickers) about going to games at Yankee Stadium with his Dad were exactly the same as my experiences at Cubs Park.

bandwagon fan
- BlazinMike

Jumped right on board when they won the Cup.

In 1961.

(Actually, probably a year before that).

My Dad and I - in the 50s, when I was a kid - would go to baseball games - a lot of what Billy Crystal said (in City Slickers) about going to games at Yankee Stadium with his Dad were exactly the same as my experiences at Cubs Park.

Yep, saw all of them a lot. Mohns was one of the few guys to wear a helmet at the time so that set him apart for me as a kid. I wondered what an old bald guy was doing out there. Then I actually watched him as I got older and saw the light. I think my first game was 1959 or 60. I remember thinking what's all the fuss about the stanley cup in 1961. At the time I was more into the White Sox playing the Yankees. Then mid 60's started playing hockey and that was it. In the blood. And now I'm and old bald guy.
- 6628

My first real memories are from around the same time. Mid 60's on. I am a fan of most sports but hockey was always far and away my favorite.

Jumped right on board when they won the Cup.

In 1961.

(Actually, probably a year before that).

My Dad and I - in the 50s, when I was a kid - would go to baseball games - a lot of what Billy Crystal said (in City Slickers) about going to games at Yankee Stadium with his Dad were exactly the same as my experiences at Cubs Park.
- StLBravesFan

I have the same problem can't remember if I forgot to close the garage door so I close it twice.

Literature? Really? How dare you?
- Elbows15

'Tis a far, far better thing....

Ronald Coleman.

'Tis a far, far better thing....

Ronald Coleman.
- StLBravesFan

Who does Coleman play for and will he fit under the cap?

Two things (and I do like NBA basketball):

NBA has a much different, much more complicated cap structure: not a hard cap, Bird rules, all sorts of exceptions that all you to go over the cap. Makes it more complicated to clear room to sign a FA.

Obviously, a superstar in basketball, being one of 5 playing most of the game (James, Anthony this year), can take a team from the bottom to the top; in hockey, even the best forward plays only 1/3 of a game - and can't, for instance, just take over in the last two minutes. Toews, Crosby, Kane certainly don't have nearly the impact on a game that James does. Even so, until the Hawks sign 88/19, they probably won't make any other moves.
- StLBravesFan

In regards to your first point, the cap structure doesn't have as much to do with the overall "process" of free agency that I am talking about. Of course, it isn't as simple as fitting ___ amount of players under the cap as it is in the NHL or NFL, but as you stated, there are mid-level exceptions, etc. But it doesn't take away from the notion that the league is turning into a reactionary-league as opposed to proactive.

You make a great point about how individual players affect the game in the NBA more than the other sports, but simply put, that's exactly why it's bad (for fans) to have guys like LeBron, Wade, and Bosh forming their own big three in Miami (which could be LeBron, Anthony, and Wade if Bosh leaves btw), or the Lakers trying to form their big three when they acquired Paul (before the league vetoed it).

It's simply ridiculous how the NBA is run compared to the other sports. Yes it's a business and at the end of the NBA the objective is to make money, but the overall infatuation for the sport and the competitiveness is going downhill, and as a fan it disappoints me.

Jumped right on board when they won the Cup.

In 1961.

(Actually, probably a year before that).

My Dad and I - in the 50s, when I was a kid - would go to baseball games - a lot of what Billy Crystal said (in City Slickers) about going to games at Yankee Stadium with his Dad were exactly the same as my experiences at Cubs Park.
- StLBravesFan

I was lucky enough to get that experience in 3 sports with my Dad. Baseball, Football and Hockey.

Do you wear a helmet when you go out? In honor of Doug of course.
- Canardhawk

Nope. One of the guys I know that played pucks wore one when he was in his mid 20's. The bottom 1/2 of his hair was sweaty but the top was "perfect". He would hit on chicks after a game and they would look at him like he was from Mars and we would piss our pants laughing. (frank) it, I'm bald. The was it is.

Who does Coleman play for and will he fit under the cap?
- Canardhawk

C'mon, Mucks - you know Jerry Coleman was a 2nd baseman for the Yankees.