Paul McCann: Enough is Enough

First

The Expos would've of won the 94 series

You can say what you want about Fehr but the bottom line is to get the BEST deal he can for the players. Not just take whatever deal is on the table when media and fans want hockey to start. And by the way, Fehr hasn't ruined baseball. Attendance and revenues were at record highs during the late 90's. Ask any baseball player in the last 20 years what they think of Fehr. They love him. He Always gets the best deal for the players. That's his job. End of story.

Well done. Good article.

I watched everything on TSN last night. If you watched the first Fehr presser you could see he was saying one thing about being close. But, the look on the players behind was not what you would expect of guys who had been able to push the ball over the line.

I believe the owners now think that Fehr wil go baseball on them and they will not settle for anything less than 10. I do not believe a 6 year deal is possible if Fehr would still be calling the shots.

I believe you will hear a couple of high profile agents speak up in the next 48 hours wanting a deal now.

Its not just fehr tO blame sure hes a problem but the players could have him removed. Also owners could offer what most consider better or final offer dependant on fehr gone well befor next negotiating. At the end of the day the few percent wont add up to lost jobs lost intrest older aging players etc.

As i watched the pressers last night i had to laugh at Betman when he mentioned that it was the 3rd time the owners gave the players their "best offer". I would be trying for more too if the offers keep getting better after your "BEST OFFER". That just makes you a liar Gary.

You can say what you want about Fehr but the bottom line is to get the BEST deal he can for the players. Not just take whatever deal is on the table when media and fans want hockey to start. And by the way, Fehr hasn't ruined baseball. Attendance and revenues were at record highs during the late 90's. Ask any baseball player in the last 20 years what they think of Fehr. They love him. He Always gets the best deal for the players. That's his job. End of story.
- yttrohs

Always gets the best deal for the players?

Well, do the math: a certain percentage of this year's PA membership will not play pro hockey after this season. Albeit a very small percentage. But those players will never see the "benefits" of Fehr getting the "best deal" for them.

Is there any guarantee this thing will not devolve into union decertification and a court fight? No. And if so, then you write off all or part of next year. And again, another, added small percentage of players will never play past next year—and therefore never see the benefit of over a year's lost salary.

Then you have those players making, say $4 million + per. How many seasons of the "best deal" will it take for them to recoup what they lost—assuming they get to play that long?

Another potentially huge hole in your argument is the supposition that bollocksing the deal yesterday means Fehr will get a better one. He might not.

The truth is, there is probably a point of diminishing returns in this for the PA and Fehr might have gone past it yesterday.

The other way you can look at what Fehr's job is, he's a labor attorney with a professional reputation to protect. I predicted once he and Bettman were asked out of the room, any progress made without them would be scuttled by Fehr— in order to protect his own reputation. That's what happened. And that's not in the players' best interest. End of story.

You can say what you want about Fehr but the bottom line is to get the BEST deal he can for the players. Not just take whatever deal is on the table when media and fans want hockey to start. And by the way, Fehr hasn't ruined baseball. Attendance and revenues were at record highs during the late 90's. Ask any baseball player in the last 20 years what they think of Fehr. They love him. He Always gets the best deal for the players. That's his job. End of story.
- yttrohs

First of all baseball recovered because of the dope injected home run derby in the late 90's.

Also Paul nails it when he says the PA ''has shifting prioprities'' , if what Bettman said was true taht the key to the negociations was all about the make whole and contracting rights, once that was put aside all of a sudden the PA is concerned about player pentions, you do not negociate a labor dispute that way, usually you present a list of elements you want to talk about or settle before any form of negociation starts, seriously Fehr is really not negociating in good faith right now, and I suspect a mutiny from the players is in order.

Its not just fehr tO blame sure hes a problem but the players could have him removed. Also owners could offer what most consider better or final offer dependant on fehr gone well befor next negotiating. At the end of the day the few percent wont add up to lost jobs lost intrest older aging players etc.
- hockeylegend488

Exactly

Good Article!!!

Fehr is the problem right now... I think everybody knows it.

You don' hear alot of chatter coming from the players in the last 24 hours.

They are losing patience with him.

I believe for the most part, most NHL players want what good for the league, and are very level headed.

They know they are being ripped apart in the media, I think public perception is huge to these group of kids.

Right now there must be a tonne of dialogue going on between the the players. I do believe they will come around in the next 24 hours!!!

This blog is required lock-out reading. Archive this one.

Bettman's passion was refreshing...only those who are unable to see past their own emotions will fail to gain more respect for Bettman after yesterday's episode.

The Expos would of won the 94 series
- Alexzanki

Would've.
Would Have.
FFS its not would of

You can say what you want about Fehr but the bottom line is to get the BEST deal he can for the players. Not just take whatever deal is on the table when media and fans want hockey to start. And by the way, Fehr hasn't ruined baseball. Attendance and revenues were at record highs during the late 90's. Ask any baseball player in the last 20 years what they think of Fehr. They love him. He Always gets the best deal for the players. That's his job. End of story.
- yttrohs

what does that have to do with holding out? you seem to think that holding out automatically generates a better proposal. do you honestly think the NHL, knowing many players and agents wanted to take their deal, will go back to Fehr and give him more after he embarrassed them in the manner he did these last 2 days?

that was the deal last night. it might be put back on the table, but it's not getting any better. anyone who followed the last lockout seems to know that. fans know that. seems like a lot of players feel the same way.

Would've.
Would Have.
FFS its not would of
- muffin_man

On s'en calisse!!

I just caught a tweet of a nhlpa representative that says:

Keep in mind that only nhlpa made concessions so far.



We are very far from a resolution MFG.

You can say what you want about Fehr but the bottom line is to get the BEST deal he can for the players. Not just take whatever deal is on the table when media and fans want hockey to start. And by the way, Fehr hasn't ruined baseball. Attendance and revenues were at record highs during the late 90's. Ask any baseball player in the last 20 years what they think of Fehr. They love him. He Always gets the best deal for the players. That's his job. End of story.
- yttrohs

OK... he ended baseball for me! I have not spent a single penny on baseball since '94. Nor will I. I don't want to get there for hockey...

On s'en calisse!!
- soad_live

it's not even a grammar issue. its the complete wrong (frank)ing word.......

OK... he ended baseball for me! I have not spent a single penny on baseball since '94. Nor will I. I don't want to get there for hockey...
- pmccann

I agree Paul.

Anyway, system is broken. Capitalists owners in a communist league. Wow!! Don't know who got the idea.

it's not even a grammar issue. its the complete wrong (frank)ing word.......
- muffin_man

Attends un peu......





















ON S'EN CALISSE PAREIL.

You can say what you want about Fehr but the bottom line is to get the BEST deal he can for the players. Not just take whatever deal is on the table when media and fans want hockey to start. And by the way, Fehr hasn't ruined baseball. Attendance and revenues were at record highs during the late 90's. Ask any baseball player in the last 20 years what they think of Fehr. They love him. He Always gets the best deal for the players. That's his job. End of story.
- yttrohs

Baseball has no competitive balance. Attendance is on the decline.

Its not just fehr tO blame sure hes a problem but the players could have him removed. Also owners could offer what most consider better or final offer dependant on fehr gone well befor next negotiating. At the end of the day the few percent wont add up to lost jobs lost intrest older aging players etc.
- hockeylegend488

Uh, I don't think the owners are allowed to do that are they. Isn't there some legal problem with a direct tampering with Fehr's position?

OK... he ended baseball for me! I have not spent a single penny on baseball since '94. Nor will I. I don't want to get there for hockey...
- pmccann

You know the more I watch the Jr's and see the passion of the young players... I like it.

I even went out with my son to watch a tournament a couple weeks ago with some Novice and Atom players, and really enjoyed it.

Makes you remember why they all play so hard... the love of the game.

Then I think of the last game I went to last year in the NHL, and remember the players going through the motions, it really didn't seem like they were trying very hard!!! Very Business Like!!!

I think it's time for these current NHL'ers to remember where they came from, get back to playing the game they love. They get paid alot of money to play the game!!!

the problem is, they are being led by a person that had to “learn the game” and while he may have learned it... he doesn't understand it. This mess… this I lay at the feet of one person
- pmccann

This could be either Fehr or Bettman.

You can say what you want about Fehr but the bottom line is to get the BEST deal he can for the players. Not just take whatever deal is on the table when media and fans want hockey to start. And by the way, Fehr hasn't ruined baseball. Attendance and revenues were at record highs during the late 90's. Ask any baseball player in the last 20 years what they think of Fehr. They love him. He Always gets the best deal for the players. That's his job. End of story.
- yttrohs

Then he has failed miserably!

The best deal he could have gotten, has come and gone. The players are losing every day and the offers are just going to get worse and the player will end up with less in the long term. Idiots.