One year ago tonight/tomorrow morning the game was given back to us.
It's hard to imagine it has only been a single year. So much has happened and for the last twelve months hockey news/rumors/fun have been constant. The game has roared back...like a lion.
Yet one year ago...no one knew for sure.
As you may recall I had been one of the few optimists through the god-awful process, but at 1:41 PM on January 5th I finally put out my first E5 on the matter with a blog title "DEAL VERY CLOSE (E5)." The body of the blog was short and sweet...."From 3 Great Sources." I could't say much more at the time, but I had both sides finally admitting the end game and both sides afraid if the news got out that they were in a settling mood all hope would be truly lost.
My Optimism Meter hit "Drop the Puck" for the first time and the 4 word blog garnered nearly 700 comments with none summing up the mood more than Avaholic83's comment, "I think this means the season will be cancelled."
Then came KingsFan4Life... I'LL BELIEVE IT WHEN I SEE IT ANNOUNCED... TIRED OF THE GAMES... ANGRY AT BOTH SIDES! :mad:
Mapleleafs_91...
hockey blows.
sanfordnson...
even if it gets done, they still wont get poop from me this season. I'll check scores and watch highlights. like Im supposed to be so thankful that they figured out how to divvy up 3 billion. What champs!
As the day went on it became apparent that the sides were finally "locking themselves in a room and working through everything until a deal was done."
If only someone had suggested this tact in the first place.....oh, right.....EVERYONE did.
But this is a business...a business that only exist because of its customers paying for it granted...but a business..
At 1:23 AM on January 6th I posted another update..."Told 2013-14 Cap Likely $63M. If deal in 24 hrs, season at least 48 games"
A source who told me plenty could only go public with "."Should have gotten done tonight..still could."
leading Flyerboy2013 to comment
"There is ABSOLUTELY NO WAY this gets done before Friday! Check this out from Darren Dreger @DarrenDreger:"Also told they're trying to hammer through as much tonight as possible to tackle main contentious items on Sunday." Ever since Ek posted "DEAL VERY CLOSE E5" I've been spellbound, sitting on the edge of my seat, wasting an entire day hoping and praying that we would hear the words "WE HAVE A DEAL" Only now to find out we really are no closer than we were when this whole ridiculous fiasco started!! This is the last time I believe Eklund...HE HAS LOST MY TRUST!!!!"
and I will be honest...I don't blame Flyerboy2013 one iota. The frustration these businessmen were forcing on passionate hockey fans who longed for a game that had a beginning, middle, and end was mind-numbing.
Talks continued...
At 3:43 am, in an exhausted and punchy state I tweeted...
"Anyone who is a hockey fan and asleep now is a loser."
It was favorited 121 times. People were definitely awake. Fans who had been screwed for months were still staying up. It was impressive.
One of my best sources and I had a codeword. I told him if the deal is done just text me "The Death Star has been destroyed."
That text came around 5:15am.
It was over. To say it was fun would be insane. But to say all of you out there made it at least fun to look back on...I'd go with that. We have survived two of these together now and I truly appreciate all of you readers and can't wait for the rumors to really pick up here...
Back later with rumors...