Paul McCann: The Madness Continues

first...

Paul, good read here.

Realistically, can they even have a season at all?, and if so, what would be your guess on the minimum games played and how could you stage a playoff for a diminished championship?

Substitute "Balsillie" for "Fehr" and "Labor Dispute" with "____ Purchase/Relocation" and this is pretty much the same article you have been writing for 3 or 4 years (Mainstream Media this and that, etc).

Substitute "Balsillie" for "Fehr" and "Labor Dispute" with "____ Purchase/Relocation" and this is pretty much the same article you have been writing for 3 or 4 years (Mainstream Media this and that, etc).
- MadCap2008

yet you came and read it

Substitute "Balsillie" for "Fehr" and "Labor Dispute" with "____ Purchase/Relocation" and this is pretty much the same article you have been writing for 3 or 4 years (Mainstream Media this and that, etc).
- MadCap2008

Substitute "MadCap2008" for "Snob_Hockey_Troll" and "uninformed_insult" with "newer_uninformed_insult" and this is pretty much the same post you have been writing on Paul's blog for 3 or 4 years ('Leave the media alone Paul!' this and that, etc).

Substitute "MadCap2008" for "Snob_Hockey_Troll" and "uninformed_insult" with "newer_uninformed_insult" and this is pretty much the same post you have been writing on Paul's blog for 3 or 4 years ('Leave the media alone Paul!' this and that, etc).
- Predville

Substitute "MadCap2008" for "Snob_Hockey_Troll" and "uninformed_insult" with "newer_uninformed_insult" and this is pretty much the same post you have been writing on Paul's blog for 3 or 4 years ('Leave the media alone Paul!' this and that, etc).
- Predville

Just being honest - go read Travis Yost's blog and you'll see how a blogger should be covering news of this lockout.

yet you came and read it
- SouthNash

Nothing better to do, I guess.

Substitute "MadCap2008" for "Snob_Hockey_Troll" and "uninformed_insult" with "newer_uninformed_insult" and this is pretty much the same post you have been writing on Paul's blog for 3 or 4 years ('Leave the media alone Paul!' this and that, etc).
- Predville

This is hilarious, BTW

Players got screwed now. If they make a deal they'll get same terms but MUCH less "Make Whole"...I'm guessing the NHL says, now you get $200 million including $50mil for pension plan. maybe they make the deal at $250. Bottom line, players will lose something, and this makes the most sense...if it goes on longer and the season is lost then they will lose a TON more (arbitration, etc).

Paul I live in Philly. 610WIP is a very large Sport Talk radio station. One of the biggest in the Country. Even when there isn't a lockout, they rarely talk about Hockey or the Flyers.

Aw crap!!! Now he's in here to pollute Paul's blog!!!
]Go away MJL!!!

Any chance you can include the link to the Brooks article?

Paul - I thought I would pass on a few observations.

1) I consider myself to be a die hard fan. I am a season ticket holder. I attend at least 4 or 5 out of town games a year. I go to 4 or 5 non Predator games a year. I created a part time blog just so I could write my thoughts on hockey when I had time. I checked in on twitter at least every 30 minute. I read almost every blog in the Pred Nation blogosphere. And I checked in HB at least 5-10 times a day.

2) Now to how things are. I have requested a refund of my season tickets. I have canceled my out of town trips for late in the spring. I have let my blog expire. I haven't logged into twitter in over 2 months. And this is the first time in 2 months I have read HB. To say it clearly, right now, I could care less about the NHL. And this is coming from someone who grew up up with hockey in the state of MN.

3) If anything, the last several months have proven to me that the NHL has no business calling itself a major sport in North America. People wonder why the NHL gets the lack of coverage from ESPN or other major media outlets? It isn't because it is Canadian or mostly a northern sport. It is b/c the NHL has proven time and time again that they are their own worst enemy. How can any sport call itself a major sport and risk losing 2 full seasons in an 8 year period. MLB, NBA, and the NFL have all experienced labor delays in the past. However, they have learned from their experience. They learned that you don't mess with the fans. The NFL used scrubs once before. MLB canceled the World Series. Both got hammered for it. Neither would allow it to get this bad again. And they have major TV deals to prop them up. The NHL is dependent on ticket revenue and they still ignore the fans.

4) Lastly, I have found new enjoyment in my career, my family, and my friends. I have found there is an endless amount of projects around my house to occupy my time. I have found that there is an endless amount of sports opportunities in the Nashville area to occupy my time instead of hockey. When the Preds asked what it would take for me to not cancel my season ticket plans, I thought for a minute and said this. If you give me something in writing that guarantees that I have parking at the arena parking deck FREE every year I renew, I will consider it. I don't need Pred Bucks. I don't need food coupons. And I already have season tickets so ticket vouchers won't help. I don't need discounts to concerts. But the 15-20 bucks in parking I play every game for 2 cars adds up. Just agreeing to a new CBA this time around won't win me back. That worked last time. Not this time.

Aw crap!!! Now he's in here to pollute Paul's blog!!!
]Go away MJL!!!
- SouthNash

He will be banned very shortly!!!

This is just like the UnHoly Goalie issue.

If enough people complain... they will take away his privledges!!!

Paul - I thought I would pass on a few observations.

1) I consider myself to be a die hard fan. I am a season ticket holder. I attend at least 4 or 5 out of town games a year. I go to 4 or 5 non Predator games a year. I created a part time blog just so I could write my thoughts on hockey when I had time. I checked in on twitter at least every 30 minute. I read almost every blog in the Pred Nation blogosphere. And I checked in HB at least 5-10 times a day.

2) Now to how things are. I have requested a refund of my season tickets. I have canceled my out of town trips for late in the spring. I have let my blog expire. I haven't logged into twitter in over 2 months. And this is the first time in 2 months I have read HB. To say it clearly, right now, I could care less about the NHL. And this is coming from someone who grew up up with hockey in the state of MN.

3) If anything, the last several months have proven to me that the NHL has no business calling itself a major sport in North America. People wonder why the NHL gets the lack of coverage from ESPN or other major media outlets? It isn't because it is Canadian or mostly a northern sport. It is b/c the NHL has proven time and time again that they are their own worst enemy. How can any sport call itself a major sport and risk losing 2 full seasons in an 8 year period. MLB, NBA, and the NFL have all experienced labor delays in the past. However, they have learned from their experience. They learned that you don't mess with the fans. The NFL used scrubs once before. MLB canceled the World Series. Both got hammered for it. Neither would allow it to get this bad again. And they have major TV deals to prop them up. The NHL is dependent on ticket revenue and they still ignore the fans.

4) Lastly, I have found new enjoyment in my career, my family, and my friends. I have found there is an endless amount of projects around my house to occupy my time. I have found that there is an endless amount of sports opportunities in the Nashville area to occupy my time instead of hockey. When the Preds asked what it would take for me to not cancel my season ticket plans, I thought for a minute and said this. If you give me something in writing that guarantees that I have parking at the arena parking deck FREE every year I renew, I will consider it. I don't need Pred Bucks. I don't need food coupons. And I already have season tickets so ticket vouchers won't help. I don't need discounts to concerts. But the 15-20 bucks in parking I play every game for 2 cars adds up. Just agreeing to a new CBA this time around won't win me back. That worked last time. Not this time.
- dgutzman

So did you get your parking ????

He will be banned very shortly!!!

This is just like the UnHoly Goalie issue.

If enough people complain... they will take away his privledges!!!
- jimmc7722

No, but a funny thing happened. Beyond the proverbial 'we need you' BS that was offered, it occurred to me. I could have left my tickets out there at 70 bucks per ticket. By canceling, I know I will be one of the first they call when this thing is back on track. And it occurred to me that they will offer more incentive to come back. Say they offer 60 buck tickets and throw in a few free games. However, here is my theory. The first year back, there will be plenty of tickets anyone can buy for any game way way way less than face value. So what is the benefit of staying with the season tickets?

They key to this hole deal is how the owners and the league go about mending the PR hit. If they try to act like everything is business as usual, they are going to get hammered. They can't use the same tactics they used after the last lockout. Fans have moved on. They need to be inspired to come back, not feel obligated.

Boy, this lockout sucks, eh?