Paul McCann: Looking to Mom to Solve the Lockout

Paul, with those inspiring words, you should be the mediator in these negotiations!!!

Great post sir! have a great Holiday.

Paul, with those inspiring words, you should be the mediator in these negotiations!!!

Great post sir! have a great Holiday.
- Prucha

I wonder if Mrs. Fehr and Mrs. Bettman are around to knock 'em upside the head???

Interesting (discouraging?) Mark Spector article (posted by Symba007 on Ek's blog):

http://www.sportsnet.ca/h..._tweet_families_affected/

Maybe Mrs Kane needs to have a talk with her son along with the moms of a few other of the younger NHL stars-to-be. (Not that it would do any good.)

Meanwhile, countless others suffer (lower profile players, arena workers, businesses, etc.) And to be clear, when I mention those suffering, I am most definitely not talking about the fans deprived of the great game, some of whom are making ridiculous public threats and pronouncements that they are going to permanently vacate their support of NHL hockey.

Interesting (discouraging?) Mark Spector article (posted by Symba007 on Ek's blog):

http://www.sportsnet.ca/h..._tweet_families_affected/

Maybe Mrs Kane needs to have a talk with her son along with the moms of a few other of the younger NHL stars-to-be. (Not that it would do any good.)

Meanwhile, countless others suffer (lower profile players, arena workers, businesses, etc.) And to be clear, when I mention those suffering, I am most definitely not talking about the fans deprived of the great game, some of whom are making ridiculous public threats and pronouncements that they are going to permanently vacate their support of NHL hockey.
- blueline

How do the Preds fan base overall view this lockout?

Because it is both a blessing and a curse. On one hand the system is broke in terms of contracts that are not allowing teams like Nashville to compete as well as they should if it were a hard cap structure (i.e. Weber is not getting paid what his cap # actually is). So, you all have to be rooting for a fix to the economics here. On the other hand your franchise is gaining a lot of momentum. A few years back everyone would say "yea move Nashville" but anyone that would say that now would look ignorant and foolish. To lose any games now is hurting the Preds foothold in Tenn. where it really could be snowballing to something major.

And this "gaining momentum" thing isn't a small market thing. Here in New York the Rangers a low on the ladder with the Yanks, Mets, Jets, Giants all in town. But last years playoff run had us REALLY gaining steam in the local sports media. Radio hosts that didn't know or want to discuss hockey were awkwardly forced to by the amount of noise going on in the city with the Rangers. It's great for the sport and a shame for the NHL overall that they are not going to capitalize on that momentum.. However I think a 48 game sprint can really re-capture a lot of that, especially with football out of the way.

How do the Preds fan base overall view this lockout?
- mrhattrick27

Initially, I was angry that it came to a lockout. The two sides took too long to start their negotiations. Now, apathy has set in. Hockey is in my blood. I grew up watching the Colorado Rockies, and I have been a Preds season ticket holder since game 1. I don't know that I even care if there is a season at this point. The PR wars have been insulting and their toying with us has been juvenile.

I do worry about how this will affect our team and market, which is why I haven't asked for a refund on the season, yet. However, if I do, I will be done with hockey. I was sickened by the MLB strike and have not been to a game since. I don't watch much of the NFL anymore because of their tactics. Hockey has always been about what is best for the game, but this lockout has been wrecking that reputation. The players have been going to the mat for their superstars to continue cap circumvention that hurts the average player. The owners haven't been willing to do revenue sharing at the level of the other sports leagues to protect the few cash-cow franchises. This lockout has been about the needs of the haves overriding the needs of the have-nots. I keep waiting for the majority on both sides to realize that they have the numbers to bring sanity back to this mess.