NHLOL Offseason
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Re: NHL Offseason
Fuck Bettman, always and forever.
I honestly don't blame the players' association one single bit in all of this. If they accepted any of the NHL's proposals thus far, they'd lose everywhere and get no concessions to prevent this from happening again. The players lose salary on existing contracts, the cap goes down, there are more restrictions on contracts, and in return we probably get another lockout in six years.
The NHL's idea of "honoring" player contracts already signed was actually just paying current players money from future contracts. The money to make up the difference now would count against the player's share of money in the future. It's not a concession at all: Essentially, the league offered to pay the players with their own money.
The players are willing (and, let's be honest, they will) to concede salary and such, but they want the league to address the problems with the current system that punish poor teams (to prevent another lockout in six years) and they want to address how their split of league money is calculated (because they think teams are basically stealing from them by not reporting some revenue as "hockey-related").
Typically, in a negotiation in order to get the other party to accept negative changes, you offer to accept other changes in compensation in a give-and-take. The NHL has never made concessions to the players, they've never justified their position that players need to take a cut now, and they've never proven that the "50 / 50" figure is what it would take to help out struggling teams permanently so we're not having this same discussion in half a decade.
So, again, fuck Bettman.
Fuck Bettman, always and forever.
I honestly don't blame the players' association one single bit in all of this. If they accepted any of the NHL's proposals thus far, they'd lose everywhere and get no concessions to prevent this from happening again. The players lose salary on existing contracts, the cap goes down, there are more restrictions on contracts, and in return we probably get another lockout in six years.
The NHL's idea of "honoring" player contracts already signed was actually just paying current players money from future contracts. The money to make up the difference now would count against the player's share of money in the future. It's not a concession at all: Essentially, the league offered to pay the players with their own money.
The players are willing (and, let's be honest, they will) to concede salary and such, but they want the league to address the problems with the current system that punish poor teams (to prevent another lockout in six years) and they want to address how their split of league money is calculated (because they think teams are basically stealing from them by not reporting some revenue as "hockey-related").
Typically, in a negotiation in order to get the other party to accept negative changes, you offer to accept other changes in compensation in a give-and-take. The NHL has never made concessions to the players, they've never justified their position that players need to take a cut now, and they've never proven that the "50 / 50" figure is what it would take to help out struggling teams permanently so we're not having this same discussion in half a decade.
So, again, fuck Bettman.
Re: NHL Offseason
I know everyone says that Bettman works for the owners and all that, but I think it's crystal clear that he has to go. Maybe it won't make a difference in the long run, but he is the worst commissioner in all of sports, and we might have 2 seasons cancelled in a period of 8 years under his watch. Owners don't like him (Or at least based on reports I've read saying a majority of the owners hate this lockout) and the Players hate his guts with a passion. For the sake of bringing the peace back to both sides, I don't see how Bettman survives this. His head is on the chopping block and the axe is about to swing.
Right now I do think they should just cancel the season. However, if this lockout doesn't end with Gary Bettman's retirement, then I think it was a waste.
I know everyone says that Bettman works for the owners and all that, but I think it's crystal clear that he has to go. Maybe it won't make a difference in the long run, but he is the worst commissioner in all of sports, and we might have 2 seasons cancelled in a period of 8 years under his watch. Owners don't like him (Or at least based on reports I've read saying a majority of the owners hate this lockout) and the Players hate his guts with a passion. For the sake of bringing the peace back to both sides, I don't see how Bettman survives this. His head is on the chopping block and the axe is about to swing.
Right now I do think they should just cancel the season. However, if this lockout doesn't end with Gary Bettman's retirement, then I think it was a waste.
Re: NHL Offseason
Bettman serves at the owners' leisure. If he didn't have the support of ownership through all of this, he wouldn't be around. I don't think you understand just how much the hardline assholes like Jeremy Jacobs are obsessed with breaking the union above all else. Remember, the owners turned on John Ziegler in a nanosecond after he worked out the settlement to resolve the 1992 players' strike.
Bettman serves at the owners' leisure. If he didn't have the support of ownership through all of this, he wouldn't be around. I don't think you understand just how much the hardline assholes like Jeremy Jacobs are obsessed with breaking the union above all else. Remember, the owners turned on John Ziegler in a nanosecond after he worked out the settlement to resolve the 1992 players' strike.
Re: NHL Offseason
You're right, I don't understand, and I didn't really start becoming a fan of the league until the late 90s, but through all of this, how can Bettman keep his job? The Asswipe owners want to break the union, and the union wants Bettman gone. I think this is a great reason this year to not have a season and really get a long term deal and FIX this damn thing because right now, everything is broken.
You're right, I don't understand, and I didn't really start becoming a fan of the league until the late 90s, but through all of this, how can Bettman keep his job? The Asswipe owners want to break the union, and the union wants Bettman gone. I think this is a great reason this year to not have a season and really get a long term deal and FIX this damn thing because right now, everything is broken.
Re: NHL Offseason
Unfortunately, Bettman doesn't answer to the players. He answers to the Board of Governors, and the vast majority of them are fully in his corner.
Unfortunately, Bettman doesn't answer to the players. He answers to the Board of Governors, and the vast majority of them are fully in his corner.
Re: NHL Offseason
Bettman is the fall guy for the owners. He looks bad while the owners sit in the ivory towers untouched. The union will never fall and the owners will never yield.
But I've finally accepted it's billionaires vs millionaires and no matter how much they both profess that they love the game and this is to the save the game, it's all about the money in the pockets. If it was for the love of the game, we'd be playing by now. I'll be back when they finally work it out, but for right now, this game is silly and I'm done.
Bettman is the fall guy for the owners. He looks bad while the owners sit in the ivory towers untouched. The union will never fall and the owners will never yield.
But I've finally accepted it's billionaires vs millionaires and no matter how much they both profess that they love the game and this is to the save the game, it's all about the money in the pockets. If it was for the love of the game, we'd be playing by now. I'll be back when they finally work it out, but for right now, this game is silly and I'm done.
Re: NHL Offseason
So which KHL team should I start rooting for?
So which KHL team should I start rooting for?
Re: NHL Offseason
Fuck Bettman, fuck the NHL, burn it all down.
Edit: Also a reminder that it's not just the owners and Bettman doing this. It's also these assholes. Yeah, it's a mutual relationship and one asshole doesn't exist without the other, but don't forget about them. They've represented the NBA, NFL and now the NHL, and what has happened? Three for three on the lockout front.
Fuck Bettman, fuck the NHL, burn it all down.
Edit: Also a reminder that it's not just the owners and Bettman doing this. It's also these assholes. Yeah, it's a mutual relationship and one asshole doesn't exist without the other, but don't forget about them. They've represented the NBA, NFL and now the NHL, and what has happened? Three for three on the lockout front.
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Re: NHL Offseason
In other news, Pascal Leclaire has retired at the ripe old age of 30. The poor bastard just couldn't stay healthy.
In other news, Pascal Leclaire has retired at the ripe old age of 30. The poor bastard just couldn't stay healthy.
Re: NHL Offseason
Sakic was a shoe-in. Sundin was pretty much a shoe-in as one of, if not the best, Swedish forward to ever play the game. Oates was known for his play-making skills. Bure was a pure-scorer, but I don't think he was one of those super players we are always going to remember. He was good in the early 90's and then seemed to drop off the planet.
Sakic was a shoe-in. Sundin was pretty much a shoe-in as one of, if not the best, Swedish forward to ever play the game. Oates was known for his play-making skills. Bure was a pure-scorer, but I don't think he was one of those super players we are always going to remember. He was good in the early 90's and then seemed to drop off the planet.
Re: NHL Offseason
So now we're taking two weeks off?
This is just silly.
Why are these people so stupid? They could have been working on this for the past two off-seasons day in and day out working toward a deal. Besides tanning on a beach, what is Bettman, the owners, and the PA doing all summer? The owners want to break the union; the union wants to stand up and be seen as powerful after bowing down last time. And let me remind you the majority of top tier players are playing in Europe, only to show up for PR stunts that Fehr wants to pull.
I agree with Timby. Burn it down.
So now we're taking two weeks off?
This is just silly.
Why are these people so stupid? They could have been working on this for the past two off-seasons day in and day out working toward a deal. Besides tanning on a beach, what is Bettman, the owners, and the PA doing all summer? The owners want to break the union; the union wants to stand up and be seen as powerful after bowing down last time. And let me remind you the majority of top tier players are playing in Europe, only to show up for PR stunts that Fehr wants to pull.
I agree with Timby. Burn it down.
Re: NHL Offseason
So this is official? Last I read it was a suggestion, but then again, didn't they take this week off too? How many weeks are they going to take off before the urgency really kicks in? Just cancel the season now for heavens sake.
So this is official? Last I read it was a suggestion, but then again, didn't they take this week off too? How many weeks are they going to take off before the urgency really kicks in? Just cancel the season now for heavens sake.
Re: NHL Offseason
It's not the union wanting to be seen as powerful. It's the players refusing to bend over and get fucked in the ass for no reason, seven years after they gave the owners everything they wanted.
I have yet to see one compelling argument in favor of the owners' position. There is no reason the players should accept pay cuts across the board, severe cuts to their contractual rights and a lower share of the revenue pie when the league is making money hand over fist.
It's not the union wanting to be seen as powerful. It's the players refusing to bend over and get fucked in the ass for no reason, seven years after they gave the owners everything they wanted.
I have yet to see one compelling argument in favor of the owners' position. There is no reason the players should accept pay cuts across the board, severe cuts to their contractual rights and a lower share of the revenue pie when the league is making money hand over fist.
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Re: NHL Offseason
They probably will.
I don't see the point of them negotiating if they aren't willing to do it in good faith, so they might as well not waste their time.
They probably will.
I don't see the point of them negotiating if they aren't willing to do it in good faith, so they might as well not waste their time.
Re: NHL Offseason
I have no idea how accurate this is, but it's an interesting gossip about the powerplay among the owners.
Is Flyers' Snider helping thaw NHL talks?
The Philadelphia Daily News has been overly optimistic throughout this process, so I would take signs of hope with a grain of salt. However, it's absolutely crazy that seven owners are all that are needed to keep this thing going.
I have no idea how accurate this is, but it's an interesting gossip about the powerplay among the owners.
Is Flyers' Snider helping thaw NHL talks?
The Philadelphia Daily News has been overly optimistic throughout this process, so I would take signs of hope with a grain of salt. However, it's absolutely crazy that seven owners are all that are needed to keep this thing going.
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