Comments for October 02, 2012 at http://hockey.dobbersports.com , comment 1 to 15 out of 15 comments http://hockey.dobbersports.com Wed, 22 May 2013 05:43:53 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.3 http://hockey.dobbersports.com/index.php/home-mainmenu-1/24-rambling/4940-october-02-2012#comment-22763 I was pretty comfortable that this really wouldn't be a long thing this time, as it was all about money, but I am starting to get nervous. I think the players actually believe their own press, that they actually offered any kind of a concession at all to the owners, and that the owners are b***ards for not taking it seriously. The media has done such a lousy job of actually discussing what the players offered, and constantly sum up it up as an offer to give back, that everyone is blaming this on the owners, and making the players feel justified in their stance. The reality is it was anything but, and in fact was a demand for more money this year, guaranteed, regardless of what league revenues were, and then a rate of increase that is faster than it would have been under the old CBA, and guaranteed, regardless of revenues for the league. Given that the vast majority of the increase in league revenues in the last 3 years has come from the increase in the CDN dollar, which is unlikely to keep going up at the recent rate, and from the NBC contract, which is now in place and not adding additional growth going forward, for the PA to state that they are giving back if the league continues to grow at the previous rate is blatantly ridiculous, bordering on dishonest, and the fact that they furthermore want their share to be fixed going forward instead of tied to overall revenues shows that they really don't give a crap about the game, or even the health of the league that pays them. Under their proposal, if the CDN $ drops or revenues drop, their share becomes considerably bigger than the current 57% and would cripple the league, or at least 80% of the teams that are currently break even or worse. Additionally, the media keeps repeating the garbage from the PA about how they gave up so much in the last lockout and should not have to do so again, again allowing the players to believe their own BS. OK, fine, they let the cap come in, and had their salaries rolled back 24%, I grant you that at least this last thing was a concession. The cap, however, was not, as salaries have increased, on average, on virtually the exact same pace that they did in the 7 years before the lockout... Plus, the owners gave the players free agency at 26, instead of the 29 or 30 that it was prior... So what exactly, did they give up? A temporary decrease in salary for the 200 or so players that were under contract at the time of the lockout? What they gave up was a year of income, for nothing, and they are about to do it again. Both sides are clearly to blame in this, but if the league is being remotely honest in saying that the PA has not varied significantly from their initial offer, then I don't blame them for locking the players out in any way. They want more money, guaranteed, now and in the future, in a sports environment where every other league is getting concessions from their player. Sorry for the length of this, but I have the need to vent, and I haven't seen a real discussion or analysis of what the PA's offer really means anywhere, and thought I would offer my version. - habsrule Tue, 02 Oct 2012 19:50:34 +0100 http://hockey.dobbersports.com/index.php/home-mainmenu-1/24-rambling/4940-october-02-2012#comment-22760 @ Dobbs, my point is that one of the simple facts of business is that the weak always get stomped first. We complain about those fringe players getting robbed but it happens in every other industry and every other country and we really don't care. I just want us to stop being hypocritical and thinking we care about the small guys when really all we want is our saturday morning cartoons back. You walk by the homeless everyday in TO so let's not start pretending we care now... - aleco83 Tue, 02 Oct 2012 17:20:46 +0100 http://hockey.dobbersports.com/index.php/home-mainmenu-1/24-rambling/4940-october-02-2012#comment-22756 Olgrit - okay, so this fringe hockey player goes back to school and starts training to be a security guard. School starts in a week, let's say. Mid-November, the players go back to the NHL and suddenly he gets his old job back. Now what? There's your career change suggestion. Sometimes, an easy fix like that doesn't reflect life. Chicago - just speaking the truth. Glean from it what you will. I'm a Leaf fan (among other teams), and I'm surrounded by Leaf fans. So it's all I hear. yougo - Markov is King Band-Aid from Band-Aidville. I don't care what he played last year, I'll never draft him and I couldn't believe it when the Habs re-signed him knowing what they knew. - Dobber Tue, 02 Oct 2012 13:36:56 +0100 http://hockey.dobbersports.com/index.php/home-mainmenu-1/24-rambling/4940-october-02-2012#comment-22755 If it were as simple as supply and demand, people wouldn't still be discussing it. There are personal dilemma's that should be considered here. Players like Nash/Thornton are rich, filthy rich. They should let some less fortunate players take their crack. - shingy Tue, 02 Oct 2012 12:18:07 +0100 http://hockey.dobbersports.com/index.php/home-mainmenu-1/24-rambling/4940-october-02-2012#comment-22754 I don't understand why some people are so mad at NHL players for "stealing" someone else's job in the Eurpopean leagues. It's a simple case of supply and demand. If you're one of the worst players on your 2nd division team in Sweden, and a bonafide NHL'er bumps you off the roster, then too bad. Maybe you should consider a career change as obviously playing professional hockey isn't your thing. In most any other industry if someone performs better than you, then you will be replaced. - olgrit22 Tue, 02 Oct 2012 11:40:42 +0100 http://hockey.dobbersports.com/index.php/home-mainmenu-1/24-rambling/4940-october-02-2012#comment-22753 [quote]On a side note, I just have to shake my head at Leafs fans. They always need a scapegoat.[/quote] What does this mean? - ChicagoChief Tue, 02 Oct 2012 10:54:36 +0100 http://hockey.dobbersports.com/index.php/home-mainmenu-1/24-rambling/4940-october-02-2012#comment-22752 @dobber Markov played more than 10 games last season, and if he gets injured there is still Kaberle (who's better than Blum at running a PP). As for the NYI, they have Streit and Visnovski. So Blum isn't a good fit there either. Florida: Campbell and Kulikov > Blum. We could argue on Colorado but I personally prefer Erik Johnson and Stefan Elliot over Blum. - yougo Tue, 02 Oct 2012 09:15:33 +0100 http://hockey.dobbersports.com/index.php/home-mainmenu-1/24-rambling/4940-october-02-2012#comment-22751 Good luck on this one, since they actually are heartless. Hard to make it where they have in business without being a bit soul-less or checking your conscience at the door from time to time, IMO. But! It'd be nice to hear more coverage on the actual downtrodden in this situation. The employees left behind who likely only made minimum wage (or not much more) to begin with. Due to the owners locking the players out, how many NHL related employees have had to go on food stamps or welfare? A fair share no doubt. There's a more personal, more relate-able, sadder side to this story and it could easily sway public opinion if done correctly. Some food for thought..There are firefighters/police officers in some US cities ($56,000/year decreased to $7/hr) who are now eligible for food stamps due to municipal budget cuts. ____________ The average joe or hockey fan can't relate to either side here. Their biggest problem is that they don't know how to split all the money up. Rough stuff. We should be focusing on the more human aspect of this if we hope to drum up some guilt or response. The Nash and Thornton's are very selfish. Anyone with their money taking up needed spots on another team is pretty self absorbed. - shingy Tue, 02 Oct 2012 08:50:05 +0100 http://hockey.dobbersports.com/index.php/home-mainmenu-1/24-rambling/4940-october-02-2012#comment-22750 I disagree Alexo83 - I complain when ma and pa stores close down. And it was eight years before I first went into a Wal-Mart, once they arrived. Your argument about money - that's the good fight that I'm always having. You see, Joe Thornton, Rick Nash, Ovechkin, etc. - they have money. They can get by. In fact, they can buy 10 cars and six houses. The players who are stuck in a lesser league now, well they just missed their mortgage payment. The player whose dream of being an NHL regular would come true in a season this year...but may not come true if the season were cancelled and next year made him a year older and a year slower - and his chance went bye-bye. My point is, I don't give a rat's ass about either side - it's the "third" side that I care about. And that's the side that has very little coverage, but needs more. Yougo - If you think Markov plays 10 games this year without twisting his knee, then you're welcome to hold onto that dream. I added Montreal in there specifically because I know Markov will be toast by Game 8. - Dobber Tue, 02 Oct 2012 08:36:51 +0100 http://hockey.dobbersports.com/index.php/home-mainmenu-1/24-rambling/4940-october-02-2012#comment-22748 I think we sometimes tend to forget that this is ultimately a business. No one gives tow sh*ts about those euro players getting bumped or those 4th liners because it's business. No one complains when a bunch of ma and pa stores close down when Walmart comes to town, in fact, most are extatic at the prospect of lower prices. There is no right and wrong in this battle, there is only money. If I was an owner/nhlpa, I would look for sustainable longterm growth but we live in the capitalist model so its profit maxing to the tits and who cares if this hurts the game or players so long as the math works out in the end. Don't think the players aren't thinking the same. If it was for the love of the game they would be content playing for free or next to nothing and we'd be watching lousy shiny hockey. Anyways, point is, who gives a rats a*s about both sides, lets just hope they can sort their sh*t out so we can watch some hockey... the only true people who love the game, the fans. - aleco83 Tue, 02 Oct 2012 07:46:46 +0100 http://hockey.dobbersports.com/index.php/home-mainmenu-1/24-rambling/4940-october-02-2012#comment-22746 How is Montreal a good fit for Blum? Markov and Subban are both way more effective than him running a PP. - yougo Tue, 02 Oct 2012 06:55:21 +0100 http://hockey.dobbersports.com/index.php/home-mainmenu-1/24-rambling/4940-october-02-2012#comment-22745 There won't be articles in the media like the ones Dobber mentioned for the same reason you don't see articles on those people during the regular season: too much focus on star players. Maybe the media believe this is what sells papers/attracts viewers, and they're probably right. No one cares too much about fourth-line players unless you live in that city or have them in a hockey pool somewhere. Sad, but true. As for Franson, don't see how he could be a 50-point player in Montreal. He'd be behind kaberle, Markov and Subban for offense, and behind Gorges for even strength time. He wouldn't get enough ice time to get 50 points. - newfcollins Tue, 02 Oct 2012 06:54:44 +0100 http://hockey.dobbersports.com/index.php/home-mainmenu-1/24-rambling/4940-october-02-2012#comment-22742 That goes without saying. Doesn't change my premise though. - Dobber Tue, 02 Oct 2012 06:11:25 +0100 http://hockey.dobbersports.com/index.php/home-mainmenu-1/24-rambling/4940-october-02-2012#comment-22741 Vladimir Sobotka ranks at #16 in the Extraliga behind some well known names like Plekanec, Jagr, Tlutsy, Bonk and Nedved. I wouldn't put much emphasis on being a top 20 scorer in the Extraliga nor would I give much weight to the fact that Steve Bernier scored twice in La Tournée des Joueurs. - edesjardins Tue, 02 Oct 2012 05:35:13 +0100 http://hockey.dobbersports.com/index.php/home-mainmenu-1/24-rambling/4940-october-02-2012#comment-22739 You won't see the media doing any articles on those players that have lost their jobs because of NHL players going to Europe because the majority of the media seems to be on the players side. Why would they do a piece that is going to help the owners? But that is an article that needs writing. - UKflames Tue, 02 Oct 2012 01:22:52 +0100