Fans views towards players changed or changing?????

[eye]

I don't know how to post a poll but am interested in hearing if other fans share my views. I have lost a great deal of respect for many NHL'rs and feel betrayed to the point of experiencing mixed emotions ranging from hatred to feeling sorry for them. I cringe everytime a player is interviewed for fear they will be quoted with another harmful comment or thought on the state of the game.

One thing that I always felt from being with and around players all my life but am now more sure of than ever is that these guys are easily brainwashed and as many of you know I personally hold Goodenow responsible for leading them down this dead end road and the damage that he has done to what was once the only pro league that "got it" in terms of keeping it real and staying in touch with the average fan.

Click to read more...

 

[transplant99]

I cringe everytime a player is interviewed for fear they will be quoted with another harmful comment or thought on the state of the game.

It's only going to get worse.

As evidenced by todays quote from Trent freaking Klatt, who all but calls Lemieux a liar.

Boy, these players have "lost it".

 

[Jarqui]

Players have been trained for years to do their coach's bidding. Goodenow is their coach in this situation. They must rely on him because many of the players do not understand the financial issues.

For that reason, I feel that I have to cut the players some slack in this. But I cannot totally disregard their duty to find out and take the time to understand the issues before commiting to them in the way that they have. So they still bear some significant responsibility in my opinion because in that area, they seem to have have let me down.

 

[ladybugblue]

I agree...initially I just thought that the players were greedy. Now I think they are all in denial and being pulled around by Goodenow and not really thinking objectively and realistically. The Revenues for the league next year could easily be around $1 billion instead $2.1 billion. I really feel badly for the players now (sympathy more than anything) as I think many of them really do want to play the game however they are not businessmen. The owners want no loopholes where the system can get out of balance again and I think that is why a deal will not be struck (last week or in the near future). I think a linked system is a real partnership with the players and if the players have a say in the rules etc. maybe they can be part of creating a league that eventually will be better than before.

There was a recent article with Esche from Philly that talked about selling the game and having goalies miked in the goal crease. Now I can see a lot of players not liking this stuff but he was seeing what others are seeing that in other sports (especially in the US) that are more appealing to watch. The NHL needs these types of players that want to make the game better and grow it like it should be.

Everything that happened in the last couple of weeks could be turned into a positive and worked out for next year...however I think both sides need to put their egos at the door and work through all the issues and a system that can be fair to both sides.

 

[KeyserSoze]

Players, attitudes and future plans

I have lost much hope and respect for many of today's veteran players. So many of them seem to be talking about their futures in coaching or playing overseas with no return clause. It is as if they realize that the gravy train is over and it is time to move on. These guys, the vets and vet stars of the now defunct NHL, are millionaires and don't want to play in this league for less than what they are currently making. They don't seem to have the desire to play the game unless it is in a new environment where they are revered as a former NHLer; ie overseas. It is as if they need a new challenge rather than to accept the reality that things can't continue along the same status quo in the NHL. I feel that many of them have already moved on from the NHL in both mind and heart. They have been lead to believe that they are worth more than the NHL is offering by "Never Goodenough." Since the offers aren't up to their million dollar egos, then they are willing to play elsewhere for less just to stroke their egos. It is really sad in a way. On the other hand, this is the group holding the whole process up. I fell that if you move on and accept work elsewhere then you no longer belong in the league and should no longer have a say in the process. I know that I'll get flamed for that last comment, but seriously if you aren't part of the solution, then you really are the problem.

 

[Mountain Dude]

I have no respect for any of the players anymore, when/if the NHL comes back, I'm going to be cheering for the Jersey, and booing the players.

 

[Snydley Whiplash*]

No respect for players?????? I cannot for the life of me understand how a bunch of brain dead, financially incompetent, lying, cheating, and just plain stupid Management types get the respect of the public while the greatest athelites in the world have to suffer the indignities thrown at them from fans AND the media. Has the whole world suddenly lost its collective mind??
To make it simple for you mentally challenged, think of it this way....
Bob Goodenow is in charge of a UNION. That UNION has gone thru an era of unprecedented growth and prosperity.
Gary Bettman is in charge of the NHL. The NHL has gone thru a period of unprecidented FAILURE. It is unanamous that the NHL is in free fall. And tell me again who is charge of the NHL????? Thats right, little girls and boys, that would be Mr Bettman.
So, what colour is the sun on your planet????????

 

[clumping platelets]

No way........I'm even more entrenched in favor of the owners and I'm a union rep at the hospital I work for

 

[chiavsfan]

Gary Bettman is in charge of the NHL. The NHL has gone thru a period of unprecidented FAILURE.

Actually, last time I checked, during Bettman's reign, the NHL had (stress had because of the current situation) become a 2.1 billion dollar industry

 

[Snydley Whiplash*]

Can you read fella??? do you get a paper???
are you saying the NHL is doing well??????

 

[chiavsfan]

Thanks for spinning my words...but nowhere did I say the NHL was doing well at THIS POINT. But Bettman is in charge of a league that brought in 2.1 billion dollars...in my word, and the world of every right thinking individual...thats a pretty dang good number.

 

[bladoww]

For the most part I really don't respect the players. One could maybe sympathize with the folks on the bottom rungs of the player ladder for quite literally being crapped on. But then, one could argue that that particular player couldv'e opened his mouth and spoke out instead of doing his best impersonation of a loaf of bread. Screw the Goodenow goon patrol (a.k.a. the "just tell everyone you were misquoted or we'll snap your neck" squad).

 

[eye]

Can you read fella??? do you get a paper???
are you saying the NHL is doing well??????

Your not really answering the question posed but I will add in response to your one sided view that if Goodenow really wanted to (and we all know he doesn't) he could have taken linkage at 55% and help Bettman and the NHL grow the game to uprecedented levels with everyone winning in the long run but he chose instead to paint himself and the players into a no cap corner early on doing irreperable damage and as a result led his players into giving up 1.3 billion or more with still nowhere to go but down. The game and the players will likely never recover. Goodenow had more chance to fix what was broken and it takes 2 willing partners to share a vision to fix a game that has no TV revenue or other renenues to draw from.

 

[ti-vite]

No respect for players?????? I cannot for the life of me understand how a bunch of brain dead, financially incompetent, lying, cheating, and just plain stupid Management types get the respect of the public while the greatest athelites in the world have to suffer the indignities thrown at them from fans AND the media. Has the whole world suddenly lost its collective mind??
To make it simple for you mentally challenged, think of it this way....
Bob Goodenow is in charge of a UNION. That UNION has gone thru an era of unprecedented growth and prosperity.
Gary Bettman is in charge of the NHL. The NHL has gone thru a period of unprecidented FAILURE. It is unanamous that the NHL is in free fall. And tell me again who is charge of the NHL????? Thats right, little girls and boys, that would be Mr Bettman.
So, what colour is the sun on your planet????????

Greatest athletes in the world?
Union?

So what colour is the sun on your planet NHLPA leech?

 

[ladybugblue]

No respect for players?????? I cannot for the life of me understand how a bunch of brain dead, financially incompetent, lying, cheating, and just plain stupid Management types get the respect of the public while the greatest athelites in the world have to suffer the indignities thrown at them from fans AND the media. Has the whole world suddenly lost its collective mind??
To make it simple for you mentally challenged, think of it this way....
Bob Goodenow is in charge of a UNION. That UNION has gone thru an era of unprecedented growth and prosperity.
Gary Bettman is in charge of the NHL. The NHL has gone thru a period of unprecidented FAILURE. It is unanamous that the NHL is in free fall. And tell me again who is charge of the NHL????? Thats right, little girls and boys, that would be Mr Bettman.
So, what colour is the sun on your planet????????

Unfortunately you are new to this board and start blasting everyone will piss off the posters. While the owners are responsible for parts of the problems so are the PLAYERS!! Name calling will just put you are everyone's ignore list and it isn't that black and white. BUT the players are just making their situation worse and worse and I don't think it is getting any better. Stop blasting everone you sound like a child.

 

[Charge_Seven]

It's only going to get worse.

As evidenced by todays quote from Trent freaking Klatt, who all but calls Lemieux a liar.

Boy, these players have "lost it".

So it's impossible that Mario Lemieux lied?

 

[Charge_Seven]

Unfortunately you are new to this board and start blasting everyone will piss off the posters. While the owners are responsible for parts of the problems so are the PLAYERS!! Name calling will just put you are everyone's ignore list and it isn't that black and white. BUT the players are just making their situation worse and worse and I don't think it is getting any better. Stop blasting everone you sound like a child.

Please. The owners have already claimed full responsibility for the problem (I've even brought the link from TSN to the boards twice now), this is not the players mess, it's the owners, however the players do have to bend over and take it when the problems get fixed.

 

[ladybugblue]

So it's impossible that Mario Lemieux lied?

It is possible but the motive is not to the divide the union like suggested. It is ridicules to suggest otherwise and that is why most people will think Klatt is an idiot.

 

[dakota]

Please. The owners have already claimed full responsibility for the problem (I've even brought the link from TSN to the boards twice now), this is not the players mess, it's the owners, however the players do have to bend over and take it when the problems get fixed.

the owners have every right to make their business work for them... business is business... unfortunately we as fans pay... and we probably will not see the NHL until September 2006...

 

[MissTeeks]

Newflash. They're all to blame for this, players, owners, GM's, everyone. No one's hands are clean in this mess. I blame the owners for the past problems, the players for the current problems. As hard as it may be for both sides to comprehend, they are all going to have to work together to fix this.

 

[Digger12]

So it's impossible that Mario Lemieux lied?

Of course it's possible, but that's not really the issue.

The reality is that it's a war of perception, and calling Lemieux's integrity into question is a road Klatt and his brethern really don't want to be travelling down right now. Valid complaint or not, it does the NHLPA nothing but harm in the public eye...assuming they care even a little about that.

 

[ladybugblue]

Newflash. They're all to blame for this, players, owners, GM's, everyone. No one's hands are clean in this mess. I blame the owners for the past problems, the players for the current problems. As hard as it may be for both sides to comprehend, they are all going to have to work together to fix this.

Not black and white.

 

[ceber]

I don't know how to post a poll but am interested in hearing if other fans share my views. I have lost a great deal of respect for many NHL'rs and feel betrayed to the point of experiencing mixed emotions ranging from hatred to feeling sorry for them. I cringe everytime a player is interviewed for fear they will be quoted with another harmful comment or thought on the state of the game.

One thing that I always felt from being with and around players all my life but am now more sure of than ever is that these guys are easily brainwashed and as many of you know I personally hold Goodenow responsible for leading them down this dead end road and the damage that he has done to what was once the only pro league that "got it" in terms of keeping it real and staying in touch with the average fan.

From the beginning I've felt that it's not unfair to get the players to play under a cap, and I don't see why the cap shouldn't be linked to revenues, so I guess that makes me pro owner. BUT, over the past months my opinion of the players hasn't changed in the least. I just don't see why anyone would let this affect your opinion of any of them, players, owners, refs, vendors, etc. This is a business negotiation that's turned ugly, that's all. The players are still the same guys you cheered for last season, they're just wrapped up in a nasty situation. Cut 'em some slack and leave it alone until things are resolved, I say.

 

[Drury_Sakic]

I think part of peoples problem here is that we in general saw Hockey players as being different from(warning steriotypes) the money grubbing NFL players, or the Thug Ball NBA players, or the steriod using MLB players...

thats where all this has hit home.. these guys were GOLD in alot of people's mind...

Alot of guys that I would have though were better than this have disapointed me... Where is Super Joe Sakic in all this.. one of the most respected men in the league.. if he spoke out about the problem, people would listen... Same goes for someone like Mark Messier(I know he is all but done, but still) or possibly Stevey Y...

Those are the guys I am disapointed in.. not that they maybe have not tried.. but they have not been more vocal about how stupid this whole process is.. that BOTH sides are being morons..

What Klatt said was stupid...... but I don't care what he thinks.... I wanna know what the guys we know and love think... Our Captains... our leaders.. where is their voice?

We keep hearing from guys like Mathew Barnaby, Trent Klatt, and Jay McKee.... which is Ok, nothing against them...

But, what will it take for the Prongers, Iginlas, the Eshes to get out and start making a BIG stink about BOTH SIDES...

Same thing for the Owners side.... I really have to wonder if they all honestly think the stratagy being used is a sound one.....

I have no doubt that both sides agree with their goals.. but tactics are being alowed to perpetuate on Both sides that I just cannot understand..

 

[arnie]

So it's impossible that Mario Lemieux lied?

No. Quite frankly, Lemieux isn't bright enough to make up such a story.