Have you guys seen what the Yanks payroll will be ( relates to NHL)

[trentmccleary]

I understand where you are coming from, and was just tweaking you.


You know, there really is no "ideal" situation. Baseball, as you and others points out has its competitive flaws, by virtue of uneven spending, though I will submit that the Yankees "dominance" is not nearly what some would lead you to believe, certainly not through the first five years of the 21st Century.

Likewise, look at the NFL, which is held up by some as this virtue of excellence. Financial excellence for its owners, no doubt. But competitively, it has its flaws, too. Too wit, we are one week away from a potential NFC championship game featuring...two 8-8 teams! That is, if the Vikings and Rams managed victories next week, they could be playing the following Sunday for the right to play in the SuperBowl. Mediocrity personafied, by virtue of that league's economic system.

Personally, and putting aside for a nanosecond the economic flaws in the NHL, the level of competition is just right, IMO. You have perennially strong franchises, which I consider VERY GOOD for the league. Likewise, you seemingly have annual "cinderellas," which is also good.

The irony/hypocrisy is when fans who bemoan teams with high payrolls that maintain a high level of play over many years (such as NJD, Colorado and Detroit) also complain that the "cinderellas" are "only" one-year wonders.

There was something in the back of my head, this just seemed like a familiar situation and I finally remembered what it was: the old NHL All Star games (where it was almost always Montreal at the time). Sometimes I think baseball could run like that. The Yanks get 162 "by's" and start the playoffs. Ah well. Maybe something interesting will liven up the baseball season.

Cinderella's- I'm surprised anyone has tied money & Cinderella meltdowns together. Kariya is the only major player that those teams lost. We haven't seen the 95 or 96 Marlins offseason in hockey yet.

Detroit and Colorado- Nothing to do with spending... but I've hated seeing this phrase "because I want to win a Cup".

Summer of '01
- Hull signs with Detroit... because "I.W.T.W. a Cup"
- Robitaille signs with Detroit... because "I.W.T.W. a Cup"
- Hasek OK's a trade to Detroit... because "I.W.T.W. a Cup"
- Chelios (UFA) re-signs with Detroit... because "I.W.T.W. a Cup"

I wanted to smack them all to wake them up. 4 first ballot Hall of Famers... they probably could have gone to Columbus and won.

 

[Hockeyfan02]

the bigger crime is the teams thats get the yankees luxary tax money and don't spend it to improve the team.

The Devil Rays have gotten a nice amount as it was reported in one of the local papers here. It was a high amount that could imrpove the team, but they havent put a dime in the team. Thats a big concern if the NHL adopts a luxury tax or revenue sharing, some owners wont spend it on their teams they'll just pocket it.