Larry Brooks Gets Religion

[dedalus]

This is also the time for all of us to lower our voices, myself included. Each of us who loves this game has an obligation to it. Each of us has an obligation to stop dragging it — and each other — through the mud.

The healing must begin. It must begin now. We have to stop trying to destroy one another. We have to stop with the name-calling and the character-assassination. If not now, it will be too late. It will be too late to save this game.

What in the world have we all been doing?

http://newyorkpost.com/sports/41914.htm

Other than this sorry mea culpa he proposes a couple of interesting ideas.

One funny notion is this:
"A signed contract between the NHL and NHLPA guaranteeing an agreement in principle no later than May 15. Failure to consummate a CBA by that deadline would result in the dismissal of each lead negotiator. Further, failure to reach an agreement by June 1 would result in daily $1 million fines assessed against the each of the league's 30 teams and the PA"

So the league is effectively fined $30 million dollars/day while the PA is fine $1 million. Gee, wonder where THAT provision puts all the pressure to get a contract done?

Tell you what, Larry, let's keep the $1 million per team, but instead of fining the Association, howsabout we fine each player the Association represents? What say ... $50,000/day for every player? Surely if every team owner must take the completion of a CBA into his hands, the same must go for every player.

Click to read more...

 

[Three Stars]

I think the NHLPA stopped sending its royalty checks to Larry. Suddenly, his motivation is gone.

 

[RangerBoy]

It's just time to make a deal.Of course,last month was the time to make a deal and look what happened

 

[Pepper]

I think somebody hacked in to Larry's email and mailed that article to the editor of NY Post.

That or Larry has stopped doing drugs.

 

[Lard_Lad]

The healing must begin. It must begin now. We have to stop trying to destroy one another. We have to stop with the name-calling and the character-assassination. If not now, it will be too late. It will be too late to save this game.

Translation: "I just heard a rumor that the Post's management thinks they don't really need a hockey columnist if the lockout continues."

 

[Finkle is Einhorn]

Think his everybody-hold-hands attitude has anything to do with the fact that Brian Burke is looking into legal action about something Brooks wrote about him last week?

 

[Injektilo]

One funny notion is this:
"A signed contract between the NHL and NHLPA guaranteeing an agreement in principle no later than May 15. Failure to consummate a CBA by that deadline would result in the dismissal of each lead negotiator. "

That'd be awesome. Of course it'll never happen, but it'd be pretty awesome to see.

 

[dedalus]

That'd be awesome. Of course it'll never happen, but it'd be pretty awesome to see.

Well Goodenow loves his reputation as a deadline dealer. Let's see him defend it with his job on the line rather than other people's money.

 

[snakepliskin]

i think this is the pa using brooks to get some different ideas out in the pubic because i don't believe for one second that brooks came up with this by himself, i also think goodenow or saskin has told brooks to tone down the venom he has been spewing maybe they are trying to offer an olive branch but in any case i think anything that brooks writes has passed thru several different editing channels before seeing the light of day

 

[reckoning]

I think the NHLPA stopped sending its royalty checks to Larry. Suddenly, his motivation is gone.

Yeah right, Brooks and Strachan are both on the NHLPA payroll... and none of the pro-owners members of the media are receiving anything from the clubs. (sarcasm)

 

[me2]

LOL. "Lets make the Rangers better" is about all it means.

Go through the points....

1. Eliminate the draft. Each club to be allotted a fixed annual amount dedicated to entry-level class contracts. This would prevent any team from cornering the market on blue-chip entry-level prospects.

Either that Larry or teams in big markets like NYR can lure prospects with potenital outside sponsorship $ they couldn't get elsewhere, the improved cup chances at the big clubs, and big name appeal. Besides, after point 3 it is not going to matter anyway.

2. Two-year, rolling, hard team caps of between $80-90M per club

Not the worst idea, but it definitely allows rich teams to load up. The Rangers could spend $70m one year and $20m the next, then back to $70m. It will work because of point 3.

3. Elimination of Qualifying Offers and Salary Arbitration, with Unrestricted Free Agency established upon conclusion of Entry Level contracts.

Ha the clincher. Just as soon a cheap prospect is trained the Rangers can come along and take him for nothing. As soon as a 24 or 25 year old super stars hit the market in step the Rags and big buyers to poach them and stockpile them. Under the old draft system the salary slid from rookie up to UFA, that is gone and littler clubs are going to be screwed.

No cheap prospect built teams for the weaker clubs. If you can't afford $42.5m you will get a worse team. You will get a worse team if you are poorer ($25m-30m salary team) since the best prospects will head to the rich clubs and all of your best players will head there too. Perpetual uselessness for many teams, but hey that is ok so long as Brooks Rags are winning at the expense of the leagues overall health.

5. Players to receive a fixed percentage of the playoff gate revenue.

I'd support this if the players took an equivalent paycut during the regular season.

6. Guarantee that the league will include no fewer than 30 teams throughout the life of the CBA.

That's rich considering the NHLPA members were calling for contraction.


7. The Players' Association to receive a significant fixed amount if any of the 30 teams relocates throughout the term of the CBA, formula to be determined.

And why should the NHLPA get anything if a team moves? It doesn't lose jobs.

 

[RangerBoy]

LOL. "Lets make the Rangers better" is about all it means.

Go through the points....

1. Eliminate the draft. Each club to be allotted a fixed annual amount dedicated to entry-level class contracts. This would prevent any team from cornering the market on blue-chip entry-level prospects.

Either that Larry or teams in big markets like NYR can lure prospects with potenital outside sponsorship $ they couldn't get elsewhere, the improved cup chances at the big clubs, and big name appeal. Besides, after point 3 it is not going to matter anyway.

2. Two-year, rolling, hard team caps of between $80-90M per club

Not the worst idea, but it definitely allows rich teams to load up. The Rangers could spend $70m one year and $20m the next, then back to $70m. It will work because of point 3.

3. Elimination of Qualifying Offers and Salary Arbitration, with Unrestricted Free Agency established upon conclusion of Entry Level contracts.

Ha the clincher. Just as soon a cheap prospect is trained the Rangers can come along and take him for nothing. As soon as a 24 or 25 year old super stars hit the market in step the Rags and big buyers to poach them and stockpile them. Under the old draft system the salary slid from rookie up to UFA, that is gone and littler clubs are going to be screwed.

No cheap prospect built teams for the weaker clubs. If you can't afford $42.5m you will get a worse team. You will get a worse team if you are poorer ($25m-30m salary team) since the best prospects will head to the rich clubs and all of your best players will head there too. Perpetual uselessness for many teams, but hey that is ok so long as Brooks Rags are winning at the expense of the leagues overall health.

5. Players to receive a fixed percentage of the playoff gate revenue.

I'd support this if the players took an equivalent paycut during the regular season.

6. Guarantee that the league will include no fewer than 30 teams throughout the life of the CBA.

That's rich considering the NHLPA members were calling for contraction.


7. The Players' Association to receive a significant fixed amount if any of the 30 teams relocates throughout the term of the CBA, formula to be determined.

And why should the NHLPA get anything if a team moves? It doesn't lose jobs.

Hey genius,under a cap system every team would have a chance to sign a big time free agent.Teams would lose their players to other teams as free agents if they are capped out.A team would not be able to sign every available player plus keep their own players

 

[me2]

Hey genius,under a cap system every team would have a chance to sign a big time free agent.Teams would lose their players to other teams as free agents if they are capped out.A team would not be able to sign every available player plus keep their own players

Try thinking this through will you. You can do it. Not every team can spend $40m, $45m, $50m, $55m etc.

$42.5m hard cap + strong reserve system + no draft
OR
$90m over 2 years + pointless reserve system + no draft

Under the reserve system, rich teams can't poach players until they are 31 (whatever is in the new deal). This means less rich teams have time to build using cheaper RFAs players. As the teams build they bring their fans along and are slowly able to increase ticket prices. Rob them of their best talent while they can only afford cheap teams and they'll have trouble improving.

Would Tampa be able to build its team and its market if its best players got poached before it could make the play offs?

Would Calgary have made a playoff run if Ignilna was poached years before?

Who would the Rangers rather load up on, elite young players like Ignila, Hossa, Chara, Lecavalier or overpaid geriatrics.

Its even got a luxury tax to ensure the weaker clubs have even more trouble spending with the big guys.