Rant of the day...

[octopi]

Close is For Horseshoes and Hand Grenades

I am sick of hearing how close the new deal between the NHL and NHLPA is. I'm not convinced the two sides are close at all. I mean, ecery other week all winter, we kept hearing reports that something was just around the corner, this thing will get down, no way is a season getting flushed down the toilet. Well guess what? Wrong, wrong, wrong. I'm not swallowing any more sports reporter koolaid telling me this whole mess gets worked out by mid July. I've seen way too many false alarms, including no less than the hockey Bible, THN, get "The season is saved" horribly wrong. Until I see a press conference with Bettman and Goodenow saying the deal is down, I refuse to believe anyone is close to anything.

 

[Masao]

The best thing to do is just stop waiting for a deal... I mean, the season is not supposed to be starting before September anyway. It's not like if we're going to be seeing NHL hockey next week if they get a deal signed now.

 

[Spungo*]

Unless you were visiting Eklunds website, there was no reason to be optimistic untill february. Pretty much every credible reporter was pessimistic throught the entire lockout, not optimistic.

 

[MHA]

Glenn Healy, lol

 

[octopi]

Did anyone see Sportsnet news (Or was it TSN?) yesterday? They said the negotiations were fragile, and hinted the new CBA isn't a lock. God, I hate being right all the time. If, by July 15, we are still waiting, don't come crying to me and say I didn't tell you this thing wasn't as done as people said.Same for September, October, etc...

 

[Habsaku]

No, the joke is you thinking that the best players in the world are JUST NHL players. There are players in leagues all over the world that are superior to many of the guys playing in the NHL. The difference is that the players in the NHL excell at a given style which is prevalent in the league. I remember playing against Bob Nystrom in a summer money tournament just after he retired. Nystrom was about the seventh or eighth best player on his team, and this was a team of no bodies. What made Nystrom so good was his intensity, not his skill. He wasn't the best player, but he was the guy that went out there and made you work that much harder and play a different game than you were accustomed to. The NHL is filled with players like this. As well, you will notice that when the "NHL stars" went to Europe there weren't that many who lit it up. So I hardly think NHL players have the market cornered on being the best at what they do. There are players every where that as capable, just not afforded the opportunity to succeed.

BTW... if you're going to resort to the last resort in ideology support, the old spelling error defense, you better make sure that you don't have any yourself or do something as STUPID as spelling phonetically. Pathetically weak junior.

You're right, Sheldon Souray said players in Sweden were just as talented in practice then NHLers, its just that the pace of the game was a lot slower. I've heard many players state that the big difference with the NHL is the fact that everything is done so much faster, you practically have to be perfect and aware of everything.

 

[London Knights]

You're right, Sheldon Souray said players in Sweden were just as talented in practice then NHLers, its just that the pace of the game was a lot slower. I've heard many players state that the big difference with the NHL is the fact that everything is done so much faster, you practically have to be perfect and aware of everything.

It's like saying football (the rest of the World's not the North American kind) is boring and an inferior sport because North America hasn't caught it like wildfire.

European hockey is too defensive in a lot of cases, but the talent is there. Any comments about the NHL brand of hockey should be that it is the best brand, and not necessarily best talent. I would argue that the best players in the NHL are better than the best players in the European leagues though.

 

[Montrealer]

It's like saying football (the rest of the World's not the North American kind) is boring and an inferior sport because North America hasn't caught it like wildfire.

European hockey is too defensive in a lot of cases, but the talent is there. Any comments about the NHL brand of hockey should be that it is the best brand, and not necessarily best talent. I would argue that the best players in the NHL are better than the best players in the European leagues though.

I would argue that fourth liners in the NHL would make capable first liners on most European league teams in a non-lockout year.

 

[octopi]

Heres a rant for you: Why does every "Complaint" have to be posted under this? The thread is 46 pages long and it is hard to follow!

 

[Timmy]

Heres a rant for you: Why does every "Complaint" have to be posted under this? The thread is 46 pages long and it is hard to follow!

They don't want the other threads to be taken up by endless and circular debates, bickering, and sniping.

 

[GirardIsStupid]

Anyone else eher concerned...

that anytime the owners are seeking something they'll just shut down the game to get what they want? In the process they snub fans while fully expect them to come back rather easily by tempting us with attempts to improve the game?

What if this new CBA doesn't work? All it takes is one stupid owner to find a loophole that blows it apart just as several (Dallas, Philly, NYR, Carolina, Anaheim, Boston) did with the previous CBA.

I feel like the battered wife who's being coerced by her husband that claims he'll be good from now on. This is garbage! If you want me back...gimme a 24% discount on all costs.

 

[salty justice]

They don't want the other threads to be taken up by endless and circular debates, bickering, and sniping.

Or perhaps some mods take their "position" tenfold more seriously than they should

 

[Paisano*]

Or perhaps some mods take their "position" tenfold more seriously than they should

AMEN!!!

 

[Spungo*]

This Thing Is Going Into September/October

At the very least.

It's become obvious that the standard "just 2 more weeks" is nothing but garbage. It used to be "deal done by June 15th", then "deal done by July 1st", then it was "deal done by July 4th", now it's "deal done by mid July".

The mainstream hockey media is worse than Eklund at this point. As every forecasted deal date passes, the media just ignores it and starts a new rumor, pushing back the date 7-14 days. It's a disgrace.

Finally, we are starting to get rumblings of reality. "The players will vote the CBA down", "there has been no cap number agreed to", "Goodenow want to sink this deal", etc.

It's time for a reality check, guys. This thing isn't getting done untill we are on the brink of a new season. Late September or early October is the very earliest this CBA will be signed and I wouldn't be surprised in the least if it went to January.

 

[nyr7andcounting]

Finally, we are starting to get rumblings of reality. "The players will vote the CBA down", "there has been no cap number agreed to", "Goodenow want to sink this deal", etc.

If you are referring to Fishler's article, he gets his info from Eklund and actually quotes him. So other than Eklund and Fishler, no one is saying that there won't be a deal.

 

[Digger12]

At the very least.

It's become obvious that the standard "just 2 more weeks" is nothing but garbage. It used to be "deal done by June 15th", then "deal done by July 1st", then it was "deal done by July 4th", now it's "deal done by mid July".

The mainstream hockey media is worse than Eklund at this point. As every forecasted deal date passes, the media just ignores it and starts a new rumor, pushing back the date 7-14 days. It's a disgrace.

Finally, we are starting to get rumblings of reality. "The players will vote the CBA down", "there has been no cap number agreed to", "Goodenow want to sink this deal", etc.

It's time for a reality check, guys. This thing isn't getting done untill we are on the brink of a new season. Late September or early October is the very earliest this CBA will be signed and I wouldn't be surprised in the least if it went to January.

So on one hand you're cracking on the mainstream media for their incorrect assumptions of when this deal will get done, but on the other hand you're taking their 'rumblings of reality' as gospel?

Not once has any official spokesperson from either side said anything about this being finished by this date or that date...that's been pure speculation by media outlets looking for something to write about.

 

[Spungo*]

So on one hand you're cracking on the mainstream media for their incorrect assumptions of when this deal will get done, but on the other hand you're taking their 'rumblings of reality' as gospel?

Not once has any official spokesperson from either side said anything about this being finished by this date or that date...that's been pure speculation by media outlets looking for something to write about.

I'm using common sense and logic. You can only be told "2 more weeks" for so long untill you start to get the hint that things are not going as well as has been reported. All I'm saying is don't expect a July deal or an August deal, or even a September deal. This thing is going to drag on for quite a few months.

 

[handtrick]

At the very least.

It's become obvious that the standard "just 2 more weeks" is nothing but garbage. It used to be "deal done by June 15th", then "deal done by July 1st", then it was "deal done by July 4th", now it's "deal done by mid July".

The mainstream hockey media is worse than Eklund at this point. As every forecasted deal date passes, the media just ignores it and starts a new rumor, pushing back the date 7-14 days. It's a disgrace.

Finally, we are starting to get rumblings of reality. "The players will vote the CBA down", "there has been no cap number agreed to", "Goodenow want to sink this deal", etc.

It's time for a reality check, guys. This thing isn't getting done untill we are on the brink of a new season. Late September or early October is the very earliest this CBA will be signed and I wouldn't be surprised in the least if it went to January.

This is very reminiscent of a rant........

 

[Taranis_24]

I'm using common sense and logic. You can only be told "2 more weeks" for so long untill you start to get the hint that things are not going as well as has been reported. All I'm saying is don't expect a July deal or an August deal, or even a September deal. This thing is going to drag on for quite a few months.

Dude - You should have learned by now take common sense and throw it out the window.

 

[Deebo]

All I'm saying is don't expect a July deal or an August deal, or even a September deal. This thing is going to drag on for quite a few months.

you saying this is the exact same as the media saying "2 weeks"

it means nothing.

if the media was way off with its sense of optimisim, the NHL and the PA would be quick to shoot it down, like they did back in february.

 

[kmad]

Yeah, I heard Saskin, Bettman, Linden, and several reputable journalists from around the continent have said the deal will be reached within a few weeks. I don't care. SPUNGO SAYS IT'LL TAKE TIL OCTOBER. AND SPUNGO IS THE ULTIMATE TRUTH.

 

[Spungo*]

Yeah, I heard Saskin, Bettman, Linden, and several reputable journalists from around the continent have said the deal will be reached within a few weeks. I don't care. SPUNGO SAYS IT'LL TAKE TIL OCTOBER. AND SPUNGO IS THE ULTIMATE TRUTH.

Uhh... they have been saying "2 more weeks" for about a month now. Face it, the deal isn't getting done this summer. It's just not.

When June goes by without a deal, I'll come back here and laugh in your face. Then when July 1 comes the next day, I'll once again come back and laugh again in your face. July 4th will be another chance for me to laugh at you. Then I will take a 2 week break and come back on July 15 to have a hearty laugh at your expense. When July ends, I'll make one last visit to this thread to laugh at you.

How many deadlines have to pass before you get the hint that this thing isn't getting done any time soon?

 

[kmad]

That'll show me! "HAHA, NO HOCKEY! IN YOUR FACE! HAHA!"

I can see you now, two weeks from now, when there's no hockey. Beaming with pride, sitting in your computer chair. Happy that there's no hockey because your pessimistic attitude paid off and now you can say "I told you so".

 

[Spungo*]

That'll show me! "HAHA, NO HOCKEY! IN YOUR FACE! HAHA!"

I can see you now, two weeks from now, when there's no hockey. Beaming with pride, sitting in your computer chair. Happy that there's no hockey because your pessimistic attitude paid off and now you can say "I told you so".

Well, I actually already can start the laughing as June 15 passed right on by without even a hint of a deal. Remember good ol' June 15? The day when the NHL would announce it's new CBA? Ah, the good old days. I remember them fondly.

I've read 3 articles today that *now* say July 15 is the date to look for. This from the exact same people that said June 15, then July 1, then July 4. There comes a point when you have to start calling B.S.

 

[kmad]

I'm just trying to make you realize the brutal sadness in the fact that you've found happiness in the ongoing lockout.