Wednesday and Thursday meetings?

[NYR1724]

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/article.jsp?content=20050523_153204_4864


Finances remain focus

Cautious optimism and an air of progress was the result of the recent negotiations in New York City.

Sportsnet.ca -- The National Hockey League and the NHLPA are finalizing details on another two day session later this week.

Sources tell Sportsnet lockout discussions are expected to resume Wednesday and Thursday in Chicago.

Click to read more...

 

[chiavsfan]

Maybe I should bust in Postal Worker style and demand a resolution since I am in the Chicago area

 

[FLYLine27*]

5 day rest?? Some urgency.

 

[jratelle19]

All this optimism from last week will come crashing down yet again. I know logic tells us that after meeting for over 30 hours last week that they have gained momentum and that they might be close and it would make no sense to have things break down now.

But guess what? There has been nothing logical about this whole process or the strategies from either side. If there was a true sense of urgency they wouldn't be waiting 5 days to meet again for something this important.

I do not expect a deal anytime soon. This still has yet to get as ugly as it can possibly get.

 

[Mess]

Maybe I should bust in Postal Worker style and demand a resolution since I am in the Chicago area

Excellent Bill Wirtz can now join the meetings this can be considered nothing but positive to move the process along ..

He refused to buy a ticket to NY or Toronto so this sames him some airfare to put back in his pocket ..

 

[GKJ]

Excellent Bill Wirtz can now join the meetings this can be considered nothing but positive to move the process along ..

He refused to buy a ticket to NY or Toronto so this sames him some airfare to put back in his pocket ..

In fact, the meetings will actually take place at Bill Wirtz' residence, in his back yard so he doesn't have to waste electricity, gas and a/c. Come to think of it, I bet he doesn't even have central air.

 

[LordHelmet]

5 day rest?? Some urgency.

It's not like they've been on vacation for the last 5 days. For every hour that the two sides are meeting together, you can bet that there's at least 2 hours that the sides are meeting seperately.

You don't just go to the table and negotiate without reviewing past negotiations, formulating a plan, trying to anticipate the other party's tactics, and determining which variables are most important to you.

 

[King'sPawn]

It's not like they've been on vacation for the last 5 days. For every hour that the two sides are meeting together, you can bet that there's at least 2 hours that the sides are meeting seperately.

You don't just go to the table and negotiate without reviewing past negotiations, formulating a plan, trying to anticipate the other party's tactics, and determining which variables are most important to you.

Exactly, and they could also be trying to discuss some of the other kinks in the CBA that will need to be addressed.

 

[Taranis_24]

No Bettman and no Goodenow. You would hope they would all be there. Hope they are at least on tele-conference.

 

[LordHelmet]

No Bettman and no Goodenow. You would hope they would all be there. Hope they are at least on tele-conference.

That could actually be interpreted as a good sign. If they aren't there, suffice it to say that major issues won't be discussed. If major issues won't be discussed, and the meeting lasts for several hours, that means details were discussed.

This is pure speculation on my part, but say that last week's meetings (with BG and GB present) were for the purpose of working out a process that they will use to evaluate each team's financial information. They established what data needs to be gathered, how it will be organized, and what sources it will come from. Now that those ground rules have been laid, the bean counters get together and work through the process established last week while GB and BG work on the bigger picture.

This is the same way it works in most lines of work. Have the big hitters there for working out the big issues, then let the peons work out the details.

 

[SPARTAKUS*]

All this optimism from last week will come crashing down yet again. I know logic tells us that after meeting for over 30 hours last week that they have gained momentum and that they might be close and it would make no sense to have things break down now.

But guess what? There has been nothing logical about this whole process or the strategies from either side. If there was a true sense of urgency they wouldn't be waiting 5 days to meet again for something this important.

I do not expect a deal anytime soon. This still has yet to get as ugly as it can possibly get.

That's just it, the sense of urgency you are talking about was last week when they negociated for 30 hours. I am sure they have made significant progress last week to the point that the new cba is 75% complete. I am 100% certain that the lockout will be over by June 15. Both parties are now in the end games, the owners want to make some money and the players want to play. There will be a 2005/06 season.

 

[jratelle19]

That's just it, the sense of urgency you are talking about was last week when they negociated for 30 hours. I am sure they have made significant progress last week to the point that the new cba is 75% complete. I am 100% certain that the lockout will be over by June 15. Both parties are now in the end games, the owners want to make some money and the players want to play. There will be a 2005/06 season.

OTTSENS, you have no idea how much I am hoping that you are right and I am wrong. But, I'm not just being a pessimist for the sake of being a pessimist. I know that people may cite differences from the situation in February to the one today. Yes, I know that finally we have both sides using the word "progress" in a positive way after the meeting. Problem that I see is that we are assuming, due to what some media outlets are reporting as rumor, that Goodenow's level of power and influence has diminished. Yet no one from the PA has come forward and even so much as insinuated this, not that I would expect them to. They would be foolish to do such a thing during these bargaining sessions. Bob and Gary absent at these meetings this week could be a good thing, but as long as Goodenow is still in the picture somehow, someway, and as long as memories of February still come to mind, I have to remain a pessimist. Trust me, for health and sanity reasons I'm probably better off taking this approach. Like I said, I will be so glad to be proven wrong.

 

[tmangos]

That's just it, the sense of urgency you are talking about was last week when they negociated for 30 hours. I am sure they have made significant progress last week to the point that the new cba is 75% complete. I am 100% certain that the lockout will be over by June 15. Both parties are now in the end games, the owners want to make some money and the players want to play. There will be a 2005/06 season.

No offence but ... this sounds like it was written by Eklund!

 

[gerbilanium]

And what's with this meeting in all these different places ****. Do these losers think they are in the Bourne Identity. Quit blowing your employers dollars by jetting all over the bloody place.