Chelios says...

[Dave is a killer]

Well, Houston is the 4th largest city in America and they still only muster an AHL team...that's moving to Iowa

must I keep reiterating this?

Texas = Anti-Canada = Anti-National Hockey League

 

[Scoogs]

As I was typing that last sentence I realized that no one on this thread has questioned if Chelios really said what was posted, or asked if the poster took his remarks out of context. That alone says a lot about fan's reaction to the players...

It's real. I just heard the soundclip on the FAN590. Funny stuff.

 

[Hockeyfan02]

must I keep reiterating this?

Texas = Anti-Canada = Anti-National Hockey League

You mean like Dallas that has/had (not sure if its still going) a long streak of sellouts?

 

[mr gib]

Hey tough guy what are you smoking ??? Some of that Kelowna Smoke ??? your a bonehead

better bud than you! - although i would say bettman's cred with paul allen is probably at an all time low -

 

[eye]

Owners should worry about business decisions
GM's should worry about hockey operations
Coaches should coach
Players should play...when they start thinking they get themselves into trouble. Chelios is one arrogant sun of a b...

 

[mr gib]

You mean like Dallas that has/had (not sure if its still going) a long streak of sellouts?

there are more minor hockey team's in texas than in any other state - a hockey team is a good fit in any nba city that has nights to fill -

 

[Scoogs]

You mean like Dallas that has/had (not sure if its still going) a long streak of sellouts?

Correct.

 

[Lil' Jimmy Norton*]

better bud than you! - although i would say bettman's cred with paul allen is probably at an all time low -

Bettman is in the Catbirds seat and you are done like dinner. Pack your bags and go play in the Eurotrash leagues, eat crap food, ride the mountain bus routes, enjoy the 3 hrs of daylight. Maybe some 3rd line Euro will carve your eye out eh !! Bud !!

 

[mr gib]

Bettman is in the Catbirds seat and you are done like dinner. Pack your bags and go play in the Eurotrash leagues, eat crap food, ride the mountain bus routes, enjoy the 3 hrs of daylight. Maybe some 3rd line Euro will carve your eye out eh !! Bud !!

ya but how do you really feel?

 

[Lil' Jimmy Norton*]

ya but how do you really feel?

Trust me, i did it for 4 years and it STUNK !!!

 

[eye]

Man if I was playing I would run Chelly on my first shift and knock his S*** Loose right off the bat !!!!!

If I was a little younger and playing in the UHL I would make the Bertuzzi mugging look like Gretzky's only fight by comparison. Old man Chelios is going to get his ass kicked and he would be very wise to keep his head up and his stick up around opponents eyes as he always does anyway. Draper will only be able to do so much to protect him.

 

[Lil' Jimmy Norton*]

If I was a little younger and playing in the UHL I would make the Bertuzzi mugging look like Gretzky's only fight by comparison. Old man Chelios is going to get his ass kicked and he would be very wise to keep his head up and his stick up around opponents eyes as he always does anyway. Draper will only be able to do so much to protect him.

I'm sure some of the boys will give him something to think about. There are a number of nutjobs in that league!!!

 

[OilerFan4Life]

Wrong.....the 3 said they would only sign if no one from the Mechanics team got cut. So no ones gonna lose any paychecks.

 

[Matt Foley*]

Owners should worry about business decisions
GM's should worry about hockey operations
Coaches should coach
Players should play...when they start thinking they get themselves into trouble.

 

[orcatown]

Chelios has a point. Maybe not expressed as well as it might be but still a point.

NHL owners have expanded (to make a few extra bucks) into cities where hockey is not viable. Now, rather than accept the consequences of a poor business, they want to get back their money thru' cost certainity. In effect they are saying the players should bail out a bad busiess decisions.

If teams cannot be viable in certain markets maybe they should go out of busniess, The NHL was a good League when it had 6 teams and when it ahad 12 teams and even when it had 21 teams. What reason is there for fans in Toronto or Detroit to see their seasons go down the tube because they can't grow hockey in Nashville or Pittsburg. Teams like Toronto, Detroit and many other teams are financial viable. What is in fact happening is that the upper end hockey cities are being asked to save owners in non-viable markets. You might say some players will lose jobs but, again, why should the legit NHLers bail out the marginal players, many of which should be playing in the minors anyways.

One of the basic problems is that the League has expanded into non-hockey markets or located teams in cities that are simply too small. Now they want to save these franchises by putting restrictions on every one else. (including centers were such restrictions are not necessary) It would be like expanding the NFL into cities with little support and then using that as an excuse to reduce salaries.

Maybe the solution lies in teiring teams as in British soceer. The top teams, with the big fan bases to support those top teams, go into a top division. Lesser teams, with smaller fan bases, go into lower divisons. If in time one of the lower teams improves its fan base and can support a better team they can move up. Likewise a weakening franchise can move down. Right now what the NHL owners are demanding is that their be equivalency between big hockey centers and almost non-esistant hockey centers. It would be the same as asking Manchester United to have the same salary base as some place like Exeter.

I don't believe that the problems of over-expansion should be solved by reducing everyone to the same level. A much better decision is let the non-vialbe franchises fold. Then the true hockey centers can get on with the game. Right now the fans in Detroit, Vancouver, Toronto, New York, Montreal etc... are paying the price for the greedy over-expansion of the owners.

 

[John Flyers Fan]

Most of the polls I've seen show the 75 to 80 percent of the fans are supporting the owners. Either the gag order is working in the owner's favor, or the vast majority of the fans agree that the financial side of the game has tilted too far in the favor of the players. Anyway, the players have lost the PR battle bigtime and statements like Chelios is reported to have made, do not help their cause.

As I was typing that last sentence I realized that no one on this thread has questioned if Chelios really said what was posted, or asked if the poster took his remarks out of context. That alone says a lot about fan's reaction to the players...

Just because Chelios or any other player makes an assinine comment, doesn't mean he speaks for all the players.

Yes, I agree the owners have been winning the PR batle, although I'd suggest their lead has been slipping a bit of late.

The majority of the polls taken have been in Canada, where only yhr Leafs would be considered a big-market team. makes sense for fans to be on the owners side. it serves an Oilers fan's best interest to get a hard salary cap.

 

[eye]

Chelios has a point. Maybe not expressed as well as it might be but still a point.

NHL owners have expanded (to make a few extra bucks) into cities where hockey is not viable. Now, rather than accept the consequences of a poor business, they want to get back their money thru' cost certainity. In effect they are saying the players should bail out a bad busiess decisions.

If teams cannot be viable in certain markets maybe they should go out of busniess, The NHL was a good League when it had 6 teams and when it ahad 12 teams and even when it had 21 teams. What reason is there for fans in Toronto or Detroit to see their seasons go down the tube because they can't grow hockey in Nashville or Pittsburg. Teams like Toronto, Detroit and many other teams are financial viable. What is in fact happening is that the upper end hockey cities are being asked to save owners in non-viable markets. You might say some players will lose jobs but, again, why should the legit NHLers bail out the marginal players, many of which should be playing in the minors anyways.

One of the basic problems is that the League has expanded into non-hockey markets or located teams in cities that are simply too small. Now they want to save these franchises by putting restrictions on every one else. (including centers were such restrictions are not necessary) It would be like expanding the NFL into cities with little support and then using that as an excuse to reduce salaries.

Maybe the solution lies in teiring teams as in British soceer. The top teams, with the big fan bases to support those top teams, go into a top division. Lesser teams, with smaller fan bases, go into lower divisons. If in time one of the lower teams improves its fan base and can support a better team they can move up. Likewise a weakening franchise can move down. Right now what the NHL owners are demanding is that their be equivalency between big hockey centers and almost non-esistant hockey centers. It would be the same as asking Manchester United to have the same salary base as some place like Exeter.

I don't believe that the problems of over-expansion should be solved by reducing everyone to the same level. A much better decision is let the non-vialbe franchises fold. Then the true hockey centers can get on with the game. Right now the fans in Detroit, Vancouver, Toronto, New York, Montreal etc... are paying the price for the greedy over-expansion of the owners.

Pittsburgh was in the original 12 and until recently were considered a big market team. Nashville minor hockey is growing at a record level. Give Nashville and other cities time to grow the game. If the game is played to it's maximum entertainment potential fans will come. The game will grow and 30 healthy teams is not out of the question. Bettman and the owners might be on to something here. I'm willing to give them 6 years to prove it. The players can always negotiate no salary cap system next CBA but at least give this one a chance to see if it in fact helps the league stay healthy and for more American fans to see what many of us already know.

 

[djhn579]

Chelios has a point. Maybe not expressed as well as it might be but still a point.

NHL owners have expanded (to make a few extra bucks) into cities where hockey is not viable. Now, rather than accept the consequences of a poor business, they want to get back their money thru' cost certainity. In effect they are saying the players should bail out a bad busiess decisions.

If teams cannot be viable in certain markets maybe they should go out of busniess, The NHL was a good League when it had 6 teams and when it ahad 12 teams and even when it had 21 teams. What reason is there for fans in Toronto or Detroit to see their seasons go down the tube because they can't grow hockey in Nashville or Pittsburg. Teams like Toronto, Detroit and many other teams are financial viable. What is in fact happening is that the upper end hockey cities are being asked to save owners in non-viable markets. You might say some players will lose jobs but, again, why should the legit NHLers bail out the marginal players, many of which should be playing in the minors anyways.

One of the basic problems is that the League has expanded into non-hockey markets or located teams in cities that are simply too small. Now they want to save these franchises by putting restrictions on every one else. (including centers were such restrictions are not necessary) It would be like expanding the NFL into cities with little support and then using that as an excuse to reduce salaries.

Maybe the solution lies in teiring teams as in British soceer. The top teams, with the big fan bases to support those top teams, go into a top division. Lesser teams, with smaller fan bases, go into lower divisons. If in time one of the lower teams improves its fan base and can support a better team they can move up. Likewise a weakening franchise can move down. Right now what the NHL owners are demanding is that their be equivalency between big hockey centers and almost non-esistant hockey centers. It would be the same as asking Manchester United to have the same salary base as some place like Exeter.

I don't believe that the problems of over-expansion should be solved by reducing everyone to the same level. A much better decision is let the non-vialbe franchises fold. Then the true hockey centers can get on with the game. Right now the fans in Detroit, Vancouver, Toronto, New York, Montreal etc... are paying the price for the greedy over-expansion of the owners.

That's an interesting arguement. Maybe you could explain why fans in Buffalo, Pittsburgh, and other small market cities should lose their teams just because owners in some markets (many of which are also losing money...) decided to increase salaries to the point where no other league in the world can offer anywhere near the same?

And if these expansion cities could not afford to have NHL level teams, why did all the existing markets feel free to help themselves to their entrance fees? Wouldn't it be reasonable to expect that if you paid $80M to enter the league, you would be able to compete and survive?

And why is it so important to some fans that the players can earn whatever money they want, regardless of what it wil do to the league? What do the fans get out of players making $1.8M per season, that they wouldn't get out of players making $1.4M, or even $1.0M per season (on average...)? Yet, the owners, the people that make it possible for fans to go to games in the first place, should be willing to lose money because.... well, I guess because some fans don't want to be inconvieninced by the owners doing what they think is neccessary to try to make a little bit of money on their investment...

 

[wazee]

Just because Chelios or any other player makes an assinine comment, doesn't mean he speaks for all the players.

Yes, I agree the owners have been winning the PR batle, although I'd suggest their lead has been slipping a bit of late.

The majority of the polls taken have been in Canada, where only yhr Leafs would be considered a big-market team. makes sense for fans to be on the owners side. it serves an Oilers fan's best interest to get a hard salary cap.

My point was not that Chelios speaks for all the players. My point was that no one on this board expressed the healthy skepticism that normal greets 'I heard this on the radio' posts. I still think that says something about what the fans have come to expect from the players...

 

[John Flyers Fan]

My point was not that Chelios speaks for all the players. My point was that no one on this board expressed the healthy skepticism that normal greets 'I heard this on the radio' posts. I still think that says something about what the fans have come to expect from the players...

No, I'd say that most people on these boards have heard Chelios say dumb things in the past (threaten Bettman and his family). This wasn't exactly a shocker to come from Chelios.

Now if it came from Yzerman, or Sakic that would be a different story.

 

[Biggest Canuck Fan]

Just because Chelios or any other player makes an assinine comment, doesn't mean he speaks for all the players.

Yes, I agree the owners have been winning the PR batle, although I'd suggest their lead has been slipping a bit of late.

The majority of the polls taken have been in Canada, where only yhr Leafs would be considered a big-market team. makes sense for fans to be on the owners side. it serves an Oilers fan's best interest to get a hard salary cap.

Only in your world. You are in the minority and I am positive you will not change anyone's opinions. Yes you dislike the owners.

Yes the owners are lying.

We get the point.

As for Chelios' comments that is the worst. Period. It is this reason that the NHL is doing what it is doing. The league was already in a move team mode and they won't anymore. Chelios and the Association better live with the fact their run is done.

 

[no13matssundin]

No more so than the owners/management. Just that the players have opened their mouths a bit more due to the owners gag rule.

Nothing a player has said yet comes close to rivaling Devallano syaing "Hockey isn't important ....."

Sorry, No one is listening. We're too busy making sense instead of siding with a bunch of hypocrite hockey players.

 

[buce]

Bettman is in the Catbirds seat and you are done like dinner. Pack your bags and go play in the Eurotrash leagues, eat crap food, ride the mountain bus routes, enjoy the 3 hrs of daylight. Maybe some 3rd line Euro will carve your eye out eh !! Bud !!

Crap Food? You've obviously never been to Europe. The mountain rides are incredible and the food is terrific. The daylight issue is only a concern in the very northern countries. I will admit that the food in scandanavia and Russia are crap however. Pickled Herring? Good Lord, I'd rather eat dog food.

 

[John Flyers Fan]

Sorry, No one is listening. We're too busy making sense instead of siding with a bunch of hypocrite hockey players.

so you're wearing blinders and sticking fingers in your ears ???

 

[no13matssundin]

Chelios has a point.

Sorry, it was about right after that when I tuned you out.