Fans and owners see through Goodenow and lose PR battle they were sure they would win

[eye]

From reading this and other boards as well as listening to the experts on sports talk shows it appears pretty obvious that most of us see through Goodenow's offer. Unfortunatley, it sounds like he has the players fooled into believing all the crap he is trying to sell them.

Players generally don't have alot of life experience or any business experience for that matter as most players enter the NHL directly from Europeon leagues, Junior or College. They are gullable by nature and who can blame them. Time to fire Goodenow and salvage the season boys. Goodenow's attempt to blindside the owners and gain public support has backfired. This offer proves that Goodenow acknowledges the financial wowes of the NHL and supports the Leavitt report.

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[Fletch]

Gullable?

many of these guys have been through a couple CBA negotiations and numerous contract negotiations and re-negotiations. True that many of the younger guys may be somewhat naive, but I don't think gullable is a fair word to describe most of these NHLers. They ain't stupid either.

 

[HF2002]

many of these guys have been through a couple CBA negotiations and numerous contract negotiations and re-negotiations. True that many of the younger guys may be somewhat naive, but I don't think gullable is a fair word to describe most of these NHLers. They ain't stupid either.

Even if this gullible issue were true, it doesn't mean that they can't go out and hire people who do know what they're doing. And it's not like they don't have the resources to do so...

 

[no13matssundin]

many of these guys have been through a couple CBA negotiations and numerous contract negotiations and re-negotiations. True that many of the younger guys may be somewhat naive, but I don't think gullable is a fair word to describe most of these NHLers. They ain't stupid either.

I agree that most fans and people in the know can see through this PR ploy, but I dont outright blame the players for towing the line. Goodenow & the PA brass have been feeding them the line that a Cap will be the end of their livelyhoods for the past year, so theyre probably following what theyve been told by their own higher ups.

That said, I think Goodenow's true colours are starting to show. The players were not told about the concessions to the NHL (ie. 24%) until yesterday when they gave it to the NHL. And, according to Bob Mackenzie, a great great deal of them were pissed. They felt betrayed by Bob.

Now, this should tell us two things: 1. That theyre completely being fed an incorrect line by the PA b/c, as hefty as the rollbacks were, the actual final state of the market the NHL is seeking to put in place is much more restrictive... yet its going to happen. The PA is not preparing or informing their members of the inevitable, partly I think b/c they feel they can avoid it, and secondly b/c to do so, to prepare players however indirectly for a capped market, would show weakness.

2. the fact theyre not doing this is disengenious and the moment the cap system is in place next year, the PA will give Goodenow the boot.

All in all, I understand the players feel they deserve to keep their money, but when the PA isnt working in their favor, as preparing them for a capped system would be, no matter how little or slight the preperation would be, you cant blame them for feeling the NHL is trying to shaft them; theyre being fed that line by a PA who are determined to keep their piece of the pie at the cost of a season and, possibly, the long term sustainablility of the league itself.

 

[YellHockey*]

From reading this and other boards as well as listening to the experts on sports talk shows it appears pretty obvious that most of us see through Goodenow's offer. Unfortunatley, it sounds like he has the players fooled into believing all the crap he is trying to sell them.

Players generally don't have alot of life experience or any business experience for that matter as most players enter the NHL directly from Europeon leagues, Junior or College. They are gullable by nature and who can blame them.

I'd say there are players who are FAR more informed about business matters then you are.

Guys like Chris Pronger and Sheldon Keefe would know far more about the business of hockey then you would ever know.

 

[no13matssundin]

Guys like Chris Pronger and Sheldon Keefe would know far more about the business of hockey then you would ever know.

Ya, and thats my point: theyre the guys who were steaming mad yesterday @ Goodenow b/c of the concessions...

the whole problem is that those concessions are only a START of what is needed to fix the systematic problems in the NHL...
So the PA isnt doing its players any favors by saying one thing (We'll never take a cap) yet knowing that, no matter what happens, a cap system will be put in place... either in concert with, or forcibly against the players.

Remember: 48hrs ago the PA didnt believe the numbers and the recognize the economic flaws as stated by Bettman.
Yesterday they set out a proposal based on those very numbers which acknowledged what Bettman has been saying all along... that things need to get fixed... yet, they continue to deny the need for a capped system, and instead offered a one time rollback and a weak luxury tax WITH FULL KNOWLEDGE that those arent enough to fix the systematic problems...

My point is, It took the PA this long to acknowledge theres a problem, yet theyre still playing this stupid brinksmanship game...

Unfortunately, the PA seems more interested in trying to avoid a cap than preparing to work with one because NO MATTER WHAT, there WILL BE A CAP. That much is clear.

If the PA really cared about its own players, they would be working to make a cap under which the players retain some semblance of control of their salaries, but they arent.

And the NHL will declare impasse, institute a cap system and without one iota of imput from the players... why?

Because Bob & the rest of the PA brass cant come to terms that they are going to lose this one. Its just sad.

 

[eye]

I'd say there are players who are FAR more informed about business matters then you are.

Guys like Chris Pronger and Sheldon Keefe would know far more about the business of hockey then you would ever know.

Pronger and Keefe have business experience

Dave Frost to Sheldon - "Sheldon, I'm going to take what's left of your money and soak it into the Pembroke Lumber Kings so that I have a place to coach and watch hockey for awhile". Sheldon, ok Dave but isn't that what you told Danton too?

Pronger invests some money probably through his agent or lawyer and all of a sudden he has business experience. Give me a break.

Many players do well once their careers are done. Many gain business experience but trust me the players grow up very naive and gullable to what happens in the real world. I was one of them and so were all my teammmates. They learn as they go on but it doesn't really improve until they get out of hockey because while they are still playing almost everything is decided for them by their agents, parents, lawyers and accountants including the paying of their monthly bills.

Most players just want to sign, play hockey and stay in a routine. Most could careless about this PRINCIPLE free market that Bob keeps selling them on. That's why I say this is all Goodenow's doing. They are trusting a lawyer that IMO has the ego the size of the Pacific Ocean and is selling the players a bill of goods. The end result of which will be a salary cap of some form with drastically reduced pay for his players. The longer he waits to come to terms and give in to allow owners and managers to manage their business - the lower the value of his players will become. Many have said this for months and so far his latest proposal proves what we said to be true. The players could have had a good soft cap in September where their contracts would have been protected and each player paid in full as it was grandfathered and phased in over a period of years. This was there for the taking and now the owners will capitalize on Goodenow's miscalculation IMHO.