Jeremy Roenick on TV in Philly

[Dr Love]

For all of you who are saying that JR is now doing this to make himself look good, did you miss the numerous posts that stated he has been saying this stuff the whole time?

 

[CharlieGirl]

I like JR. Really, I do.

However, comments like these (and by other players) about how they're accepting a raw deal for "the good of the game" strikes me as nothing more than a self-serving attempt to make themselves appear to be the good guys in all this.

If JR hadn't previously spoken in public about wanting to settle, I'd agree completely that it's a self-serving move. As it is, I genuinely think he's pissed that they've lost a whole season, the fans got screwed, and the players are further behind than they would have been before the season was cancelled.

 

[DARKSIDE]

Edit: Might I add that Roenick was put down for trying to circumvent the NHLPA's negociators and getting a deal done for a season last year, which would have given the players billions more over the next CBA than what they're going to sign? I think he has every right to be seriously pissed off.

[/QUOTE]

Isn't ironic how he and Jerome Iginla were embarrassed by the PA and by certain writers like Larry Brooks and now to settle for this deal must be a hard pill for him to swallow. I’m not a fan of Goodenow or Bettman, but it looks like Goodenow will be gone while Bettman comes up smelling like roses and will probably keep is job for as long as he want’s it. Now, that leaves me with a bad taste!

 

[sharkyz15]

You guy, and gals


As soon the document is signed there is going to be many alligations and harsh words said through out the union and most probably pointed at Bob Goodnow

Clearly their leader lead them into the wall and didnt do his job well

I dont know how any of these guys could be happy with this.

They could have agreed on this deal a mont before the season started and not lost a yrs salary and the potential loss of fans

 

[DARKSIDE]

I'm in an overly optimistic mood! I bet they sign on the dotted line today.

From your mouth to God's ears!

 

[Heaton]

"Deal is horrible for the players"

that makes me laugh, if they would've signed the first deal the NHL offered they would've had a better deal AND wouldn't have lost any money in the first place.

 

[GKJ]

Quote:
Originally Posted by gscarpenter2002
You don't need to know about hockey to negotiate a deal like this, really. You need to know about money, contract negotiations, and hockey economics.




Oh....

Well, if that is what you mean, fine. But to that I would say I doubt Gartner knows much in those areas. His only credentials are a hall of fame level playing career and the fact that he interviews well on TV.

He knows money, he knows contracts and he was the former president of the PA. He knows as much as Bob Goodenow knows being that Mike Gartner was the president of the PA during the last lockout when the players "won"

 

[SPARTAKUS*]

The only fault I find with the players is that it took them missing a full season before realizing they had made a mistake listen to BG. The player really though what BG was preaching and who could blame them BG had made them a ton of money in the last cba.

But I think the players really want to come back and play, I don't question their love of the game. I for one will not hold a grudge against the players they did what BG told them to do. Like I said before the only mistake they made is to believe everything BG told them blindly.

 

[GirardIsStupid]

You're bang on thunderstruck, the players will see in the long haul

that "linkage" is a good thing for them and the league.

It's only "good" for them if there are major concessions by the league. If, for instance, this deal lowers the UFA age significantly, there's something psotive to be gained. But, I don't think JR knows what's in the deal yet given how secret the negotiators have been.

I can empathize with the players because the owners created their own problems. You fans say its good for the game when the truth is 60-40 revenue sharing would have limited such stupid spending and would have created a balanced playing field. Despite a new and "improved" CBA on the horizon, the NHL already has one franchise in trouble (the Blues). You need the rich to prop up the poor. Perhaps that only happens in an ideal world.

 

[GirardIsStupid]

The only fault I find with the players is that it took them missing a full season before realizing they had made a mistake listen to BG. The player really though what BG was preaching and who could blame them BG had made them a ton of money in the last cba.

But I think the players really want to come back and play, I don't question their love of the game. I for one will not hold a grudge against the players they did what BG told them to do. Like I said before the only mistake they made is to believe everything BG told them blindly.

This post is a joke. It didn't matter who was leading them, they still would have missed a year. In fact, think about this: despite BG having conformed, there are still questions whether or not the players may even ratify the deal. That's how much the players are opposed to the cap and roll back! Think!

 

[chiavsfan]

The post was not a joke, and the players will most likely ratify it. The main thing we have been hearing is that they want to play, pretty much reguardless

 

[GirardIsStupid]

Ok, so I must then concede the players are so stupid and are being lead by a Hitleresque figure who's attempted to bring down the hockey world but failed. YAY, the billionaires won!!!! WOOOHOO! So what's in it for the fans given that if the Blues are still in trouble, other franchises may still face the same hardship? Educate me. I'm intrigued to hear your response.

 

[MHA]

Ok, so I must then concede the players are so stupid and are being lead by a Hitleresque figure who's attempted to bring down the hockey world but failed. YAY, the billionaires won!!!! WOOOHOO! So what's in it for the fans given that if the Blues are still in trouble, other franchises may still face the same hardship? Educate me. I'm intrigued to hear your response.

I think you are angry because you were one of the few who actually believed in BG. The rest of us had common sense.

 

[Dr Love]

Ok, so I must then concede the players are so stupid and are being lead by a Hitleresque figure who's attempted to bring down the hockey world but failed. YAY, the billionaires won!!!! WOOOHOO! So what's in it for the fans given that if the Blues are still in trouble, other franchises may still face the same hardship? Educate me. I'm intrigued to hear your response.

And how would things have gotten better under the PA's way?

 

[PecaFan]

I'm thinking that the vote is going to be real tight and that the players who vote to reject the deal will be the same players who were involved in the lockout back in 1994. This is going to be close.

I don't see this at all. Ratification isn't going to be tight at all. The vast majority of the players will simply vote based on the recommendation of the union heads. The same as every other union, when the heads say "Vote Yes", it gets ratified, when the heads say "Vote No", it doesn't. Are the PA leaders going to come out and tell the members to vote no? I doubt it.

I see at least 90% yes on this.

 

[SuperUnknown]

I don't see this at all. Ratification isn't going to be tight at all. The vast majority of the players will simply vote based on the recommendation of the union heads. The same as every other union, when the heads say "Vote Yes", it gets ratified, when the heads say "Vote No", it doesn't. Are the PA leaders going to come out and tell the members to vote no? I doubt it.

I see at least 90% yes on this.

Besides, the players have tasted for a full season the "non-NHL" and they don't intend to taste it for another season. The NHL is a notch above the other leagues not just for the level of play, but amenities as well. As well, the players can't wait for the millions to start pouring back to their bank accounts.

 

[nomorekids]

And how would things have gotten better under the PA's way?

Well, they would have continued to be good for his own selfish wants...that is, his team would have still been able to sign all the high-priced free agents they wanted.

Look on the bright side! Maybe now, you'll be forced to keep your draft picks and prospects, and you won't have the decimated, post-apocalyptic prospect pool that you have now! A silver lining, afterall!

 

[nomorekids]

Besides, the players have tasted for a full season the "non-NHL" and they don't intend to taste it for another season. The NHL is a notch above the other leagues not just for the level of play, but amenities as well. As well, the players can't wait for the millions to start pouring back to their bank accounts.

anyone that thinks the majority of players are going to be voting "no" is seriously, SERIOUSLY grasping at whatever straws remain.

 

[mooseOAK*]

This post is a joke. It didn't matter who was leading them, they still would have missed a year. In fact, think about this: despite BG having conformed, there are still questions whether or not the players may even ratify the deal. That's how much the players are opposed to the cap and roll back! Think!

Putting on my thinking toque I think that the players may not like this deal but know that the next one won't be any better.

Personally, I don't think that the majority of the players had some sort of moral outrage towards the cap, they were just spouting the company line.

 

[Bill Peckerskull]

YAY, the billionaires won!!!! WOOOHOO! So what's in it for the fans given that if the Blues are still in trouble, other franchises may still face the same hardship? Educate me. I'm intrigued to hear your response.

What's in it for the fans? What's not in it for the fans? The entire thing was for is the long-term health of the game, the NHL, and the fans. Sure, in the short term it might not seem like the fans will benefit too much because it could take a few years for all the effects to take hold, and it will effect the bigger market teams, so to the point that they will suffer for a bit. But the fact that smaller market teams will now be able to compete, without having to try and out spend the larger market teams for all the league stars, bodes well for everyone in the NHL. You'll finally have all 30 teams with the chance at competing for league titles instead of just 8 or so. It becomes a true Hockey LEAGUE, not the Wings, Av’s, Flyers, Leafs, etc… and 20 little brothers because what will eventually happen is parity. You could have a team not make the playoffs one year that could come out of no where and win the cup (not like they couldn't before the chances will be much higher with the new CBA) the next year. And, in concept, it wont be the same teams, each year. Of course good management of the cap, scouting, and coaching could still realistically keep teams in the upper echelon of the league for extended periods of time, but it's not going to happen with everyone. In the end, that provides intrigue, drama, and will promote interest from new fans. That increases revenues and leads to a healthier league. Isn’t that what should happen?

 

[GSC2k2*]

Any NHL player who votes "no" will be sleeping on the couch for the rest of his life, courtesy of his trophy wife.

 

[HckyFght*]

it seems to kind of be a problem with sports in general that the players really don't pay attention to stuff like CBA negotiations, they just hire someone to do it and then sit back. that looks like what basically happened here...then when they noticed things weren't sailing along fine, they get involved and still end up with a crap deal

if the players took more of an interest in these things and represented themselves better, things would probably work out for them better

Sadly enough, most US Senators and Congressmen don't actually read the legislation they vote on either, but have lobbyists interpret it for them. That's how we got a repressive Patriot Act and a communications bill that handed the nation's radio stations over to ClearChannel...sigh...stupid is as stupid does I guess...
-HckyFght!

 

[futurcorerock]

Ok, so I must then concede the players are so stupid and are being lead by a Hitleresque figure who's attempted to bring down the hockey world but failed. YAY, the billionaires won!!!! WOOOHOO! So what's in it for the fans given that if the Blues are still in trouble, other franchises may still face the same hardship? Educate me. I'm intrigued to hear your response.

This is a ridiculous discussion.

The players WILL NOT block the CBA. Why? Because it was the collective works of both the NHL and the PA, not something that was served to them by a higher power for them to pick and choose upon.

Bob's gonna tell them to take the deal because as each step gets further from the end, they lose money.

 

[Homer J. Leafs]

It doesn't necessarily have to be linkage. If the owners win on basically EVERY issue on the CBA, and the players don't really get anything because it seemed like both sides motives were to destroy the other side and not bargain, then I could see a strike at the end of this CBA too. This is just speculation though that its an awful deal for the players all around. That's why I kept saying I want a fair deal so we can avoid this mess for a very long time.

I agree on everything you said in this treat.
the League and the PA needs to realise that they can not make money without eachother
so they are on the same side

 

[Phil Parent]

Come on now, if the negociating commitees reach an agreement, owners and players alike will vote for it.

Some players will vote against, most likely guys like Damphousse, Klatt, Irbe....you know, guys that really have nothing to lose: Game Stays Off, They Stay Home; Game On, They Stay Home all the same. Older players who think they may have problems finding jobs in a capped league may vote against, but the vast majority will vote for, and don't forget the fact that we have a bunch of salaried workers who have only done a fraction of their usual revenues last year, if they did any money at all aside from the union checks.

I've got a good feeling. NBA Finals over, I don't even know who won and I don't care but I heard it's over. Now it's time for GB and BG to put on the stupid hat, force some smiles on themselves and put this lockout out of its misery.