Linden & Goodenow could lose support

[EricBowser]

If the NHLPA refuses to call a vote on the latest NHL proposal, the pressure on Trevor Linden and Bob Goodenow to resign will be immense.

There is already major cracking in the ranks with the recent comments made by Jeremy Roenick and Michael Peca, players who are well over the league average in salary and realize a majority of the association have been left out in the dark and out of paying jobs.

Once the season is officially cancelled, you can bet the pressure will be extremely intense on Goodenow and Linden to explain their position in these talks and why they never allowed a vote to occur, bad deal or not.

Click to read more...

 

[Liquidrage*]

Is this your personal and reaching speculation or is this you paraphrasing from a decent source?

 

[EricBowser]

I was told a few weeks ago, there are a few players who have contacted lawyers to research the players' right to force a vote on the NHL proposals.

Goodenow has made it known through his goon squad, any player trying to backdoor this process would lose his union paycheck and risk his agent losing certification.

There is a reason why Michael Peca, Jeremy Roenick, Barrett Jackman, and many others are tired of Goodenow's direction and Linden not protecting the players from Bob's ego.

 

[Icey]

If the NHLPA refuses to call a vote on the latest NHL proposal, the pressure on Trevor Linden and Bob Goodenow to resign will be immense.

There is already major cracking in the ranks with the recent comments made by Jeremy Roenick and Michael Peca, players who are well over the league average in salary and realize a majority of the association have been left out in the dark and out of paying jobs.

Once the season is officially cancelled, you can bet the pressure will be extremely intense on Goodenow and Linden to explain their position in these talks and why they never allowed a vote to occur, bad deal or not.

2 players out of 700+ players is hardly what I would call "major cracking in the ranks". Your looking for cracks when in fact there are none.

Did you actually listen to the entire Roenick interview or just pick those words out of one of the many articles written. He had a lot more to say and when you listen to the entire article you will see he still back the PA.

Couldn't the same thing be said for Bettman? He turned down every PA offer without it ever going to a vote. That is what an executive board does. They decide on what goes to vote and what doesn't.

Don't you think there will be owners who will be questioning Bettman on why he couldn't get a deal done? What he plans on doing to make sure they don't lose another season because believe me if we lose another season, we will start to see teams dropping like flies, and they won't all be expansion southern teams.

But I still say until Bettman cancels the season, don't consider this over. This is the time that Bettman and Goodenow live for....pressure time.

 

[no13matssundin]

If the NHLPA refuses to call a vote on the latest NHL proposal, the pressure on Trevor Linden and Bob Goodenow to resign will be immense.

There is already major cracking in the ranks with the recent comments made by Jeremy Roenick and Michael Peca, players who are well over the league average in salary and realize a majority of the association have been left out in the dark and out of paying jobs.

Once the season is officially cancelled, you can bet the pressure will be extremely intense on Goodenow and Linden to explain their position in these talks and why they never allowed a vote to occur, bad deal or not.

I think what were seeing, with some of the players speaking up now, is the fact that there are a few highly paid players in the PA who want to keep their long term earnings potential from being slashed. These are the people leading the charge against cost certainty. Everyone else who isnt just wants to play hockey and doesnt mind losing some of their "potential" long term earnings as long as they get paid well now. Theyre willing to deal to have hockey.

The mistake being made is that these players from the second column arent speaking up, and those who are have chosen to do so too late.

I also think the realization that a) there will be a cap implemented with or without the consent of the PA in the long run and b) their salaries for this year are about to go down the tubes, along with their salaries for next year is waking them up to the fact that they have everything to lose.

So the question for them now needs to be: do I want to work with what we're being given, or do I want a system shoved down my throat? Along with the losses of 2 or even 3 season's worth of money?

Because heres how I know, and how EVERY player should realize theyre gonna lose this if they dont deal:

Players MAKE Millions.
Owners HAVE Billions.

Once they wrap their heads that fact, it should become clear that there is NO WAY the players can outwait or out-manoever the owners. They need to work with what the owners are giving them at the table, and that is Cost certainty,

Make a deal now, Players, while you still have a chance to have a say. SPEAK UP AND TELL THE WORLD, IF NOT THE PA BRASS, THAT YOU WANT TO MAKE A DEAL!

 

[Icey]

You don't think a player that has made $15-20-30M over the course of his career can live off of that for the rest of his life? You think these players are hurting?

Aren't you guys the ones who keep saying they make more in one year than most of us will make in our lifetime? So why is it suddenly that they are so poor? Their houses are paid for, their cars are paid for, their childrens educations are paid for so all they need now is spending money. I bet most of them have not even touched the principal of their money and are living off the interest.

They could get a job bagging groceries and still live better than you and I, so don't be fooled that they are hurting for money. They will sit out for as long as they need to, just like the owners.

Plus remember they are getting $5-10,000 a month from the PA.

 

[guinness]

Screw both sides, after both of them lose tons of money after one or two lost seasons, maybe they'll actually get down to business and negotiate. The average fan in the US doesn't care that the NHL is missing, it's just a niche sport. Why both the players and owners don't see that is beyond me.

The NHL players aren't hurting, neither are the owners. The only ones hurting are the players that were forced out of spots in Europe and NA and the businesses that make money off of the NHL teams (merchandisers, bars, etc).

 

[Bruwinz37]

I think a good way to keep the board up and running at all times is for the mods to close off new threads and we can use the existing ones.

Seriously guys, this is all being discussed in other threads. We dont need a new thread every time someone thinks they have a great idea.

 

[mackdogs*]

Couldn't the same thing be said for Bettman? He turned down every PA offer without it ever going to a vote. That is what an executive board does. They decide on what goes to vote and what doesn't.

I'll bet Bettman either did put it to a vote or was under orders from the board to reject an offer with no form of cost certainty. Bettman isn't calling all the shots by himself, not really sure why so many people think it is all him.

Completely agree with the thread starter though, both of these guys should be removed from their positions if this season goes down the drain.

I want to see it go to a players vote too, although Brilliant Bob would probably weigh the votes based on salary.

 

[JrussJacket]

A new deal is needed. John Mcconnell who is the owner of the CBJ is a perfect example why. After investing over a 100 million into the CBJ franchise, last year his income from the team was less then Jody Shelly's salary. Tell me were this story ends if it keeps up. Absolutley ridiculous. As much as I love hockey, Ill support the owners through this tough time. The players for the nhl are all doing something that they truly love and make great money. They'll never make what the NLF or MLB player's make due to lack of interest in north america, howerver with that being said how many of us can actually say that we are doing something that we truly love and making good money. I can't and if you can than more power to you. just my 2 cents.

 

[Hockeyfan02]

Bettman isn't calling all the shots by himself, not really sure why so many people think it is all him.

Neither is Goodenow. Both are the figureheads for their respective sides so most think that what they want is completely different from what their side wants and theyre running the show. I'm sure theres disagreeing where some teams could live with a tax and some players would play under cost certainty. These guys are going by what the majority of their side wants.

 

[avalanche_country]

I think a good way to keep the board up and running at all times is for the mods to close off new threads and we can use the existing ones.

Seriously guys, this is all being discussed in other threads. We dont need a new thread every time someone thinks they have a great idea.

so many wannabe mods , is it really that hard to not open a thread or move your eyes away from a topic ?

pretty funny really

 

[Terry O]

Linden's doing his best

Article on Linden says he's appreciated by his fellow players. Irregardless of the results, the players in the article thinks he's doing his best in an almost hopeless situation.

Linden circumvented protocol two weeks ago by asking for an informal meeting with Harley Hotchkiss, chairman of the NHL's board of governors, and excluding their leaders, NHLPA executive director Bob Goodenow and NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, in an effort to facilitate the bargaining process. The talks have yet to produce an agreement, but they did open lines of communication that had broken off since mid-December.

If a new CBA is reached in time to save a portion of the 2004-05 season, Linden will deserve much of the credit. If the season is canceled, he will be lauded for taking the process further than imagined.

"I think he's gone above and beyond in trying to get a deal done," veteran forward Travis Green said. "If the car's not for sale you can't buy it, and we might be up against that right now. I would tell him myself, 'Sleep well at night Trevor, you've done a helluva job.' "


http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/columns/story?id=1981684

 

[sarge88]

You don't think a player that has made $15-20-30M over the course of his career can live off of that for the rest of his life? You think these players are hurting?

Aren't you guys the ones who keep saying they make more in one year than most of us will make in our lifetime? So why is it suddenly that they are so poor? Their houses are paid for, their cars are paid for, their childrens educations are paid for so all they need now is spending money. I bet most of them have not even touched the principal of their money and are living off the interest.

They could get a job bagging groceries and still live better than you and I, so don't be fooled that they are hurting for money. They will sit out for as long as they need to, just like the owners.

Plus remember they are getting $5-10,000 a month from the PA.

The problem is that the large majority of players don't make the "Modano/Roenick/Peca" type money. That, to me is why Goodenow hasn't wanted the entire union to vote. Guys making the minimum up to probably $1.5 million or so, would probably rather play under a cap system than make next to nothing for 1-2 years.

 

[McDonald19]

2 players out of 700+ players is hardly what I would call "major cracking in the ranks". Your looking for cracks when in fact there are none.

More and More players will say something...Its not like all 700 players are interviewed every week. There are definetly cracks in the NHLPA developing.

 

[Jazz]

You don't think a player that has made $15-20-30M over the course of his career can live off of that for the rest of his life? You think these players are hurting?....

Human nature - spend as much as you make.

Remember most of these players only have grade-school education. And that the median salary (not the average, the median) is still under $1.8 million US - so the vast majority of the players out there have not made the $15-20-30M you speak of....

I'm sure there are a lot who are hurting....

 

[Terry O]

Maybe some are hurting but...

Dollar Bill says the PA has been encouraging the players to prepare for a long lockout.

As for the union crumbling in the face of a prolonged lockout, Guerin said don't bet on it.

"I believe there's lots of solidarity," he said. "Our (association) has done a good job over the last 10 years educating players young and old. Most players -- I can't say all -- have been smart with their money over the last few years, preparing for a work stoppage.

"We're ready. You have to be ready mentally and financially."

http://www.sportsbusinessnews.com/index.asp?story_id=33056

 

[Rejean31]

Dollar Bill says the PA has been encouraging the players to prepare for a long lockout.

As for the union crumbling in the face of a prolonged lockout, Guerin said don't bet on it.

"I believe there's lots of solidarity," he said. "Our (association) has done a good job over the last 10 years educating players young and old. Most players -- I can't say all -- have been smart with their money over the last few years, preparing for a work stoppage.

"We're ready. You have to be ready mentally and financially."

http://www.sportsbusinessnews.com/index.asp?story_id=33056

Spoken by Mr Solidarity himself. Mr Solidarity who clubs one of his own teammates over the head with his stick in a scrimmage game. **** OFF, Guerin.

 

[wazee]

Plus remember they are getting $5-10,000 a month from the PA.

Just how big was the player's war chest? Paying 750 players $10,000 would cost 7.5M a month...or for the 4 months missed so far, 30M. And that only counts the 4 months missed so far....

 

[BLONG7]

Guerin should call Modano,Pronger,McCabe,Esche,and Alferdson...and they could all be part of Donald Trump's team...The Las Vegas Expense....and these top six could be the solidarity line!

 

[Terry O]

Just how big was the player's war chest? Paying 750 players $10,000 would cost 7.5M a month...or for the 4 months missed so far, 30M. And that only counts the 4 months missed so far....

I would hope the Jagrs, Guerins and the like aren't dipping in. The PA must have a policy on how much the haves and have nots receive. Maybe it's like the owners' warchest where you get it only if you ask for it.

 

[Biggest Canuck Fan]

You don't think a player that has made $15-20-30M over the course of his career can live off of that for the rest of his life? You think these players are hurting?

Only a fraction of the 700 players have done so.

Get your head out of the clouds and back into reality.

Probably only 20% of the players in the NHL make over 1.8 million, thus 5 - 10 million over 4 or 5 years.

But Matt Cooke whose salary is only 450K over 3 years... and there are many more like him...

 

[Wetcoaster]

I was told a few weeks ago, there are a few players who have contacted lawyers to research the players' right to force a vote on the NHL proposals.

Goodenow has made it known through his goon squad, any player trying to backdoor this process would lose his union paycheck and risk his agent losing certification.

There is a reason why Michael Peca, Jeremy Roenick, Barrett Jackman, and many others are tired of Goodenow's direction and Linden not protecting the players from Bob's ego.

It is very simple - nothing to research. If 50% plus 1 of the players call for a vote then there would be vote.

Unlike the NHL which needs only 8 owners to thwart the will of the majority - the NHLPA is subject to the will of its players. The players learned this lesson when they finally ousted Alan Eaglerson.

If those players want retain me for that advice I will happily bill thenm for it :lol

 

[Wetcoaster]

If the NHLPA refuses to call a vote on the latest NHL proposal, the pressure on Trevor Linden and Bob Goodenow to resign will be immense.

What proposal???

Just more amorphous "concepts" from the NHL.

When the NHL makes a substantive detailed proposal then there may be something to put to a vote.

 

[SwisshockeyAcademy]

You don't think a player that has made $15-20-30M over the course of his career can live off of that for the rest of his life? You think these players are hurting?

Aren't you guys the ones who keep saying they make more in one year than most of us will make in our lifetime? So why is it suddenly that they are so poor? Their houses are paid for, their cars are paid for, their childrens educations are paid for so all they need now is spending money. I bet most of them have not even touched the principal of their money and are living off the interest.

They could get a job bagging groceries and still live better than you and I, so don't be fooled that they are hurting for money. They will sit out for as long as they need to, just like the owners.

Plus remember they are getting $5-10,000 a month from the PA.

How many players have made over 30 million in their careers? Its a small number of todays active players . Keep spouting your nonsense.