Modano worries over union's future

[Lanny MacDonald*]

I hope you guys didn't miss this gem...

I'm sure the poster will make Mike Modano feel awfully stupid by dressing up like a dog in a stadium full of people who are oblivious to his comments...

Don't forget to bark and sniff people's backsides... that'll show him!

Who said anything about wearing it? Although that would be damn funny, especially if you held up a sign that said "will work for Modano's dogfood budget".

:lol

You seriously need to relax. Anyone who makes such an assinine comment like Modano did desereves to taken down a few notches. Kind of like Belfour and his "I'll pay you a billion dollars". These guys are just like you and me, only better paid, and they need to be reminded of that fact.

 

[kenabnrmal]

Because its better than defending a single individual that does the same. You can honestly sit there and defend the players when they will hold out at the drop of a hat to extort more money out of the teams (nee league), using the fans as a bargaining device? What's worse is they play on the fans adoration and blow smoke up everyone's skirts while squeezing more money out of the situation they are in, and then they jump ship for even more money the minute they get an opportunity.

The players and the owners are cut from the same cloth in their greed. They're both slimy IMO, but I back the ones who are willing to invest the millions of dollars required to develop the teams and support the league itself. As soon as the players buck up and become partners in the venture, assuming some level of financial risk, they will get a lot more respect IMO.

Question for you. How can you defend players who routinely hold out, demand trades for personal gain and then show zero loyalty as soon as free agency comes available?

a) You can count on one hand the number of actual "hold outs" there have been in the league. While its true, players who are restricted free agents often miss time due to protracted contract negotiations, however these players DON'T HAVE A CONTRACT. I suppose you believe that players should bow to the owner's every wish when the contract comes up, instead of exercising his own personal right to negotiations.

b) Players routinely demand trades for personal gain? I'd say its far from routine, as whenever it happens its headline news, and these very same boards explode with outrage. No, if it were routine you'd see a heck of a lot more shrugging of shoulders.

c) Players often resign before they reach free agency, yet that receives a heck of a lot less press than when the fella actually exercises his right to free agency. I don't recall too many instances where players have used fans as a bargaining chip. Yashin...Tkachuk...how many other players have actually used fan-backlash as a bargaining chip?

Most of your posts are fairly well thought-out and reasonable, even though I usually disagree. However, this one reeks of player-hate with just a hint of possible jealousy (well more than a hint, but theres also other possible motivators for those sorts of opinions besides jealousy...I just find that jealousy towards guys making loads of money for their talents tend to be the motivator more often than not)...or something else. I certainly hope that your opinions all these months have been based on your good reason rather than blind hate.

Oh, one more thing. Neither the owners or players are any more slimy than any of us. They just happen to have the money, as well as have the cameras and mics around to capture their "greedy" ways.

 

[Smart Alek]

Who said anything about wearing it? Although that would be damn funny, especially if you held up a sign that said "will work for Modano's dogfood budget".

:lol

You seriously need to relax. Anyone who makes such an assinine comment like Modano did desereves to taken down a few notches. Kind of like Belfour and his "I'll pay you a billion dollars". These guys are just like you and me, only better paid, and they need to be reminded of that fact.

I wasn't laughing at your sentiment, only your suggested tactic... and I still am.

 

[kenabnrmal]

You seriously need to relax. Anyone who makes such an assinine comment like Modano did desereves to taken down a few notches. Kind of like Belfour and his "I'll pay you a billion dollars". These guys are just like you and me, only better paid, and they need to be reminded of that fact.

At the same time, they aren't like you and me. They worked their asses off to put themselves in a position where someone is willing to pay them for their talents. If any of us wanted the same, we could have put in the work. Instead, we sat around and drank, instead of getting up for early-morning skates and workouts. So yes, they are just like us. They average the same amount of greed as the average joe does. However, don't fool yourself that you should be entitled to the same benefits these guys get. They may just "play a game", but we all had the opportunity to be an athlete and chase the same risks and rewards these guys did. We made the choice. Don't begrudge them their rewards, because we didn't put in the effort.

And again, my comments aren't mean't to show support for the players in the labour dispute. I don't agree with the hardline stance the union has shown, just like I don't agree with the hardline stance the league has shown. Heck, I'm even leaning towards the league now.

 

[Isles72]

it might be a crack , but its way too late in the game to hope that a statement from one of the games best players will save the season .

if this was said by Mike in early December it might mean something

 

[CarlRacki]

At the same time, they aren't like you and me. They worked their asses off to put themselves in a position where someone is willing to pay them for their talents. If any of us wanted the same, we could have put in the work. Instead, we sat around and drank, instead of getting up for early-morning skates and workouts. So yes, they are just like us. They average the same amount of greed as the average joe does. However, don't fool yourself that you should be entitled to the same benefits these guys get. They may just "play a game", but we all had the opportunity to be an athlete and chase the same risks and rewards these guys did. We made the choice. Don't begrudge them their rewards, because we didn't put in the effort.

And again, my comments aren't mean't to show support for the players in the labour dispute. I don't agree with the hardline stance the union has shown, just like I don't agree with the hardline stance the league has shown. Heck, I'm even leaning towards the league now.

Are you kidding me? No doubt NHL players have worked very hard to get where they're at, but if you think that's the only difference between them and everyone else you're crazy.
NHL players have been blessed - through luck, genetics or whatever you want to call it - with a natural gift the vast, vast majority of us will never have. They have an athletic gift the average person lacks.
Do you really believe that anyone can become an NHL player if they work hard enough? I guarantee you there are plenty of former junior players and guys in the ECHL that would beg to differ.
By the way, the average man is 5'9", 180 pounds. See a lot of "average" guys in the NHL?

 

[Schlep Rock]

Who said anything about wearing it? Although that would be damn funny, especially if you held up a sign that said "will work for Modano's dogfood budget".

:lol

You seriously need to relax. Anyone who makes such an assinine comment like Modano did desereves to taken down a few notches. Kind of like Belfour and his "I'll pay you a billion dollars". These guys are just like you and me, only better paid, and they need to be reminded of that fact.

Then why when are they held to such a higher standard?

They aren't like the average joe.

 

[Morbo]

Nothing Modano said indicates that this season can be saved.

He discussed how the players might feel in October...so if he's right, we may see hockey back in 9-10 months instead of 12.

 

[Lanny MacDonald*]

Then why when are they held to such a higher standard?

They aren't like the average joe.

Because THEY present themselves as something more than they really are. THEY forget where they were a short decade before. Their celebrity has overpowered their humility.

 

[HF2002]

At the same time, they aren't like you and me. They worked their asses off to put themselves in a position where someone is willing to pay them for their talents. If any of us wanted the same, we could have put in the work. Instead, we sat around and drank, instead of getting up for early-morning skates and workouts. So yes, they are just like us. They average the same amount of greed as the average joe does. However, don't fool yourself that you should be entitled to the same benefits these guys get. They may just "play a game", but we all had the opportunity to be an athlete and chase the same risks and rewards these guys did. We made the choice. Don't begrudge them their rewards, because we didn't put in the effort.

What are you talking about? Yes, the guys who got to the top of the sport have to put in the work to get there, but you can put in all the hard work you want - if you don't have a lot of factors on your side you're not going anywhere.

1) talent
2) good genetics
3) good coaching
4) luck

 

[Egil]

Nothing Modano said indicates that this season can be saved.

He discussed how the players might feel in October...so if he's right, we may see hockey back in 9-10 months instead of 12.

But if the players realize what is going to happen in 9 months, you don't think they wouldn't do something now?

As for it being too late, lets say the last day of the regular season can be no later than April 15th (which is no more than a 10 or so days after the scheduled end). So, if you have every team play 1 game every 2 days (which is only slightly faster than normal), then you get the following deadlines to start the season:

44 games (every team in conference twice, division 6 times): January 17th
40 games (every team in conference twice, division 5 times): January 25th
36 games (every team in conference twice, division 4 times): February 2nd
28 games (every team in conference twice, division 2 times): February 18th

Now, I would say 44 games is now out, but 40 or 36 are still in play, and there is over amonth left for a 28 game season (which is fine by me).

 

[Beauty eh?]

Hahaha....he was "misqouted." What a shock.

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story.asp?ID=110958&hubName=nhl

 

[FLYLine27*]

Suprise...TSN ans Sportnet twist words around again to try to get there point across. Havn't seen that before.

 

[CarlRacki]

Suprise...TSN ans Sportnet twist words around again to try to get there point across. Havn't seen that before.

Yes, it's all a grand media conspiracy. That seems much more likely than a NHLPA leader calling Modano and asking him a) what the hell he was thinking and b) to do some spin control.

 

[Morbo]

Suprise...TSN ans Sportnet twist words around again to try to get there point across. Havn't seen that before.

You don't really believe this, do you?

Good grief.

 

[kenabnrmal]

What are you talking about? Yes, the guys who got to the top of the sport have to put in the work to get there, but you can put in all the hard work you want - if you don't have a lot of factors on your side you're not going anywhere.

1) talent
2) good genetics
3) good coaching
4) luck

Are you kidding me? No doubt NHL players have worked very hard to get where they're at, but if you think that's the only difference between them and everyone else you're crazy.

I definitely over-simplified to make a point. By no means do I attempt to downplay the talent or physical gifts that NHL players have. I do, however, see hard work as being the common denominator of all NHL players. Regardless of how you view their work ethic once they've made the show, every one of them had to work their rears off to get the chance. But, yes of course, talent, coaching, intangibles, parents, etc (rarely luck...) plays into it. However, I can think of a number of individuals who I know personally that had all of the above, except for the hard work. I suppose thats what I was trying to highlight...you can have it all, but if you don't put in the work, you don't make it. The players have all worked very very hard to get where they are.

 

[HF2002]

You don't really believe this, do you?

Good grief.

Exactly. TSN and Sportsnet are far better off when they have hockey to cover, but they aren't willing to go so far as to start making things up, especially player quotes, just to get the league back.

While there's an endless stream of media types, you can bet that there are countless others who would love to take their place. If you start making up quotes or bending everything the players say you will no doubt be shunned when things get settled. What good are you to your employer in this business if no one talks to you?

 

[struckmatch]

Suprise...TSN ans Sportnet twist words around again to try to get there point across. Havn't seen that before.

 

[PecaFan]

who do many of you guys defend a league that wants to make a cash cow out of us?

Hello? It's been that way for *twenty years*. Advertising on the boards. Stupid tv timeouts interrupting the flow of the game. Ticket prices that went from allowing a normal family to attend games in decent seats to becoming almost exclusively corporate seats only.

Hockey became a business a long time ago.

Oh, and doesn't surprise me about the Modano turnabout. It's practically scripted.

 

[Lanny MacDonald*]

44 games (every team in conference twice, division 6 times): January 17th
40 games (every team in conference twice, division 5 times): January 25th
36 games (every team in conference twice, division 4 times): February 2nd
28 games (every team in conference twice, division 2 times): February 18th

Now, I would say 44 games is now out, but 40 or 36 are still in play, and there is over amonth left for a 28 game season (which is fine by me).

Based on a two week recall and training camp window, January 25th is dead. February 2nd is on the critical list. We're down to a 28 game schedule IMO, and that is pushing it. I would love to see NHL hockey and some playoffs this year, but think we're done. It just doesn't seem plausible that the league can get their act in order quick enough to save the season.

BTW... I read elsewhere (sorry, no link) that the Kings budgeted for zero revenues this year. Sounds to me like the teams have indeed taken the cancellation of the season seriously from way back, and may have even used this as a strategy, and have nothing to lose. The more that starts to come out, I think the season is toast, has been toast for a while, and Bettman is letting the players twist in the wind, waiting for them to negotiate against themselves.

 

[Egil]

The last CBA still wasn't agreed upon by this date, and they played 48 games. You really only need 1 week of training camps and recall. Remember, you can push these numbers a little further as well, start the playoffs April 20th, or play a game every 1.9 days, etc. Due to a short season, you can DEFINATELY have the players play more often than normal, and normal is just over once every 2 days.

 

[Cawz]

The last CBA still wasn't agreed upon by this date, and they played 48 games.

I thought they just had the anniversary of the agree date a couple days ago, on the 10th or something...

 

[Egil]

It was signed on the 13th (tomorow).

 

[misterjaggers]

FWIW, I found an SI power rankings blurb that estimates Modano's investment loss at $5 million:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2004/hockey/nhl/02/03/power.rankings/
I imagine that still leaves him a rich man.

 

[Trottier]

Mike's dog must be eating the furniture.

:lol

We disagree on this CBA, but I have to hand it to you on that line, Iconoclast. Especially hilarious to most any dog/puppy owner.