NHL players are hypocrits

[Kritty]

I'm starting to get really fed up with all these NHL players and their stance on replacement players. I was reading the hockey news and reading all these comments about how if replacement players play they should have their heads up because they will be marked men. Why exactly? Just because they are taking your job from you? Then why shouldn't NHL players be marked men in Europe, or the AHL, or wherever they are playing? They are doing EXACTLY the same thing to all these other players. You are taking jobs away from them and you are no better than scabs yourself. Heaven forbid someone accuses them of it though. Everything you hear about NHL players going somewhere else to play is about how they need to make money. Bull****! These are guys that have been making over a million dollars per year for a few years now. Don't try to tell me that they are hurting for money. Some of the lower level guys will be, but these guys that are going to Europe for big money (Nash, Kovalchuk, etc.) have no need for more money. In my books, they should be thought of the same way as replacement players in the NHL would be, as scabs, nothing less.

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[littleHossa]

Bertuzzi got punished by the law for his pre-meditated acts on the ice, if the NHL players threaten whomever will replace them if the NHL ever comes to that of "being marked men" then they can very well find themselves in a criminal court after it happens.

As for the scabs comment, yes they are hypocrites, they are doing exactly the same thing in Europe right now. Let's not forget that these players are payed by the fans and that they play for the fans first and foremost, is any hockey better than no hockey in the 30 NHL cities? Yes it is, but not something that the NHL players would think about and would even cross the line to make sure no hockey is being played on NHL rinks.

 

[Brent Burns Beard]

the difference is the scabs who play as replacements in the NHL are interferring in a labour negotiation. the players taking jobs in europe are simply better players and therefore more desired on the team.

it is apples and oranges.

dr

 

[NYR469]

99% of the scabs won't have to worry about retaliation because no real player is going to play as a replacement player and all the guys that do would be out of the league as soon as real nhlers return

 

[deathbear]

99% of the scabs won't have to worry about retaliation because no real player is going to play as a replacement player and all the guys that do would be out of the league as soon as real nhlers return

unfortunately, you might be right...

 

[Hasbro]

99% of the scabs won't have to worry about retaliation because no real player is going to play as a replacement player and all the guys that do would be out of the league as soon as real nhlers return

I agree with the second part of your post. The two other times scabs have been introduced into sports labor disputes, the players folded rather quickly.

 

[Captain Lou]

I agree with the second part of your post. The two other times scabs have been introduced into sports labor disputes, the players folded rather quickly.

While that is true regarding the 1987 NFL strike, that is not true concerning the 1994-5 MLB strike. In the MLB strike, replacement players were brought to spring training, and shortly afterward, the union fought against the impasse that had been declared by the owners.

Judge Sontomayer (sp?) ruled that the owners had not bargained in good faith and that the impasse was, in fact, illegal. At that point she declared the 1995 season to start, using the previous CBA. It was not until June of 1996 that there was a new CBA in place.

The threat of replacement players, in my opinion, does not scare the players. First, the NHLPA is a very strong union, like the MLBPA. Second, the available pool of players will be limited in both size and talent. ANY player who thinks they might have a chance to play in the NHL someday will not go anywhere near this situation. If they ever did cross and become replacement players, they would forfeit any chance of ever gaining membership into the union, and thusly, not permitted to reap any of the benefits the union might negotiate. They would only be bound by the general rules of the CBA, and not eligible for things like a pension and other things that are in the union's control. To this day, even though he is retired, Rick Reed (formerly of the NY Mets) is/was not ever a member of the MLBPA, because he crossed, and it is something that haunted him his whole career. Plus he still probably had pay roughly 85% of the union dues, without ever having union backing on anything.

Basically, the NFLPA had no choice to cave, because of the strength of their union. The MLBPA was not scared by replacement players, and I doubt seriously the NHLPA will be either.

 

[Big Phil]

the difference is the scabs who play as replacements in the NHL are interferring in a labour negotiation. the players taking jobs in europe are simply better players and therefore more desired on the team.

it is apples and oranges.

dr

Good point. But say a guy over in Europe is making just enough to earn money for his family. All of the sudden Joe Thornton comes over and takes a job away form that guy. Why? Cause he's part of a union that has trouble sharing $2 Billion dollars. If you are that guy in Europe who had his job/income bumped off wouldnt you be a little bitter to a millionaire who doesnt need the money and is not playing in his own league based on greed? Yeah I thought you would.

You see the thing is, no one has thought about that. No one cares. People can back the players until they are blue in the face but ask a parking attendant, or an usher or a Hot Dog vendor what they think about the NHl lockout. Yes it may not be their only job, but that is a source of income that they have and is now lost 41 days a year.

Chris Pronger thinks that anyone that crosses the picket line are "scabs." Well when you make $10 million a year and know that you could reitre right now and never have to work another day in your life its easy to lose touch with reality.

 

[djhn579]

Good point. But say a guy over in Europe is making just enough to earn money for his family. All of the sudden Joe Thornton comes over and takes a job away form that guy. Why? Cause he's part of a union that has trouble sharing $2 Billion dollars. If you are that guy in Europe who had his job/income bumped off wouldnt you be a little bitter to a millionaire who doesnt need the money and is not playing in his own league based on greed? Yeah I thought you would.

You see the thing is, no one has thought about that. No one cares. People can back the players until they are blue in the face but ask a parking attendant, or an usher or a Hot Dog vendor what they think about the NHl lockout. Yes it may not be their only job, but that is a source of income that they have and is now lost 41 days a year.

Chris Pronger thinks that anyone that crosses the picket line are "scabs." Well when you make $10 million a year and know that you could reitre right now and never have to work another day in your life its easy to lose touch with reality.

But you know, it's much more important for those stars to stay in shape than for that guy in Europe to feed his family...

 

[quat]

Update! Players stealing European's food! Pampered poodle pooches going hungry stateside. The horror, the humanity!!!!

 

[Brent Burns Beard]

Good point. But say a guy over in Europe is making just enough to earn money for his family. All of the sudden Joe Thornton comes over and takes a job away form that guy. Why? Cause he's part of a union that has trouble sharing $2 Billion dollars. If you are that guy in Europe who had his job/income bumped off wouldnt you be a little bitter to a millionaire who doesnt need the money and is not playing in his own league based on greed? Yeah I thought you would.

You see the thing is, no one has thought about that. No one cares. People can back the players until they are blue in the face but ask a parking attendant, or an usher or a Hot Dog vendor what they think about the NHl lockout. Yes it may not be their only job, but that is a source of income that they have and is now lost 41 days a year.

Chris Pronger thinks that anyone that crosses the picket line are "scabs." Well when you make $10 million a year and know that you could reitre right now and never have to work another day in your life its easy to lose touch with reality.

oh please, didnt the player that is now out of work have to win the job to put someone else out ?

thats the nature of sport, if you are the 23rd best player on the team, you are always on the bubble. if you are a fan of a Euro team, do you care if Sven Svengi or Lonny Bohonos are cut when you have Rick Nash and Joe Thornton to watch in their place ?

the player who was bumped has accepted this hazard as part of the career he has chosen.

its hardly the same as interfering with a legit labour negotiation, regardless of the bank accounts of those involved in the labour negotiation.

dr

 

[Steve L*]

Its also a hazard of your career that someone may replace you if you dont want to work.

I hope all NHLers realise this.

 

[HF2002]

ANY player who thinks they might have a chance to play in the NHL someday will not go anywhere near this situation. If they ever did cross and become replacement players, they would forfeit any chance of ever gaining membership into the union, and thusly, not permitted to reap any of the benefits the union might negotiate.

Agreed, but there are considerably more career minor leaguers who'd jump at the chance. They may not earn 1.8 million a year, but they'd still get a significant raise from their minor league contract. They might get their only shot at the Stanley Cup even if there's an asterisk beside it. At the age of 26, if you haven't made it you're never going to make it. Why not go for it and act just like the NHL players who are locked out now - greedily.