WHA coming to a town near you in 05-06

[kerrly]

I dont know how much you've been paying attention, but that whole salary cap think is the sticking point the players have had, so I dont forsee them cracking.

Yes that is true. But its either give into the cap, providing that the owners are still gunning for that, or try a new league and the lesser players can play in europe. Play for less money, players lose jobs, and a guaranteed healthy league. I just don't see it happening.

 

[kerrly]

That is the chain of events that has been set into place. The PA thinks it is worth it in the long haul. Thats what matters

If the players choose to go this route and give up on the NHL, then I really question their intelligence. Guaranteed work for a concession in pay.....or unguaranteed jobs and a major concession in pay, all because of spite. The players are not that stupid. Even if they make it sound like thats what they will do, its all strategic positioning on the union's part.

 

[K215215]

providing that the owners are still gunning for that

Yeah, provided the owners are still gunning for that. They might have just wanted a 26% salary rollback.

 

[kerrly]

Yeah, provided the owners are still gunning for that. They might have just wanted a 26% salary rollback.

You're kidding right? Right now its a hard cap......or alter the players offer with a super stiff luxury tax.

 

[K215215]

You're kidding right? Right now its a hard cap......or alter the players offer with a super stiff luxury tax.

I guess you cant pickup sarcasm unless its accompanied by a smiley face

 

[thinkwild]

The players, pooling their money together to work as small businessmen, with a fledgling MHL. THey would be just your average working joes. Certainly not flying 1st class. Kind of people you could relate to. They could keep the cores of teams together and say they just are going to play a season and playoffs, as if they were kids. Because they want to play. And make it available cheap on ppv. Some good agents could have a lot of room for marketing. And growth.

 

[kerrly]

I guess you cant pickup sarcasm unless its accompanied by a smiley face

Its also fairly hard to tell when your joking especially when alot of your points sound like a joke.

 

[K215215]

Its also fairly hard to tell when your joking especially when alot of your points sound like a joke.

Touche.

Regardless of how idiotic the substance of your earlier posts were, that was a good one.

 

[kerrly]

Touche.

Regardless of how idiotic the substance of your earlier posts were, that was a good one.

Idiotic substance, I think not. I think my posts showed alot more logic.

 

[me2]

i think its stupid too. what do you think the chances are they will do it longer than you or i (and the owners) think simply out of spite and stubborness ?

dr

3%. The richer players are not going to pour their life savings into the pockets of the poorer players just to spite the NHL and the poorer players won't be able to afford to bankroll the team.

 

[SENSible1*]

3%. The richer players are not going to pour their life savings into the pockets of the poorer players just to spite the NHL and the poorer players won't be able to afford to bankroll the team.

The question is not IF the players will come crawling back to the NHL, but when.

If their leadership was even remotely competent, they’d already have swallowed some bitter medicine that in the long run would make them stronger. Instead, we get a steady chorus of pouting, threats, whining and fingers in the ears; all of which will end up costing them HUGE amounts of money they’ll never recoup.

Serves them right when the hammer comes down.

 

[me2]

Thats more realistic than the players sitting out for 2 years and then eventually cracking and crossing a picket line.

Wrong. If the rich players form 8 teams that leaves 22 teams worth of players doing nada. The NHL will say to these players, "Do want to come back or do you want to sit and hope the rich players will pay you $100-200K to play in their new league. Honestly those rich guys have forgotten about you, they don't care about you. You are sitting at home suffering while they are out feathering their nests. You are losing so they can gain. You take the pain and they take the fun and the money. They want you to suffer, in fact they need you to suffer so they can get richer. You have a 10% chance of breaking into their league cause they've stacked it with who they want. Its your choice, sit at home and get nothing or come back to work for $1m/y".

How long do you think those poor guys would take to comeback? 5 minutes (just long enough to ring their agents). How long would those rich guys last in their own league earning $400K-$2m when the NHL beckons with $2-6m contracts. "Hey I'm 5x the player and they are get twice as much money, that sucks, screw this I'm going back.".

 

[Brent Burns Beard]

If the players choose to go this route and give up on the NHL, then I really question their intelligence. Guaranteed work for a concession in pay.....or unguaranteed jobs and a major concession in pay, all because of spite. The players are not that stupid. Even if they make it sound like thats what they will do, its all strategic positioning on the union's part.

what if the players are stupid enough to do it out of spite. i mean literally dumb, devoid of brain matter stupid and refuse to play. is there a point in time that the owners will cave ? i think the players want to find out.

these guys made it to the NHL because they fight, not because they back down.

a game of chicken. the owners can easily afford to pay us back by putting NHL calibre players on the ice instead of scabs.

dr

 

[kerrly]

what if the players are stupid enough to do it out of spite. i mean literally dumb, devoid of brain matter stupid and refuse to play. is there a point in time that the owners will cave ? i think the players want to find out.

these guys made it to the NHL because they fight, not because they back down.

a game of chicken. the owners can easily afford to pay us back by putting NHL calibre players on the ice instead of scabs.

dr

The owners will not cave. I think its safe to say that these super rich owners that everyone claims they are, will be able to hold out before the bottom half players of the league start to struggle and turn the union upside down. If tomorrow the owners come back with a cap, they will not go for anything less in the future. The players just have to realize that if the owners haven't budged yet that they won't budge in the future.

 

[Brent Burns Beard]

The owners will not cave. I think its safe to say that these super rich owners that everyone claims they are, will be able to hold out before the bottom half players of the league start to struggle and turn the union upside down. If tomorrow the owners come back with a cap, they will not go for anything less in the future. The players just have to realize that if the owners haven't budged yet that they won't budge in the future.

well, it is a game of chicken still. the owners may not budge, i dont disagree.

doesnt that suck for us. they could easily afford to suck it up and make it work but they wont. really, how much money do they need ? i know it could be said the same for the players, they too should be grateful. but cant we at least agree that its not such a hardship on the billionaires to suck it up either and get the games back on.

us peasants deserve it.

dr

 

[Digger12]

what if the players are stupid enough to do it out of spite. i mean literally dumb, devoid of brain matter stupid and refuse to play. is there a point in time that the owners will cave ? i think the players want to find out.

these guys made it to the NHL because they fight, not because they back down.

a game of chicken. the owners can easily afford to pay us back by putting NHL calibre players on the ice instead of scabs.

dr

Some players may be stubborn/idiotic enough to cut off their nose to spite their face, but I doubt very much the kids playing junior and the young prospects playing in the minor leagues worked their entire lives just to turn their back on the NHL dream and follow these drama queens into some garage league commune that STILL wouldn't be able to pay them what the NHL could.

Evolution has a way of fixing things like this.

 

[kerrly]

well, it is a game of chicken still. the owners may not budge, i dont disagree.

doesnt that suck for us. they could easily afford to suck it up and make it work but they wont. really, how much money do they need ? i know it could be said the same for the players, they too should be grateful. but cant we at least agree that its not such a hardship on the billionaires to suck it up either and get the games back on.

us peasants deserve it.

dr

Well thats partially true. I wish there was hockey, but I'm willing to wait for the long-term benefits of the game. I think they are rich enough to hold out, but i still believe them that they deserve a chance to run a successful business.

 

[SENSible1*]

well, it is a game of chicken still. the owners may not budge, i dont disagree.

doesnt that suck for us. they could easily afford to suck it up and make it work but they wont. really, how much money do they need ? i know it could be said the same for the players, they too should be grateful. but cant we at least agree that its not such a hardship on the billionaires to suck it up either and get the games back on.

us peasants deserve it.

dr

us peasants deserve a stable league where brains are rewarded over bucks.

The NHL is trying to provide that. The sooner the players get with the program, the better it will be for everyone, owners, fans and especially players.

 

[Lanny MacDonald*]

what if the players are stupid enough to do it out of spite. i mean literally dumb, devoid of brain matter stupid and refuse to play. is there a point in time that the owners will cave ? i think the players want to find out.

these guys made it to the NHL because they fight, not because they back down.

a game of chicken. the owners can easily afford to pay us back by putting NHL calibre players on the ice instead of scabs.

dr

I think you and your buddy thinkwild are delusional. The players are greedy, plain and simple. These guys don't have an entreprenurial bone in their collective bodies. You think they are going to risk millions of their "hard earned dollars" in financing their own league (in essence, paying themselves to play hockey)? I don't care how spiteful these guys are, its been proven over and over again that they can be bought and sold and they will go where the most money is. There is no money in putting on their own games. As the charity events prove, no one wants to go and watch a bunch of egomaniacs play shiny. People cheer for the jerseys and the traditions, not the punks who are the shooting stars of the league. I bet you 90% of this site couldn't tell you who Derek Sanderson was and what he was most famous for. Not many players are bigger than the game. None of the players in today's NHL come close to that stature. If the players consider what you and thinkwild are talking about, they may as well just save themselves the embrassment and flush the money down the toilet. They would lose huge.

 

[Digger12]

The players, pooling their money together to work as small businessmen, with a fledgling MHL. THey would be just your average working joes. Certainly not flying 1st class. Kind of people you could relate to. They could keep the cores of teams together and say they just are going to play a season and playoffs, as if they were kids. Because they want to play. And make it available cheap on ppv. Some good agents could have a lot of room for marketing. And growth.

Average working joes?

If this is the reality that Bob Goodenow eventually leads the Guerins, Modanos, McCabes and Iginlas of the world to, and all in the name of 'sticking it to the man'...then being fired would likely be the least of his worries.

Do you think the guys playing junior hockey are working their asses off for THAT kind of payoff?

And if you think any Euro with a smidgen of talent would be a part of it, think again...they'd be on the first plane back to Europe so fast they wouldn't even bother packing a change of underwear, assuming they didn't go back to the league that would still pay better than anyone else in the NHL.

 

[Brent Burns Beard]

Some players may be stubborn/idiotic enough to cut off their nose to spite their face, but I doubt very much the kids playing junior and the young prospects playing in the minor leagues worked their entire lives just to turn their back on the NHL dream and follow these drama queens into some garage league commune that STILL wouldn't be able to pay them what the NHL could.

Evolution has a way of fixing things like this.

cant say i disagree ...

oh well. i am resigned to no hockey, hope you are all happy.

dr

 

[YellHockey*]

As the charity events prove, no one wants to go and watch a bunch of egomaniacs play shiny. People cheer for the jerseys and the traditions, not the punks who are the shooting stars of the league.

From: http://www.mytelus.com/sports/article.do?pageID=flames/home&articleID=1782306

May’s Vancouver game, which features locked-out NHLers against the junior hockey Giants, sold all 16,400 tickets at the Pacific Coliseum just four days after it was originally announced

But people don't want to go watch the charity events?

 

[Brent Burns Beard]

I think you and your buddy thinkwild are delusional. The players are greedy, plain and simple. These guys don't have an entreprenurial bone in their collective bodies. You think they are going to risk millions of their "hard earned dollars" in financing their own league (in essence, paying themselves to play hockey)? I don't care how spiteful these guys are, its been proven over and over again that they can be bought and sold and they will go where the most money is. There is no money in putting on their own games. As the charity events prove, no one wants to go and watch a bunch of egomaniacs play shiny. People cheer for the jerseys and the traditions, not the punks who are the shooting stars of the league. I bet you 90% of this site couldn't tell you who Derek Sanderson was and what he was most famous for. Not many players are bigger than the game. None of the players in today's NHL come close to that stature. If the players consider what you and thinkwild are talking about, they may as well just save themselves the embrassment and flush the money down the toilet. They would lose huge.

actually, i dont think i ever said they should or would. i asked what if they did.

i think they are stupid too if they would rather pay to play.

dr

 

[me2]

From: http://www.mytelus.com/sports/article.do?pageID=flames/home&articleID=1782306



But people don't want to go watch the charity events?

OK, lets see May sell out 42 of these as if there were a real season. Also, if there are 42 games they won't have the charity tag to get the sympathy going.

 

[Crosbyfan]

I bet you 90% of this site couldn't tell you who Derek Sanderson was and what he was most famous for. .

Boston Bruin from Niagara Falls / Doing Drugs

Did I make the top 10%?