Zach Parise makes good points

[Riptide]

There is no way I, or anyone here, would accept a 24% cut, followed by another 12% 5 yrs later - granted their average wage has drastically improved.

I'd happy take a 24% cut, and then a 12% cut 7 (not 5) years later. Do the math on what they've made. They've almost doubled their salary in those 7 years, and there's no indication that things will slow down.

If my boss came to me and said we'll cut your wage 24% tomorrow, but give you yearly raises of X amount or hell even tied to revenue, and guarantee this for 6 years, and give you the option for a 7th.

You do the math... and when the math is very much in your favor, you take a small hit while demanding other concessions, and reap the benefits in years 3-7. Especially when the other option is to sit at home and not get paid.

 

[4thTierSport]

All too believable.

Envy is a powerful stimulant.

It is amazing what happens when people see six plus figures and how nasty it gets. I truly think this would be a completely different thread if the numbers were more "normal".

 

[boredguy]

Talking about good faith with a player who signed a retirement special contract.

 

[njdevil26]

The brat is at it again...

I keep saying it... it's pretty remarkable how as soon as he takes the Devils sweater off, he immediately becomes an unprofessional blabbermouth brat. I used to not favor the Devils strict policies with their players... now I prefer them.

Maybe under the complaining he makes some points... but he's also the guy with the 10 million dollar (100% of it) in the bank.

Don't tell me for a SECOND that the owners signed these contracts knowing they weren't going to have to pay them out fully... WHAT A LOAD OF BS. It was a gradual progression every year. The salary cap has gone up 3-6 mil per year with the exception of one year (I think it was 09-10). Players contracts have been gigantic since then. Ovechkin, Crosby, Kovalchuk, Malkin, Erhoff, Pronger, Bryzgalov, Hossa, and the list goes on. You think Vanderbeek and Lamoriello signed Kovy to a 100 mil deal thinking in two and a half years he may get a little break on paying it because of the CBA? What about the other guys?

... and please... you weren't the one that demanded the big contract? Well YOU SIGNED IT didn't you? Don't start saying how much you care about the players and the state of the game when you were just as much a part of this contract fiasco. There were teams that verbally bowed out of the Suter/Parise race because of how pricey the starting point was. You could have signed a straight 7.5-8.5 mil per year over the span of 7 years. That would have been somewhat honorable. You would have just missed a paycheck then maybe someone would want to listen to you. Also, don't give me the crap that his signing bonus was his lockout protection. Either way it's not good on him. What about the year 2 TEN mil check and the year 3 FIVE mil check. He needed three years of bonuses as lockout protection?

Even if somehow it was true that the bonus was lockout protection... then you fully agreed to get a 10 million dollar check while your union brothers didn't get anything... now are missing checks... but you feel the need to speak out on their behalf? Funny you won't talk about the owner of the Wild. Your stupid little dream of going back to Minny to play with your boyfriend in front of your hometown fans was made possible by your OWNER that opened up the checkbook more than the franchise has in it's history to circumvent that cap and take advantage of the CBA... and now you're bashing the very idea that you benefited from?

I'm sorry... just shut the hell up. If you care so much, get your ass off the dock, drop your fishing pole, and get your ass to New York or Toronto, put a suit on, and engage in GOOD FAITH NEGOTIATING as you call it and maybe get back on the ice if you have 1% compassion for the game or the fans that help you be a wealthy brat for the rest of your life.

*******

 

[Fugu]

Considering Parise got a big bonus, he's being hypocritical here. I've come to expect nothing less from the players at this point.

Isn't this a bit ironic? If there is hypocrisy and both sides were in on it, why is your disappointment directed at only the players?

Talking about good faith with a player who signed a retirement special contract.

And the owner who gave it out?

 

[boredguy]

And the owner who gave it out?

Yep, owners who signed those suck as well and with the latest NHL CBA offer they'd reap what the sow on it.

The point though is if you're willing to ignore good faith on part of a contract yourself then you don't really have much of a leg to stand on when you complain about it.

Now if someone like Pekka Rinne had said it, it'd be more credible. I still wouldn't agree with the idea, but at least there's no hypocrisy when he makes the point.

 

[Fugu]

Yep, owners who signed those suck as well and with the latest NHL CBA offer they'd reap what the sow on it.

The point though is if you're willing to ignore good faith on part of a contract yourself then you don't really have much of a leg to stand on when you complain about it.

Now if someone like Pekka Rinne had said it, it'd be more credible. I still wouldn't agree with the idea, but at least there's no hypocrisy when he makes the point.

That's fair.

Now, that leaves the issue of Snider's and Leipold's behavior specifically, if they're part of the negotiating committee, which ultimately is responsible for crafting the league's strategy:

The owners that heavily front-load and add bonuses were using a loophole that allowed the big dollar teams to circumvent the intent of the CBA.

There are shades of gray here. Technically, they were within their rights. Ethically, they found holes that gave them an unfair advantage over other teams. It's even possible that, if you're a part of the negotiating committee, you have more access to info than the other team owners. It's like a watered down version of insider trading.
...
That's a good point. If Leipold and Snider were a part of crafting the strategy, I wouldn't put it beneath them to make it favor their positions, and then to use that knowledge.

Like foxes guarding the chicken coop.