Game On!
OK, now we're finally back playing hockey. Sorry about crying wolf last week.
The article isn't particularly interesting, but this paragraph needed an editor with a sense of humor (my additions in italics).
Now when the league relaunches in the fall, it will do so with a brand new salary structure that keeps high-spending teams such as Toronto, Philadelphia and the
New York Rangers [, who have combined to win exactly zero Stanley Cups in the last 10 years and just one in the last 30,] in line.
Good job, NHL, way to contain those behemoths. I think the Rangers were really going places by hiring failed and aging superstars. They were the only debt-relief the league had. And they still made money. They're hockey's version of the Mets (or the Yankees pitching staff, take your pick).
I did, however, take the owners' side (for the most part) in this debate. There might be a post forthcoming about this, lord knows I've argued it with my buddies enough (yes, you read that correctly, my friends and I actually talk hockey-- you'd never know people like us exist if you've been reading some of the schmucks over at ESPN.com like Dan Shanoff).
And can we now firmly state that Bob Goodenow is the biggest pushover (and worst bluffer) in sports history? I would love to see this guy at a poker table. It's like Gary Bettman watched Rounders just before the negotiations-- he spotted the sucker.
posted by BJC @ 2:01 PM
Your thoughts (5 so far)
5 Comments:
Yeah. My point was that the author was being naive about what the owners really wanted. The NHL never really minded teams like NY and Toronto, since they weren't upsetting the competitive balance of the sport. They were more concerned about teams like St Louis and Phoenix who were hemorrhaging (sp?) cash, despite relatively low payrolls. And, as Calgary showed us in the most recent season, you don't need a high payroll to compete.
It takes two to tango and in the case of the NHL, both the owners and the players/agents were the problem with the league. It will still be interesting to see if some of the no mind GM's will be able to work within the new salary lines...eg Rangers, Toronto, Phili
My Vancouver Canucks will have no probs since they have the suck ass owner John McCall who has used the team as a tax write off for many years, but luckily for him he had Brian Burke save his team before he lost the rest of his suck ass brain and fired him last year. Now we just need Beetman (yes I spelled it the way I feel)to get off his soggy ass and reinstate Todd Bertuzzi. Ever want to discuss hockey we are the hockey household of western Canada....
I think the league needs guys like Todd Bertuzzi. Not because they're some sort of role model, but everybody in hockey interviews like a 'good guy.' We need a few villains mixed in there like Bertuzzi, Tie Domi, Bob Probert (god what a mess that guy is), etc.
Clearly I can't argue the educational merits of somebody who's had enough penalty minutes to qualify for San Quentin. But I stand by my argument that hockey needs more than just guys like Martin St Louis. As a former player (current if you count old men's leagues), I love guys like St Louis, but he won't sell the game to the casual fan.
Tie Domi has finally learned over the last season that he can play hockey and still be the character he is. He had a pretty good year in 2003 and I hope he comes back in September.
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