Goodenow needs to call Troy Vincent

[Jim Bob 0]

http://nhlcbanews.com/news/nflpa100804.html

The president of the National Football League Players Association, Buffalo Bills defensive back Troy Vincent, has refuted the contention of Bob Goodenow, Executive Director of the NHL Players' Association, that pro football players are unhappy with their current collective bargaining agreement that includes a salary cap.

That's too funny to me.

[Bane 1]

http://nhlcbanews.com/news/nflpa100804.html

The president of the National Football League Players Association, Buffalo Bills defensive back Troy Vincent, has refuted the contention of Bob Goodenow, Executive Director of the NHL Players' Association, that pro football players are unhappy with their current collective bargaining agreement that includes a salary cap.

That's too funny to me.

The other item I find amusing is that one of the reasons the union gives for not wanting a salary cap, is that players careers only average ten years in the NHL. In the NFL they avarage 3 years after they are drafted, yet the NFL players support a cap.

[Jim Bob 0]

I thought the aveage for the NHL was 4 years?

That's what the NHLPA claims it to be.

What I don't get is if the average length of an NHL career is 4 years, and the NHLPA is supposedly looking out for the players of the future, then why are they so willing to crack down on rookie salaries?

With careers being so short more "players of the future" will be better off under a system that pays rookies more and veterans less as the average player won't be around long enough to pull in big money.

[Chadd 916]

I can't believe anyone honestly thinks it's a better idea to pay young players more than veterans.

[Jim Bob 0]

I'm just pointing out what I see as a strange duality in the NHLPA's stance is all.

If NHL careers are as short as the NHLPA claims, then a lot more players would be aided by caving in to a salary cap in order to save the current rookie cap situation than vice versa.

But, I'm guessing that the NHLPA cares a lot more about the high end players of the future as opposed to the bulk of players of the future.

Heck, the NHLPA seems to be more about the high end players of today as opposed to the rank and file guys.

[Eazy_b97 1]

Its a safety device so players entering the league aren't given huge amounts of money for displays of talent they have never shown at this level. If you sign a veteran to a big contact its generally less of a gamble than a rookie, not always, but generally.

[MDE3 0]

I still say make the larger salary guys earn the majority of their extra pay through a viable bonus system rather than the "golden parachute" type of arrangements so many high end players seem to have. Make the bonus system progressive so that as time goes on and they maintain or increase their high performance levels..they earn even more.

I do not care what business you are in, but if you guarantee your employees up front a large salary which has more to do with past history than their current or future performances, they will NOT perform as well in the forseeable future...Actually in the sales end of my industry the top paid sales people work off 100% commission and no base pay....because they can earn a much greater amount this way....The larger the guaranteed salary the lower the total earnings....What have you done for me lately?

I know that the top end players liken themselves to box office stars, where they feel they should be paid for their drawing power...however when these stars cease to perform at "star" levels....where is their drawing power? I'm sorry but most fans aren't there to see a "pretty face". How many fans would come out to see Brett Hull play these days?..(Sorry Brett Hull fans)

Think of the players you would actually pay for tickets to go to see live...and then look up their salaries.

[Chadd 916]

"Real world" and sports world comparisons never work for a number of reasons. While you may think sales and scoring equate, they don't.

[Bane 1]

I thought the aveage for the NHL was 4 years?

I believe that a recent Hockey News article stated that the average carreer in the NHL is 10 years. I know the average is 3 in the NFL, or at least it was when my wife's cousin played a few years ago.