NHL Rant

[ponty 0]

Alright I have had it with this lockout. We are very close in seeing the end of the NHL IMO. I say we use this thread to voice our opinions on the lockout, players, Betman ... whatever in this thread.

Keep the language clean but feel free to let it rip.

[mack 44]

They can both get with deez.

[2048 0]

They can both get with deez.

deez nuts deez nuts deez nuts

I have nothing to contribute. Both sides have to realize that no one cares about the NHL and that while there's not a lot of money in hockey now, it's not quite as little as the owners say.

[flaming_june 2]

f**k sh*t bugger a** headed ho....

[JR Boucicaut 3797]

The language...come on guys...

[Flyerguy91 0]

im so mad that i dont even want a season now, whats the point of a half-ass fake season. Besides if there is no season NHL will lose TONS of money and so will the players and they MIGHT learn their lesson. Ugh just comment on this gives me agiada

[Borsch 0]

Bettman is an ass Overexpanded the league, allowed the game to descend into some sort of american football on ice... Get him out his job!!!!

[roadrunner 12]

Bettman and Goodenow must go, the Commissioner should be someone who commands respect I vote Brian Burke or Gretzky

[Chadd 916]

Bettman is an ass Overexpanded the league, allowed the game to descend into some sort of american football on ice... Get him out his job!!!!

The expansion plans were in place before Bettman got the job, it was the other owners who were being greedy.

At least the players have tried to resolve the lockout, I give Trevor Linden a lot of credit for the meetings last week. If the ownership comes back with another offer with no significant changes, I will lose the last shreds of understanding I once had for their side.

[Borsch 0]

The expansion plans were in place before Bettman got the job, it was the other owners who were being greedy.

Oh, OK :) I'm sure Gary B was not against the expansion either. Surely as a commissioner he had SOME sort of a say on the matter? I don't think he had had a clue frankly about all the sideffects of this expansion. Nor did he tackle "rugby on ice" problem. Basicly, it was under his "rule", that hockey got into the terrible mess it is now - game wise and buiseness wise. I don't think he understands/cares for the game of hockey too much.

[EBondo 233]

it sucks majorly, i have no hockey period! i dislocated my patella, and no NHL, I don't believe it

To Bettman and Goodenow, get to the damn table, I want my NHL back!

[Chadd 916]

The expansion plans were in place before Bettman got the job, it was the other owners who were being greedy.

Oh, OK :) I'm sure Gary B was not against the expansion either. Surely as a commissioner he had SOME sort of a say on the matter? I don't think he had had a clue frankly about all the sideffects of this expansion. Nor did he tackle "rugby on ice" problem. Basicly, it was under his "rule", that hockey got into the terrible mess it is now - game wise and buiseness wise. I don't think he understands/cares for the game of hockey too much.

The commssioner does what the owners tell him to do, that's his job. Adding teams was the best way to improve the reach of the NHL and put them in a position to get a better TV deal. Bettman's job was to manage what the board of governors had determined as a plan of action.

As for the on ice product, there is a person responsible for that. Early in Bettman's tenure it was Brian Burke, now it is Colin Campbell. He has always deferred to his "hockey people" when it comes to the on-ice product. Not to mention the NHL BOG is the group responsible for rule changes and enforcement, not the commissioner.

[Borsch 0]

It is similar to politics though - for instance, Bush has his military advisers and finance experts and yet people wanted HIS head for Iraq and so on (just an example)... So are you saying that Bettman is just a pawn? Finances and expansion policies are decided by the owners, Game is run by "hockey people"... So is your opinion that a "better" commissioner is an utopia, change would bring nothing?

[ktang 34]

I don't blame the lockout on Bettman or Goodenow.

I think that it is the strengthening of the NFL, NBA, and MLB, which more Americans can relate to, that has eroded the NHL's ability to score a major TV deal with good revenues. The TV networks started going for the NHL in the late 80's / early 90's, when Gretzky went to LA, there was lots of offense / not as strong defense to bring in the fans, and the league was expanding. During these good times salaries went way up, as the NHL came to be seen as the 4th major league sport. If the NHL kept spiraling up, nobody would care what the average salary of the players is, or how much each franchise is spending.

However, the NHL is in a down cycle at the moment. The NHL (over-?) expanded, and some franchises had trouble with attendance and their owners' running out of money. Because of the boring defensive games and the difficulty in framing a hockey game within a TV screen so that people who don't play the game can understand it, Bettman can't get a good TV deal.

When companies can't get more market share, grow the market, or are starting to slide, they try to maintain profits by cutting costs.

The NHL has 100% of the market for elite pro hockey in North America, so there is nothing for Bettman to do there.

So, the only way to be (more?) profitable is to cut costs. Because player salaries are approximately 75%+ of the revenues, the NHL's highest priority is to limit them. The NHL owners are doing this via this lockout.

Goodenow's job is to get the most that he can for the players. Under his leadership, the player salaries have spiraled upwards. Good job, Bob!

Bettman's job is to get the salaries / costs under control, now that he can't expand or get more TV revenue. Goodenow's job isn't to do this, so we have the lockout.

This situation all came to a head because of outside factors. The NHL is in a down cycle compared to the other alternatives (NFL, NBA, MLB). Hopefully not forever.

- Kevin

[vivaotravez12 0]

"The men who shot Bettman," a new hit series airing in March, only on the History Channel.

[Eazy_b97 1]

I think there's only one way to bring all of the fans back. Celebrity Boxing! Bettman vs. Goodenow! Settle the score once and for all.

In truth, I just miss NHL hockey, its cool watching some OHL games especially since I get to see some friends which I normally don't get out to watch, but its just not the same. This is just junk, it boggles my mind why people who are paid to negotiate are choosing not to. If it's me I lock my butt in a room with the opposing side and hammer it out. Obviously the cap is a stick point, but I'd have everything ready to go and just keep pumping the other side with offers. At least 1 a week and yes I would have them differen't, but it would be known that I am putting out ALOT of offers and everything is settled, but this one aspect.

[kosydar 0]

I think that Goodenow and Bettman need to be locked in the Rec Center, ala Jimmy's solution to the Denver Bloods and Crips.

[Chadd 916]

It is similar to politics though - for instance, Bush has his military advisers and finance experts and yet people wanted HIS head for Iraq and so on (just an example)... So are you saying that Bettman is just a pawn? Finances and expansion policies are decided by the owners, Game is run by "hockey people"... So is your opinion that a "better" commissioner is an utopia, change would bring nothing?

Basically yes. Bettman is mostly a figurehead. If the owners decided that a new commissioner would make a difference, he would be gone in a heartbeat. He's doing what the majority want him to do.

[Jim A 4]

It is similar to politics though - for instance, Bush has his military advisers and finance experts and yet people wanted HIS head for Iraq and so on (just an example)... So are you saying that Bettman is just a pawn? Finances and expansion policies are decided by the owners, Game is run by "hockey people"... So is your opinion that a "better" commissioner is an utopia, change would bring nothing?

the difference in this is if Bettman was the sole owner of the NHL and hired these 30 people to run his teams...

bush chose these people to advise him...and hired yes men, or those essentially from Bush Ver 1.0, those who would carry out what would have been his daddy's 2nd term...

[Dangles 0]

What is an extra 5 million going to do to you if you already make 8-9 million a year? Why can't everyone play on a base salary of say 5 million over 3 years? Then, we don't need a cap; everyone's being paid the same. It's up to the owner of the team to then fill the arena and each team will keep all profit made by that season. Trades could accomodate some of that money made by acquiring better players. If you can't afford to fill the building, then sell the team or move it.

[Jim A 4]

Take it a step further..

every team has a capped salary of say 20million dollars and can disperse it anyway they want..

then every game played..so many dollars..say 200k..goes to the winners to divide..

[Chadd 916]

Why don't we ask them to play for free since all of us with no talent would be happy to do that?

[Jim A 4]

Chadd, I don't actually think what i had typed was a viable solution..but since we were going down that road..tossed it out..hell it didn't even work for RHI..

[Eazy_b97 1]

...or the XFL

[Chadd 916]

Chadd, I don't actually think what i had typed was a viable solution..but since we were going down that road..tossed it out..hell it didn't even work for RHI..

That wasn't directred at your post. I just know some complaint that they should be happy to get paid at all was going to come eventually. It always seems to pop up.