February 16, 2005
THEY THOUGHT THEY WERE INDISPENSIBLE
Game over: NHL cancels season (CBC, February 17th, 2005)
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman cancelled the hockey season Wednesday after a series of 11th-hour offers by the league and the Players' Association failed to produce a new collective bargaining agreement.Neither the Great Depression nor World War II could prevent the NHL from awarding the Stanley Cup. But with the league and the NHLPA still divided over the issue of a salary cap, Lord Stanley's trophy will not be contested for the first time since 1919 when a Spanish flu epidemic wiped out the finals.
Not only that, but Bettman's announcement means the NHL must suffer the indignity of becoming the first of North America's four major professional sports leagues to lose an entire regular season because of a labour dispute.
Just about everyone I know is revolted by both sides and is now hoping the NHL will collapse.
Posted by Peter Burnet at February 16, 2005 4:57 PMClick HERE to run the NHL 2005 simulator.
Realistic, ain't it?
Peter, I concur. Bettman and the owners are idiots. Besides losing the joy of the hockey season for fans, I'm even more ticked off about the people who work at the arenas, etc. who have lost considerable income. Eliminate the expansion teams in non-hockey cities and consolidate in those cities who truly love hockey. -- Jim
Posted by: Jim Siegel at February 16, 2005 9:05 PMBettman and the owners are idiots. Besides losing the joy of the hockey season for fans, I'm even more ticked off about the people who work at the arenas, etc. who have lost considerable income. The NHL should bring in a Commissioner like a Stern or Rozelle (note I do not suggest like a Selig) and also eliminate the expansion teams in non-hockey cities and consolidate in those cities who truly love hockey. -- Jim
Posted by: Jim Siegel at February 16, 2005 9:08 PMThat's it sports fans! It's a sad day for us Red Wings fans and for all hockey fans. Talk about being absolute #$#$#$^$%&!$%&&*(()&$%';'s! It's time for league contraction, a new commissioner and a few new owners in the 12-14 cities that remain in the league. I guess, at least for now, the AHL is the only pro game in town.
Posted by: Dave W. at February 16, 2005 11:17 PMWhy are the owners idiots? Collusion laws make a salary cap essential in sports.
Each player gave up $2 million to stick it to the man. That is $2 million of, say, $20 million they might earn over their careers. The owners just filled their coliseums with more profitable events. And then the players, on the last day, finally give in to a salary cap but set it so high that most teams can't make money. I say that the players are the idiots.
As for the people who sell concessions. If they can't get a job outside the arena, they aren't worth worrying about.
For me, I haven't missed hockey at all (and I watched every televised Canuck's game last year). But I'd watch next year's season if they play.
And there is one huge side benefit: the junior teams are making a lot of money. Our town's team is playing in a new arena (all private money) that seats over 4000 and it is sold out every night.
Posted by: Randall Voth at February 17, 2005 4:15 AMA pox on both their houses. Hockey is a terrific sport (can you spell Beanpot?) that has been stained by players who expect (and are given) way too much by owners who don't know any better and don't care one iota about their fans (can you spell Dolan?). Try buying seats for an NHL game lately? Or better yet a playoff game? Sorry, but as they say: "Out of my league." And a lot of others' too.
Posted by: Ducks at February 17, 2005 9:44 AM