Devastated
Because I could care less what anyone from the NHL or NHLPA thinks right now, I'll just post my thoughts on the CBA talks falling apart tonight when Gary Bettman left a voicemail for Donald Fehr during the NHLPA press confernce that their offer was rejected...
In all seriousness, I tried to stay realistic throughout the lockout. But I bought in big time that something was getting done yesterday....
— Kevin DeLury (@TheNYRBlog) December 7, 2012
...and man did I get burned by the NHL & NHLPA. Might need some time to get over this. Devastated right now.
— Kevin DeLury (@TheNYRBlog) December 7, 2012
...a voicemail Gary? Really?
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I have so much apathy right now for the NHL it's disturbing. However, from what little I do care, I definitely side with the players. Fehr is definitely coming off as a prick, but the bottom line is that Bettman and his gang of 8 are trying to undercut the union for the 3rd time and Fehr is just not allowing it. This is what the 94 lockout should have been like, but the players caved and Bettman thinks he will get the same thing now. Listen to what Leetch had to say about the owners. Pretty telling coming from a guy like him. I know they all make exponentially more money that any of us will in our lifetimes, but that's a moot point. If the players don't make a stand here, we'll be going through this same crap in another few years.
@gravey94 sorry but i have no more sympathy for the players. to agree to a maximum 5 year contract and a 10 year CBA is not much. They have already proven over the past 2 months that they won't be pushed around and this week was the time to say, "ok, time to make a deal". Instead, they had to push for more and now its all off the table. They all live first class lives; fancy hotels, trainers, massages whenever they want, and that's not even going in to the millions they make. Basically they continue to "make a stand" for nothing more than greed, more money, just like the owners. A giant FU to the fans and to people who's lives depend on the sport. The only ones who sign for more than 5 years are the guys making millions already so theyre fighting for the super rich..it's disgusting.
@fushone @gravey94 I don't look at the money side of it because, quite frankly, ALL sports are disgusting and unrealistic when it comes to that. I think of it this way: If I spent my entire adolescent (and possibly young adult) life training to get a job that I would hold for 5-6 years, I would expect to be treated fairly and would want to make sure the next guy was as well. Sure players CAN make a lot of money, but most also spend a lot of money, time, and sacrifice for the chance to get to the NHL. How about all the time their parents and siblings have to spend being rink rats right along with them for 15-20 years? Now if I were going to school for 15-20 years to get a job that I knew was probably going to be short-lived and my boss tried to do something that would help him but not so much me, I would want to fight him tooth and nail as well.
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@gravey94 I hear what you're saying, but first off, this huge sacrifice is to play a game. And they already got the big payoff by making it to the NHL and getting paid huge money. Their sacrifices have been paid off. On top of that, by fighting tooth and nail over ever little detail you're causing other people to suffer, which they should factor in to their decision but they don't. You can't just compare it to a normal 9-5 job because too many people rely on you. When is enough, enough??. If they were fighting for health insurance or something like that i would understand, but they're fighting about how to split MY money in an industry where salaries have increased to astronomical levels while the average fan can barely afford to go to a game. Every little thing they fight for ends up costing me more money to go watch them.
Unbelievable how much things could change in 24 hrs... Both sides really have to be ashamed of how this whole negotiation process has gone down thus far. The Fehr brothers and Gary Bettman have proved time and time again that theyre great at turning a positive situation into absolute shit. Truly disgusted!
You know what - f*** Gary Bettmam, f***Donald Fehr, f*** the Phoenix Coyotes and the Nashville Predators and the Disney Ducks and the Florida Panthers, et al., and f*** Ron Hainsey (whoever he is) and all the rest of the idiots that don't know how good they have it ...let's go back to the ORIGINAL SIX - f*** all the whiney owners that should never be invested in hockey, and f*** all the would-be tractor-drivers with million dollar contracts that don't have the skills to make it - hell, I'd be willing to let 6 more teams in a la 1968 - Flyers, etc.. - but only the REAL hockey franchises...I watched Bettman and I wanted to scream, that twitchy little bastard.
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You know what - f*** Gary Bettmam, f***Donald Fehr, f*** the Phoenix Coyotes and the Nashville Predators and the Disney Ducks and the Florida Panthers, et al., and f*** Ron Hainsey (whoever he is) and all the rest of the idiots that don't know how good they have it ...let's go back to the ORIGINAL SIX - f*** all the whiney owners that should never be invested in hockey, and f*** all the would-be tractor-drivers with million dollar contracts that don't have the skills to make it - hell, I'd be willing to let 6 more teams in a la 1968 - Flyers, etc.. - but only the REAL hockey franchises...I watched Bettman and I wanted to scream, that twitchy little bastard.
@smoothyv This reminds of the song "Death to All But Metal". If you haven't checked it out. def. do. It's hilarious. Loved this post. Almost spat my bourbon all over my computer reading it.
@smoothyv Now only if they could insert "Hockey" for "Metal", "Bettman" for Kanye" and "Fehr" for "50" we might actually have a lockout anthem
@smoothyv Never watched the video before. That was def. Silverman. What a tremendous video/song. "Kanye west is gay, so is 50 cent, they shoot hot loads on each others chest". Fucking amazing
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@BuJamb Thanks, brother - I'll rest easy in the fact that you "almost " spat out the bourbon - I don't want to be the cause of the waste of good liquor, especially when its needed in times like this.
Here's Dater's tweet:
From deep inside players side: "We were ready to play again. But Don came in (Wed.) and told us we could get more and to hold out"
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I'm not very happy with the Fehr's tonight. Still keeping in mind that there is a PR war going on as well- which means that there is a a lot of poo flying in both directions.
@NH_NYR_88 Really hard to find solid ground from which to dissect the situation, but the pieces of the puzzle seem to be forming, at least a very hazy, picture of where things stood.
Never ever under estimate someone else's greed. I don't hold the players blameless, either, but this group of hardcore owners are holding the league hostage. This season is lost.
I am so beyond heated right now... words cannot begin to express my disappointment in the whole process. Even after the PA did the lions share of the legwork, the owners have the balls to pull this shit? FUCK YOU BETTMAN and FUCK HOPE
I feel exactly the same. I was up till 1am this morning reading yours and everyones views. this sucks and I am done with them
This is what players walked away from assuming zero growth in HRR: 1) Cap this yr that is basically equal to what it would have been under old CBA 2) Slowly declining to what the cap was in 2011/2012 (which may not happen if growth is sustained)
Reasons? These: 1) Extended CBA term which would likely result in increased growth in HRR and stability for the game. This despite the fact that a longer CBA gives players higher visibility/security and they still are able to strike if it really sucks 2) Limit on player contract length which maybe affect 30-40 guys league-wide.
Players really fucked up on this one
We are in hell. I knew the last 2 days were too good to be true. I feel like we will never have hockey again. It boggles mind that the owners are holding everything up on the contract year limit. Are these guys not the ones that made these contracts!? How about this...let the contracts go and just have a gentlemans code among yourselves that your team won't go above 5 years!!! No that wont work because they're slime balls and would undercut eachother. That's why they need the contract limit. To protect themselves, not from the players. But from eachother. WE are paying and wasting our time because these over privileged a-holes can't trust oneanother.
@GLENsatherVSglennDANZIG I do agree with that sentiment and believe there is something to be said for honoring current contracts and not bailing out over-spending teams. However, there is no amnesty clause which basically punishes the owners who over extended and a lost season hurts the players immediately and severely. Not to mention will likely put HRR in a hole that would need to be climbed out of in the out years. Not worth being pig headed to protect the 30-40 highest paid players in the game
