Many NHL fans gave up on hockey when the lockout began; most of the rest have probably tried to forget the game after the last two days of complete idiocy and confusion on the part of the so-called "leaders" on both sides of this labor dispute. I, for one, feel cheated as a fan after being teased by the 11th hour concessions on both sides only to see this sudden momentum end with a canceled season.
From the beginning, I have been on the owners' side. After watching both of today's news conferences, I am even more convinced that Bob Goodenow has lead the NHLPA into a terrible position, both in terms of money and stature. Clearly, the league is in serious financial trouble. Mario Lemieux is one of many players who also sided with the owners and tried to push the stubborn union leaders into a more tenable position. Mathew Barnaby likened the union's last-minute acceptance of the salary cap to a losing hand in poker in which your opponent calls your bluff. Overall, one ESPN hockey analyst reported that an "overwhelming" amount of players were upset with the way the union handled the situation.
Why is this so hard to figure out? You look at the most successfull professional league in America right now, the NFL, and you realize that market restrictions such as the salary cap really work. On the other hand, you take baseball (the model for almost all of the NHLPA offers) and realize that the MLB would probably be taking most of the heat right now with its steroid scandals if it weren't for the NHL's problems.
For the last 10 years, the players enjoyed up to 75% of league revenues while teams lost hundreds of millions of dollars. Clearly, something had to change to improve the health of this league.
In the end though, something has to be said for the inept bargaining skills of both Gary Bettman and Bob Goodenow. Instead of talking to each other about the $45-$46 million magic number, they whined to the public about how the other side was being unfair. Although im taking his side, Bettman is certainly no angel. I mean what is the sense in coming back with a $42.5 million cap and saying "this is my final offer" and then expecting the players to propose a new offer of their own?
If you read the e-mails between Bettman and Goodenow (by the way--why the hell were they not on the phone?) it is clear how much personal enmity exists between the two sides. They hate each other. I don't know how they could ever sit in the same room with one another much less write up a complex new collective bargaining agreement.
Bettman sums this whole situation up fairly well with, "I hope for their sake that [the players] think it was worth it, because I don't see it." I truly don't understand how any of this can be more favorable to the players than just accepting the cap and playing.
I really am sad about the downtrodden state of hockey right now. As a longtime fan, I can only hope that this league may come back stronger than ever.
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