THESE FORUMS NOW CLOSED (read only)
Fun Stuff => CHATTER => Topic started by: jwhouk on 13 Sep 2012, 17:30
-
Because we can get through this together.
For those of you unaware or uncaring, the National Hockey League and its players are at an impasse over a new collective bargaining agreement. The current CBA was developed after a year-long lockout that resulted in the NHL losing the entire 2004-05 season. That CBA expires September 15 of this year, and commissioner Gary Bettman has stated that should an agreement not be forthcoming by that date, the NHL would lock out the players as of 12:01 AM ET on the 16th.
The NHL and the NHLPA have exchanged proposals, but are very, VERY far apart on the so-called "core issues". Mainly, the NHL wants the players to agree to less of the overall hockey revenues, and the PA is essentially asking, "Why?" The PA has countered with greater revenue sharing between teams, and the league is essentially responding, "Are you serious?"
As I type this, nothing has been cancelled, nor has anything about the regular season as scheduled been changed. However, it is looking more and more likely that the season will not start on time. And, the pessimists in the hockey world are even wondering if there will be another season lost to the two sides not being able to come to an agreement.
I decided to separate this from the WE LIKE SPORTS thread, since it will get into more than just the game itself.
-
Have already come to terms with all this bullshit, wrote a piece (http://www.upthepucks.com/blog/2012/9/1/in-case-of-lockout-break-glass.html) for a hockey site about getting your hockey fix, have been watching the KHL, and uh, AHL preseason starts in a few weeks.
I'll still get my hockey, whatever. It doesn't matter how long this lockout lasts, I'm planning on going to a bunch of minor league (Albany, Springfield, Adirondack) and college (RPI, UMass, Williams) games this winter.
-
I do have something of an advantage, living where I do in a city where the local HS has a boys hockey team. And, last I looked, one of my cousin's kids is playing for said team.
It still ain't the Preds, though.
-
Is this a support thread because it's meant to support the lockout, or is it support for hockey deprived peoples?
-
The latter.
We are now t-minus 22 hours and change away from said lockout.
-
Everybody wants to get paid so a deal will get done. Isn't that how it usually goes?
-
We are just witnessing an extensive period of haggling. Our hockey league started on schedule a week ago, so I don't really feel left out. But I suspect it would be pointless for me to join in one of the ESPN/Yahoo NHL pools in spite of the personal(ized) e-mail invitation :-\
-
Kovalchuk, Malkin, possibly Crosby headed to the KHL. A few players have already signed with Czech teams as well.
Worth note for me, apparently Tyler Seguin wants to play for the Providence Bruins instead of going overseas. Fuck yeah.
-
The NHL has apparently decided to lock out its fans as well.
As of right now (10:08 AM ET), NONE of the NHL's team-run message boards are working, rejecting individual passwords and, after a couple of attempts, notifying users trying to login that "Your account will be unlocked in X minutes."
I just cannot believe this. :psyduck:
-
More KHLings:
Datsyuk, Bryzgalov (both CSKA), Bobrovsky (SKA St Pete), Andrei Kostitsyn (Traktor), Voracek, Hudle (both Lev)r, Babchuck (Donbass)
Seguin, J. Thornton, and Nash to Switzerland.
-
The more of these guys that go over to Europe, the more I'm convinced the NHLPA thinks this is going to be another lost season.
-
Not too many players coming home over here - at least not yet. The clubs/players are cautious, because the insurance premiums required by NHL are kinda steep. During the previous lost season our NHL veterans covered that from their own pocket (the cost of insurance was not as high then). At least some rookies reportedly prefer to play for a farm team for this reason.
-
Right now, I think the barometer is going to be Sid. If Sid bolts for Europe, everyone had just better plan on finding other things to do hockey-related this year.
The worst thing about all this, I think, is how this basically blindsided everyone. This is like February 2011 in Wisconsin right now.
-
Fuck the league and all that, if Sid knows what's good for HIM, he'll stay home. They're already going after Malkin hard in games, imagine Crosby on the ice with someone like Jon Mirasty.
-
I am imagining it and it is great.
-
I'm always kinda amazed at this whole Gary Bettman still being employed business. I mean, at one point he described the last deal as being perhaps too fair. Not exactly masterful PR there.
-
And now the rumors of replacements have started.
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-puck-daddy/could-nhl-replacement-players-break-nhlpa-150604157--nhl.html
-
You can dress them up and put them in the laundry, but that don't mean they're as good as the real laundry.
-
Is that some kind of peculiar Wisconsin slang?
-
A friend of mine from Nashville has a saying about how she deals with player movement when it comes to her favorite team (the Nashville Predators, who also happen to be mine):
"Root for the laundry."
In other words, you're rooting for the team - the guys wearing the uniforms - and not the individual players.
In this case, I'm pointing out that replacement players would be no where near what real players are like. Ergo, you could put a bunch of no-names in "the laundry", but that doesn't mean they're as good as the "real" players.
-
Recently saw something about the KHL signing a deal with ESPN to have their games shown on ESPN3... if the NHL lockout goes ahead and the KHL manages to get a foothold on U.S. TV (especially if it's ESPN, which far more people watch than Versus), what could that mean for hockey in the U.S.?
-
"Root for the laundry."
So this is a low-key version of the Canadian (IIRC) hockey players' saying "Play for the jersey"? I'm not sure whether that refers to the national team jersey or just any jersey they happen to be wearing.
KHL games on ESPN. Oh my. Well, there will be some familiar names and faces. May be in cyrillic letters? But other than that it has the air of Megadeth subbing for Metallica. Wait, something good might come out of that if the North American hockey fans become more understanding and familiar with the problems international sports always face: minor variations in rules, not necessarily any tv- time outs, not all the games will have an English speaking ref, ...
-
That's kinda it. I was actually a Predators fan before the team even had a single player (heck, I voted for "Sabrecats" for the team name). I knew it wouldn't matter who the players were, they'd be playing for MY team.
It did help, of course, that those players would be coming up from my local AHL team, the Milwaukee Admirals, but that's another story.
I am growing more and more convinced that this lockout is an attempt by the NHL to "finish off" the NHLPA. It's not about the money, it's not about revenue sharing or growing the game or anything like that. It's all about breaking the union.
I've made the prediction elsewhere: if they cancel the Winter Classic, we will not have NHL hockey until sometime in the fall (or winter) of 2013.
-
KHL games on ESPN. Oh my. Well, there will be some familiar names and faces. May be in cyrillic letters? But other than that it has the air of Megadeth subbing for Metallica. Wait, something good might come out of that if the North American hockey fans become more understanding and familiar with the problems international sports always face: minor variations in rules, not necessarily any tv- time outs, not all the games will have an English speaking ref, ...
A) They're on ESPN3 (online).
A part 2) You'll recognize a lot of these dudes. There are a ton of former NHL players in the KHL
B) The jersey names are all in English. This is a multi-national league, remember.
C) Fuck Megadeth, the KHL is pretty good
D) There are TV timeouts, but they're shorter. Also there's only 15 minutes between periods.
I'm a big supporter of the KHL after watching it for a few weeks. It's not bad, and the influx of players means it's only getting better.
If you want to see some decent Russian talent, watch Ak Bars. They have a guy named Kirill Petrov who was drafted by the Isles and should be coming stateside in a few years. Tres good.
-
What is a "TV Timeout"? They stop play so the TV stations can play adverts?
-
Hockey moves very fast, Akima. Halfway through each period, they have TV time-outs to allow for ads.
-
Well, besides the ads that are already on the boards. And the ice. And in Europe, the players.
-
What is a "TV Timeout"? They stop play so the TV stations can play adverts?
More accurate: They wait for a stoppage in play, then show advertisements.