Hockey 2013

[ila]

Originally Posted by smc

Well, the season is finally underway. What few active hockey fans we have left (by which I mean those who have posted about it in the past) may want to chime in with thoughts about the shortened season. I am sorry that Transjen seems to have disappeared from our midst.

At this writing, my Bruins are up 1-0 against the Rangers in the season opener. It's the intermission between periods 1 and 2, with about 9 minutes before play resumes.

I'm boycotting the season (maybe). I'm pissed off at Buttman, Fehr, and the players. Neither Buttman nor Fehr have any understanding of the game. The two of them have ruined the NHL. The players are a bunch of spoiled whining brats. They should realize that they are employees and as such they have no right to tell the owners how to spend the money that is brought in to the teams.

Secondly what is wrong with those that make the schedule? Hockey Night in Canada broadcasts go back many decades (from long before Buttman was a gleam in his father's eyes). So why are hockey games in Canada scheduled for a Saturday afternoon?

Lastly it's time to move the NHL headquarters to Canada. It's our game and we don't need people that don't understand it and don't have the passion for it fucking it up.

[smc]

Originally Posted by ila

I'm boycotting the season (maybe). I'm pissed off at Buttman, Fehr, and the players. Neither Buttman nor Fehr have any understanding of the game. The two of them have ruined the NHL. The players are a bunch of spoiled whining brats. They should realize that they are employees and as such they have no right to tell the owners how to spend the money that is brought in to the teams.

I?m pissed off, too, but I have a different, more nuanced perspective. I agree with you about ?Buttman? and Fehr: they have no understanding of the game, and they have (nearly) ruined the NHL (I write ?nearly? because if it were completely ruined I wouldn?t have been able to watch the Bruins defeat the Rangers last night in what was a very good hockey game).

I do not agree completely about the players. While it is easy to write them off as ?spoiled whining brats,? I try to remember two things. One is that like all workers, they sell their labor power to someone who does not do the actual work involved in delivering the final product (in this case, an actual hockey game on the ice). Yes, they are paid enormous amounts of money to do so (although nothing close to professional baseball, football, or basketball players), but that does not mean they ?have no right? to negotiate with their employers. That is true irrespective of whether one agrees with the negotiating stances they take. The other is that while I bemoan the fact that in a world where so many people go to bed hungry there are those who are paid millions to play a game, I try to remember that in this imperfect world a hockey player is really like the actor in a movie. Does Tom Cruise actually deserve to be paid $25 million for walking his way through some insipid action feature? Well, from an economic point of view, he?s the one who puts the audience in the theater seats and makes it possible for the investors (the bosses) to recoup their investments. Similarly, the hockey players are entertainers who put the fans in the seats. What you refer to as ?the money that is brought into the teams? is brought in because of the players, and so they have a reasonable right to negotiate (again, irrespective of whether one agrees with this or that negotiating stance.

Originally Posted by ila

Secondly what is wrong with those that make the schedule? Hockey Night in Canada broadcasts go back many decades (from long before Buttman was a gleam in his father's eyes). So why are hockey games in Canada scheduled for a Saturday afternoon?

I completely agree that Hockey Night in Canada is an institution that should be enshrined forever, never to be messed with. Canadians deserve nothing less!

Originally Posted by ila

Lastly it's time to move the NHL headquarters to Canada. It's our game and we don't need people that don't understand it and don't have the passion for it fucking it up.

I completely agree. The idea of the NHL being headquartered in midtown Manhattan is ridiculous. Just as I have long advocated on this site for moving north every team that is in a place where kids can?t play pond hockey naturally because of the weather (and have even advocated for specific Canadian cities that others never mention), I am for moving the NHL headquarters somewhere in Canada. Oh, and by the way, on moving day the Canadian border patrol should keep Fehr and Buttman from entering the country.

[ila]

Originally Posted by smc

...I do not agree completely about the players. While it is easy to write them off as ?spoiled whining brats,? I try to remember two things. One is that like all workers, they sell their labor power to someone who does not do the actual work involved in delivering the final product (in this case, an actual hockey game on the ice). Yes, they are paid enormous amounts of money to do so (although nothing close to professional baseball, football, or basketball players), but that does not mean they ?have no right? to negotiate with their employers. That is true irrespective of whether one agrees with the negotiating stances they take. The other is that while I bemoan the fact that in a world where so many people go to bed hungry there are those who are paid millions to play a game, I try to remember that in this imperfect world a hockey player is really like the actor in a movie. Does Tom Cruise actually deserve to be paid $25 million for walking his way through some insipid action feature? Well, from an economic point of view, he?s the one who puts the audience in the theater seats and makes it possible for the investors (the bosses) to recoup their investments. Similarly, the hockey players are entertainers who put the fans in the seats. What you refer to as ?the money that is brought into the teams? is brought in because of the players, and so they have a reasonable right to negotiate (again, irrespective of whether one agrees with this or that negotiating stance.

I didn't make my opinion clear. I agree that the players have a right to negotiate their salary. I don't agree that they have a right to tell the owners that the owners will give the players a stated percentage of the profits. The players should be negotiating for a salary and bonuses.

Originally Posted by smc

I completely agree. The idea of the NHL being headquartered in midtown Manhattan is ridiculous. Just as I have long advocated on this site for moving north every team that is in a place where kids can?t play pond hockey naturally because of the weather (and have even advocated for specific Canadian cities that others never mention), I am for moving the NHL headquarters somewhere in Canada. Oh, and by the way, on moving day the Canadian border patrol should keep Fehr and Buttman from entering the country.

I like your idea about what to do with Buttman and Fehr on moving day. I got a good laugh about it.

[smc]

Originally Posted by ila

I didn't make my opinion clear. I agree that the players have a right to negotiate their salary. I don't agree that they have a right to tell the owners that the owners will give the players a stated percentage of the profits. The players should be negotiating for a salary and bonuses.

In a labor negotiation each side should have the right to ask for anything. Otherwise, how can you have a free and open negotiation? That doesn't necessarily mean I agree or disagree with any particular demand that either side might raise.

[Captn Sacto]

Originally Posted by ila

I didn't make my opinion clear. I agree that the players have a right to negotiate their salary. I don't agree that they have a right to tell the owners that the owners will give the players a stated percentage of the profits. The players should be negotiating for a salary and bonuses.



I like your idea about what to do with Buttman and Fehr on moving day. I got a good laugh about it.

I was bummed about the strike, and by Jan 1st didn't miss hockey so figured i would boycott the season too. However, once they dropped the puck, I had to watch. Watched Philly lose to both the Pens and Sabers. They lost another too and are 0-3. Whats up with them? With such a short season, they better turn it around soon.

Watched my sharks beat Calgary and Edmonton. Calgary looks like they need help. Edmonton has a ton of talent, maybe need to add veteran leadership.

Kings have cup hangover. Detroit has lost Lidstrom, Holmstrom and Brad Stuart. Watching Stuart with the sharks, he learned an awful lot from Lidstrom, cause he is 10 time better know than when the Sharks traded him in the Thorton trade.

Buttman is a great ruler. I read somewhere that 25% of the time he has been the top dog shit, there has been a strike or lockout.

[shadows]

I'm boycotting the NHL this season (by that I mean not watching any regular season games on television and not going to any games). I'm still following the scores and reading articles about it online, but that is about it. To be honest, I'm not even sure if I'm going to watch any playoff games(although I may be convinced to if the Leafs miracuously make it).

I think the offseason moves that the Jays made, and the excitement that I have for baseball to start now, makes that decision a little easier.