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I'm getting pissed.

Maybe some talks later this week. And this is the best news we have right now. Maybe some talks.


WOW!! These idiots cannot even agree to at least meet with each other? How depressing.

Winter classic expected to be cancelled soon.

http://watch.tsn.ca/nhl/clip792573#clip792630

AND THEY CANT EVEN MEET! WOW.

I dont really follow hockey, but I pretty much have to listen about it everyday since I live in Toronto and they cant go 20 mins without talking Hockey on the Radio. But my conclusion based on all the talks is...

Donald Fehr is the guy who unanimously rules the NHLPA, and the players blindly follow him. I keep hearing players like Toews and Crosby going out to the media and being all "Oh we got screwed last lockout, cant let that happen again!". Well these guys werent even in the NHL last time, so how would they know or feel like they got screwed. Basically I get the impression that Fehr is so smart, that he gives out a script to the players and they just blindly follow it, and I am not sure they really believe what they are saying or fighting for, but they trust this guy so much, they just do it. And you have a number of players overseas who have checked out and has the whole "Just leave it to Fehr" attitude and is not willing to be in the negotiations.

I think Gary Bettman has this same idea. That if they secretly talk to the players themselves, they will crack, and sing a different tune. It might be a slimy idea to Fehr but I guess I could see Bettman trying to see if he can make a deal if Fehr wasent in the picture, and thats why the NHL made the Owners talk to the Players. I dont think they have met a more even match for each other before. Cause at this point Bettman and Fehr is the like the unstoppable force meets the immovable object, too hard objects waiting to see who cracks first. It has gone way past about the CBA and turned into a personal battle between the two. My two cents.

PS. I think both the NHL and NHLPA are at fault at being too stubborn and letting this happen, but I am shocked how TSN Radio and Fan590 are seemingly really biased and are very Pro-Players. I guess its because some of the hosts are former players.

All games through November now gone. Honestly, I am surprised it has reached this point. I really thought a deal would get done. Just very surprised that the people involved in both the NHL and NHLPA have let it come to this. Both sides are killing the goose that laid the golden egg.

Bankai, you are dead on as to the bias people will have in CBA matters. No matter what sport, you see a great deal of former players in the media. And they will almost always have a Pro-Union stance. Simply because it is in their make up as having been players, been a part of the Union, and having had to deal with Owners and CBA issues. Dont think we can fault them for it at all. Just have to understand, as you pointed out, that they do have a certain bias, and take certain statements they may make with a grain of salt.

ohara wrote:All games through November now gone. Honestly, I am surprised it has reached this point. I really thought a deal would get done. Just very surprised that the people involved in both the NHL and NHLPA have let it come to this. Both sides are killing the goose that laid the golden egg.

I'm not really surprised, just more aggravated. This CBA negotiation should have never reached this point. They weren't in dire need to restructure the league. They needed to tweak the profit distribution. This should have NEVER reached a point where we're looking at the real possibility of losing another full season. But we have two stubborn ass mules in charge, and here we are. In the last lockout, the players had no leadership and it showed. Now they have a dictator. The owners have an ignorant old lawyer. It's like a f***ing sitcom.

I feel like fans were pissed with the '05 lockout, but understood it was necessary. All of this is completely pointless because really, these differences were miniscule.

Honestly can't believe the 50/50 split deal didn't get done.

I'm still "optimistic" they find a way to start the season with the Winter Classic. That's just the logical worst case scenario starting point if they're going to have a season, like Christmas was for the NBA. Even more than the Christmas NBA games, the Winter Classic would be a "Hey look, hockey's back! Isn't it kind of cool this is how hockey is starting this year! Sorry about that lockout!" that would get people kind of buzzed about it returning.

Fehr is an ****. They're not playing this season.

Dr Positivity wrote:I'm still "optimistic" they find a way to start the season with the Winter Classic. That's just the logical worst case scenario starting point if they're going to have a season, like Christmas was for the NBA. Even more than the Christmas NBA games, the Winter Classic would be a "Hey look, hockey's back! Isn't it kind of cool this is how hockey is starting this year! Sorry about that lockout!" that would get people kind of buzzed about it returning.

Well, according to ESPN, sources say the Jan. 1, 2013 Winter Classic is being cancelled right now. I suppose they could try to start the season on that day with the Winter Classic, but that would mean them getting something worked out real quick. Like, within the next week. And right now, I cannot find any shred of good news to hang my hopes on that we will have hockey. Totally discouraged about all this mess.

Winter Classic = gone.

Amazing. Just amazing. The ineptitude of the people in charge of this league. I don't even ****ing care about how the CBA looks. I never did. This league didn't need an overhaul. This league didn't need to change. It needed to play. Instead, here we sit.

I wonder how many fans come back. Because I'm not so sure about me, frankly. This is a ****ing joke. Fire Bettman. Fire Fehr. Fire everyone. Because I'm sick and tired of this s***.

The Winter Classic was such a big deal for Michigan and Detroit. It really gave us a chance to showcase the city and all levels of hockey.

I hate the NHL

I blame this more on the players. There was no reason to fire Kelly other than "he was close to the NHL". That's a **** good thing! You don't want a controlling **** like Fehr if you actually want to play. The NHL owners aren't pussies like MLB owners, they proved that in 04-05 so any ideas the players had of taking the game back from the owners was misguided from the start.

I'm not buying the WC is completely dead. It sounds to me like serious discussions are going to happen in the next half week, I bet if they figure it out by then they can still make the WC happen.

Dr Positivity wrote:I'm not buying the WC is completely dead. It sounds to me like serious discussions are going to happen in the next half week, I bet if they figure it out by then they can still make the WC happen.

Its dead, rescheduling it is going to be nearly impossible even if they get a deal done right away. I think these talks have a lot to do with both sides trying to save some face after the axing of the WC.

But at least these guys are talking again. I have a small bit of hope now that we will at least see some hockey. But if talks fall apart again, I will likely concede the season is totally lost. And that would be a major disaster for the NHL and the players. Have to think that both sides know this is their last shot at saving the season and they will both compromise. At least, if they are smart. Risky assumption, I know.

ohara wrote:But at least these guys are talking again. I have a small bit of hope now that we will at least see some hockey. But if talks fall apart again, I will likely concede the season is totally lost. And that would be a major disaster for the NHL and the players. Have to think that both sides know this is their last shot at saving the season and they will both compromise. At least, if they are smart. Risky assumption, I know.

I wouldn't write the season off so soon. Last time around they didn't call the season until February, so we still have plenty of time.

http://espn.go.com/nhl/story/_/id/86080 ... ource-says

Story on the 2 proposals by the NHLPA to the NHL. At least they seem to be making some progress. But the devil is in the details. Have to wait to hear the NHL response. If they come back with only a few changes in a counteroffer, will be good news. But if they just reject the two proposals, it will be bad news. I think they are smart enough to make a reasonable counteroffer rather than merely shoot down the two proposals.

I have no hope anymore. For anything.

All these meetings is giving me hope of hockey being played. Meeting like they have this week makes me "think" they are making serous progress. They are being tight lipped about it, so they are probably under an agreement not to say too much, keep the negotiations going, and hope they strike a deal soon. Getting hopeful. And that makes me nervous.