And it's over...

For both the hockey fans out there…it's all over for this year.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/news;_ylc=X3oDMTBpNWZic251BF9TAzI1NjY0ODI1BHNlYwN0aA--?slug=ap-nhllockout&prov=ap&type=lgns

I place the blame for this whole debacle squarely on Bettman's shoulders. His lack of leadership lead to a situation where rampant expansion and player salaries ran amok and resulted in the season cancellation. I only hope that this all results in league contraction (even if it means losing the Caps) so that we can have a viable product in a couple of years.

The man wouldn't know a hockey puck if it hit him. Too bad that 12 yr old girl in Columbus got hit….it should have been Bettman. He should just go back to the NBA where he belongs.


I guess I'll just up to play on a THIRD team for the summer. I've got to get my fix somehow…..

I always blame it on the players because in any sport, they are way overpayed as it is.

Originally posted by xcanuck:
I place the blame for this whole debacle squarely on Bettman's shoulders. His lack of leadership lead to a situation where rampant expansion and player salaries ran amok and resulted in the season cancellation. I only hope that this all results in league contraction (even if it means losing the Caps) so that we can have a viable product in a couple of years.

Well said. All of the mid-sized American cities throwing money at the NHL didn't help either. Once the US TV deal (ABC/ESPN) was up and hockey was too outstretched to have a solid fan base in the US, the league was doomed. I feel badly for the Canadians (and I'm not talking about the Hockey team), although I'm sure fans in Quebec and Winnpeg are having the last laugh now.

Originally posted by Rob_Gee:
I always blame it on the players because in any sport, they are way overpayed as it is.

Exactly. Because the owners could always use a little more cash. They're nearly broke.

this was easily the least disappointing caps season ever.

That is true. But after they retire after like 4.2 seasons and a few million earned (and spent), they have to take on stupid jobs like selling dope, playing in has-been charity golf tournaments, being assistant coaches of Pop Warner teams, running their foundations, and owning KFC franchises. Give these gentlemen a break, because their glory years really are small in number.

Originally posted by Rob_Gee:
I always blame it on the players because in any sport, they are way overpayed as it is.

Two separate studies found that most NHL teams were in the red. Probably because of overpaid players, but perhaps also from snot nosed law students sneaking into games without paying. ;)

http://www.andrewsstarspage.com/8-1-04cba.htm

Originally posted by vansmack:

Originally posted by Rob_Gee:
I always blame it on the players because in any sport, they are way overpayed as it is.

Exactly. Because the owners could always use a little more cash. They're nearly broke.

I feel like I've been punched in the gut and kicked in the face.

I dont want to pick sides, or point fingers or lay blame…everyone else can do that.

In Canada, hockey is the bond that gives us an identity and a common bond from Vancouver to Nova Scotia (even Newfoundland i suppose).

In America, hockey is a sport loved by some, not cared a dime about by the rest, but when you have something like that, its more special to those that like it.

If this happened in Baseball or the NFL it would piss of an entire nation, but when it happens in hockey, a small part of the majority lost a large part of thier lives……

Lets all hope they'll find an agreement for next season, and that Barry Melrose doesn't take a header off the Peace Bridge, cause he looked today , like he wanted to.

(and yes, i know baseball almost had replacement players once too)

Originally posted by Sam Pulsize:
That is true. But after they retire after like 4.2 seasons and a few million earned (and spent), they have to take on stupid jobs like selling dope, playing in has-been charity golf tournaments, being assistant coaches of Pop Warner teams, running their foundations, and owning KFC franchises. Give these gentlemen a break, because their glory years really are small in number.

rhett, i know you like to comment on everything, regardless how ignorant you are on a topic, but really….you could think of nothing better to type?

Originally posted by sonickteam2:

and that Barry Melrose doesn't take a header off the Peace Bridge, cause he looked today , like he wanted to.

but how was his hair?

Well I actually started with the line:

I feel like I've been punched in the gut and kicked in the face.

…but I decided to leave the Hollywood blockbuster quality scriptwriting to others…

Originally posted by sonickteam2:

Originally posted by Sam Pulsize:
That is true. But after they retire after like 4.2 seasons and a few million earned (and spent), they have to take on stupid jobs like selling dope, playing in has-been charity golf tournaments, being assistant coaches of Pop Warner teams, running their foundations, and owning KFC franchises. Give these gentlemen a break, because their glory years really are small in number.

rhett, i know you like to comment on everything, regardless how ignorant you are on a topic, but really….you could think of nothing better to type?

Originally posted by Venerable Bede:

Originally posted by sonickteam2:

and that Barry Melrose doesn't take a header off the Peace Bridge, cause he looked today , like he wanted to.

but how was his hair?

you would think he would have left it a little desheveled for effect, but no, his hair was miraculous!

Originally posted by sonickteam2:

Originally posted by Venerable Bede:

Originally posted by sonickteam2:

and that Barry Melrose doesn't take a header off the Peace Bridge, cause he looked today , like he wanted to.

but how was his hair?

you would think he would have left it a little desheveled for effect, but no, his hair was miraculous!

so, he still has the mullet. . .excellent.

I think this could end up being a good lesson to all sports leagues. But hockey was especially out of control. I don't care how many snow birds move south- there is no reason why Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas had more teams then New England and the Great Lakes; or the providence of Quebec for that matter.
I really feel bad for cities like Buffalo were a number of small businesses will probably fold due to this strike.
If you care check out www.hockeyribbon.com

I echo this.

contraction is the way to go here. and while its not like that will solve TOO much, it will solve the problem that because Nashville and Carolina are losing SO much money it makes it look like everyone's doing bad, when teams like Boston, Toronto and Colorado are making money.

I will take out 6 teams, no problem, but can i pick those 6? probably not. nashville, florida, carolina, phoenix, dallas and tampa bay will do.

but will that really solve the problem?

didn't tampa bay win the most recent stanley cup? and i thought dallas has always been pretty supportive, as crazy as that seems.

honestly, they should get rid of the caps. it pains me to say it, and i would feel like a great part of my childhood would have been wasted, but this town clearly doesn't give a shit about the team. every time the devils, flyers, rangers, penguins, basically any east coast team comes to town, there are more of their fans than caps fans.

Originally posted by BookerT:
didn't tampa bay win the most recent stanley cup? and i thought dallas has always been pretty supportive, as crazy as that seems.

yeah, dallas fans are fairly supportive of the stars.

i'd say contract florida, tampa, atlanta, nashville, phoenix (or send em back to winnipeg) and probably carolina (unless there's a canadian city that would take them). i'm reluctant to contract phoenix and carolina outright simply because of the history of the franchises, the old jets and whalers. same with the caps.

dallas and tampa bay can be contracted. just cause they are good, does not mean they are making money and helping the league.

screw em. and neither have any real history. sure the Stars were Minnesota , but i bet you'd be hard pressed to find anyone from Minnesota to care if Dallas lost its team!

<img src="http://www.sptimes.com/Lightning/graphics/number1-04.jpg" alt=" - " />

as an enormous lightning fan (attended to the first game ever, the '97 playoff mini-run against the flyers, and rabidly followed the season last year from DC), this is really tough.

i agree that the league is way overextended, they never should have moved into places like Tampa, S. Fla, Atlanta, Phoenix, etc, etc … i think in an ideal world many of the southern teams would be contracted … but as a lightning fan, i can't personally advocate it, i just see how it makes complete sense in the broader picture

positive: we have the cup for another year, right?

I think this picture proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that there are at least two gay hockey fans in Tampa. Not that there's anything wrong with it.

Originally posted by HoyaSaxa03:
&lt;img src="http://www.sptimes.com/Lightning/graphics/number1-04.jpg" alt=" - " /&gt;

as an enormous lightning fan (attended to the first game ever, the '97 playoff mini-run against the flyers, and rabidly followed the season last year from DC), this is really tough.

i agree that the league is way overextended, they never should have moved into places like Tampa, S. Fla, Atlanta, Phoenix, etc, etc … i think in an ideal world many of the southern teams would be contracted … but as a lightning fan, i can't personally advocate it, i just see how it makes complete sense in the broader picture

positive: we have the cup for another year, right?