T1B

Err replacement players :roll:

Gretzky also brought up his displeasure with the state of the league during the work stoppage and the idea of using replacement players.

"Absolutely disgusting," he told the Tribune, referring to the lost season.

"And now that our season has been canceled, what's the likelihood of reaching a settlement this summer, before we lose even more money, more sponsors, maybe ESPN? Wish I knew. I have no idea."

The commissioner, Gary Bettman, promises a season starting in October," Gretzky added. "If that means replacement players, I don't like it. The real players, I think, won't cross the line. You know hockey guys, how proud they are, how united. But in Toronto, Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, they'll fill the buildings, even for replacements. Fans are mad. They want hockey. Other cities, I'm not sure."

Sorry Gretz, even in the die-hard hockey markets they're not going to fill the buildings at current NHL ticket prices to see shit hockey being played by cast offs that couldn't make the NHL to begin with or scabs coming in from the beer leagues.
But you are right about one thing, the real players won't cross the line.

There is no way very many people in this town would go to a game to watch a bunch of scabs. The unions are pretty powerful and influencial in this province

Otis wrote: But you are right about one thing, the real players won't cross the line.

The 'real players' (read:stars) might not cross the line, but they only make up 10-15% of the union. I can guarantee the longer the replacements play, the more second, third, and fourth-line players will cross.

If there are replacement players I personally will pay to go see as many games as possible. Unless a CBA is agreed upon, you can pretty much stick a fork in the NHLPA.

Hapday wrote:

Otis wrote: But you are right about one thing, the real players won't cross the line.

The 'real players' (read:stars) might not cross the line, but they only make up 10-15% of the union. I can guarantee the longer the replacements play, the more second, third, and fourth-line players will cross.

If there are replacement players I personally will pay to go see as many games as possible. Unless a CBA is agreed upon, you can pretty much stick a fork in the NHLPA.

Wrong again Hap.

The players on the top 3 lines are in the NHL because they deserve to be there. They are the stars.



But aside from that, more to the point here..

So you're a fan of watching shit hockey?

And an even bigger idiot that would pay to see it?

Props I suppose.

:roll:

I think it's funny that the NHLPA is so against replacement players when there are plenty of current NHL players playing in other leagues around the world taking jobs from other players.

insert irony alert to Gretz's take.

Shoalzie wrote:I think it's funny that the NHLPA is so against replacement players when there are plenty of current NHL players playing in other leagues around the world taking jobs from other players.

Rack!!

Otis:

The quality of play may not be as great as when the NHL stars play (obviously) but there will be a better work effort from the replacement players. The replacement players would all be either AHL or junior players. It would still be pretty good hockey.

Some people get this vision of replacement players consisting of beer leaguers with huge boilers tripping over the blue line.

As far as third-liners being stars, you are completely wrong and you obviously never seen Nick Antropov play.

Hapday wrote:

Shoalzie wrote:I think it's funny that the NHLPA is so against replacement players when there are plenty of current NHL players playing in other leagues around the world taking jobs from other players.

Rack!!

All well and good except for one thing. Those that chose to go to Europe to play and stay to fulfill their contractual obligations should be excluded from that statement.
Which would be the majority of them.

The quality of play may not be as great as when the NHL stars play (obviously) but there will be a better work effort from the replacement players. The replacement players would all be either AHL or junior players. It would still be pretty good hockey.

Ah.. but you see therein lies the crux of your misguided blind loyalty to kissing ownership ass. You're willing to accept a lower level of entertainment for your buck as long as the owners can make more money.

The players in junior or the minor leagues are there because they're not good enough to play at the elite level of NHL caliper.
Not yet and for the majority of them, they never will be.

Why do the owners refuse to lower ticket prices if the players lower salaries hmm?

Some people get this vision of replacement players consisting of beer leaguers with huge boilers tripping over the blue line.

No, actually I have this vision of watching the NHL trying to pass the UHL or ECHL off as being hockey's best.

As far as third-liners being stars, you are completely wrong and you obviously never seen Nick Antropov play.

No, you've obviously never seen Mike Ricci play.
Or watched games from the Oilers dynasty, the Bruins or the Habs circa 1970.

First off, what the fuck is wrong with the owners making money? They are, after all, the OWNERS!!!

Status quo, the owners are losing money and the players are making a boatload of it. Why shouldn't the owners want to dig in and change the system?

Instead, the players are acting like a bunch of spoiled little whining brats, refusing to play hockey for 56% of $2B. Well, now that they've turned that down, the $2B is dwindling, and the players will be stuck with a smaller percentage of a smaller pie. Fuck them. Let them rot in hell.

Bring on the replacements!!

Status quo.. some owners are losing money.
And they are the tail that are wagging the dog.

If the owners want a level playing field.. then again why do they absolutely refuse to accept the notion that revenue sharing amongst the owners themselves must be included in any CBA.

Otis wrote: All well and good except for one thing. Those that chose to go to Europe to play and stay to fulfill their contractual obligations should be excluded from that statement.
Which would be the majority of them.

Niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiice spin job. No wonder you continue to support and have such blind loyalty to Mr.Dithers. There was only one NHLer who was willing to stay in Europe and finish out his contract--Peter Forsberg. EVERY single NHLer had an 'out clause' and if there was a season they would have been on the next plane to North America. Nice try.

Otis wrote: Ah.. but you see therein lies the crux of your misguided blind loyalty to kissing ownership ass. You're willing to accept a lower level of entertainment for your buck as long as the owners can make more money.

Yet you continue the suck the NHLPA's cock. Have no fear Otis, even with a salary cap the players would still be millionaires. I'm willing to show the NHLPA that the party is over. They have been overpaid for the last 15 years and the ride is over.

Otis wrote: The players in junior or the minor leagues are there because they're not good enough to play at the elite level of NHL caliper.
Not yet and for the majority of them, they never will be.

So no player ever slips through the cracks because....... management thought they were too small for example? They may not be NHL talent, but that won't mean the cheering will be less when they score a goal for the home team.

Otis wrote: Why do the owners refuse to lower ticket prices if the players lower salaries hmm?

Aha! There is where my support for the owners will drop. They can't cry poor, get an extremely low salary cap, and then not lower ticket prices. If they don't both sides can go fuck itself and tehy will never see one dime from my pocket. Of course, in markets such as Toronto, Montreal, New York, etc. the prices won't come down.

Otis wrote: I have this vision of watching the NHL trying to pass the UHL or ECHL off as being hockey's best.

Sorry, but I don't mind watching junior and AHL players work their ass off and leave it all on the ice. After all, that is what hockey is all about. I would rather that then watch Holik or Jagar float through yet another game.

Otis wrote: No, you've obviously never seen Mike Ricci play.
Or watched games from the Oilers dynasty, the Bruins or the Habs circa 1970.

Mike Ricci isn't a third liner. Brining past Oilers, Bruins, or Habs teams into this is sinking your argument bigtime. It is completely an apples/oranges thing.

If the NHL uses scabs, they will gut their minor leagues. They all suck and they should all go to hell.

Before the Owners go hiring replacement players, they ought to look at hiring a replacement Commissioner. Gary Bettman is the biggest fucking idiot ever. He even makes Bud Selig look smart.

Cuda wrote:Before the Owners go hiring replacement players, they ought to look at hiring a replacement Commissioner. Gary Bettman is the biggest fucking idiot ever. He even makes Bud Selig look smart.

RACK!!

i'm for replacing Bettman and Goodenow...

nothing more than egos getting in the way on both sides-to be honest.

and oh don't be too shocked if the owners start scouting the SPHL-which is verrry low as far as pro players go. they will take a stable check over what they get and the crowds they draw now(*cough* Winston-Salem *cough* )

Hope you guys enjoy watching me play for the Flames next year. I'm an agitator with decent hands, good puck sense and blazing speed. Think of Cam Neely, Gary Roberts and Theo Fleury all rolled into one.

I will laugh at Jarome and spit on his picket sign as I walk past him and into his stall in the dressing room.

Go Al.


IF

Ticket prices will drop substantually.
The owners got to know that the fans are pissed at both sides, and they need to make amends.

Charging Pro prices for Replacement play would be suicide.

al? wrote:Hope you guys enjoy watching me play for the Flames next year. I'm an agitator with decent hands, good puck sense and blazing speed. Think of Cam Neely, Gary Roberts and Theo Fleury all rolled into one.

I will laugh at Jarome and spit on his picket sign as I walk past him and into his stall in the dressing room.

What, you wanna PLAY for the Flames now??

Fuckin' bandwagoner. :wink:

al? wrote:Hope you guys enjoy watching me play for the Flames next year. I'm an agitator with decent hands, good puck sense and blazing speed. Think of Cam Neely, Gary Roberts and Theo Fleury all rolled into one.

I will laugh at Jarome and spit on his picket sign as I walk past him and into his stall in the dressing room.

Hey, I'll buy a jersey!

BSmack wrote:If the NHL uses scabs, they will gut their minor leagues. They all suck and they should all go to hell.

WTF!

RIGHT NOW. Today. There are scabs all over the place. These scabs are NHLers playing in minor and Euro Pro leagues. The NHL players roster spot has sent a semi-pro player or some other scrub farther down the depth list thereby depriving them of a rightfully earned spot on what was thier team.

Scab NHLPA members don't seem to mind breaking a union picket if they are benefitted by the neglect of thier semi-pro bretheren. Since that is the case today, piss on the union and thier union protocols. They have no respect, no unity and no hope.

I sincerely hope the NHLPA is destroyed.

And yeah, if the NHL returns with non-marquee players (not scabs), I may watch TV coverage, but I won't pay thier grossly inflated tix prices.

JD wrote: What, you wanna PLAY for the Flames now??

I like the Red Wings, but the city of Detroit is a fucking hole in the ground. Calgary's a nice city....mountains, clean, fairly nice people. I think I can bear putting on flames colors again. In my heart, I will cringe everytime I score a goal, and I may jake a few games against the wings, but other than that it should be all good.
















where did I put that old flames jersey? :?

JD wrote:

al? wrote:Hope you guys enjoy watching me play for the Flames next year. I'm an agitator with decent hands, good puck sense and blazing speed. Think of Cam Neely, Gary Roberts and Theo Fleury all rolled into one.

I will laugh at Jarome and spit on his picket sign as I walk past him and into his stall in the dressing room.

What, you wanna PLAY for the Flames now??

Fuckin' bandwagoner. :wink:

Everyone here is shocked. :roll: