Alas Poor Hockey, I Remember You Well

Well, this is it. We have finally reached the end. The death of a great sport, on the day the NHL finalizes the end of the 2004-2005 NHL season. Is it official already? No, not really. The NHL has rejected an NHLPA proposal from last week, and countered with a new one of its own. The details are not yet known, but one thing is obvious, it contains a hard salary cap. This will almost certainly split the two sides apart again, ending the season.

I sat down this morning and started to think, “Who is really to blame?” I think the answer is everyone involved. Neither said has truly negotiated. Neither side is willing to discuss a good way to make a salary cap work. The only thing I see are two sides going back and forth with proposal after proposal, and telling the fans why their plan is better than their foes.

Last week it appeared that there was a deal to be worked out. The league offered to cut their salaries 24%, and apply luxury tax starting at $45 million. The league argues that luxury tax is a temporary, short term fix that can reverse itself in as soon as one year. I would agree with this.

But what has the league really offered other than a $31 million hard cap laid out six different ways? As far as I can tell, absolutely nothing. They are adamant on the salary cap. That is not necessarily a bad thing, but there is much emotion involved that it’s getting in the way of true negotiations.

What needs to happen? Who knows.

One thing is for certain, someone needs to take Bettman and Goodenow into a room, and lock the door. Alcatraz is empty, maybe they should put ‘em both in a cell together and tell ‘em they aren’t getting out until a deal is done. More negotiation and less politics. That would be a good start.

I have a strong message for everyone when this is over. I’d like Goodenow to resign, and Bettman to resign. I think both are a disgrace in the handling of this CBA, and it’s time someone with more competence came in and ran the league, and the union, the proper way. The veteran players are getting greedier, and the ones that weren’t in the beginning were called into a meeting where Goodenow could brainwash them. The younger players that aren’t greedy have been pushed aside, and given no chance at public appearance.

Bettman, Goodenow, get the wax of out of your ears, and get a deal done. Your already-small fan base is 50% less than it was last summer, and is shrinking every day. Negotiate a deal, get the players on the ice, and get lost.

-Dan Joseph