-
We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.
***Official*** NHL Lockout news thread ***Confirmed***
Page 7 - Seeking answers? Join the AnandTech community: where nearly half-a-million members share solutions and discuss the latest tech.
silverpig
Lifer
Season's gone.
I feel bad for a guy like Markus Naslund though. One of the top players in the league and he took a relatively VERY modest salary for his last contract. He should be playing and getting his money. I agree 85% with the owners. I say a salary cap or very heavy luxury tax is the way to go with contraction of about 6 teams from the US South. Florida, TB, Carolina, Nashville, Anaheim (already have a team in LA)... maybe Phoenix. Bring back the Jets and the Nordiques, maybe a team in Seattle if there's interest. The Canadian dollar is 80 cents US now and still climbing like a monkey on fire.
I feel bad for a guy like Markus Naslund though. One of the top players in the league and he took a relatively VERY modest salary for his last contract. He should be playing and getting his money. I agree 85% with the owners. I say a salary cap or very heavy luxury tax is the way to go with contraction of about 6 teams from the US South. Florida, TB, Carolina, Nashville, Anaheim (already have a team in LA)... maybe Phoenix. Bring back the Jets and the Nordiques, maybe a team in Seattle if there's interest. The Canadian dollar is 80 cents US now and still climbing like a monkey on fire.
Bettman: NHL won't contract teams
Associated Press
10/14/2004
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - Commissioner Gary Bettman tried to halt persistent speculation about the Carolina Hurricanes' future Thursday by reassuring fans in the Raleigh area that the NHL has no plans to contract any of its teams.
``We are not considering contraction," Bettman told a news conference with Hurricanes owner Peter Karmanos Jr., on Thursday. ``We have not, we will not and we do not believe in contraction. With the right economic system, all 30 of our clubs can be healthy and competitive."
Contraction has been one of several issues tossed around in the media since the NHL's lockout of its player began last month.
Bettman described Raleigh as a ``terrific market" and said he didn't know why there was speculation the Hurricanes were at risk.
Karmanos said last month that he has lost $12 million US to $16 million US a year since buying the franchise in 1994. General manager Jim Rutherford also said last month that the franchise lost about $22 million in last year's 82-game season, but expects losses of $7.5 million if no games are played in 2004-05.
``We really would like to make sure our fans know that we're alive and well, and that we're working hard to get the economic system right," Karmanos said. ``We're not worried about (contraction). This is a solid, solid marketplace."
Bettman later joined Karmanos for a town hall-style meeting with season ticket holders at the RBC Center - where the Hurricanes were supposed to open the season Thursday night against Atlanta.
The NHL has been shut down for nearly a month following the expiration of the collective bargaining agreement. The league and the players association are so far apart philosophically that they haven't met or spoken since Sept. 9.
The decade-old deal ran out a week later. Training camps didn't open on time and the entire pre-season was wiped out.
Now the entire regular season is in jeopardy.
The league wants a deal that would slice the percentage of revenue paid out in player salaries, and Bettman has said teams combined to lose more than $1.8 billion over 10 years.
The NHL's average salary has risen from $733,000 since the last lockout in 1994-95 to $1.83 million last season, according to the players association, which has challenged many of the league's financial findings.
The league has no deadline for making a deal that would save part of the season, Bettman said.
``That's a question we know is out there and we're not even thinking about," he said. ``We need to make the right deal to make this league and our franchises healthy. We owe it to the game. We owe it to our fans. We owe it to our franchises in the markets we play in.
``When we have the deal, when the agreement is signed ... then we'll determine whether or not based on that timing we can have some semblance of a season. If we can, great. If we can't, we'll do it next year. This is about the deal as opposed to the timetable."
Cheers,
Aquaman
Associated Press
10/14/2004
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - Commissioner Gary Bettman tried to halt persistent speculation about the Carolina Hurricanes' future Thursday by reassuring fans in the Raleigh area that the NHL has no plans to contract any of its teams.
``We are not considering contraction," Bettman told a news conference with Hurricanes owner Peter Karmanos Jr., on Thursday. ``We have not, we will not and we do not believe in contraction. With the right economic system, all 30 of our clubs can be healthy and competitive."
Contraction has been one of several issues tossed around in the media since the NHL's lockout of its player began last month.
Bettman described Raleigh as a ``terrific market" and said he didn't know why there was speculation the Hurricanes were at risk.
Karmanos said last month that he has lost $12 million US to $16 million US a year since buying the franchise in 1994. General manager Jim Rutherford also said last month that the franchise lost about $22 million in last year's 82-game season, but expects losses of $7.5 million if no games are played in 2004-05.
``We really would like to make sure our fans know that we're alive and well, and that we're working hard to get the economic system right," Karmanos said. ``We're not worried about (contraction). This is a solid, solid marketplace."
Bettman later joined Karmanos for a town hall-style meeting with season ticket holders at the RBC Center - where the Hurricanes were supposed to open the season Thursday night against Atlanta.
The NHL has been shut down for nearly a month following the expiration of the collective bargaining agreement. The league and the players association are so far apart philosophically that they haven't met or spoken since Sept. 9.
The decade-old deal ran out a week later. Training camps didn't open on time and the entire pre-season was wiped out.
Now the entire regular season is in jeopardy.
The league wants a deal that would slice the percentage of revenue paid out in player salaries, and Bettman has said teams combined to lose more than $1.8 billion over 10 years.
The NHL's average salary has risen from $733,000 since the last lockout in 1994-95 to $1.83 million last season, according to the players association, which has challenged many of the league's financial findings.
The league has no deadline for making a deal that would save part of the season, Bettman said.
``That's a question we know is out there and we're not even thinking about," he said. ``We need to make the right deal to make this league and our franchises healthy. We owe it to the game. We owe it to our fans. We owe it to our franchises in the markets we play in.
``When we have the deal, when the agreement is signed ... then we'll determine whether or not based on that timing we can have some semblance of a season. If we can, great. If we can't, we'll do it next year. This is about the deal as opposed to the timetable."
Cheers,
Aquaman
Chelios wants Gretzky as commissioner
TSN.ca Staff
10/15/2004
A day after blasting NHL commissioner Gary Bettman to the Detroit Free Press, Red Wings' defenceman Chris Chelios has come up with who he thinks is an ideal replacement.
''Right now I'd pick Wayne Gretzky,'' Chelios said on the James Brown Show on Sporting News Radio. ''The owners, the players have to respect his opinion. I've known Wayne forever, actually, and talked to him about this situation.''
Chelios adds he doubt's whether Gretzky has the time or would even want the job.
"Being an owner, it's tough now. He's the one guy that everybody should listen to. He's been the best ambassador for any sport and I think the guys should listen to him. I hope (Bettman) is getting together with Wayne one-on-one and talking to Wayne. Everyone respects what Wayne says. I think he's got a great business sense, and, I think, because of his experience, his history with hockey, he outweighs Gary Bettman or Bob Goodenow by a long shot.''
In his comments to the Detroit Free Press earlier this week, Chelios questioned Bettman's ability to do his job.
''Gary Bettman has put the league in this situation,'' Chelios stated to the Free Press. ''A guy who doesn't do his job shouldn't be there ... He put hockey where it shouldn't belong. You get rid of six or seven teams that don't belong where they are ... Some states just aren't marketable, some cities. Hockey's not a national sport in the U.S., and Gary Bettman doesn't have a feel for that. That's my opinion.''
When reminded that contraction would mean less NHL jobs, Chelios told the paper, ''Well, it'll cost jobs, but it'll make the league a better league. There's a lot of players - especially a lot of guys that come over from Europe - who are average players. Make the league a better league. The league was a strong league 10 years ago.''
Cheers,
Aquaman
TSN.ca Staff
10/15/2004
A day after blasting NHL commissioner Gary Bettman to the Detroit Free Press, Red Wings' defenceman Chris Chelios has come up with who he thinks is an ideal replacement.
''Right now I'd pick Wayne Gretzky,'' Chelios said on the James Brown Show on Sporting News Radio. ''The owners, the players have to respect his opinion. I've known Wayne forever, actually, and talked to him about this situation.''
Chelios adds he doubt's whether Gretzky has the time or would even want the job.
"Being an owner, it's tough now. He's the one guy that everybody should listen to. He's been the best ambassador for any sport and I think the guys should listen to him. I hope (Bettman) is getting together with Wayne one-on-one and talking to Wayne. Everyone respects what Wayne says. I think he's got a great business sense, and, I think, because of his experience, his history with hockey, he outweighs Gary Bettman or Bob Goodenow by a long shot.''
In his comments to the Detroit Free Press earlier this week, Chelios questioned Bettman's ability to do his job.
''Gary Bettman has put the league in this situation,'' Chelios stated to the Free Press. ''A guy who doesn't do his job shouldn't be there ... He put hockey where it shouldn't belong. You get rid of six or seven teams that don't belong where they are ... Some states just aren't marketable, some cities. Hockey's not a national sport in the U.S., and Gary Bettman doesn't have a feel for that. That's my opinion.''
When reminded that contraction would mean less NHL jobs, Chelios told the paper, ''Well, it'll cost jobs, but it'll make the league a better league. There's a lot of players - especially a lot of guys that come over from Europe - who are average players. Make the league a better league. The league was a strong league 10 years ago.''
Cheers,
Aquaman
Maybe cutting those teams makes no sense, but cutting some teams do. When teams average < 7,000 fans at home games during the season and can't sell out their stadiums during playoff runs, then that city doesn't deserve a team.
This doesn't even consider that the average talent level is so low in the NHL compared to even 10 years ago. With this watering down of talent, the level of the game has also gone down.
rh71
No Lifer
Anyone see any AHL games ? I'm watching the Phantoms @ Wolfpack right now and they're evidently testing some new things. First thing I noticed is... the blue line is HUGE. OMG. The other thing is there's virtually no room behind the net anymore.
Anyone know what the 2 slanted lines about 6 feet from the crease on each side are for ?
EDIT>>> they just mentioned it's a "goaltending box"... they can't go behind the net outward of more than those 6 feet to play the puck. 7 week experiment... interesting.
Anyone know what the 2 slanted lines about 6 feet from the crease on each side are for ?
EDIT>>> they just mentioned it's a "goaltending box"... they can't go behind the net outward of more than those 6 feet to play the puck. 7 week experiment... interesting.
Kolnik backs off statements
Canadian Press
10/18/2004
Juraj Kolnik sighed at the other end of the phone.
``This has been a long day for me,'' he said from Edmonton on Monday evening.
The Florida Panthers winger found himself in the middle of a firestorm Monday after he was quoted by the Palm Beach Post over the weekend saying he would report as a replacement player if the NHL declared an impasse next year.
The 24-year-old Slovak isn't denying what he said, but stressed Monday that he really didn't fully understand what was being asked.
``As a locked-out player, I was just frustrated, I just want play hockey,'' Kolnik said before skating for the AHL's San Antonio Rampage against the Edmonton Road Runners.
``I've had time to think about my comments and I know for sure that I would not play in the NHL again until both sides come to an agreement. I would not be a replacement player.''
To be fair, one can understand how Kolnik may have confused the issues. After all, not that many people actually understand the implications of legal impasse, let alone a young Slovak still having difficulty speaking English.
``English isn't my first language and that was a problem,'' Kolnik said.
Kolnik, whose 14 goals last season tied for third among the Panthers, was quoted over the weekend as saying: ``Play hockey is what I've done all my life. Why am I going to pay for something that's not my fault?
``Let the guys who want to play, play.''
Kolnik added in the article that ``all the young guys'' would follow his lead.
``This is really hard for the young guys,'' Kolnik told the newspaper. ``They don't care how much they're going to make. They just want to play. The guys making $10 million want to make even more. That's a little crazy. Why do the young players have to (suffer) for that?''
But now that he's fully aware of what impasse actually means, Kolnik wants everyone to know he would never cross that line.
``Exactly, I don't want anyone to think that I'm that kind of guy. I'm loyal to the union,'' he told CP on Monday.
Rampage captain and former Toronto Maple Leaf farmhand Paul Healey, 29, who has played 642 games in the AHL and just 75 in the NHL, might consider the opportunity to be a replacement player.
``How many young guys would turn down the chance to play in the NHL?'' he told the Post. ``It's something we all work for, and there's good money up there. On the other hand, it's something you want to feel you've worked for and earned.
``But if the league drew a line and said the players and owners have finished negotiating and this is the best we can do, I would be there. I definitely would be there in a heartbeat.''
Other Rampage players are taking more of a wait-and-see approach.
``It's really hard,'' said defenceman Joel Kwiatkowski, 27, who played 80 games with Washington last season. ``I want to play in the NHL. But we can't get ourselves in a situation where we let the league push us around, either. If something happens, I'd have to talk to my family.''
``I don't think I'd do that,'' said 20-year-old right-winger Gregory Campbell, son of the NHL's vice-president of hockey operations, Colin Campbell. ``You're with a group like the NHLPA, and we count on being together. It might seem a good thing at the time, but down the road it might not be the best thing for your career.''
The NHL publicly denies contemplating impasse and using replacement players, despite comments from Atlanta Thrashers part-owner Steve Belkin last week that it had in fact been discussed as a ``last resort.''
Cheers,
Aquaman
Canadian Press
10/18/2004
Juraj Kolnik sighed at the other end of the phone.
``This has been a long day for me,'' he said from Edmonton on Monday evening.
The Florida Panthers winger found himself in the middle of a firestorm Monday after he was quoted by the Palm Beach Post over the weekend saying he would report as a replacement player if the NHL declared an impasse next year.
The 24-year-old Slovak isn't denying what he said, but stressed Monday that he really didn't fully understand what was being asked.
``As a locked-out player, I was just frustrated, I just want play hockey,'' Kolnik said before skating for the AHL's San Antonio Rampage against the Edmonton Road Runners.
``I've had time to think about my comments and I know for sure that I would not play in the NHL again until both sides come to an agreement. I would not be a replacement player.''
To be fair, one can understand how Kolnik may have confused the issues. After all, not that many people actually understand the implications of legal impasse, let alone a young Slovak still having difficulty speaking English.
``English isn't my first language and that was a problem,'' Kolnik said.
Kolnik, whose 14 goals last season tied for third among the Panthers, was quoted over the weekend as saying: ``Play hockey is what I've done all my life. Why am I going to pay for something that's not my fault?
``Let the guys who want to play, play.''
Kolnik added in the article that ``all the young guys'' would follow his lead.
``This is really hard for the young guys,'' Kolnik told the newspaper. ``They don't care how much they're going to make. They just want to play. The guys making $10 million want to make even more. That's a little crazy. Why do the young players have to (suffer) for that?''
But now that he's fully aware of what impasse actually means, Kolnik wants everyone to know he would never cross that line.
``Exactly, I don't want anyone to think that I'm that kind of guy. I'm loyal to the union,'' he told CP on Monday.
Rampage captain and former Toronto Maple Leaf farmhand Paul Healey, 29, who has played 642 games in the AHL and just 75 in the NHL, might consider the opportunity to be a replacement player.
``How many young guys would turn down the chance to play in the NHL?'' he told the Post. ``It's something we all work for, and there's good money up there. On the other hand, it's something you want to feel you've worked for and earned.
``But if the league drew a line and said the players and owners have finished negotiating and this is the best we can do, I would be there. I definitely would be there in a heartbeat.''
Other Rampage players are taking more of a wait-and-see approach.
``It's really hard,'' said defenceman Joel Kwiatkowski, 27, who played 80 games with Washington last season. ``I want to play in the NHL. But we can't get ourselves in a situation where we let the league push us around, either. If something happens, I'd have to talk to my family.''
``I don't think I'd do that,'' said 20-year-old right-winger Gregory Campbell, son of the NHL's vice-president of hockey operations, Colin Campbell. ``You're with a group like the NHLPA, and we count on being together. It might seem a good thing at the time, but down the road it might not be the best thing for your career.''
The NHL publicly denies contemplating impasse and using replacement players, despite comments from Atlanta Thrashers part-owner Steve Belkin last week that it had in fact been discussed as a ``last resort.''
Cheers,
Aquaman
McKenzie: Kolnik not a lone voice
TSN.ca Staff
10/18/2004
It would be foolish to think that Juraj Kolnik's sentiments - the ones he first expressed, not the backtracking he's doing now - are commonplace throughout the NHL Players' Association and that this is the break in the ranks that will lead to the end of the lockout.
But a bigger mistake would be to write off Kolnik's original comments as one lone renegade voice in the wilderness because the truth is there are more players who feel just as Kolnik does. Or did.
How many? It's too difficult to say. Let's just say this: if there's a soft spot for the NHLPA in terms of solidarity, it will be at the low end of the NHL food chain, the 100 to 200 lowest paid players, the so called marginal guys who populate roster spots 16 to 23 on any given NHL club.
These guys aren't stupid. They know where they stand and they know if NHL franchises are lost due to an extended lockout, they'll feel the pinch before anybody else. They can read, too. They've seen Chris Chelios' and some other big-name players' comments about contraction maybe not being such a bad thing.
So much for the NHLPA's sense of brotherhood. The truth is, the NHLPA, from Bob Goodenow to Ted Saskin and beyond, have not been shy about saying how it's more important to protect the earning power of NHL stars than it is to protect low-end jobs.
The NHLPA's highly successful philosophy has always been that a rising tide lifts all boats, that as long as player salaries continue to rise at the highest level, everyone will benefit on down the line. If some really small boats or lifeboats capsize in the process, well, so be it, it's a price that has to be paid.
More than a few of the low-end players will be asking themselves what it is be gained by them in this lockout and it's a good question. Some of them, a few of them, could go on to become front-line players who would benefit from the NHLPA's battle to maintain the market economy that has served the players so well. Most of them are looking at their lost wages and the potential for lost jobs and wonder if this is a battle they can ever win.
The chances of these players uniting and being a factor in diminishing NHLPA resolve is pretty remote, but no one should be surprised if more bush fires like Juraj Kolnik break out here or there in the days and weeks ahead, although you know the NHLPA will be on them like Smokey the Bear.
Cheers,
Aquaman
TSN.ca Staff
10/18/2004
It would be foolish to think that Juraj Kolnik's sentiments - the ones he first expressed, not the backtracking he's doing now - are commonplace throughout the NHL Players' Association and that this is the break in the ranks that will lead to the end of the lockout.
But a bigger mistake would be to write off Kolnik's original comments as one lone renegade voice in the wilderness because the truth is there are more players who feel just as Kolnik does. Or did.
How many? It's too difficult to say. Let's just say this: if there's a soft spot for the NHLPA in terms of solidarity, it will be at the low end of the NHL food chain, the 100 to 200 lowest paid players, the so called marginal guys who populate roster spots 16 to 23 on any given NHL club.
These guys aren't stupid. They know where they stand and they know if NHL franchises are lost due to an extended lockout, they'll feel the pinch before anybody else. They can read, too. They've seen Chris Chelios' and some other big-name players' comments about contraction maybe not being such a bad thing.
So much for the NHLPA's sense of brotherhood. The truth is, the NHLPA, from Bob Goodenow to Ted Saskin and beyond, have not been shy about saying how it's more important to protect the earning power of NHL stars than it is to protect low-end jobs.
The NHLPA's highly successful philosophy has always been that a rising tide lifts all boats, that as long as player salaries continue to rise at the highest level, everyone will benefit on down the line. If some really small boats or lifeboats capsize in the process, well, so be it, it's a price that has to be paid.
More than a few of the low-end players will be asking themselves what it is be gained by them in this lockout and it's a good question. Some of them, a few of them, could go on to become front-line players who would benefit from the NHLPA's battle to maintain the market economy that has served the players so well. Most of them are looking at their lost wages and the potential for lost jobs and wonder if this is a battle they can ever win.
The chances of these players uniting and being a factor in diminishing NHLPA resolve is pretty remote, but no one should be surprised if more bush fires like Juraj Kolnik break out here or there in the days and weeks ahead, although you know the NHLPA will be on them like Smokey the Bear.
Cheers,
Aquaman
Yep! I have had season tickets to the Manchester Monarchs for the past 4 years. We had a awesome opening weekend...
http://forums.anandtech.com/me...8&threadid=1418622
12GF in their first two games....only the Moose have done better IIRC.
Edit: The new rules are brought up in my thread...
No touch icing needs to GO! :|:|
Orr: Players and owners should force talks
TSN.ca Staff
10/19/2004
If Gary Bettman and Bob Goodenow won't go to the negotiating table on their own, it's time their respective constituents forced them to sit down with each other.
That's the opinion of hockey legend Bobby Orr, who is now in the player agent business.
"The time has come for the owners and players to let their feelings be known to Gary and Bob," Orr told TSN in a telephone interview. "Neither one of them wants to be the first one to call the other because they think it's a sign of weakness. Well, I hate to think we are going to lose an NHL season because these two guys are afraid of looking weak.
"The owners have to make Gary sit down with Bob and the players have to make Bob sit down with Gary. If they don't get in a room and start a dialogue, nothing is going to happen. If you talk to people on both sides, they will tell you there is a deal to be made. But in order for the deal to be made, they have to be in the same room. They have to start talking."
And Orr said it's vital that it's Bettman and Goodenow doing the talking.
"At the end of the day these are the two guys who have to make the deal," Orr said. "You can have other people from the league and the Players' Association talking to each other but everything runs through Gary and Bob, so they might as well sit down and get it going. If they don't start talking soon, we lose the season. I know there are lots of owners and lots of players who don't want that to happen so it's up to them to speak up before it's too late. We're running out of time."
Cheers,
Aquaman
TSN.ca Staff
10/19/2004
If Gary Bettman and Bob Goodenow won't go to the negotiating table on their own, it's time their respective constituents forced them to sit down with each other.
That's the opinion of hockey legend Bobby Orr, who is now in the player agent business.
"The time has come for the owners and players to let their feelings be known to Gary and Bob," Orr told TSN in a telephone interview. "Neither one of them wants to be the first one to call the other because they think it's a sign of weakness. Well, I hate to think we are going to lose an NHL season because these two guys are afraid of looking weak.
"The owners have to make Gary sit down with Bob and the players have to make Bob sit down with Gary. If they don't get in a room and start a dialogue, nothing is going to happen. If you talk to people on both sides, they will tell you there is a deal to be made. But in order for the deal to be made, they have to be in the same room. They have to start talking."
And Orr said it's vital that it's Bettman and Goodenow doing the talking.
"At the end of the day these are the two guys who have to make the deal," Orr said. "You can have other people from the league and the Players' Association talking to each other but everything runs through Gary and Bob, so they might as well sit down and get it going. If they don't start talking soon, we lose the season. I know there are lots of owners and lots of players who don't want that to happen so it's up to them to speak up before it's too late. We're running out of time."
Cheers,
Aquaman
Sabres to issue layoff notices
Associated Press
10/19/2004
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) - The Buffalo Sabres will lay off about 25 employees by the end of November if there is no resolution to the month-old NHL labour dispute.
Layoff notices were issued last Friday, and the team confirmed the news in a statement released this week, saying the decision was made "in response to the current uncertainty."
The Sabres did not identify which employees or departments were affected. The layoffs will leave the team with about half of its normal 150 full-time staff. Anticipating a potential dispute, the Sabres have cut dozens of jobs through attrition since last spring.
The NHL regular season, which was scheduled to start last week, has been disrupted since the league locked out its players Sept. 15 following the expiration of the collective bargaining agreement.
Cheers,
Aquaman
Associated Press
10/19/2004
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) - The Buffalo Sabres will lay off about 25 employees by the end of November if there is no resolution to the month-old NHL labour dispute.
Layoff notices were issued last Friday, and the team confirmed the news in a statement released this week, saying the decision was made "in response to the current uncertainty."
The Sabres did not identify which employees or departments were affected. The layoffs will leave the team with about half of its normal 150 full-time staff. Anticipating a potential dispute, the Sabres have cut dozens of jobs through attrition since last spring.
The NHL regular season, which was scheduled to start last week, has been disrupted since the league locked out its players Sept. 15 following the expiration of the collective bargaining agreement.
Cheers,
Aquaman
NHL escalates cancellation schedule
TSN.ca Staff
10/19/2004
Another two weeks and more than 100 games of the 2004-05 regular season have just been lopped off by the NHL lockout.
TSN has learned that the NHL has increased its advance cancellation rollout from 30 days to 45 days and yesterday sent a memo detailing that to all 30 teams.
Club team sources told TSN the reason for adding 15 days to the rollout is to permit NHL buildings more time to acquire other events to fill the dark nights, but it's also clearly an attempt by the league to turn up the heat on the NHL Players' Association.
Yesterday's memo means the players just lost another pay cheque.
And while no one, except the league, knows the precise date when the entire season will be lost, it is now two weeks sooner than it was before the memo was issued to the clubs on Monday.
Here's how the rollout works:
Before Monday's memo, all scheduled games within a 30-day period were automatically cancelled, which included all games up to and including those on Nov. 17, or the first 232 games of the regular season. Upon receipt of the memo, an additional 15 days and more than 100 games were automatically cancelled. As of yesterday, games through Dec. 2, or the first 334 games of the season, have been cancelled.
And with each passing day, that number grows. As of today, for example, all games through Dec. 3, or the first 340 games of the season, have been cancelled.
Conventional wisdom seems to be that in order to play a meaningful regular season (i.e. 40-plus games per team), games would have to resume by no later than mid-to-late January, but there would have to be a training camp of at least a week or two.
It's just a guess, but it would appear that if there's no agreement reached between the NHL and the NHL Players' Association on a new collective bargaining agreement by Dec. 1, the season is likely to be cancelled. The chances of an agreement being reached by that time are astronomically bad. The two sides aren't even talking with each camp completely polarized on the issue of cost certainty or a salary cap.
Cheers,
Aquaman
TSN.ca Staff
10/19/2004
Another two weeks and more than 100 games of the 2004-05 regular season have just been lopped off by the NHL lockout.
TSN has learned that the NHL has increased its advance cancellation rollout from 30 days to 45 days and yesterday sent a memo detailing that to all 30 teams.
Club team sources told TSN the reason for adding 15 days to the rollout is to permit NHL buildings more time to acquire other events to fill the dark nights, but it's also clearly an attempt by the league to turn up the heat on the NHL Players' Association.
Yesterday's memo means the players just lost another pay cheque.
And while no one, except the league, knows the precise date when the entire season will be lost, it is now two weeks sooner than it was before the memo was issued to the clubs on Monday.
Here's how the rollout works:
Before Monday's memo, all scheduled games within a 30-day period were automatically cancelled, which included all games up to and including those on Nov. 17, or the first 232 games of the regular season. Upon receipt of the memo, an additional 15 days and more than 100 games were automatically cancelled. As of yesterday, games through Dec. 2, or the first 334 games of the season, have been cancelled.
And with each passing day, that number grows. As of today, for example, all games through Dec. 3, or the first 340 games of the season, have been cancelled.
Conventional wisdom seems to be that in order to play a meaningful regular season (i.e. 40-plus games per team), games would have to resume by no later than mid-to-late January, but there would have to be a training camp of at least a week or two.
It's just a guess, but it would appear that if there's no agreement reached between the NHL and the NHL Players' Association on a new collective bargaining agreement by Dec. 1, the season is likely to be cancelled. The chances of an agreement being reached by that time are astronomically bad. The two sides aren't even talking with each camp completely polarized on the issue of cost certainty or a salary cap.
Cheers,
Aquaman
Levitt: Get back to the bargaining table
TSN.ca Staff
10/21/2004
The man who painted a bleak financial picture of the National Hockey League says it's time both sides in the labour dispute sit down and work out a new collective bargaining agreement.
Arthur Levitt, who concluded last February that NHL teams lost $273-million the previous season, says he's baffled by what he calls an "endless pirouette around the issues" by both NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and NHLPA boss Bob Goodenow.
The union has disputed some of Levitt's findings, which concluded that the sport was "on a treadmill to obscurity" unless changes are made.
"Arguing about the accuracy of the report, whether the numbers may or may not be reliable, may just be a diversion," Levitt tells the Los Angeles Times, adding he offered to go over the numbers with union leaders.
"They say they see no purpose to a meeting. All this time is being spent on challenging numbers while the clock is running out."
While he offered no suggestions on how to get talks restarted, Levitt says both sides need to avoid certain "buzzwords" if they hope to achieve any kind of success.
"Don't talk [salary] caps because that closes down the discussion," said Levitt. "It is pretty obvious what has to be done and there are a limited number of ways to do it."
The two sides have not conducted any meaningful talks since the NHL locked out the players on September 16.
Cheers,
Aquaman
TSN.ca Staff
10/21/2004
The man who painted a bleak financial picture of the National Hockey League says it's time both sides in the labour dispute sit down and work out a new collective bargaining agreement.
Arthur Levitt, who concluded last February that NHL teams lost $273-million the previous season, says he's baffled by what he calls an "endless pirouette around the issues" by both NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and NHLPA boss Bob Goodenow.
The union has disputed some of Levitt's findings, which concluded that the sport was "on a treadmill to obscurity" unless changes are made.
"Arguing about the accuracy of the report, whether the numbers may or may not be reliable, may just be a diversion," Levitt tells the Los Angeles Times, adding he offered to go over the numbers with union leaders.
"They say they see no purpose to a meeting. All this time is being spent on challenging numbers while the clock is running out."
While he offered no suggestions on how to get talks restarted, Levitt says both sides need to avoid certain "buzzwords" if they hope to achieve any kind of success.
"Don't talk [salary] caps because that closes down the discussion," said Levitt. "It is pretty obvious what has to be done and there are a limited number of ways to do it."
The two sides have not conducted any meaningful talks since the NHL locked out the players on September 16.
Cheers,
Aquaman
NHLPA to meet with player reps Nov. 2
Canadian Press
10/21/2004
TORONTO (CP) - It's time to rally the troops.
The NHL Players' Association has decided to bring players reps from all 30 teams together to update them on the labour dispute.
``The NHLPA has scheduled a meeting with all player representatives on Nov. 2 in Toronto as part of our ongoing information updates during the owners' lockout,'' senior director Ted Saskin said Thursday.
Players are given daily updates through a secure website but this will be a chance for the 30 reps to hear directly from executive director Bob Goodenow and then relay the latest to their teammates. The third of 13 paycheques goes by the wayside Nov. 1 so players may need to be reassured of the union's plan of attack.
Calgary Flames defenceman Andrew Ference, for one, seems to need some direction. He blasted both sides of the labour dispute Tuesday for not sitting down and talking.
The NHLPA and NHL have not held bargaining talks since Sept. 9, when the league rejected the union's last luxury-tax based proposal.
On Monday, the NHL instructed all 30 clubs to book events in their buildings 45 days in advance, cancelling all NHL games previously scheduled for that time period. That means, as of Thursday, all games through Dec. 5 had gone by the wayside, 355 in total from the 1,230 originally slated for the 2004-05 season.
It's obviously a strategy that seems designed to put more pressure on the players to cave in and accept a new system that guarantees ``cost certainty'' for the owners. The NHL doesn't seem willing to compromise from their salary cap position any time soon.
The NHLPA's executive committee consists of president Trevor Linden, and vice-presidents Bob Boughner, Vincent Damphousse, Daniel Alfredsson, Bill Guerin, Trent Klatt and Arturs Irbe.
Meanwhile, not all NHL players are going without paycheques. Officially, there are 30 players still getting paid as they recover from injuries suffered last season, as per the rules of the old collective bargaining agreement. The wounded include Ed Jovanovski of the Vancouver Canucks, Saku Koivu of the Montreal Canadiens, Zdeno Chara and Wade Redden of the Ottawa Senators, Jordan Leopold of the Calgary Flames and Alex Mogilny and Ed Belfour of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The majority of the 30 players are expected to be healed by early December and therefore off the books.
Cheers,
Aquaman
Canadian Press
10/21/2004
TORONTO (CP) - It's time to rally the troops.
The NHL Players' Association has decided to bring players reps from all 30 teams together to update them on the labour dispute.
``The NHLPA has scheduled a meeting with all player representatives on Nov. 2 in Toronto as part of our ongoing information updates during the owners' lockout,'' senior director Ted Saskin said Thursday.
Players are given daily updates through a secure website but this will be a chance for the 30 reps to hear directly from executive director Bob Goodenow and then relay the latest to their teammates. The third of 13 paycheques goes by the wayside Nov. 1 so players may need to be reassured of the union's plan of attack.
Calgary Flames defenceman Andrew Ference, for one, seems to need some direction. He blasted both sides of the labour dispute Tuesday for not sitting down and talking.
The NHLPA and NHL have not held bargaining talks since Sept. 9, when the league rejected the union's last luxury-tax based proposal.
On Monday, the NHL instructed all 30 clubs to book events in their buildings 45 days in advance, cancelling all NHL games previously scheduled for that time period. That means, as of Thursday, all games through Dec. 5 had gone by the wayside, 355 in total from the 1,230 originally slated for the 2004-05 season.
It's obviously a strategy that seems designed to put more pressure on the players to cave in and accept a new system that guarantees ``cost certainty'' for the owners. The NHL doesn't seem willing to compromise from their salary cap position any time soon.
The NHLPA's executive committee consists of president Trevor Linden, and vice-presidents Bob Boughner, Vincent Damphousse, Daniel Alfredsson, Bill Guerin, Trent Klatt and Arturs Irbe.
Meanwhile, not all NHL players are going without paycheques. Officially, there are 30 players still getting paid as they recover from injuries suffered last season, as per the rules of the old collective bargaining agreement. The wounded include Ed Jovanovski of the Vancouver Canucks, Saku Koivu of the Montreal Canadiens, Zdeno Chara and Wade Redden of the Ottawa Senators, Jordan Leopold of the Calgary Flames and Alex Mogilny and Ed Belfour of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The majority of the 30 players are expected to be healed by early December and therefore off the books.
Cheers,
Aquaman
Roenick injury case should be interesting
TSN.ca Staff
10/21/2004
Injuries have not become the lightning rod of lockout controversy some thought they might, but it will be interesting to see if that changes on Thursday when Jeremy Roenick's status with the Philadelphia Flyers is determined.
The only NHL players receiving their NHL cheques during the lockout are those who are deemed by the club to be injured. Roenick has maintained he's still suffering from post-concussion syndrome and deserves to be classified as injured. A few weeks ago, Flyer general manager Bob Clarke took issue with that and it looked as though it was going to be a nasty confrontation, but now both parties are talking a lot more conciliatory.
Roenick apologized to Clarke for some of the incendiary comments he made and on Wednesday, Clarke said Roenick will be paid if the doctors say he's injured. The medical reports, including one from concussion specialist Dr. Karen Johnston of Montreal, will be reviewed by the Flyers and Roenick on Thursday in Philadelphia. Mind you, as of Wednesday, Clarke said the flyers' only injured player is goalie Sean Burke, who is recovering from hip surgery.
If Roenick is deemed to be injured, he will be the 30th NHL player in that category, a list that includes some prominent players on Canadian-based teams. The Toronto Maple Leafs lead the way in that category with Ed Belfour, Owen Nolan and Alexander Mogilny all recovering from off-season surgery.
The Montreal Canadiens are paying Saku Koivu, Mike Komisarek and Steve Begin while the Ottawa Senators are currently responsible for Zdeno Chara and Wade Redden.
Vancouver has Ed Jovanovski, Calgary has Matthew Lombardi and Jordan Leopold while Edmonton's lone injured player is Marty Reasoner.
Some other prominent injured players are Colorado's Adam Foote, Detroit's Jiri Fischer, Chicago's Tuomo Ruttu and Florida's Nathan Horton, but the list of 29 is more likely to shrink than expand. As soon as players are deemed fit to play, even though there are no NHL games to be played, they come off the injured list and become un-paid, locked out players, just like their brethren.
There are still bound to be some controversies. Minnesota tough guy Matt Johnston is disputing his status with the wild and there may be more instances like that before all is said and done.
Cheers,
Aquaman
TSN.ca Staff
10/21/2004
Injuries have not become the lightning rod of lockout controversy some thought they might, but it will be interesting to see if that changes on Thursday when Jeremy Roenick's status with the Philadelphia Flyers is determined.
The only NHL players receiving their NHL cheques during the lockout are those who are deemed by the club to be injured. Roenick has maintained he's still suffering from post-concussion syndrome and deserves to be classified as injured. A few weeks ago, Flyer general manager Bob Clarke took issue with that and it looked as though it was going to be a nasty confrontation, but now both parties are talking a lot more conciliatory.
Roenick apologized to Clarke for some of the incendiary comments he made and on Wednesday, Clarke said Roenick will be paid if the doctors say he's injured. The medical reports, including one from concussion specialist Dr. Karen Johnston of Montreal, will be reviewed by the Flyers and Roenick on Thursday in Philadelphia. Mind you, as of Wednesday, Clarke said the flyers' only injured player is goalie Sean Burke, who is recovering from hip surgery.
If Roenick is deemed to be injured, he will be the 30th NHL player in that category, a list that includes some prominent players on Canadian-based teams. The Toronto Maple Leafs lead the way in that category with Ed Belfour, Owen Nolan and Alexander Mogilny all recovering from off-season surgery.
The Montreal Canadiens are paying Saku Koivu, Mike Komisarek and Steve Begin while the Ottawa Senators are currently responsible for Zdeno Chara and Wade Redden.
Vancouver has Ed Jovanovski, Calgary has Matthew Lombardi and Jordan Leopold while Edmonton's lone injured player is Marty Reasoner.
Some other prominent injured players are Colorado's Adam Foote, Detroit's Jiri Fischer, Chicago's Tuomo Ruttu and Florida's Nathan Horton, but the list of 29 is more likely to shrink than expand. As soon as players are deemed fit to play, even though there are no NHL games to be played, they come off the injured list and become un-paid, locked out players, just like their brethren.
There are still bound to be some controversies. Minnesota tough guy Matt Johnston is disputing his status with the wild and there may be more instances like that before all is said and done.
Cheers,
Aquaman
Former NHL owner Gordon weighs in
TSN.ca Staff with ESPN.com files
10/22/2004
The Hartford Whalers have been seven years removed from the National Hockey League, and it didn't take long for former owner Richard Gordon to realize when the sport wouldn't be profitable for him.
Though the league's current owners aren't permitted to discuss the lockout and its issues, Gordon - who sold the team to Detroit businessman Peter Karmanos for $47.5 million in 1994 - told ESPN.com earlier this week that he saw the writing on the wall for the business of hockey after a meeting with NHLPA Executive Director Bob Goodenow.
"Many years I ago, I met Bob Goodenow," he told ESPN's John Buccigross.
"I said, 'You know, Bob, things aren't going well. We're not making any money and we have no chance.' He said that was tough. That if you go out someone else will take it. That's your problem. That's Bob Goodenow's attitude. And you know what? That's when I sold."
Gordon also backed the argument from the league and the owners they are losing money and they will lose less with the lockout. "There is no question the owners are bleeding," he added. "I gave them all my books for crying out loud. When Peter Karmanos, who I'm not a big fan of, says the Hurricanes will lose less money not playing he is absolutely telling the truth."
The NHL and the Players Association haven't met or spoken since their last session in Toronto on Sept. 9 - one week before the lockout was imposed.
While no talks are currently scheduled, Gordon said that it is up to the owners and players themselves - not Goodenow and NHL commissioner Gary Bettman - to get something done.
"He (Bettman) doesn't play hockey," said Gordon. "Whatever he says, I don't think it means anything. The issue is the owners. They need to come up with a plan that enables them to make a living and the players to make a living."
Gordon purchased the Whalers with partner Donald Conrad in 1988 and put it back on the seller's block just six years later. The team was relocated to Carolina in 1997. "I bought them because the league was stabilized, I like hockey, and I had an investment in downtown Hartford," he explained.
"There was a commonality of interest between players and owners. I sold them when I met Bob Goodenow. I was convinced he would destroy the league."
In the meantime, the NHL Players' Association has decided to bring players reps from all 30 teams together on Nov. 2 to update them on the labour dispute. The news comes just days after the league instructed all 30 clubs to book events in their buildings 45 days in advance, cancelling all NHL games previously scheduled for that time period.
"I don't think they will get the season in," said Gordon. "I think the problem is going to be Goodenow is going to take it right to the wall. They did that in 1995. But I think now it is so severe and so much money is at stake that Goodenow has pushed them too far and the owners have no choice. It's very difficult to negotiate when you have no choice. It's simple math. You know how many seats are in the building. You know concessions. You know advertising. Everything is available. There are no hidden secrets."
Cheers,
Aquaman
TSN.ca Staff with ESPN.com files
10/22/2004
The Hartford Whalers have been seven years removed from the National Hockey League, and it didn't take long for former owner Richard Gordon to realize when the sport wouldn't be profitable for him.
Though the league's current owners aren't permitted to discuss the lockout and its issues, Gordon - who sold the team to Detroit businessman Peter Karmanos for $47.5 million in 1994 - told ESPN.com earlier this week that he saw the writing on the wall for the business of hockey after a meeting with NHLPA Executive Director Bob Goodenow.
"Many years I ago, I met Bob Goodenow," he told ESPN's John Buccigross.
"I said, 'You know, Bob, things aren't going well. We're not making any money and we have no chance.' He said that was tough. That if you go out someone else will take it. That's your problem. That's Bob Goodenow's attitude. And you know what? That's when I sold."
Gordon also backed the argument from the league and the owners they are losing money and they will lose less with the lockout. "There is no question the owners are bleeding," he added. "I gave them all my books for crying out loud. When Peter Karmanos, who I'm not a big fan of, says the Hurricanes will lose less money not playing he is absolutely telling the truth."
The NHL and the Players Association haven't met or spoken since their last session in Toronto on Sept. 9 - one week before the lockout was imposed.
While no talks are currently scheduled, Gordon said that it is up to the owners and players themselves - not Goodenow and NHL commissioner Gary Bettman - to get something done.
"He (Bettman) doesn't play hockey," said Gordon. "Whatever he says, I don't think it means anything. The issue is the owners. They need to come up with a plan that enables them to make a living and the players to make a living."
Gordon purchased the Whalers with partner Donald Conrad in 1988 and put it back on the seller's block just six years later. The team was relocated to Carolina in 1997. "I bought them because the league was stabilized, I like hockey, and I had an investment in downtown Hartford," he explained.
"There was a commonality of interest between players and owners. I sold them when I met Bob Goodenow. I was convinced he would destroy the league."
In the meantime, the NHL Players' Association has decided to bring players reps from all 30 teams together on Nov. 2 to update them on the labour dispute. The news comes just days after the league instructed all 30 clubs to book events in their buildings 45 days in advance, cancelling all NHL games previously scheduled for that time period.
"I don't think they will get the season in," said Gordon. "I think the problem is going to be Goodenow is going to take it right to the wall. They did that in 1995. But I think now it is so severe and so much money is at stake that Goodenow has pushed them too far and the owners have no choice. It's very difficult to negotiate when you have no choice. It's simple math. You know how many seats are in the building. You know concessions. You know advertising. Everything is available. There are no hidden secrets."
Cheers,
Aquaman
McKenzie: Interesting, but not enough
TSN.ca Staff
10/22/2004
It's been an interesting week on the lockout front -- Juraj Kolnik's comments and his subsequent backtrack, the NHL cancellation rollout going from 30 to 45 days, Bobby Orr urging players and owners to turn up the heat on Bob Goodenow and Gary Bettman, Andrew Ference speaking out and even Arthur Levitt chiming in with his views on how to get past the stalemate.
But the important question is this: are we seeing any actual movement from either side? Unfortunately, no. Lots of light this week, no heat. Or so it would seem.
The two sides appear as entrenched as ever.
Someone could try to make the case that the NHLPA calling its 30 player reps into Toronto for a Nov. 2 meeting is evidence something is happening, but that meeting is likely to be more about solidarity and hanging tough than it is a softening in the union position.
Likewise, even though Mario Lemieux is said to be still skating hard three or four times a week, there is nothing to indicate NHL owners are getting antsy and giving Bettman direction to back off on the quest for cost certainty.
Oh, there are the usual rumbles out there. The latest is that the players are preparing an offer for the league to consider, a luxury tax proposal with a little more bite than the last one. Whether that's true remains to be seen, but even if it is true, it's more likely to generate positive p.r. for the p.a. than it is to be received by the league as a catalyst for settlement.
And while there has been plenty of talk about arbitration or mediation, neither side wants it, neither side is obliged to accept it and it's not going to happen. And on the off chance that it does, scratch the much touted Paul Beeston as a candidate for arbitrator since he's regarded as a friend of Goodenow's and a vocal critic of Bettman's.
All in all, an interesting week. But at this point, interesting isn't getting the job done.
Cheers,
Aquaman
TSN.ca Staff
10/22/2004
It's been an interesting week on the lockout front -- Juraj Kolnik's comments and his subsequent backtrack, the NHL cancellation rollout going from 30 to 45 days, Bobby Orr urging players and owners to turn up the heat on Bob Goodenow and Gary Bettman, Andrew Ference speaking out and even Arthur Levitt chiming in with his views on how to get past the stalemate.
But the important question is this: are we seeing any actual movement from either side? Unfortunately, no. Lots of light this week, no heat. Or so it would seem.
The two sides appear as entrenched as ever.
Someone could try to make the case that the NHLPA calling its 30 player reps into Toronto for a Nov. 2 meeting is evidence something is happening, but that meeting is likely to be more about solidarity and hanging tough than it is a softening in the union position.
Likewise, even though Mario Lemieux is said to be still skating hard three or four times a week, there is nothing to indicate NHL owners are getting antsy and giving Bettman direction to back off on the quest for cost certainty.
Oh, there are the usual rumbles out there. The latest is that the players are preparing an offer for the league to consider, a luxury tax proposal with a little more bite than the last one. Whether that's true remains to be seen, but even if it is true, it's more likely to generate positive p.r. for the p.a. than it is to be received by the league as a catalyst for settlement.
And while there has been plenty of talk about arbitration or mediation, neither side wants it, neither side is obliged to accept it and it's not going to happen. And on the off chance that it does, scratch the much touted Paul Beeston as a candidate for arbitrator since he's regarded as a friend of Goodenow's and a vocal critic of Bettman's.
All in all, an interesting week. But at this point, interesting isn't getting the job done.
Cheers,
Aquaman
Report: Brodeur unhappy with league
TSN.ca Staff
10/24/2004
Add Martin Brodeur's name to the list of players unhappy with Gary Bettman and the National Hockey League.
According to the New York Post, the New Jersey Devils goaltender is not expecting to be playing in the near future but it's the lack of negotiation on the part of the league that has him disappointed.
"The league is almost treating us like kids. It's like they're saying, 'We made an offer, now go and think about it,' " Brodeur told the newspaper. "It's really disappointing that it's in a 'reflection period.' It's not fair that they don't try harder. We, as players, made a good effort with the concessions we gave. If [the sides] started talking, something might happen."
Brodeur says the feeling is different among the players this time around, compared to the last work stoppage in 1994.
"It's funny," Brodeur said. "We've started skating together, five or six of us here in New Jersey. In '94, there were tons of guys here, but this time, there's nobody here. Back then, nobody knew what was going to happen, but now, it's like nobody expects this to end soon."
The future Hall-of-Famer also feels the professional leagues that have salary caps tend to shift the focus from the players to the coaches.
"Having those restrictions in football and basketball, the coaches there mean more than the players do, and I don't think the fans go to watch coaches," Brodeur said.
Brodeur, who is scheduled to make $7 million this season, says more players are headed to Europe in the coming weeks. There are currently more than 200 players employed in European leagues.
Cheers,
Aquaman
TSN.ca Staff
10/24/2004
Add Martin Brodeur's name to the list of players unhappy with Gary Bettman and the National Hockey League.
According to the New York Post, the New Jersey Devils goaltender is not expecting to be playing in the near future but it's the lack of negotiation on the part of the league that has him disappointed.
"The league is almost treating us like kids. It's like they're saying, 'We made an offer, now go and think about it,' " Brodeur told the newspaper. "It's really disappointing that it's in a 'reflection period.' It's not fair that they don't try harder. We, as players, made a good effort with the concessions we gave. If [the sides] started talking, something might happen."
Brodeur says the feeling is different among the players this time around, compared to the last work stoppage in 1994.
"It's funny," Brodeur said. "We've started skating together, five or six of us here in New Jersey. In '94, there were tons of guys here, but this time, there's nobody here. Back then, nobody knew what was going to happen, but now, it's like nobody expects this to end soon."
The future Hall-of-Famer also feels the professional leagues that have salary caps tend to shift the focus from the players to the coaches.
"Having those restrictions in football and basketball, the coaches there mean more than the players do, and I don't think the fans go to watch coaches," Brodeur said.
Brodeur, who is scheduled to make $7 million this season, says more players are headed to Europe in the coming weeks. There are currently more than 200 players employed in European leagues.
Cheers,
Aquaman
Kornheiser & Wilbon's lockout thoughts
TSN.ca Staff with ESPN files
10/26/2004
While they're not talking, the National Hockey League and NHL Players' Association are spending much of their time working on damage control in Canada because the fans are ticked off.
But the only thing worse than angry fans, are apathetic fans. Right now, that seems to be the case with our neighbors in the United States.
That being said, who better to debate the fate of the league and its players south of the border than Pardon The Interruption's Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon?
Here's their take on the effect of the lockout in a feature done exclusively for TSN. To watch Kornheiser and Wilbon's debate in its entirety, click here.
ESPN Pardon The Interruption is a live and provocative show devoted exclusively to sports opinions and headline issues, each weekday at 5:30pm et/2:30pm pt on TSN. The 30-minute program originates from Washington, D.C. and features Washington Post columnists Tony Kornheiser and Mike Wilbon.
They address a variety of issues each program, which includes in-studio and out-of-studio contributors. Wilbon and Kornheiser duke it out on PTI each weekday.
The Hosts:
Tony Kornheiser - sportswriter, radio host, syndicated columnist, Washington Post humorist and author - began his career at Newsday in New York followed by a stint at the New York Times. He has been with the Washington Post since 1979, as a sports columnist there since 1984, and in 1990, began writing a regular column in the Washington Posts Sunday Style section. He joined ESPN Radio in November 1997 as host of the Tony Kornheiser Show, which premiered Jan. 5, 1998.
Michael Wilbon became a fulltime columnist for The Washington Post in 1990 and has developed a reputation for offering commentary on wide-ranging issues of the day as they relate to sports. He came to the Post in 1980, and has covered Howard University, Georgetown University, the University of Maryland, the Baltimore Orioles, national college sports and the NFL before being named a columnist in 1990.
Cheers,
Aquaman
TSN.ca Staff with ESPN files
10/26/2004
While they're not talking, the National Hockey League and NHL Players' Association are spending much of their time working on damage control in Canada because the fans are ticked off.
But the only thing worse than angry fans, are apathetic fans. Right now, that seems to be the case with our neighbors in the United States.
That being said, who better to debate the fate of the league and its players south of the border than Pardon The Interruption's Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon?
Here's their take on the effect of the lockout in a feature done exclusively for TSN. To watch Kornheiser and Wilbon's debate in its entirety, click here.
ESPN Pardon The Interruption is a live and provocative show devoted exclusively to sports opinions and headline issues, each weekday at 5:30pm et/2:30pm pt on TSN. The 30-minute program originates from Washington, D.C. and features Washington Post columnists Tony Kornheiser and Mike Wilbon.
They address a variety of issues each program, which includes in-studio and out-of-studio contributors. Wilbon and Kornheiser duke it out on PTI each weekday.
The Hosts:
Tony Kornheiser - sportswriter, radio host, syndicated columnist, Washington Post humorist and author - began his career at Newsday in New York followed by a stint at the New York Times. He has been with the Washington Post since 1979, as a sports columnist there since 1984, and in 1990, began writing a regular column in the Washington Posts Sunday Style section. He joined ESPN Radio in November 1997 as host of the Tony Kornheiser Show, which premiered Jan. 5, 1998.
Michael Wilbon became a fulltime columnist for The Washington Post in 1990 and has developed a reputation for offering commentary on wide-ranging issues of the day as they relate to sports. He came to the Post in 1980, and has covered Howard University, Georgetown University, the University of Maryland, the Baltimore Orioles, national college sports and the NFL before being named a columnist in 1990.
Cheers,
Aquaman
McKenzie: World Stars tour of Europe
TSN.ca Staff
10/25/2004
The International Management Group is about a week away from confirming its World Stars tour of Europe, with a floating roster of about 25 big-name NHL players visiting at least nine cities in a 17-day barnstorming in December.
All that remains for the tour to become reality is to tie up a few loose contractual ends with some of the European venues, which now tentatively include Riga in Latvia, Moscow and St. Petersburg in Russia, Bratislava in Slovakia, Oslo in Norway and three Swedish dates -- Karlstad, Linkoping and Jonkoping.
There is still a chance the tour could be rolled out to include Bern in Switzerland, Krakow in Poland and Prague in the Czech Republic.
The World Stars, as the team will be called, won't lack for star power. While the roster is still a work in progress, those who are expected to participate in some of the games include: netminder Martin Brodeur; defencemen Rob Blake, Robyn Regher, Chris Chelios, Sergei Gonchar and Mattias Ohlund; as well as forwards Mats Sundin, Daniel Alfredsson, Shane Doan, Robert Lang, Petr Sykora, Joe Thornton, Rick Nash, Daniel Briere and Dany Heatley, amongst others.
Many of these players are already playing overseas, but will take advantage of breaks in their schedule to play in some World Stars' games.
The tour will run from December 5th to December 22nd and more often than not, the World Stars will be playing all-star teams, although in Sweden and Latvia the World Stars will be playing club teams.
The tour will have a charitable component to it. Players will not be paid per se, but if the tour turns a profit, the players may share in that. As you would expect, expenses are considerable for this type of venture, not the least of which is insurance for the players and the chartering of a jet. IMG is trying to put together North American television coverage of the tour, arranging for outlets here to pick up feeds being supplied the host teams. If no North American outlets provide the games, IMG is exploring the possibility of a pay-per-view package.
The formal announcement is expected in the first week of November, but there'll be no green light given on this project until all the contracts with the venues are signed.
Cheers,
Aquaman
TSN.ca Staff
10/25/2004
The International Management Group is about a week away from confirming its World Stars tour of Europe, with a floating roster of about 25 big-name NHL players visiting at least nine cities in a 17-day barnstorming in December.
All that remains for the tour to become reality is to tie up a few loose contractual ends with some of the European venues, which now tentatively include Riga in Latvia, Moscow and St. Petersburg in Russia, Bratislava in Slovakia, Oslo in Norway and three Swedish dates -- Karlstad, Linkoping and Jonkoping.
There is still a chance the tour could be rolled out to include Bern in Switzerland, Krakow in Poland and Prague in the Czech Republic.
The World Stars, as the team will be called, won't lack for star power. While the roster is still a work in progress, those who are expected to participate in some of the games include: netminder Martin Brodeur; defencemen Rob Blake, Robyn Regher, Chris Chelios, Sergei Gonchar and Mattias Ohlund; as well as forwards Mats Sundin, Daniel Alfredsson, Shane Doan, Robert Lang, Petr Sykora, Joe Thornton, Rick Nash, Daniel Briere and Dany Heatley, amongst others.
Many of these players are already playing overseas, but will take advantage of breaks in their schedule to play in some World Stars' games.
The tour will run from December 5th to December 22nd and more often than not, the World Stars will be playing all-star teams, although in Sweden and Latvia the World Stars will be playing club teams.
The tour will have a charitable component to it. Players will not be paid per se, but if the tour turns a profit, the players may share in that. As you would expect, expenses are considerable for this type of venture, not the least of which is insurance for the players and the chartering of a jet. IMG is trying to put together North American television coverage of the tour, arranging for outlets here to pick up feeds being supplied the host teams. If no North American outlets provide the games, IMG is exploring the possibility of a pay-per-view package.
The formal announcement is expected in the first week of November, but there'll be no green light given on this project until all the contracts with the venues are signed.
Cheers,
Aquaman
TRENDING THREADS
-
Discussion Zen 5 Speculation (EPYC Turin and Strix Point/Granite Ridge - Ryzen 9000)- Started by DisEnchantment
- Replies: 25K
-
Discussion Intel Meteor, Arrow, Lunar & Panther Lakes + WCL Discussion Threads
- Started by Tigerick
- Replies: 25K
-
-
-
