NHL, the time is now

By John Chagaris, College AP
February 15, 2005

Hamden, CT (Boston, Ma) – Congratulations, Hockey is back at the Fleet Center in Boston, Mass. If for a second you thought I was talking about the Bruins then you are dead wrong. Last night at the Fleet Center the Northeastern Huskies took on the Boston University Terriers in a classic overtime game. Huskies v. Terriers, and no for those people that are convinced that the Westminster Dog Show is actually a sporting event this was not the same event. The Terriers lived up to the hype playing in the BU Invite, as it is affectionately called in Boston, to knock off the Huskies. This game was one that should never have gone into overtime and if it was not for Jared Mudryk’s goal with a few minutes left in regulation. Then in true Boston fashion a Bourque scored the game winning goal, no not Ray Borque, Chris Bourque.

"He's done that so many times in this building and the (Boston) Garden, and I don't think I can compare," Chris Bourque said of his father. "It's just really cool to see his jersey in the rafters and to score the overtime winner."

NHL Lockout
Now onto the subject which everybody wants to discuss and it is the fate of the No Hope League, also known as the National Hockey League. Already falling from the ranks of the “Big Four”, hockey continues to lose fans each day, which is one of the reasons the Players Union has accepted a salary cap. Great this lockout is over right? Well not exactly, the salary cap is still twelve million dollars too high according to the owners.

``It is indeed unfortunate that with the major steps taken by both sides we were unable to build enough momentum to reach an agreement,'' players' association senior director Ted Saskin said.

Unfortunate is an understatement. We are talking about twelve million dollars, less than what Alex Rodriguez makes in a season ($22 million). According to USA Today last season twenty-seven MLB players made more than twelve million. Dodger’s pitcher Darren Dreifort ($12,400,000.00), Diamondback pitcher Randy Johnson ($16,000,000.00), Braves pitcher Mike Hampton ($14,625,000.00), Red Sox pitcher Pedro Martinez ($17,500,000.00), Yankee Pitcher Kevin Brown ($15,714,286.00), Yankee Pitcher Mike Mussina ($16,000,000.00), Cardinals’ Matt Morris ($12,500,000), Rangers’ pitcher Chan Ho Park ($14,000,000.00), Mets’ catcher Mike Piazza ($16,071,429.00), Astros’ first baseman Jeff Bagwell ($16,000,000.00), Dodgers first baseman Shawn Green ($16,666,667.00), Mets first baseman Mo Vaughn ($17,166,667.00), Phillies first baseman Jim Thome ($12,166,667.00), Yankee first baseman Jason Giambi (12,428,571.00), Blue Jays first baseman Carlos Delgado ($19,700,000.00), Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter ($18,600,000.00), Cardinals outfielder Larry Walker ($12,666,667.00), Astros outfielder Richard Hidalgo ($12,500,000.00), Braves outfielder Andruw Jones ($12,500,000.00), Braves outfielder Chipper Jones ($15,333,333.00), Red Sox outfielder and World Series MVP Manny Ramirez ($22,500,000.00), Cubs outfielder Sammy Sosa ($16,000,000.00), Reds outfielder Ken Griffey Junior ($12,500,000.00), Yankees outfielder Gary Sheffield ($13,000,000.00), Yankees outfielder Bernie Williams ($12,357,143.00), Giants’ outfielder Barry Bonds ($18,000,000.00). Yes that was a very long list but we are only talking twelve million to save a season and a dying league.

``We probably could've gotten this thing done in the summertime,'' Chicago forward Matthew Barnaby said. ``Am I mad, no? I want to get back to work. But at the same time, I'm just a little disappointed that it went this far to play poker and to have someone call your bluff.''

Well I must say that I am happy that Matthew Barnaby is not upset, but what about all fifty-hockey fans across the country. What about the young fans in Pittsburgh who want to see Super Mario just one more time, what about Lord Stanley’s Cup?

``If that's where we were going, I wonder why now,'' said Buffalo Sabres player representative Jay McKee.

Well Jay I do not know if this is new information to you but you are playing in a dying league, and without this salary cap it is dead, and the players are smart enough to realize this.

``There is no question the system has to change,'' said New Jersey Devils president Lou Lamoriello, who took part in earlier negotiating sessions. ``We just have to keep working to find a solution. It's unfortunate we have to come this.
``If the season does end, we can't stop. We have to continue working at this and get it rectified as soon as we possibly can.''
Well Lou, you are correct, we are in day 153 of the NHL lockout and the ball is finally in the owners’ court, not it is time to score the winner to capture the championship.

But who is to blame?
Well this has turned into huge mess and a huge knot that Survivor contestants would not even attempt in an immunity challenge. According to a sports column written by Los Angeles Times columnist Bill Plaschke (http://www.latimes.com/sports/columnists/la-sp-plaschke30jan30,1,237184.column?coll=la-headlines-sports-columnists) the lock out can only be blamed on one group, the players.
“And where do hockey players feel it? Ignoring the nutty passion of a niche sport because they want to make more money than the average guy playing in the Super Bowl?

The NHL players — tap your head twice — have nothing up there.

Their season has been lost, and it's their fault. Their sport has been crushed, and it's their footprints.”
Bill might be onto something here if the players union did not accept a salary cap, I have always and will always back the players because they are lowest paid athletes in the big four, and twelve million is not a lot of money to these owners, hockey players average $1.8 million dollars a season.
“Completely misjudging the market, hockey players gave America the chance to learn to live without them,” Bill wrote.
But Bill, the problem is that these players are going to make money anyway by going to Europe and playing in those leagues, by playing in the AHL, the players do not need the owners, the owners need the players.
“The players are demanding Fortune 500 salaries when, in fact, they work in a boutique.

The hottest thing on ice has become the Arena Football League on ice.

When the NHL finally does come back to work, the damage wrought will reduce its place on the American sports landscape to somewhere alongside the WNBA,” Bill added.
And Fortune 500 salaries these men should make when they put their bodies on the line for their owners and fans. Never knowing if your skate is going to get caught in the ice and hyper extending your knee, never knowing if you will get injured in a fight. And how the arena football league can be compared to the NHL is laughable because the arena football league runs up the scoreboard each and every night.

In conclusion I would first like to thank Bill Plaschke for allowing me to use his column, secondly to the NHL owners; since I am one of the fifty NHL fans across the country I am begging you to bring back the NHL and here are a few rule changes I would like to see happen. Rule A, bigger nets. Rule B, smaller goalie pads. Rule C, the red line needs to be eliminated. Rule D, get rid of icing. Rule E, keep the goalie in front of the red line. Rule F, if the game goes into overtime start it with 4 on 4, if it is still tied after 5 minutes make it 3 on 3, and then after 5 more minutes make it a shootout. A part of one of my favorite movies is the Mighty Ducks when they have a shootout to win the championship. These ideas would improve scoring, would make the games more fun to watch, and would draw the fans back. NHL Owners, the ball or should I say puck is on your side of the ice.


Material from the Associated Press, and Bill Plaschke were used in this report.