2012 Lockout Watch

[Z Winged Dangler 2,082]

He's such a prick.

The NHLPA's response might have been more timely had they known the league's offer would be insane and not worth waiting to see before responding.

I agree wholeheartedly that Bettman is a prick, but remember what i was saying about the NHLPA not adding a lot of different issues in their proposal.

From Gary Bettman's statement:

"There's still a wide gap between us with not much time to go," NHL commissioner Gary Bettman told reporters after Wednesday's session. "This is a process that we're going to continue to work hard on. I think there's still a number of issues where we're looking at the world differently."

Bettman says he understands what the NHLPA has put forth, but adds that it isn't a full proposal and he is "disappointed" that he's still waiting for one at this late stage.

I normally don't agree with the Anti-Christ, but I was sort of afraid of this being the answer back from the NHL. The players while being reasonable in their proposal, once again like i said earlier, left out the meat and potatoes of the new CBA. They added jack about contract length and front loading contracts and all that stuff. They want a quick fix and want to play when the scheduled games start, but they need to cover all aspects when they make their counter proposals.

[Z Winged Dangler 2,082]

Fehr had a pretty good followup response, as per Chris Johnston from The Hockey News...

He's got a point. The NHL's first proposal was a bunch of hardball dictator jargen. Not gonna get anywhere when you start by telling the players to give up a large percentage of their salary right off the bat again.

That's how we lost a wholef****** season last time NHL brass!

Negotiation tactics need to be changed a little on both parts. Sit down every 2nd day for 5 hours until a reasonable deal is agreed upon.

[frankgrimes 1,836]

Bettman just stfu you stupid little undersized dwarf. The NHLPA presented a fair offer you on the other hand insulted them with an outrageaus one.

If we lose another season because of you, I hope the owners will get as sick of you as all the fans, players and media already are. Worst commissioner by far.

So a fair offer presented by Fehr oh the irony is still not good enough for you? Guess what the players aren't dumb they wont roll over so you can have your failed franchises and stupid parity going on forever. I am sure Mr. I is sick of you too.

sorry for the rant but this little guy is driving me nuts.

Think the players shouldn't earn what they do? How about having your head down and run into a check from Big John Scott or Steve MacIntyre? Maybe then you'll understand how physical demanding th is sport is. That guy really successfully defines every sterotype of a dwarf, he is the epidome...

Edited August 15, 2012 by frankgrimes

[dirtydangles 1,328]

the players should have low balled them. bettman is acting as if they did anyways and now is gonna want more movement from the nhlpa towards what he would like. whatever concessions the players made over salary should be solidified and they can budge a bit on contract terms for length etc. thats all i can see the players giving up at this point without taking a huge blow.

[frankgrimes 1,836]

the players should have low balled them. bettman is acting as if they did anyways and now is gonna want more movement from the nhlpa towards what he would like. whatever concessions the players made over salary should be solidified and they can budge a bit on contract terms for length etc. thats all i can see the players giving up at this point without taking a huge blow.

well the good thing is, if the dwarf keeps this up there is still enough time to do so. Lets assume the NHL will say "this is not good enough you need to give we can't survive all their BS" why counter with something like:,, Ok you don't like a fair deal how about 75/25 you want to cap the lengh of contracts fine do it at 25 years" it would be hilarious to see the reaction of the NHL to such an offer *gg*

[Super Wing 1]

They better get it sorted soon!

What are the chances of a shortened season?

[BostonBruinsDan1924 53]

Nobody has addressed the issue of front loaded contracts for 10+ years. I think our owners, the O6, should chime in and tell Bettman to shut the hell up since the O6 is the back bone of the NHL. If the NHLPA can pit the small market teams owners against the big market teams owners and watch them bicker among themselves that would be comical to see.

As for owners saying "we don't have enough money"...I don't want to see them crying becasue they can't get to the cap floor let alone sign high quality players. If you have the money to land an elite player then go for it...if you DON'T have the money to land an elite player stop your bitching and move on.

[b.shanafan14 733]

A few quotes from Bettman's response, from THN's "The Stats Guy"...

Not surprising, as I don't think anyone expected the League to accept the PA's first proposal any more than the PA would accept the League's first offer. That said, sure seems like Bettman's trying to angle towards the player's being the ones dragging their feet.

Next meeting is set for one week from today.

Uncle Gary is definitely making it seem like the NHLPA is unorganized and slowing up the show, but luckily, the fans know what's really going on. Honestly, to me, it sounds like Bettman is doing everything he can to get the damn lockout. The things he is saying, between the initial threat and these new quotes, all seem like he is essentially saying:

"Welp, this is taking too long. Lockout."

*new NHLPA proposal*

"Ugh, this isn't working. Lockout."

*new NHLPA concessions*

"...boring. Lockout."

*NHLPA accepts 90% of the original outrageous league demands*

"The players obviously care more about themselves than the fans. Lockout"

Gary negotiates like a little kid playing poker. Makes up the rules, and when anything doesn't work out exactly according to plan, he wants to quit. I'm really interested to see if the owners are honestly stupid and pig-headed enough to take a missed season over another season of record profits.

[haroldsnepsts 4,826]

I agree wholeheartedly that Bettman is a prick, but remember what i was saying about the NHLPA not adding a lot of different issues in their proposal.

From Gary Bettman's statement:

"There's still a wide gap between us with not much time to go," NHL commissioner Gary Bettman told reporters after Wednesday's session. "This is a process that we're going to continue to work hard on. I think there's still a number of issues where we're looking at the world differently."

Bettman says he understands what the NHLPA has put forth, but adds that it isn't a full proposal and he is "disappointed" that he's still waiting for one at this late stage.

I normally don't agree with the Anti-Christ, but I was sort of afraid of this being the answer back from the NHL. The players while being reasonable in their proposal, once again like i said earlier, left out the meat and potatoes of the new CBA. They added jack about contract length and front loading contracts and all that stuff. They want a quick fix and want to play when the scheduled games start, but they need to cover all aspects when they make their counter proposals.

Bettman is just pulling more political bs to try and make the union look bad. It doesn't sound like the players left out the meat and potatoes, they just didn't include everything Bettman would want in there. Which isn't really a surprise considering it's a negotiation.

I don't know that the players didn't cover all aspects. I don't agree with it but it sounds like they don't want contract length limited. So there's not going to be a provision offering that.

And what good is a "full proposal" from the NHL when most of what they proposed is insane?

Just listen to the tone that Fehr takes in his public comments about the CBA negotiations, then listen to Bettman. Bettman takes every opportunity to take shots at the union and threaten lockout. When the NHL took until mid July to give their first proposal to the players union, was he disappointed in the timeline then?

Seems like Bettman's got a case of short man syndrome and loves to wield his power whenever he's given the opportunity. That or he really wants to get the lockout hat trick.

[cusimano_brothers 1,655]

As a child, I can picture Uncle Gary never losing a game of Monopoly. If he was losing, he merely flipped the board in the air and stormed away.

[TheXym 2,606]

As a child, I can picture Uncle Gary never losing a game of Monopoly. If he was losing, he merely flipped the board in the air and stormed away.

Only if the other players caught him with the extra set of bills from another game set up his sleeves first.

[cusimano_brothers 1,655]

Maybe he's bitter that he still hasn't unloaded Phoenix.

[Guest Hatethedrake!]

If Holmgren signed Bettman to an offer sheet would any team match?

[Dabura 12,207]

If Holmgren signed Bettman to an offer sheet would any team match?

The Predators Owners can't afford to lose their star player.

[Guest Hatethedrake!]

In the new CBA, will Bettman's salary be rolled back as well? Will he share some of his salary with the owners? Will 42% of his salary be paid to himself with the rest going to the NHL? Why does Bill Daly look like Elmer Fudd?

Edited August 16, 2012 by Hatethedrake!

[cusimano_brothers 1,655]

If Holmgren signed Bettman to an offer sheet would any team match?

Yes, Phoenix. Or, any team with money to burn.

Why does Bill Daly look like Elmer Fudd?

[uk_redwing 495]

If they play, yay hockey. If there's a lockout, I'll do something else with my time.

Not fussed either way when pant-amine stuff like this gets banded around by the one and only idiot who is in himself enough to stop watching this league.

[Z Winged Dangler 2,082]

Bettman is just pulling more political bs to try and make the union look bad. It doesn't sound like the players left out the meat and potatoes, they just didn't include everything Bettman would want in there. Which isn't really a surprise considering it's a negotiation.

I don't know that the players didn't cover all aspects. I don't agree with it but it sounds like they don't want contract length limited. So there's not going to be a provision offering that.

And what good is a "full proposal" from the NHL when most of what they proposed is insane?

Just listen to the tone that Fehr takes in his public comments about the CBA negotiations, then listen to Bettman. Bettman takes every opportunity to take shots at the union and threaten lockout. When the NHL took until mid July to give their first proposal to the players union, was he disappointed in the timeline then?

Seems like Bettman's got a case of short man syndrome and loves to wield his power whenever he's given the opportunity. That or he really wants to get the lockout hat trick.

Bettman thinks he's god and everyone should just work on his schedule which as you stated is very loose followed by threatening a lockout. I agree with everything you said, but the only thing i wish the NHLPA would have done was make their intentions known on a few more things. If you don't want a cap on contract length, say it..."we don't want a cap on contract lengths". That's all i want from the players.

The NHL on the other hand...grow up already and get a commissioner that doesn't want the lockout hat trick. Loved that one by the way.

[wingslogo19 281]

I still don't know how only 13 players in the NHL made more money than Bettman last year

[drwscc 212]

This thread is so full of fail it's ridiculous. How many times does it have to be pointed out that Gary Bettman is a mouthpiece for the owners/BOG and is not working on his own. The owners tell him what they want and what to say, and he goes out and says it. Getting rid of the "dwarf" will not make anything better. You'll just get another mouthpiece for the owners, and the message will stay the same. The owners are going to push for what they want. It doesn't matter who delivers the message.

I still don't know how only 13 players in the NHL made more money than Bettman last year

Maybe because the league is making more money than it ever has, and because revenues are increasing every year? Pay for performance, right?

[Esquire 324]

Gary Bettman is a mouthpiece for the owners/BOG and is not working on his own.

While he may be a "mouthpiece", his duties and responsibilities are far more reaching than simply conveying what owners have to say. He is the final word in the NHL, and to assume he is simply a lame duck is incorrect. Does he take orders and influence from owners? Absolutely. But the owners need one person to give them a vision and their trust is given to Bettman in order make the right decisions to see it through on a number of different levels, some seen, some unseen.

[haroldsnepsts 4,826]

A subcommittee is meeting today, but Fehr and Bettman won't be at a meeting together until next Wednesday.

http://www.tsn.ca/winnipeg/story/?id=403156

Has any other pro sport had three lockouts in a row every time the CBA expired?

[cusimano_brothers 1,655]

Was this a test? I hate spot quizzes. According to totalsports.com, yes: basketball. Lots of info at that link.

[haroldsnepsts 4,826]

Wow, there is a ton of info on that link.

Sad to see that the NHL is in the lead for most days locked out and most regular season games lost to lockout in the history of the 4 major pro sports. And it looks like that lead will be growing.

[cusimano_brothers 1,655]

Uncle Gary still wants a large part of his "legacy" to be people remembering him as one of, if not the greatest "league heads" of all time.

No matter what he does or tries to do, this will not happen.

What is the second thing I remember him for, next to not being able to get along with "the help"? On his watch, a full one-third of the current League has either transferred or been an expansion team.