NHL Cancels Winter Classic

[DraftBoy]

http://espn.go.com/nhl/story/_/id/8583243/nhl-cancels-winter-classic-toronto-maple-leafs-detroit-red-wings-source-says

And that is basically the ball game on the whole season.

[OpIv37]

**** all these *******s.

**** Bettman. **** Fehr.

I'd love to see the owners just ax Bettman and start negotiating over with a new commissioner but it'll never happen.

[DraftBoy]

**** all these *******s.

**** Bettman. **** Fehr.

I'd love to see the owners just ax Bettman and start negotiating over with a new commissioner but it'll never happen.

Do they have that power in the middle of the labor dispute? And I dont mean procedurally.

[OpIv37]

Do they have that power in the middle of the labor dispute? And I dont mean procedurally.

I have no idea. I just want to know how they stick with a guy that's caused 3 labor stoppages.

[Slim]

This is a ****ing joke.

[OpIv37]

This just blows. This is the time of year that we need hockey to distract us from the epic disaster that is Buffalo Bills football.

[SabreEleven]

I can't believe I'm going to say this but I don't even miss the NHL. ****'em...If they don't care, why should I? If they do come back, I'm only gettting the NHL Center Ice if its free.

[OpIv37]

I can't believe I'm going to say this but I don't even miss the NHL. ****'em...If they don't care, why should I? If they do come back, I'm only gettting the NHL Center Ice if its free.

I hear ya to a point. The players and owners have millions of dollars at stake and don't care enough to play. Why should we care when all we get out of it is entertainment and maybe some bragging rights when our team wins? If they do come back, I'm not spending any money on it this year. I usually buy the Sabres St Pat's Day shirt, and I'll skip that, and I usually go to the bar to watch important games, and I'll skip that and just bootleg them like I do for the less important games or if I don't have time to watch the whole thing. The only exception would be if they made the playoffs and the game wasn't on local TV (which does happen because of Bettman and his **** TV contract).

At the same time, I enjoy watching hockey and I miss it. I like the speed of the game. I like the fact that the games are only a few days apart, so if the team screws it up, they don't have to wait a few weeks to try again. I like the marathon season instead of the NFL's 1/3 of the year season. I like the fact that, unlike the Bills, the Sabres are usually competitive. Even when they miss they playoffs, they're usually still in the hunt until the last couple of weeks. I want it back.

[SabreEleven]

I hear ya to a point. The players and owners have millions of dollars at stake and don't care enough to play. Why should we care when all we get out of it is entertainment and maybe some bragging rights when our team wins? If they do come back, I'm not spending any money on it this year. I usually buy the Sabres St Pat's Day shirt, and I'll skip that, and I usually go to the bar to watch important games, and I'll skip that and just bootleg them like I do for the less important games or if I don't have time to watch the whole thing. The only exception would be if they made the playoffs and the game wasn't on local TV (which does happen because of Bettman and his **** TV contract).

At the same time, I enjoy watching hockey and I miss it. I like the speed of the game. I like the fact that the games are only a few days apart, so if the team screws it up, they don't have to wait a few weeks to try again. I like the marathon season instead of the NFL's 1/3 of the year season. I like the fact that, unlike the Bills, the Sabres are usually competitive. Even when they miss they playoffs, they're usually still in the hunt until the last couple of weeks. I want it back.

I hear ya and I'm talking big **** now but when they do come I'll probably going running back to them like a teenage girl who just got their boyfriend back after he screws her over.

[Slim]

This just blows. This is the time of year that we need hockey to distract us from the epic disaster that is Buffalo Bills football.
/Takes another swig of whiskey as I remember we still have 5 more years of Ville Leino.

[OpIv37]

/Takes another swig of whiskey as I remember we still have 5 more years of Ville Leino.

Are contracts suspended during the lockout? If Leino has 5 years and the season gets canceled, does he still have 5 years? Or is he down to 4?

[DraftBoy]

Are contracts suspended during the lockout? If Leino has 5 years and the season gets canceled, does he still have 5 years? Or is he down to 4?

If they are playing by the same rules as the NBA and NFL, he'd still have 5.

[Slim]

If they are playing by the same rules as the NBA and NFL, he'd still have 5.

/Finishes bottle of whiskey.

[OpIv37]

Damn, I was going to say that the silver lining could be that we get rid of a year of Leino's contract without a year of watching him play. That would have been nice.

[ckg927]

I hear ya and I'm talking big **** now but when they do come I'll probably going running back to them like a teenage girl who just got their boyfriend back after he screws her over.

Then you'll acting just like a battered spouse or significant other, who keeps getting abused but goes back to the person who does it to them.

For God's sake....get some self-respect! If ever there was a time to flip off the NHL, Bettman, the owners and players...NOW IS IT. Hit 'em where it hurts...the wallet!

For me and me along, I'LL decide when I start watching the Sabres again. I'm getting a decent amount of hockey in the interim(and that includes college hockey).

[SabreEleven]

Then you'll acting just like a battered spouse or significant other, who keeps getting abused but goes back to the person who does it to them.

For God's sake....get some self-respect! If ever there was a time to flip off the NHL, Bettman, the owners and players...NOW IS IT. Hit 'em where it hurts...the wallet!

For me and me along, I'LL decide when I start watching the Sabres again. I'm getting a decent amount of hockey in the interim(and that includes college hockey).

I'm just the Sabres and NHL's *****. I have no shame.

[ckg927]

(Sorry....#15 should have said "For me and me alone...." )

- - - Updated - - -


I'm just the Sabres and NHL's *****. I have no shame.

S11: Trust me, you can get as much of a charge out of hockey at the AHL level, the OHL or even college hockey. It's MUCH cheaper, and the experience is just as good.

But, to each their own.

[OpIv37]

Then you'll acting just like a battered spouse or significant other, who keeps getting abused but goes back to the person who does it to them.

For God's sake....get some self-respect! If ever there was a time to flip off the NHL, Bettman, the owners and players...NOW IS IT. Hit 'em where it hurts...the wallet!

For me and me along, I'LL decide when I start watching the Sabres again. I'm getting a decent amount of hockey in the interim(and that includes college hockey).
Umm, we're Bills fans. We are very used to doing that.

[ckg927]

Umm, we're Bills fans. We are very used to doing that.

Well, at least the NFL doesn't lock the players out every....oh, 8 or so years.

And the LAST time it locked any group of people out, that went south very fast.

[JATMtheJATM]

the two sides have been talking and more talks are on the immediate horizon. good news.

[Night Train]

the two sides have been talking and more talks are on the immediate horizon. good news.

The players in the NHL, based on actual revenue, should be making half of their current salary.

It takes both sides to sink a sports league and plenty of blame for this insane situation. The NHL does NOT have a huge national contract with upfront $$ to justify these salaries. Most teams do operate in the red.

How is this acceptable ? Everyone like paying $70 a ticket for a Tuesday night November game ? The schedule is waaaaaaaay too long. 15 less games per season or you get a bunch of games with players just floating and saving energy.

[Mski]

There is hope that if a deal can be reached by the 15th, they will be able to reinstate the winter classic... and it appears that many reporters have become optimistic over the weekend that a new deal will be reached before then

[ckg927]

Well, it looks like the adults have finally decided to negotiate...

http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=408889

[TheGhostofJimKelly]

Drager is stating the NHL has pretty much presented it's final offer yesterday and we should find out today if this is going to threaten the season.