[Overpaid Slacker]

An Irish guy ranting? The Hell you say?!!

I don't lament the loss of a season of the NHL, but I believe it was the players who squandered the opportunity. From the get-go, the owners said there had to be a salary cap; that's what they needed in order to make a deal work. If that's "take-it-or-leave-it" then, fine -- but it was a negotiating point the owners had decided going in that they absolutely couldn't bend on. And they didn't.

There's nothing wrong with that. If it truly is a deal-breaking point, state it up front and don't dance around it, tossing it on the heap near the end. The owners were up front about it; you might not like the position, but it IS their position.

The players said "absolutely not" -- effectively saying that they wanted some non-Euclidian fiscal universe to be created just for them where costs should bear no relation to revenues. BUT THEN the players "caved." Jeez, if you'd accept a salary cap in principle, why not just accept the freaking thing 5 months ago and then work out the numbers?

Speaking of numbers, Bettman was on ESPNRadio this morning, and I didn't hear all of the interview ... However, Bettman said that the league had offered, essentially had an open offer to the NHLPA to come in and fully audit the league's (and teams') books. The PA refused -- it's like they didn't WANT to know the situation they just wanted to demand more and more money. If what Bettman said is true (I don't know or not) then the PA has not only been terrible at negotiating, it's been negligent in its representation of players.

Look, the players are way overpaid... why should they be immune to a market contraction like the world's overpaid CEOs, Tech Directors, Creative Development People, etc., etc., etc. went through a few years ago? It's just a freaking game.

Canseco -- hmmmm... I really dislike the guy, for a lot of reasons, and he's obviously motivated in large part by spite. However, that doesn't mean what he said is a lie. And I hate to say it, but he came across very well when he was interviewed (not "well" in a, "gee this guy is cool" sort of way, but in an "I don't think he's lying" sort of way).

Then again, I personally don't care about steroid use in sports. I just can't get all that worked up about it. And the next time I hear some whiny stat-boy who never played a sport at a high level bytch about how it ruins the sanctity of "records" or "history" I'm gonna squash him. What is this overblown fetishization of sports history and statistical benchmarks? These are just guys hitting/throwing/catching a freaking ball. They're not "heroes" and many of them, frankly, aren't even "sportsmen." Why does this matter so much? Get some perspective. Jeez.

JP