Old Farts Thread

[NJDevils17]

I wanted to feel bitter about this whole thing, but I realized being bitter would not make me feel any better and I realize not every owner and not every player had a say in a lock-out happening. I think the NFL and the NBA having labor disputes happen recently helped in a way because those made it seem like it wasn't just an NHL/NHLPA problem but more of a sports league/players association problem in general.

I won't lie, I usually tend to forgive and forget and I'm willing to give situations multiple chances. I've already bought tickets to Devils-Rangers on March 19th, and I know I'm going to buy a Devils jersey relatively soon (I've been wanting another one for a while and Travis Zajac signing an 8 year extension is facilitating this process). I just don't want to hear any owners talk or hear about any CBA crap again (or at least until the current one is set to expire).

As for the hockey, it's been a little sloppy. But that's not such a bad thing. It's leading to mistakes which are leading to more scoring chances, something that I welcome. I haven't been a fan of the officiating though. Too many questionable minors being called for me liking. But I'm loving all the fights that are happening this year. I like how this schedule is focusing a lot on divisional games as those tend to be much more exciting than inter-conference games.

This year the rookie class seems a lot better than previous years. That Terasenko kid in St. Louis is something special, Dougie Hamilton doing well in Boston, the surprising Cory Conacher in Tampa, and of course Nail Yakupov. I'm with you, canuckfan, I loved seeing the enthusiasm and sheer joy of Yakupov sliding on his knees after scoring the tying goal. It's stuff like that helped make me a fan too.

By the way, it's great to see you back in here, canuckfan. We've missed you on these forums. I hope you give hockey (or at least the NHL) another chance.

[canuckfan]

Originally Posted by NJDevils17

By the way, it's great to see you back in here, canuckfan. We've missed you on these forums. I hope you give hockey (or at least the NHL) another chance.

Thank you, sir, I appreciate that.

The hardest part of the lockout this time round was finding a side to empathize with. In 1992, I thought the players going on strike like that with 2 weeks to go that season was pure bullsh!t. But in 1995, I was on the players side. In 2004, I was with the owners. This time round....it wasn't that I didn't care, but when you have some of the richest people in the world fighting purely over money, its hard to find a side to root for and I hated what each side came to represent - it wasn't about salary caps, salary disclosure, or free agency, but $$$$$$$$$, and the longer it went on this year the angrier I got.

Salvaging a season saved this fan, at least. If hockey were to lose a second full season in less than 10 years, then I wouldn't have come back - I don't know for how long, but they would have lost me for at least 2, maybe 3 years. But I still won't spend any of my money on NHL products in the forseeable future and hockey games no longer take priority over other day to day events - but at least I still consider myself a fan!

[NJDevils17]

Originally Posted by canuckfan

Thank you, sir, I appreciate that.

The hardest part of the lockout this time round was finding a side to empathize with. In 1992, I thought the players going on strike like that with 2 weeks to go that season was pure bullsh!t. But in 1995, I was on the players side. In 2004, I was with the owners. This time round....it wasn't that I didn't care, but when you have some of the richest people in the world fighting purely over money, its hard to find a side to root for and I hated what each side came to represent - it wasn't about salary caps, salary disclosure, or free agency, but $$$$$$$$$, and the longer it went on this year the angrier I got.

Salvaging a season saved this fan, at least. If hockey were to lose a second full season in less than 10 years, then I wouldn't have come back - I don't know for how long, but they would have lost me for at least 2, maybe 3 years. But I still won't spend any of my money on NHL products in the forseeable future and hockey games no longer take priority over other day to day events - but at least I still consider myself a fan!

Yeah I flipped whose side I was on a few times this lockout. Initially, I was all players since I foolishly thought the owners got everything they wanted in the 2004 lockout. I was also pissed that they couldn't have used last CBA for this season and negotiate a new one during the course of this season.

But then some of the players bitching started to piss me off which lead me to go towards the owners a bit more. Also, I sort of sympathized with some of the smaller markets who needed some help. I could sort of see where the owners were coming from since some these players are getting paid a ton of money despite them being 3rd liners. I also agreed that contract lengths were crazy (and this is coming from someone who loves Ilya Kovalchuk).

I don't know, but this one left me in a bitter mood, more so than 2004 because this one just felt unnecessary. As bad as 2004 was, that needed to happen because a salary cap was going to save the league. This one however...

For as much as I missed hockey for the 3 months of the season, it was sort of a blessing for me. This past semester at school was my most fun (and most productive) and I have to credit the lock-out to that. Had hockey been on, I probably would have stayed in my dorm most nights just watching hockey and probably hardly study for anything. The lock-out replaced my hockey with actually being more social and studying!

Pretty much the one beneficial thing about the lock-out. And while I have gone back to my old ways a bit with hockey returning, I'm going to try to not make watching every Devils game or every Bruins game a major priority. Have to find a good balance and not let it take over my life! That way when another lock-out happens (I hope not, but nothing surprises me with this league) I won't go nuts!

[fansince65]

Originally Posted by canuckfan

Thank you, sir, I appreciate that.

The hardest part of the lockout this time round was finding a side to empathize with. In 1992, I thought the players going on strike like that with 2 weeks to go that season was pure bullsh!t. But in 1995, I was on the players side. In 2004, I was with the owners. This time round....it wasn't that I didn't care, but when you have some of the richest people in the world fighting purely over money, its hard to find a side to root for and I hated what each side came to represent - it wasn't about salary caps, salary disclosure, or free agency, but $$$$$$$$$, and the longer it went on this year the angrier I got.

Salvaging a season saved this fan, at least. If hockey were to lose a second full season in less than 10 years, then I wouldn't have come back - I don't know for how long, but they would have lost me for at least 2, maybe 3 years. But I still won't spend any of my money on NHL products in the forseeable future and hockey games no longer take priority over other day to day events - but at least I still consider myself a fan!

We missed you around here .

Hockey will always be my top priority , just not the NHL !!!!

As many of you know I am a rabid junior "A" & "B" kockey fan , thats one reason I just dont miss the NHL , I take in a minimum of three games a week of junior hockey and have attended as many as 6 games in a week this year .
The Junior hockey is always great during lockout's as all the drafted players are still with their junior teams , the hockey at all levels of play in the Junior leagues benefits . The attendance for all the Junior hockey leagues is up and most teams make a profit not just break even or lose money , so the lockout does have some benefit on junior hockey teams ..

[Maggie3and Me]

Originally Posted by canuckfan

Salvaging a season saved this fan, at least. If hockey were to lose a second full season in less than 10 years, then I wouldn't have come back - I don't know for how long, but they would have lost me for at least 2, maybe 3 years. But I still won't spend any of my money on NHL products in the forseeable future and hockey games no longer take priority over other day to day events - but at least I still consider myself a fan!

Originally Posted by NJDevils17

I don't know, but this one left me in a bitter mood, more so than 2004 because this one just felt unnecessary. As bad as 2004 was, that needed to happen because a salary cap was going to save the league. This one however...

First off, canuckfan, good to see you back on the boards and for posting here. We miss you and your wise remarks.

Good points by you and our young friend,NJD.

If the NHL would have lost this season, I think it takes a long time for owners and the players to recover for the damages done. They HAD to salvage any part of this season they could.

There was a sharp and deep divide among posters on this site as to where blame should be placed for this fiasco. In my opinion, the was plenty of blame to go around. No matter who was right, or just, in the beginning, lost that edge as this mess played out.

Again, from comments made on these boards, public opinion changed daily on who was at fault and on whose house we should call a pox on. Fehr and Buttman, and the outright dislike for them, kept some of the attention off of the owners and players. Instead, those two idiots became focal points.

I thank both for your contributions and hope that this is just the start of your posting here on a regular basis.

[mikebflorida]

I've been watching but I won't spend any money.

I appreciate the entertainment that it brings but we lost almost half a season because billionaires couldn't agree with millionaires and egos got in the way and they very much took the fans for granted.

However, arenas have been full so it's not like the fans disappeared, they came back in droves.

I guess the only thing to say is- Can't beat 'em, join 'em.

But I will spend no money. I can watch on tv for free and sit at the strip club sipping on a beer and chugging on a nipple. Wait, is it the other way around?

[Gunslinger]

I just accept lockouts in sports as a "part of doing business" anymore. I'm too old to get angry nor do I care. If they go (any sport) I find other things to do and when they come back I watch again. What angered me the most about the whole thing in the NHL this time was all the sports papers/T.V/radio wasting everybody's time reporting on nothing. Hot air. Everyday the same old thing. Nothing was happening in negotiations yet in Toronto they would dedicate hours a day to tell us nothing was happening. Unreal.

[Maggie3and Me]

From the games I have seen on Comcast, NBC, and NBCsprt, there have not been a lot of empty seats in the arenas. The fans seem to filling the stands.

From checking a couple of sites that sell hockey sweaters and other stuff, 20 to 30% mark downs are pretty common. This reflects what a lot of you are saying. You will watch or go to the game, but, you are holding off on buying a lot of team or player merchandise.

[mikebflorida]

Originally Posted by Maggie3and Me

From the games I have seen on Comcast, NBC, and NBCsprt, there have not been a lot of empty seats in the arenas. The fans seem to filling the stands.

From checking a couple of sites that sell hockey sweaters and other stuff, 20 to 30% mark downs are pretty common. This reflects what a lot of you are saying. You will watch or go to the game, but, you are holding off on buying a lot of team or player merchandise.

Phoenix had 9,000 last night.

Bettman is such an idiot for trying to keep that team there. The fans clearly don't care and they can't find a buyer who is dumb enough.

Move them to Seattle or Quebec and be done with it.

[fansince65]

Originally Posted by mikebflorida

Phoenix had 9,000 last night.

Bettman is such an idiot for trying to keep that team there. The fans clearly don't care and they can't find a buyer who is dumb enough.

Move them to Seattle or Quebec and be done with it.

We have more fans that that at the London Knights games , 9,049 at every game ..

[Maggie3and Me]

Phoenix is a situation unto itself.

Three years ago it was all but a done deal that the club would be sold to Gretzky, a group of local business men., the league itself, Bozo the Clown, or Sponge Bob Square Pants.

The team was going to be moved to an American city, a city in Canada, a European city, or the orbiting space station.

The point is, so many rumors have come and gone about that franchise, you don’t know what was the truth, what was hearsay, or what was wishful thinking.

As of this moment I am not sure of the status of the Yotes. I do not like to see franchises fold in any city and I have heard that the Yotes have a very strong base of hardcore fans. However, it seems they have not been able to significantly build on that base. At least not enough to completely pay for and support the franchise.

The teams troubles continue as this is written. Here is part of an article from the Seattle Times.

NHL's Phoenix Coyotes might be moving, but Seattle probably isn't first in line for the team
Originally published Sunday, February 3, 2013 at 8:00 PM
Geoff Baker, The Seattle Times' Mariners reporter, is a lifelong hockey fan. And a Canadian. He's all for the NHL coming to Seattle but says Quebec City is probably more likely to get a team first.
By Geoff Baker
Seattle Times staff reporter

Snagging the troubled Phoenix Coyotes hockey franchise here in Seattle won't be the surefire empty-net goal some have suggested.

A deal to keep the Coyotes in Glendale, Ariz., fell apart last week when prospective buyer Greg Jamison failed to secure financing in time to meet a Jan. 31 deadline.

Jamison has vowed to continue pursuit of the franchise but is expected to meet considerable opposition from a newly elected Glendale mayor who has already spoken out against favorable conditions attached to the previous deal.

Seattle has plenty to offer as an NHL destination and the rivalry with Vancouver would definitely make the city a top candidate for a relocation of the Coyotes. But Quebec City appears a more viable destination, given the speedy time frame if the league wants the Coyotes in a new home by October. For one thing, Quebec already served as home to a National Hockey League franchise with the Nordiques from 1979-80 through the 1994-95 season and has broken ground on a $400 million arena.

Here is the link to the entire article.
The Seattle Times/hockey

[Flyer_Frank]

Originally Posted by Maggie3and Me

Phoenix is a situation unto itself.

Three years ago it was all but a done deal that the club would be sold to Gretzky, a group of local business men., the league itself, Bozo the Clown, or Sponge Bob Square Pants.

The team was going to be moved to an American city, a city in Canada, a European city, or the orbiting space station.

The point is, so many rumors have come and gone about that franchise, you don’t know what was the truth, what was hearsay, or what was wishful thinking.

It's a damn shame really but the NHL in Phoenix just couldn't catch a break. They had a damn good playoff team when they moved there and sold tickets, but the old building stunk. By the time they got the new building, the team stunk and by the time they got the team turned back around, ownership stunk and the economy tanked regionally. I mean, things are bad everywhere but really bad in Phoenix.

It was a terrible mistake by the NHL to force the Phoenix situation when other markets want the team and will generate a lot more money. Phoenix should have worked but I'd love to see a team back in Quebec City and then they can flip conferences with Winnipeg and everybody should live happily ever after for a little while.

[mitch65]

Originally Posted by Johnny Pie

.Potvin had plenty around him in his career. much more than Bourque. But that isn't the deciding factor. I think Bourque, Robinson and Lidstrom were better all around defensemen than Potvin. Ray and Larry were just as physical. Maybe Bourque didn't throw hilite checks but he was on the body constantly. Offensivley he was just as good or better and like Robinson they were better in their end. Its hard because they were all so good but if I'm picking Potvin is not top 4. It is not because of his big mouth its based on his play.

You still sound bias......"its not because of his big mouth..." Sounds too negative to me.

[Cat Smasher]

I would like to know, HOW IN THE HELL can some of you elderly fellas (hehe), stand to watch todays NHL compared to the 60's-80's?

If I had three wishes I would literally use one of them to be able to watch hockey from that era.

[mikebflorida]

Originally Posted by Cat Smasher

I would like to know, HOW IN THE HELL can some of you elderly fellas (hehe), stand to watch todays NHL compared to the 60's-80's?

If I had three wishes I would literally use one of them to be able to watch hockey from that era.

It's obviously not the same, it's not even close in my opinion, but it is what we have and once in a while, you get some real gems like the Leafs smashing the Habs the other night, 3 fights and Colton Orr knocking Borque out. Awesome! But those are few and far between.