O/T DONT U CANADIANS....

johnjyb · Post by **johnjyb** » Wed Apr 06, 2005 8:40 pm

My 2 cents on this topic. NHL players are the best in the world at what they do and they should be paid accordingly, if the money is there. Look at other people who are at the top of their game, ball players(fb/bb/bb) actors/actresses, computer programmers,stockbrokers,lawyers,entepeneurs, the list goes on and on.
They all have something in common, they get RICH. It can be a small window that can close very fast so they have to make the most of it. I truly believe that the owners are the ones mainly at fault in this case for no hockey due to their greed . A few teams are going to end up folding before the league starts back up in 2006, but I believe that the quality of the game will be even better then due to just as manyquality players fighting for fewer big league spots.
John

ComfyBear · Post by **ComfyBear** » Wed Apr 06, 2005 9:15 pm

Look at other people who are at the top of their game, ball players(fb/bb/bb) actors/actresses, the list goes on and on.

I use to be an avid hockey fan, but hockey is no longer a sport, but rather a business, as such I couldn't care less if they ever play "professionally" again.

IMO they're all obscenely overpaid. Multi-million dollar contracts paid to "mere entertainers" are uncalled for and grossly unfair to the rest of soceity. To make matters worse, even though they're not playing they are getting paid about $10,000 a month.

To put it in prospective, even brain surgeons, who perform a far more valuable service, don't make that kind of money.

Even though, you might argue that their careers might be short-lived, I'll never agree that anyone deserves to make, in a six month season, what most folks will never make in a lifetime.

Most people's career spans 30-40 years, so I might agree that a sport figure, whose career might only last 10-15 years, should at most be paid 3 to 4 times more than the average.

On the other hand, I don't blame the players for being greedy, but the "idiots" who pay the ticket prices that allows the players/entertainers to get the money they do

STEELWORKER · Post by **STEELWORKER** » Wed Apr 06, 2005 11:28 pm

yeah,like alot alot of you guys have said i don't miss the cry-baby owner/player money BS. but we are nearing trout season here in PA. and that to me means come home from work..."fish fast"

and return home to watch LORD STANLEY'S playoffs. i'm 28 now and married but since i was 7 years old the turning of the clocks ,the 1st day of trout, and the smell of freshly cut grass meant it's time for hockey...and play-off hockey at best. i miss it, but not the REASON/GREED that we're missing it-----STEEL

Herbinator · Post by **Herbinator** » Thu Apr 07, 2005 10:17 am

You have to keep things in perpective. These guys are making millions of dollars playing a game. A game! I agree that the owners are partly to blame, but they have been waiting for the new CBA so they can take action against the outrageous salaries that were sure to keep going up and up. It had gotten so out of control, for a family of 4, it would cost aproximately $350 cdn just for tickets!!! And those are the cheap seats. My company has seasons tickets thank god, or I would bever be able to go to a game. The NHLPA have been so far, unwilling to make any real consessions regarding a salary cap. All they have to do is look at the NFL. A family of 4 can still go to a game and have a few dollars left over for a beer. They profit share, therefore making the teams more even. This helps make the league competitive (for the most part). The NHL palyers will pay inthe long run. I would be happy if the owners held out long enough to break the union. We still have great hockey at an affordable price with the junior teams accros Canada.

Tom · Post by **Tom** » Thu Apr 07, 2005 11:51 am

Herbinator wrote:You have to keep things in perpective. These guys are making millions of dollars playing a game. A game! I agree that the owners are partly to blame, but they have been waiting for the new CBA so they can take action against the outrageous salaries that were sure to keep going up and up. .

Herbinatorwho pays these players this "outrageous salary" it is the owners. The players are NOT FORCING the owners to pay it. But just like me, the players are willing to take what the owners are willing to offer. The players do not even have a fair market to offer their services to other teams like the average person can.

As for someone that says "

IMO they're all obscenely overpaid. Multi-million dollar contracts paid to "mere entertainers" are uncalled for and grossly unfair to the rest of soceity. To make matters worse, even though they're not playing they are getting paid about $10,000 a month

" If an owner can see a player earning him/her an extra 15 million a year in endorsments and gate receipts then he/she will pay this player an extra million or two. For an owner to willingly pay players above his/her capibility then they would be foolish. All the owners have to do is to not offer the high salaries and then the players would not receive them.

Trouble is that a few owners have deeper pockets than most of them and are willing to out spend the others. This is something like the large department stores competing wiht the small nicle and dime stores. Control the owners and there would be not the problem that there is today, but to blame the players like the owners are is ridiculous.

Shakky · Post by **Shakky** » Thu Apr 07, 2005 1:31 pm

That's right the players are going to take what they can get and if it hurts the league and some teams have to fold who cares. Some owners can aford to pay so why not go for it. After all it's not like they are playing for the love of the game or anything. Hey, if work would pay me far more then I'm worth I'd take it. Why should I care if it hurts the company and some of my fellow employee's may lose their jobs. Take the money and run.

Herbinator · Post by **Herbinator** » Thu Apr 07, 2005 3:21 pm

You guys are right. But the vast majority of the owners (from what I can tell) have been bideing their time until the CBA last year. Thats when they took action. The reason they took action was because they WEREN'T willing to pay the big salaries.

The American son this board must be laughing at us!!

Vince · Post by **Vince** » Thu Apr 07, 2005 8:33 pm

There's all kinds of hockey going on!!!!

If i can't have Sens hockey, the next best team is the Ottawa 67's or the Hull Olympiques

I've always said, Junior 'A' is just as fast, just as hard hitting and just as exciting as any NHL game anywhere....and at a fraction of the cost.
The next stop for Junior 'A' players is the NHL. And they don't play for money in the minors.
Junior 'A' game, $ 11.00 BUCKS....same seat at an NHL game....$ 90.00 + parking + $ 6.00 beers!!!!!!!!!!!

67's have made it to the 2nd round as have the Olympiques.

Junior 'A' all the way...NHL, go away!

STEELWORKER · Post by **STEELWORKER** » Fri Apr 08, 2005 12:32 am

Herbinator wrote:You have to keep things in perpective. These guys are making millions of dollars playing a game. A game! I agree that the owners are partly to blame, but they have been waiting for the new CBA so they can take action against the outrageous salaries that were sure to keep going up and up. It had gotten so out of control, for a family of 4, it would cost aproximately $350 cdn just for tickets!!! And those are the cheap seats. My company has seasons tickets thank god, or I would bever be able to go to a game. The NHLPA have been so far, unwilling to make any real consessions regarding a salary cap. All they have to do is look at the NFL. A family of 4 can still go to a game and have a few dollars left over for a beer. They profit share, therefore making the teams more even. This helps make the league competitive (for the most part). The NHL palyers will pay inthe long run. I would be happy if the owners held out long enough to break the union. We still have great hockey at an affordable price with the junior teams accros Canada.

350cnd$ for a family of four?.....man thats ridiculous. i started this post not to piss anyone off but just to say that i "MISS" the sport in itself. i guess the NHL is more screwed up than i realized.------STEEL

Herbinator · Post by **Herbinator** » Fri Apr 08, 2005 9:54 am

Steelworker,

I know, it's crazy! Our company seats were $250 a piece during playoffs last year. Thats the price printed on the tickets. Regular season, they were $175 a piece. They are "club" seats, but regular seats are almost $100 each.
Then you add $6 beer(s), $5 nachos.... it goes on and on. Again, thank god for good old junior hockey!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat Apr 09, 2005 6:58 pm

You boys want to see some good hockey, sans the NHL,..then just tune in to ESPN for the NCAA Div. 1 Championship tonight at 7:00 pm.
Defending champs Denver take on the Fighting Sioux of N.Dakota in Columbus, Ohio.