Time for our weekly round up of what the kids outside the system have gotten up to this past weekend. Seems like all we do our roundups now. Pretty soon I’m just going to steal a fuckload of drugs and document my descent down the rabbit hole for you. Maybe that’ll be more entertaining. I don’t know. If you have things you’d like us to write about that we can, say so in the comments or email me or something. I’ll be practicing my coat change like Daryl Zero in the meantime. Objectivity and observation, the two obs, people.
Anyway…
Before I get to the meat of the post, an apology on the spam taking over our forums. We’ve addressed it, we think we’ve taken the steps to prevent it from happening again. Stick with us, we’ll get it right.
Ok, usually we like to run pictures with every post. Looks nice and all. But I just couldn’t bring myself to look at Gary Bettman right now. It’s been mentioned a little last night and some today, but the Commish’s appearance at the Hall of Fame Ceremony was nothing short of sickening.
I know, it would have looked awkward for the commissioner to not be at his league’s Hall induction. But that absence would have been washed over by the occasion. No one would worry about Gary being absent while Joe Sakic or Adam Oates or Mats Sundin were giving their speeches. It would have passed seamlessly.
But Gary couldn’t have that.
For the record he belongs (Hockey-Reference)
Prospects continue to impress: (CSN)
Lockout looms large: (Toronto Star)
How Joe Sakic rose above to become one of the greatest:(Vancouver Province)
The rest of the group aren’t slouches:(Globe and Mail)
Three issues (TSN)
Don’t get greedy Gary (Sportsnet)
It was not the best of weekends for The Winnebago County Bacon Bits. It wasn’t that busy, as they only had a divisional double-header against Grand Rapids and Milwaukee. But that didn’t stop them from continuing their idiotic ways and losing both of them under an avalanche of penalties and some Funhouse defending.
Friday night saw the Hogs’ second trip to Grand Rapids, which is probably two more than anyone should make. Another habit the Hogs have gotten into is surrendering a goal early, and they did so again here. Riley Sheahan, which sounds like a name that should be on some terrible Fox show that I wouldn’t watch,, banged home one from the crease merely two minutes in.
You mind if I call you Rockwell? Would you prefer Rocky? Either or. Sir, I come to you today not in a bid to end this madness, because we really don’t know how you feel about it. You’re not allowed to say. Even if you could, it’s hard to gauge how much sway you have over your fellow owners. You’ve only been one for five years now, and there are some entrenched members in your little club there. Secondly, maybe some owners are going to be envious or jealous or suspicious of you as you have the biggest building in the league and you sell it out every game. Perhaps they feel your interests don’t match theirs, and that could very well be correct.
But sir, you have a chance to save yourself and your fanbase here. Not by ending this lockout. Your Napoleon-complex ridden leader will assure that one voice cannot crack his posse’s militant desire to break the union, the league, the sport, and every fans’ heart irrevocably.
But you can survive more easily than almost any other owner in the sport, at least one below the 49th.
The Class of 2012: NHL
and the men who may join them someday: SI
PHT reports its not just how much, its how: Fehr Daly
Donald is running the show: PD
Because they didn’t have enough to talk about: TSN
A good look at a Hawks prospect and his big goal: BTN
Can someone tell me why the Admirals have a Brewers logo above their own?: Icehogs
No joke, this is the most recent post on the ESPN’s Blackhawks blog: ESPNChi
Well, that was all a big mess, wasn’t it?
As you’ve probably followed on Twitter, the NHL and PA ended a week of negotiations by going back to posturing and attacking each other. I don’t remember if straight-out lies were a part of it, but they kind of are now. I’ll do my best to try and wade through all the shit both sides have just thrown us into and see just what the hell is going on.
It started when the NHL (I think) leaked their perplexion (is that a word? It is now) at the fact that in that NHLPA memo that leaked this morning (enough leaks here to be quite the golden shower, no?) there was no mention of their make-whole proposal. That proposal called for all the salary lost in the drop from 57% to 50% to be re-paid in payments in the second year and third year.
That’s the page 8 from today’s issue. There’s also a Rusty Staub and a Kinky Friedman reference. You can’t say no. Hit the button on the top right to get yours. Or just use the link below.
Before we go through all the stuff you probably don’t want to watch anyway, I feel like I should warn you that at some point today it’s likely you’re going to get bad news about the CBA negotiations. The leaks are increasing, more reports of no progress, and it’s starting to feel like this was all part of the show instead of actual work. For a second there it felt like everyone became interested in saving a season with integrity — after all, 70-75 games really would not have been much of a loss and in fact may even be better than the slog that 82 can feel like. Now it just feels like they’ll do just enough just in time just toss out something, regardless if it is a true farce of a season or not. It’s games, it’s a schedule, and that’s all they care. Whether you do or not, I leave to you.
Anyway, how to fill the time if you are either uninterested or unable to fill the time with constructive activities.