It’s our second NHL-less weekend, and before we get to what you can do to fill the time — though not with anything wholesome or actually useful because who the fuck wants to do that? — let’s try and clear up some of the gloom and doom.
You have to look past the publicity stunts that abound in this negotiation right now. And it’s all publicity stunts. As evil it was, you kind of have to marvel at how the NHL was able to turn the PR war on it’s head in the span of what felt like seven minutes. But walking out of a meeting after less than an hour isn’t going to help anything, and nor is having your barely literate union members take to twitter to try and nail themselves to the cross.
In the end, both sides have gotten to a 50-50 split, and both have offered to get there next year. They may argue how to and what comes along with it, and maybe those obstacles are bigger than they seem. But the NHLPA’s “3rd” proposal and the NHL’s last really aren’t all that far apart, considering where both sides started from. And while there won’t be any news this weekend most likely, just like there’s been every time they’re not actually meeting there will be back-channel phone calls and conversations, and that’s kind of where the real work gets done.
Anyway, the viewing:
Friday:
BLECH – That will be the reaction of most on here when the San Francisco Giants are put to the sword by the Hilljacks to the Southwest. I don’t think I’ll have ever supported something out of Detroit so much since Robocop. And that didn’t work out so well for me six years ago. FUCK. ME.
Rockford v. Peoria: Only online unless you feel like making the two hour trek, but the Piggies search for their first win against the mini-Blues. You can get a glimpse of Jaden Schwartz, who still has the potential to be a major pain in the ass for a decade even though he’s about the size of a large boil.
Bulls presea….. Ha! I almost typed that whole thing!
Saturday
European Footy: International break is over, so the clubs return. If you’re up early on Saturday, or just getting home from a true classic on Friday night, Chelsea-Spurs is on at 6:45.
College Football: Once again, the only important games take place in the SEC, but all you Big 10 grads are free to pretend like your schools matter. Well, most of your schools do (not you, Ohio State), but you’re football teams don’t. Neither do your basketball teams.
Fire v. Revolution: It’s on at 6:30, but on some channel you only get on Comcast and maybe not even then. But there’s only two games left in the regular season, and the Revs suck something awful, so the Fire should be cementing home-field advantage in the playoffs with this one.
Hogs v. Checkers: The Hogs open the home season at MetroCentre, where I thought we could all look forward to Nick Leddy being abused by Jeff Skinner. But Skinner isn’t listed on the roster and hasn’t reported. Brett Sutter and Justin Faulk have though, and Jared Staal. And you can always laugh at Dan Ellis.
Sunday
NFL: Another fucking Bears-less Sunday, but you can make up for it by joining Killion wherever he is to watch RGIII against the Giants, where he’ll probably be eaten whole by the 2nd quarter. But other than that, pretty much every game blows.
Rockford v. Charlotte again: Yeah, the Piggies play three in three days. I bet Leddy and Kruger are loving life.
