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Post by Deleted on Jul 22, 2005 15:48:06 GMT -5
There's no way they fold. Not even close. Ottawa and Buffalo were on REAL shaky ground but both are now under strong, secure ownership with no plans of going anywhere. The study done by the old head of the SEC is the reason the NHL settled on these 54% numbers as well as salary caps and floors - those numbers are what the financial analysts feel is what a team needs to sustain itself. Nobody will fold. If a team isn't doing so hot, though, look for someone to move - but I doubt even that happens. As far as Crosby, I don't think the league is resting any hopes on him to save anything. You're just hearing a lot about him because its the draft lottery and such... they're trying to create buzz about anything and everything. Trust me, they are going to spread the responsibility of marketing the game evenly over the superstars. As far as buyouts affecting attendance, don't count on it. The good vets are gonna stay, teams are only going to buy out old vets who aren't worth a dime. Plus, who says you can't renegotiate? Colorado is one of the teams that will do well financially anyway... as are most of the teams "worried" about buying out vets (Detroit, Philly, Rangers). The NHL has nowhere to go BUT up. If they truly stick to the no-tolerance rules and really open up the offenses more, its going to be sick. It won't be instantaneous, but then again neither was baseball after their lockout... it took two steriod filled cheating sluggers to do that  It'll take time, but the NHL will regain its footing. Remember, the goal is to be a successful niche bordering on mass national acceptance like NASCAR or golf... not the NFL or MLB. |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 22, 2005 15:49:35 GMT -5
As far as TV goes, they'll have a national cable deal, they just may have to toil on Spike or USA for a year or two. Big deal. I hate to say it, but the WWF does better than all sports over there, college hoops and NFL included.
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Boz
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Post by Boz on Jul 22, 2005 16:14:04 GMT -5
As far as TV goes, they'll have a national cable deal, they just may have to toil on Spike or USA for a year or two. Big deal. I hate to say it, but the WWF does better than all sports over there, college hoops and NFL included. Awesome! Hockey on Spike, with your co-hosts Don Cherry, Jim "JR" Ross and Jerry The King Lawler! (and a little Stacy Kiebler interviewing players in the penalty box wouldn't hurt either) HA! Hey, I'll take anything I can get. Either way, the local TV will still be there, and I'm getting Center Ice again, so what do I care. ( I care about M.E. - My Enjoyment! ) No, really, I've said before a cable deal will come along soon, and it will; I was just hoping for some more news today as a nice surprise though. Should've known better. That wouldn't have been able to be kept a secret. I doubt if teams will have to fold, but I do think a few teams might move. Not the Sabres though. I hate 'em, but they'll do whatever it takes to keep hockey in that city. Ottawa too. |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 22, 2005 16:30:49 GMT -5
A little skin goes a long way... I think a lot of NHL teams are going to follow the model used in the European and Sovie... er... Russian leagues and throw some cheerleaders at us. As long as they don't interfere with my ability to actually watch the game, I say bring on the ladies!
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Post by StPetersburgHoya (Inactive) on Jul 22, 2005 19:41:56 GMT -5
A little skin goes a long way... I think a lot of NHL teams are going to follow the model used in the European and Sovie... er... Russian leagues and throw some cheerleaders at us. As long as they don't interfere with my ability to actually watch the game, I say bring on the ladies! I hate to burst your bubble but the cheerleaders in the Russian league are some of the worst, most disinterested cheer leaders that I have ever seen. In addition, they were not remotely hot. They went to each section shook their poms on the left and then on the right and then did some sort of rolling motion with them and then sat down on the stairs for five minutes preventing me from getting another beer - which was the only thing making Pavel Dansuk's (sp?) schooling of Garth Snow remotely interesting. |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 22, 2005 20:50:26 GMT -5
Hey I didn't say they were hot But I think some of the MINOR minor leagues in the US (ECHL, etc.) have used them to some success. Think NBA dance team but in the stands. Who knows... just a rumor I've heard. |
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Post by StPetersburgHoya (Inactive) on Jul 23, 2005 0:20:29 GMT -5
No problem - it was disappointing trust me - given the normal "quality" of Russian women between 18 and 28 these girls were sub-standard.
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Post by StPetersburgHoya (Inactive) on Jul 23, 2005 1:02:41 GMT -5
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Post by Deleted on Jul 25, 2005 10:07:25 GMT -5
So that was quick - LeClair and Amonte are the first two big name vets to get the axe, with dozens more to certainly follow. These guys were making between $5-$10 million salary and bonuses combined, and now they'll be lucky to be pulling in $3-$4. Welcome to the new NHL, fellas.
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Boz
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Post by Boz on Jul 25, 2005 10:16:35 GMT -5
I hate to burst your bubble but the cheerleaders in the Russian league are some of the worst, most disinterested cheer leaders that I have ever seen. In addition, they were not remotely hot. They went to each section shook their poms on the left and then on the right and then did some sort of rolling motion with them and then sat down on the stairs for five minutes preventing me from getting another beer - which was the only thing making Pavel Dansuk's (sp?) schooling of Garth Snow remotely interesting. "After Chernobyl, my Edited ... is falling off." "And ' Edited' is Russian for ... ? " "Hey, nobody calls Moe St. Cool a phony." "All this yelling is taking away my horny." |
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Cambridge
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Post by Cambridge on Jul 25, 2005 10:37:10 GMT -5
As an aside...people call it the Gretzky era expansion...but I have a competing theory.
For my money, I wager that the arrival of EA Sports, Sega Genesis and NHL Live did WAY more for the spread of hockey.
It was the best game on any system at the time and it was really the first really good sports game. It created the buzz in the sports gaming world that created the momentum for all the other sports games on EA. The game play was so smooth and fluid and realistic for the era that it inspired me to actually watch a sport that I had had no interest in before.
It was a taste of what was to come in so many ways. I mean, I'm sure that Gretzky had a lot to do with it, but I didn't give a crap about Wayne and his Kings at the time...but boy did I love my Black Hawks on NHL 93. Blood on the ice!
Anyways, I think it was the perfect storm.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 25, 2005 14:34:22 GMT -5
You're onto something, 'bridge. For a generation of kids, that was their introduction into the NHL.
Red Wings just waived Derian Hatcher, Darren McCarty, and Ray Whitney loose. I thought for sure they'd find a way to keep McCarty around. The hope is someone picks these guys up and grabs their contracts, otherwise Detroit has to buy them out at two-thirds the contract price minus the 24% rollback. The big name free agents are starting to pile up... the next few weeks are going to be like a real-life fantasy league.
Time to start a cap casualty table or something...
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Post by StPetersburgHoya (Inactive) on Jul 25, 2005 16:53:25 GMT -5
This is off topic - how do you make those tables, buff?
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Post by Deleted on Jul 25, 2005 17:59:46 GMT -5
Check your private messages, StPete.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 26, 2005 16:00:12 GMT -5
Looks like Jagr may forgoe making only $7-$8 million a year to play in Russia where the guy who owns the Chelsea soccer team will heap tax-free millions on him. Can't blame him, seasons are shorter, guys aren't physical... Jaromir is old, needs to rest up. Won't say he's washed up because he was great in the World Championships, but he's getting there. Its easier to skate against Russian league youngsters than it is against NHL youngsters who are the best in the world and constantly gunning for you.
I think for him the decision may come down to "Would I rather play against some guy in Russia who may hip check me once or twice a game or in the NHL where every game I'm going to have guys from places like Moose Jaw, Iron Lake and Saskatoon gunning for me every time I step on the ice?"
If it were me, I'd always want to play where the ultimate prize is the ULTIMATE in its sport. Baseball, football, basketball are in the States, if I were a soccer/footballer I'd want to be in England, etc. With hockey, its the Stanley Cup. Competing for anything else is second best.
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Post by StPetersburgHoya (Inactive) on Jul 26, 2005 16:17:44 GMT -5
Jagr was amazing at Omsk last year - reports of his demise may be premature. However, you are correct that there is no hitting in the Russian game. I saw a guy get a double-minor for boarding just for checking someone.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 26, 2005 16:25:22 GMT -5
Yeah I'm not opposed to the new instigator rule which pretty much eliminates stupid "save face" fights at the end of games, and I love that the NHL is going to try and cut down on all the hooking and clutching and grabbing, but you need checking... there is nothing in sports (save for a solid, open-field monster hit and form tackle) like a guy getting crushed into the boards and crumpling to the ice... or a monster open ice hit when some schlub is skating with his head down.
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Post by StPetersburgHoya (Inactive) on Jul 26, 2005 16:28:58 GMT -5
The only qualification I would add to what you just said, buff, is submarine checks - those are just outright dirty.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 26, 2005 16:34:23 GMT -5
Oh hell yeah, those are nasty. Like the leg whip/chop block in football or the undercutting of a guy going up for a dunk/layup/rebound in the NBA. I've always thought guys who try those season (if not career) ending moves should be suspended for multiple games on the spot. F-----g disgraceful.
As are Todd Bertuzzi and Marty McSorley. Until Steve Moore is able to return to the NHL, Bertuzzi should be sitting home watching on TV. If Moore never comes back, so be it. So long, Todd. No justice, no peace.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 27, 2005 12:02:13 GMT -5
Schedules are out... this unbalanced scheduling thing is going to be awesome.
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It'll take time, but the NHL will regain its footing. Remember, the goal is to be a successful niche bordering on mass national acceptance like NASCAR or golf... not the NFL or MLB.
