LOCKOUT: Day 68 – Fan Frustration
April 25, 2012; Boston, MA, USA; A general view of TD Garden before the start of game seven of the 2012 Eastern Conference quarterfinals between the Boston Bruins and the Washington Capitals. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-US PRESSWIRE
Got to love it when Dennis Leary looks Cam Neely in the eye and practically begs for the return of NHL hockey. Scratch that. It’s friggin’ depressing to see a native son look into the eyes of a hockey legend-turned member of management(not to mention a long time friend) and do everything but read the Riot Act to them. The only moment of levity came when Tyler Seguin was mentioned to the pair. Granted, Tyler has twenty eight points (sixteen goals) in his seventeen games in the Swiss league.
Leary is facing the same frustration we all are. When can we have some friggin’ hockey? Once again, the players step up to the plate and offer a contract that forces them to give up another piece of their paycheck in order to satisfy ownerships’ desire to go and make more financially questionable calls. Got to love a bunch of owners who sign massive, career-length contracts and now seem to have no desire to be held accountable for their poor judgement. (That part is directed to the eighteen of thirty clubs that LOST money last year.) Hey owners, congratulations. You’ve very likely let soccer pass you on the national relevance scale.
Fehr says the the gulf between ownership and the players is about one hundred and eighty million dollars. Well, that’s enough money to feed half the country by the NHLPA’s reckoning. Sadly, for the owners that type of money is seen as two contracts (neither they would feel inclined to ‘Make Whole’ at the present time.) Bettman must have dropped his calculator. He still believes the gulf between the parties is in the six hundred to eight hundred million dollar range. With Bettman’s money, we could feed the entire North American continent. Then again, we could look at that money through the eyes of the owners and that would come out to be eight or nine crazy career contracts. (Contracts they would very likely not want to be held accountable for.)
Leary was in town for Comings Coming Home. Mr. Leary, please your influence on your friend Cam [Neely] to get another show into town. I’d call it Bruins Coming Home. Don’t get me wrong Leary, your bluntness is hysterical and I love your work. I just want to see the B’s skate more.