NHL LOCKOUT: Day 108- Could it be over?

Some people have claimed that this whole lockout mess has been nothing but an emotional roller coaster. I don’t think that analogy quite applies here. The empty stadium where the Winter Classic was supposed to be played testifies to that. We the fan base have been more a punching bag as both sides push their agendas upon each other. The most recent attempts to salvage the season are continuing today in New York City. My Bruins brother has already given up on the season. Of all this mess, that has been the hardest thing for me to take. This is the guy who endured thousands of questions from icing calls to what level of discretion there was in referee calls, to why is it a blue line? He’s the one that sat down and explained this whole mess and broke it down like I was five(which was about right for my abysmal sports IQ.)

The talks have been going on with meetings within the parties. Apparently Don Fehr has lost his social pariah standing with the owners. They finally acknowledge that he is part of the process. (Probably, more like the players are still prepared to go nuclear against the ownership with their ‘disclaimer of intrest’.) The main talks will begin between parties will start around 5pm. The last series of Tweets from hockey players and the press have been positive. They believe that some form of compromise will be reached this time.

During the latest counter proposal to the league, the NHL took an important step in the process. They didn’t dismiss the plan out of hand, and they did not walk out of the neogtiations. This alone is progress. With the losses already over one billion, and very likely to reach the one and a half billion mark, the owners have finally figured out how bad it has become for everyone. With the ‘point of no return’ landing on the elventh, both sides have a mere ten days to make magic happen.