Post
by Mondi » Tue Oct 30, 2012 8:16 am
Won't work, there are far too many people who hate their lives and who lives vicariously through the NHL to ever shut down the league. If I work 11 hour days, I want to go home crush a few beers and watch the game goddammit!
But, seriously, the NHL will come back eventually as will the fans. People like to be a part of "something bigger", whether it be superstition, nationalism, jingoism, fanaticism...whatever it is, people will be back.
The best, and perhaps only way, is if they sit out long enough (i.e. years) people will become disinterested more organically and find they have better things to do than watch over grown teenagers chase a puck around the ice and then get interviewed about it and tell all of us work-a-day professionals how much they have sacrificed to get there.
And, if I were a player, I'd be trying to organize a new league, and threatening to sit out forever as the owners are bargaining in bad faith. Unfortunately, the players are just jocks who see every challenge is a fight or battle, rather than get creative they will get entrenched...well they already have. Next step is players individually beaking off their owners, that will be interesting.
As for my two cents about solving it, the owners and PA have to realize they have the wrong kinds of people at the top. People who care about winning a dispute rather than doing what is right for the economics / spirit of the game. Fehr appears to be a pretty big meathead, and we all know how obtuse Bettman can be, after this is over both men need to be shown the door and replaced by mature and rational negotiators (preferably Canadians).