Hockey on ice ... so to speak
As I write this, the NHL officially begins its lockout. When will it end? Six months? Twelve? Eighteen? Does it matter?
I've been a hockey fan since the glory days of Rod Langway, Bengt Gustafsson and Lou Franceschetti in Washington 20 years ago, and I hate to see the league try to destroy itself from within yet again.
Owners agreed to a self-destructive collective bargaining agreement in 1994, and now the players refuse to allow the league to fix its economic system and save itself. After all, that might mean a paycut from their $1.8 million salaries (on average). Unions don't want to establish that precedent.
Well, there's always the WHA. Which could mean hockey's return to Greensboro. Yippee!
But, more than likely, the NHL will return to the ice eventually but won't recapture US markets for a long, long time ... if ever.
Will folks in Raleigh, Atlanta, Tampa and Miami -- and Washington, as long as I'm singling out the South Division -- miss the pucks? Doubt it.
Comments (1)
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Jeff,
I know your pain. I go back to the Canadien's glory years with the "Rocket"...I am so sick of the money situation in all sports...greed has certainly changed things forever...I really thought that hockey would always be different...blame it on the lawyers
Posted on September 19, 2004 6:54 AM