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May 10, 2005
Lockout Extravaganza!
If dealing with Jeff Van Gundy wasn't trouble enough, NBA Commissioner David Stern is depressed too: NBA commissioner David Stern called the NHL labor impasse "very sad" and said he was hopeful there will be progress in meetings next week on a new collective bargaining agreement in professional basketball. Ironically, that last line is a Mark Cuban talking point. In the Lawrence Eagle-Tribune, Russ Conway is calling down the thunder on NHL owners and players -- and he's using taxpayer-financed arenas and other government financial incentives as the cudgel: The subsidies cut the expenses of NHL club owners and boost the value of their franchises. Not to put too fine a point on it (say I'm the only bee in your bonnet), but the betrayal of the public trust occurred when elected officials put taxpayers on the hook to publicly finance these arenas. In essence, the taxpayers took on a portion of the risk that should have exclusively been the burden of the owners and players. And if municipalities don't want to take on the risk, then they shouldn't do the deal. Conway also has a two-part series on how the whole shooting match fell apart this season. Click here for Part I and here for Part II. He seems really angry. Then again, what would you expect from a hockey beat writer who has had nothing to do since last September? NLRB? We don't need no stinking NLRB: The Eastern League Champion New Hampshire Fisher Cats, Double-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays, have invited Executive Director of the National Hockey League Player’s Association (NHLPA) Bob Goodenow, National Hockey League (NHL) Commissioner Gary Bettman, and NHLPA President Trevor Linden to Fisher Cats Ballpark to attend a Fisher Cats game and meet to resolve the current NHL labor dispute. Congrats to the Fisher Cats PR director for pulling off an inexpensive PR stunt. Tom Benjamin wants to get rid of the red line. James Mirtle says he's wrong. Tom also thinks expansion hasn't led to talent dilution in the NHL. Former GE CEO Jack Welch seems to disagree: Downsizing is one Welch suggestion. Downsizing? Is that Jack Welch or Al Dunlap? The Ukraine managed a 1-1 tie with Team USA at the World Championships yesterday, but the Americans qualified for the quarterfinals anyway. For more, check out Jes Golbez and Hockeybird. And Newsday's Steve Zipay reviews the Webcast of the torunament that we poor Americans have to resort to in order to watch. And for an extensive roundup of the first week of the tournament, check out Sharkspage.
Eric
12:03 PM
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