Friday, December 15, 2006

Balsillie screwed by the NHL

Billionaire creator of the Blackberry, and passionate hockey fan Jim Balsillie purchased the Pittsburgh Penguins, saving them from eventual doom. The NHL should be happy a franchise was saved, and by an owner with such a belief in the game.

Instead, word comes today, that Balsillie withdrew his bid to buy the Penguins. At first listen it sounded like he was just backing out because he thought twice. But as details emerged, it's all due to the NHL making absurd demands for him to accept if he wanted the team.

To wit: The NHL says he cannot move the Penguins, no matter how bleak it got financially for him. Then, if it does get financially fucked for him, then the NHL will assume ownership from him - and he can kiss his 170+ million dollars goodbye.

Sign on the dotted line Mr. Balsillie ..............................................

Well, the guy didn't become a billionaire for being a retard. And the NHL becomes a laughing stock once again for thinking so. This isn't Charles Wang.

Why would the NHL make such absurd conditions? Even if you had to buy a house, would you buy one in an undisclosed city - and you must keep them there according to Remax? Would you buy it in a ghetto stricken area, and if the house depreciates in value - agree to just hand it all over at a loss to you for full price whenever Remax decides it's gone too far down in value?

Of course not. And that's a 150,000 dollar investment. Now make that 150 million plus. Why would the NHL do this? A few reasons come to mind:

- The NHL is afraid that Balsillie would move the Penguins to Canada. Like he said he would consider. Why is this so wrong? A guy owns a team, and wants to move it to a feasible area, where people will guarantee to show up. Where were these absurd conditions when the Nordiques were bought and moved to the US? The NHL still holds this idea that teams should move to random US markets, despite past teams blowing it by doing so.

- The NHL wants Sidney Crosby in the Eastern seaboard, especially the NE division so he plays in NYC 8 times a year. Which is somewhat understandable, the game's biggest star and the NHL wanting him in the area. But, it will not matter how often a star plays there - it's the competive aspect that keeps fans around. The Rangers and the US had their biggest ratings when the Rangers won the Cup in 1994. Even Sports Illustrated had a cover story saying "Why the NHL is more popular than the NBA".

But it was the Rangers winning the Cup, not when Gretzky played his last years in NYC, not when Pavel Bure joined the Rangers, and today, not when Jagr is a Ranger. Sidney Crosby is not the key to boosting ratings by being in the area. Market the guy, no matter where he is, and presto... ratings all over. Not just in NYC.

If the Penguins didn't have Crosby, Malkin or Lemieux playing, do you really think the NHL would make such conditions on the new owner? Never.

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The amazing thing of all this is that the NHL had a high bidder, from a passionate owner, and they nixed it because he didn't want to roll the dice on a new arena.

But the real reason why is underlined in the condition they made that if the Penguins start to fail and don't have a new arena - that the NHL can take control of the team. It's nothing but greedy bullshit that made them do this. They know the team cannot survive in Pittsburgh without an arena - and if that falls through, the NHL wants control of where this team goes. Balsillie would move them to a proven market, the NHL would move them to an untested market for their own idea that the NHL will one day thrive if it moves to random US markets.

So the Penguins don't get the deal they want with the arena/casino. The NHL takes over and moves them to Houston, Kansas City, Portland or Seattle. If Balsillie owns them - the team goes to Hamilton, Kitchener/Waterloo, or Winnipeg.

That's why this went down. Believe that.

The Oilers need grit


While I'm sure this is not a revelation, it's something that has been bothering me for a couple weeks or more now. Edmonton tends to play a passive game, and if they're behind by 2 goals, they pack it in, saying. If the other team starts to forecheck on them, they buckle.

If it wasn't for Roloson, the Oilers would be battling for dead last in the division.

There is nobody that turns the tide anymore. Stoll did it single handidly last night, but that'll be the last time he does all season. Winchester tries, but continually gets his ass kicked in the process - and is now in the press box. JF Jacques might as well just fuck off, he doesn't understand why he's on the team at all. Combine Laraque with Debrusk and you got JF Jacques, minus 71 career goals. Oh yeah, and the whole fighting aspect.

Torres can change the tide when he decides he wants to play. Which is never.

So where are the Oil at now? Someone needs to kick this team in the ass when they're slacking. It's not a popular idea, but I want Todd Harvey back. The guy would die on the ice to save a goal, or defend a team mate. He would never think twice about throwing a hit to change the momentum. He is still the same guy that captained the 93 World Junior Canadian Team to a gold medal. The guy wears his heart on his sleeve.

And he'd sign for the minimum amount of money, which at this point is less than 250k against the Oilers salary cap for the year.

The Oilers have no tough guys, Horcoff has had to step in when Liles kneed Smyth. Even the mighty Ducks have that mustachioed hero George Parros in the lineup. I say mighty in the sense they're unbeatable, not to disregard their name change.

Another area to look into. Oiler players are dropping like flies, and nobody is standing up for them. It's unfortunate that Barnaby is already employed by the Stars, he'd be a fit in Edmonton to cover both grit and enforcer.

Something needs to be done, soon. The defense might be a concern come trade deadline. The grit is a concern right now.

Merry Christmas

I'm heading home for the holidays, won't be updating until the new year. Be safe, and have a good one you scurvy bastards. Don't drink and drive, it's devastating to know someone who was killed by a drunk driver. I don't, but I assume that might suck.

But I'll leave a couple thoughts before I go.

Friday, December 08, 2006

Hatred runs wild on Rory Fitzpatrick

Since the Associated Press has run their story about the Vote For Rory campaign, all of a sudden the pundits covering the NHL have picked up on it. (Minus Michael Landsberg, he's always more focused on how tight his shirt is, or like today "What's wrong with the Leafs, let me ask you - random Toronto Argonaut")....

Beside that, it's been run in every major Canadian newpaper today of the number of votes Rory Fitzpatrick has gathered, and if he will make the Allstar game.

The Score - Steve Ludzik says "No." A surprise from the one guy that usually speaks of all the toilers to make it to the NHL. Either Ludzik was out in the dark before this got to his ear piece, or he well, was caught off guard again... For a former player that always brags about how the regular player that toils in the minors and the NHL - he suddenly turned his back on this recognition for that type of player. The question boils to if he actually understands the reason, or if he was just caught off guard "What? Fitzpatrick in the All Star game? No.... of course not".

Team 1040 VAN/ Sportsnet News - Don Taylor - who I've mentioned before as being a complete moron, and one of Canada's worst sports broadcasters. Even though he uses most of his air time on TV to grunt and moan for his commentaries of game highlights, he figures Rory Fitzpatrick is a joke. Then he spends most his time talking about it, interviewing Rory, and Steve Schmid about it.

Sportsnet - Ray Ferraro - just bitter he never made it, and cutting it down. There's only one Ray Ferraro, and 100,000 hits to www.voteforrory.com
Sorry Ray, you're as relevant as ever.

The disconnect of pundits, the NHL, from the fans and even the players that have supported this is amazing. it becomes more obvious every day that these radio or TV personalities don't do any research before they get on the air. They just decide to read NHL press releases and leave it at that.

The media is so far disconnected from fans, the Rory Fitzpatrick campaign, that was intended to prove the flaw in the NHL's voting system - has exposed a lot more in the process. The fact that sports, and NHL media only write things when the Associated Press sends out their mass stories. The fact that the media will take on a three week old story, and always use their "negative campaigns" trying to boost ratings.....

Rory gained 110,000 votes in 7 days. That's a fact. It's not a few random people trying to make a joke in their basements like the media tends to believe.

What's been shown is that the media on TV, radio and even the internet are that much slower and uninformed than your regular fan. This would never happen in the NFL, NBA, or MLB.

Regardless, their misunderstanding is our gain. Step up and prove them wrong.

www.voteforrory.com

Tuesday, December 05, 2006

Vote for Rory Fitzpatrick - NHL All Star Game


A movement was started on HFboards by a member lecherous, and it has taken off since. As of last Wednesday Rory Fitzpatrick was 13th in NHL voting, all by write in votes - and surpassed Matthieu Schneider, who was on the regular ballot.

You might ask why you should contribute to this campaign.... Rory Fitzpatrick is your every day "Joe Lunchpail" that toiled in the minors for years before making it to the NHL. With a depleted Sabres blueline last year in the Eastern Conference Finals, that "Joe" stepped his game up to become one of the most reliable players in the playoffs last season.

It's a reflection of every player who worked their asses off, no matter the hardships, to finally play in the NHL. The journeyman is often forgotten in their quests to make it. This vote is to reflect the fan's appreciation of a player like Rory Fitzpatrick.

If you're still not convinced, take the time to watch a couple youtube videos made about this campaign, sometimes pictures speak louder than words:

http://youtube.com/results?search_query=Rory+Fitzpatrick&search=Search


And if that doesn't satisfy you. Well, too late. Team Rory has already submitted another thousand votes while you watched that.

Vote for Rory. Official website, which will give you all the info you need, including Rory's reaction to the movement:
www.voteforrory.com

Ric Jackman headed to Edmonton?

From all accounts, the Oilers will pick up Ric Jackman off waivers from the Florida Panthers this week. They have already submitted their claim on Jackman's "re-entry waiver". If the NHL approves, it will cost the Oilers around 600,000 of his salary for the rest of the year.

Jackman will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the year.

Reporting what was heard on WQAM - the official Florida Panthers radio station.

5 Players that will be moved by the trade deadline


1. Ladislav Nagy - Mike Barnett is already itchy with his trade trigger finger. Nagy will be a UFA at the end of the year, and both Barnett and Gretzky don't play the guy the way he should be played. They rely on him too much, and come down on him too hard if he doesn't produce. Nagy will be gone by the start of February. Look for Ottawa, NYI, or Anaheim to acquire him.

2. Todd White - Minnesota is a deep team for defensive forwards. For no other reason than that, look for the Wild to trade him, trying to get prospective depth, or a 2nd round pick.

3. Eric Brewer - he hasn't been happy in St. Louis, and Joel Quenville doesn't much care for Brewer. The unhappy matchup will result in Brewer being shipped out by mid February. The Edmonton Oilers will be the top bidder - offering up someone like Deslauriers, or one of the 1st round picks they have stored up.

4. Richard Zednik - With the emergence of Alex Semin, the Caps have no more use for this guy. They're trying to rebuild a team, and Zednik helped, but won't in the future. Detroit is the most likely destination.

5. Josef Stumpel, Jeremy Roenick, Patrice Brisebois, John Leclair - all moved to the retirement list.