NHLPA heading down the path to destruction?

Is the NHLPA going militant? That is the fear after they sacked
their Executive Director Paul Kelly just 22 months into his term
as the head of the troubled organization.

Spoiling for a fight with the NHL at this time would be a disaster
for the Players Association.

It reminds me of the question once posed to Albert Einstein:
What weapons would World War III be fought with?

He famously replied:

"I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought,
but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones."

To that end if the NHLPA goes militant and spoils for a war
at the next round of collective bargaining, I know not what
the issues will be but I can guarantee that the subsequent
collective bargaining agreement will be about upping their
per diems from $15 per day and seeing if their respective
clubs will cover part of their equipment costs.

The NHLPA will be destroyed if the hard liners have wrestled
control of this fragile players association.

Bob Nicholson's Hockey Canada Lip Service

Bob Nicholson's Hockey Canada pays lip service to their
Mandate and Mission... and Dany Heatley is not being held
accountable.

According to the Mandate and Mission on Hockey Canada’s
website, the organization entrusted with bringing back
Olympic hockey Gold in Vancouver believes in among
other things:

· To instil the values of honesty and integrity in participants
at all times
· In the promotion of teamwork, and the belief that what
groups and society can achieve as a whole is greater than that
which can be achieved by individuals
· In the development of life skills which will benefit participants
throughout their lives.

It goes without much argument that Dany Heatley fails to live
up to Hockey Canada's own organization’al ethos.

Question: How can someone like Mr. Heatley be considered
when he offers such a terrible example for today’s young people?
Does Hockey Canada feel this player has conducted himself in
such as way as to be given the privilege of wearing our country’s
colours at this year’s Olympics?

Oh yeah, I forgot. Todd Bertuzzi was named to the 2006 men's team.

Ahhh, Mandate and Mission be dammed! We are going for Gold!... right Bob?

Hockey Canada Can Send a Message

I think Hockey Canada has a real opportunity (are you listening
Steve Yzerman) to show kids that if you want to be a national
teamer, and be a good teammate, you don't do what Heatley is
doing.

I would LOVE for Yzerman to say that based on Heatley's actions
he will not be on the team.

If you go to Hockey Canada's website as part of it's mandate and
mission statement are the following:

Hockey Canada believes...

• In the values of fair play and sportsmanship, including the development of respect for all people by all participants.

• To instill the values of honesty and integrity in participants at all times.

• In the promotion of teamwork, and the belief that what groups and society can achieve as a whole is greater than that which can be achieved by individuals.
  
  

These are things that Dany Heatley is not adhering to. What better message than to tell the kids of this country that Hockey Canada stands for players putting their team first and not 'me first' players.

What a strong message to send to the kids of the country!!

I know it won't happen, but frig almighty is should.

Judge Redfield T. Baum's Solution

Eureka... I have solved the Phoenix Coyotes problem!

Judge Redfield T. Baum's job is done if somone sends
him my solution!

As it stands now Jim Balsillie wants to buy the Phoenix
Coyotes for $212.5 million but only on the condition that
he be allowed to move it to Hamilton. However the NHL
wants to keep team in Phoenix and find buyers to take
the team off of current owner Jerry Moyes hands... but
at a much lower sale price.

Here the solution: Why does not Baum tell NHL this: If
you can find a buyer for $212.5 million and keep team
in town, it's yours.

However, to make sure that Jim Balsillie is not being
end run by Gary Bettman and the NHL, new owners
MUST keep team in town for 10 years.

If at any time they want to move or sell within that period,
Balsillie gets first option and can move it to anywhere he
pleases.

For the NHL, it's in their court. Find someone who will pony

up the $212.5 million to match Balsillie and it is yours... but
you cannot pack up and move to KC, Las Vegas or anywhere
else in short order.

Basically, if the new owners and NHL TRULY believe in the
Phoenix market, then they must put up (the loot) or shut up,
and commit to the Phoenix area, or else RIM Jim gets the club.

David Stern: Pragmatic. Gary Bettman: Dogmatic.

When you look at the refusal of Gary Bettman to let teams in

poor markets or poor arena situations go in favour of better

ones, Bettman's dogmatism has put him in the middle of a

court challenge that could weaken all North American pro

sports leagues ability to determine where teams play.

Since the Hartford Whalers moved to Carolina in 1997,

no NHL team has relocated.

Contrast that with the NBA under Commissioner David Stern:

Since that same year Stern has given allowed Vancouver pack

up and go to Memphis, Charlotte slide down to New Orleans,

and Seattle has trucked on to Oklahoma City.

You telling me the stability of NHL is such that it's franchises are

greater than that of NBA clubs and thus not requiring relocation?

Gary Bettman is weakening the league by no letting these non

functioning teams die a natural death or find new life elsewhere.

Coyote Desperate... Liquor Promotionbrings Desert Dogs to new low

Smirnoff Vodka has teamed up with the Phoenix Coyotes to offer hockey fans a chance to catch the April 7th game against the St Louis Blues game when you purchase a bottle of 1.75l Smirnoff Red Label or Flavored Vodka at any participating retailer.

Fans have to send the itemized receipt to the "Smirnoff Power Play Ticket Offer"; there is also a limit of six tickets (for six bottles) for every e-mail address that enters.

What has the Phoenix Coyotes come to where they have to give tickets
away with Vodka in order to get fans in the building?
Well Bubbles from Trailer Park Boys has the answer!

(Sung to the tune of Liquor and Whores by Bubbles)

Liquor and Coyotes,

Liquor and Coyotes

Empty seats, no money, lousy hockey with Gretzky

and Liquor and Coyotes

I went down,

To get sum booze at the liquor store.

I got a bottle of that Smirnoff Vodka

It was was pretty and pleasing...

But then I said hey boys,

Look at this here liquor label;

It sez by buyin this bottle of booze

I'll get a free hockey ticket!

Liquor and Coyotes,

Liquor and Coyotes

Empty seats, no money, lousy hockey with Gretzky

and Liquor and Coyotes

Clouston... We Have a Problem.

The axe came down on Ottawa Senators coach Craig Hartsburg's
head today, just a bit over half way through his first season guiding
this band of gutless cheque cashers.

New Coach Cory Clouston will make it the 4th coach to try to run
this squad in 12 months.

No doubt he will encounter the same lackadaisical effort that is
the signature of Ottawa Senators hockey these days. Why the
coaching change was made is a mystery to many in a season
that was lost back in late December.

This is for sure: GM Bryan Murray has officially 'Jumped The Shark'
In Ottawa, his moves from here on is will be met with a collective
'spockian raised eyebrow' by the legions in Sens Army.

Too many coaches, too many in locker room distractions (allegedly)
and now he turns this motley crew over to a junior/minor league
coach.

I guess Eugene wanted to save a few shekels as they even offered
fired assistant coach Curtis Hunt (betcha didn't know his name!)
the gig in Binghamton to save the salary of hiring someone new.

Recently retired defenseman Luke Richardson is also named as
an assistant.

Two questions to ponder:

1) Why would Eugene Melnyk allow Bryan Murray to continue
to axe coaches at a rate faster than one changes underwear without
repercussions to his own job?

2) Where is the President of the hockey club, Roy Mlakar in all this
mess?

The two questions are intertwined.

If you recall back two short years ago, Melnyk and Murray, then
coach of the Senators, were in secret meetings discussing the
bloddless cout to removethen GM John Muckler.

All this went on just 6 weeks after the team got off to a poor start
and many were calling for John Mucklers head - including
yours truly; who got embroiled in a tete a tete with the Ottawa
Senators over my www.firemuckler.com website.

Even though Melynk gave everyone a vote of confidence in short
order he was hatching a plan to oust Muckler and replace him with
Murray.

This was all done behind Roy Mlakar's back, as both Muckler and
Mlakar are best of friends. John Muckler actually gave Mlakar
his start in professional hockey so the loyalty runs deep.

As anyone around town knows, the mood and public face of the team
has shifted from Mlakar to Melynk. Roy just does not have that public
'joie de vivre' he used to, and many speculate he is not long for the job.

So with Roy out of the loop, Murray seems to go directly to the owner
for guidance. The mess that has been the last two years and the lack
of input from Mlakar seems to have placed Melnyk in a vacuum with
little input to the goings on with this dysfunctional squad but from
Bryan Murray.

This Tsar Nicholas (Melnyk) to Rasputin (Murray) situation must
have Mlakar internally grinning like the cat that swallowed the
proverbial canary!

One thing is for certain: The Ottawa Senators make the LA Clippers
look like the New England Patriots as far as organizational
competence is concerned!

Eugene Melynk has got to stop acting like 'Jerry Jones lite' and let the
hockey people talk to the hockey people and get his nose out of the
week to week hockey operations.

And for all the 'professional hockey players' on the team? the well is
far too poisoned with them, you can never turn them around in an
Ottawa Senators jersey. They have seen and been involved in too
much nonsense here to resurrect thier passion and spirit for the game
so an old fashioned blood letting is needed in Ottawa. Let's get
honest, stop deluding ourselves and start the rebuild from scratch.

If 'Tsar Nicholas' Melnyk needs an intervention to pull him from
'Rasptuin' Murray's clutches, then please someone do it ASAP!

Cause If he thinks you can tweak this cesspool to respectability he is
kidding yourself.