Some People Never Learn....
by Deb Beckers

Jim, Jim, Jim, Jim, Jim...

I know billionaires can afford the good crack, but you’re going to have to share some of it with the NHL Board of Governors if you want them to go along with your plan.

Move a team.

An American team.

To Canada. To Hamilton (Ontario)?

Seriously, REALLY good crack.

Just incase your flunkies haven’t laid it out for you, here are the facts:

Balsillie_52257.jpg1) Like Bettman is ever going to let you move one of his precious expansion teams, to CANADA. You know he hates Canada right?

2) Nashville is not going to let the team out of their lease (up in 2011) without a HUGE fight. The Preds can get out of their lease if it can be shown that only 14,000 (or less) seats have been sold per game. Trouble is there is a clause that lets the city of Nashville buy up the extra tickets if they want to. They want to and have already said as much. They’ll make more money on the deal if you have to buy them out.

3) While I would LOVE to have a NHL team in my (literal) back yard, that would give Southern Ontario THREE (3) teams within TWO (2) hours of each other (Toronto & Buffalo) if you up it to THREE (3) hours, we can add in Detroit and at FIVE (5) hours we have the fekking Sens. I don’t doubt that we could support it, but do we want to? Do the other NHL markets want to share their piece of the pie? They’re not saying – I think they’re hoping that Bettman does the dirty work for them.

4) Hamilton already has an AHL team (the Bulldogs) that draws a smallish crowd. They won the Calder Cup (the AHL’s equivalent of the Stanley Cup) this year – only it was like it was being played in, say, Anaheim. Nobody noticed.

5) You’ve already pissed off the Board. You’ve signed a lease with Copp’s Coliseum in Hamilton (a great place to watch hockey, right Dogs?) and in this morning’s Hamilton Spectator you’re selling advanced tickets. The horse is wondering why the cart is in front of it. The Board took you off the agenda for this week’s meeting, saying that it didn’t get proper notification. It got notification alright, but are you getting what’s going on?

So – good luck with it. I hope you can pull this off, really – it’s sure going to be fun watching you try.


NHL08_cover.jpgIn Other News...

The Islanders bought out the remainder of Alexei Yashin’s *spit* contract. Please wait a moment while I laugh my fekking ass off. Some day I will share with you all my hatred of Yashin *spit*, but the gag order has not yet lifted.

Hasek is staying in Detroit for at least another season. Good move – that will make y’all contenders.

The Leafs signed captain Mats Sundin to a one year deal worth approximately 5.5 million. Good move – that will make y’all contenders.


The End of the Season, the End of I’ll See You On The Ice – for now...

Hockey is finally over; my heart has been broken – yet again. Now I know how Elmer Fudd feels when it’s duck season – woefully inadequate.

It’s time for a bit of a break while I enjoy one of Canada’s finest seasons – Construction.

Watch FASTER THAN THE BLOG tomorrow for a list of tonight’s winners from the NHL Awards and keep watching the BLOG for further NHL updates as they appeal to me.

It’s been a great season, I’ve really enjoyed writing for FASTER THAN THE WORLD and I’m sticking around for as long as they’ll have me.

Have a great summer. I’ll see you in September.


Deb’s pool is open; you are only invited if you bring the beer – real beer – not that American shite.

I'll See You On The Ice Archives

Comments

Awesome job Deb! I have really enjoyed reading your stories every week. Hockey rules.

See you on the ice some time around football season!

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Yeah, Hamilton doesn't need it.

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I'm given to understand a team from California won the .. I forget.. the something cup?

Is this true?

It would be like, a team from Texas winning it. Insane!

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I'm with you on Yashin. I was absolutely ticked off when they gave him, what? an $80 gazillion/500,000 year contract? At the time I was saying that they would have been much better off giving that money to Peca. (still not a great idea, but Yashin? The Alan Houston of the NHL?).

It's been funny reading the NY Post talking about how, now that Yashin's gone, Peca might come back and Smyth wouldn't have stayed if Yashin was going to be there. I think the only person on the gisland who liked Yashin was his agent.

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