NHL finally gets act together...

[eregyrn]

Yes, yes. The NHL owners and the players' union have an agreement in principle. And I think I speak for hockey fans everywhere when I say: rah.

Although, really -- apparently the ink isn't on paper yet, and given the two sides' track record thus far of screwing things up, perhaps we shouldn't fill the Stanley Cup with champagne just yet. (Speaking of which, where *is* the Cup? Did they let the Lightning players keep it for an extra year, or what?)

http://www.boston.com/sports/hockey/articles/2005/07/13/nhl_players_work_to_complete_contract/

Now that they have a deal in hand, I will be shocked if the PA doesn't fire its head/negotiator, Goodenow. Moron. He would appear to be one of the main reasons for putting off the players' caving in the end until long past the last possible moment, in the process managing to sink several possible earlier deals that were far more favorable than what they actually settled for. Though really, it would also be good if the owners all got together the moment the ink was on the contract, and fired Bettman, too. Yes, you could say he finally got them what they wanted. Or, you could say that he was an key part in forcing the loss of an entire season. Surely, in 6 years, when this becomes an issue again, the NHL could do waaaaaaay better than Bettman.

Comments

[nangi-akki.livejournal.com]

Teal'c: "I believe the Canucks of Vancouver are superior warriors."

Jack: "Canucks, eh?" (pause) "So, lunch?"

[eregyrn.livejournal.com]

Don't forget that classic Jack double-take, too. ;-)

They were being awfully mean. :) I think that at the time that episode was shot, the Canucks actually had a fairly good record. They've been considered a contender team over the last 3-4 years. Before that, though, apart from the heartbreaking 1994 run to the Cup finals, the Canucks *did* tend to be the butt of jokes. They've only become really, really good in the last 4-5 years -- and even then, their current established pattern is very similar to that of the pre-2004 Boston Red Sox. Which is to say -- play very well during the season, have a good shot at becoming Conference champions, then tank somewhere in the actual playoffs. Vancouver, therefore, regard the Canucks with a certain degree of wariness -- hoping that this year might be the year, but since it's never happened (i.e. the Canucks have never won the Cup), not counting on it.

To add background to that exchange in the show -- if I'm not mistaken, "The Other Guys" was shot *after* the season in which the Canucks and the Minnesota Wild wound up in a hard-fought and ultimately acrimonious second-round play-offs contest, in which the Wild ultimately triumphed. (The Wild would then be beaten by the Mighty Ducks, on the Ducks' way to the finals.) So, the Canucks had really just broken Vancouver's heart *yet again* (they had led their series against the Wild 3-1, and were considered favorites to win; and then they blew it).

At the time (and I think that somewhere, an actual picture exists of this, but I forget where I saw it), RDA had somebody make him a custom jersey, which was half of a Canucks jersey sewn to half of a Wild jersey -- because he wanted to support both teams. (Not exactly a popular decision in Vancouver at the time, but anyone can understand a native Minnesotan's desire to support the Wild, a relatively new team that Minnesota finally got after many years before having its beloved Northstars bought and moved unceremoniously to Dallas.)

[nangi-akki.livejournal.com]

yeah, i remember that pic. i think it was in a vancouver sun article.
ah - here it is. found it at rdanderson.com
http://rdanderson.com/archives/a3-04-25.htm

[eregyrn.livejournal.com]

Yes! That's it! *So* delightfully goofy. Thanks for finding that!