hockey blues

[blackjack]

...anybody going through hockey withdrawal...after the 02 drought and a couple years of BSE...kinda are to fill sorry for the millionare hockey player...but at least now we have something in common...a lot less money in our jeans...

[blackjack]

...should have said kinda hard to feel

[WoolyBear]

No Blues here. The entire NHL is to blame. Between the greedy owners, players and agents, I don't believe anyone will miss them. As far a role models, they certainly are not good examples of what young people should aspire too.

Maybe now what arises out of the ashes will be more like the hockey that was played when players played because they loved the game, not for the pay check.

I wonder if the same will ever happen with farming????

[almoy]

We must be in it for the love of farming as the pay check isn't that great the last few years here !!

[cakadu]

That is an interesting point you bring up Woolybear. No one is worth a $150 million contract. The money coming out of these things is what motivates many - particularly parents who would like to see their little Johnny be the next superstar. Kids are pushed to the limits of their endurance and their coping skills and any fun is taken out of the sport.

We see sports "heroes" taking drugs in order to reach the pinnacle which I believe sends the wrong message to the kids today - it's alright to get to the top no matter how you get there. Others commit terrible acts yet are given a slap on the wrist because of who they are.

How many kids are left damaged because they have been pushed to do something they don't want to do? Let's face it, there are a very few who make it to the big money. Let's get back to the love of the game, working as a team and doing one's best.

[r.reid]

Don't know about the rest of you guys...But I think I'm going to sponsor one (NHL hockey player that is) LOL!!

[cowman]

I gave up NHL hockey a long time ago, and personally couldn't care if they ever played again! However I truly do enjoy the local junior team(Red Deer Rebels) and seldom miss a game! Incidently the owner(Brent Sutter) runs a pretty good herd of cows at Sylvan Lake.
I see the owners whine about a salary cap! Hey you know something? No one ever forces them to pay mega bucks to these guys! If you averaged out the salary cap to every layer on the team it would still come to over $2 million a player? Unfortunately the "BIG" stars need big bucks! I really have no sympathy for someone who wants $20 million a year to play a game...and I have no sympathy for some rich old man who expects to make even more on the backs of these guys!
These guys all need a reality check...both owners and players!

[dalek]

All I'll say is I'm glad our local boy is Rob Ray (son of a New Holland dealer), who said early and often that he'd be glad to play as a replacement player and screw the union.

[les]

now if we can only get football off tv

[r.reid]

Football!!! GO RIDERS GO!

[carebear300]

Alas, my poor riders are in trouble as well. Our star player is going to follow all the promising young people from this province to the great and wonderful Saudi Arabia of the western world, Alberta. Oh well we that are left have something in common stupidity, to ever put up with this crap!!!!!!!!

[pettie]

I'm no longer an NHL fan but am still a hockey fan.We're having the Pnd Hockey Tournament right here in Paster Rock NB and I must say, some of these players could wipe out a few million$ pros without even breaking a sweat !!
It's like being back in the old days when the guys played hockey for the sheer love of it. Not for the love of money!!

;-)

[cowman]

That Rob Ray is one tough kid!

[dalek]

Not exactly a kid anymore, I think he's in his late 30s. Also one of the better known humanitarians off the ice.

[dalek]

one positive of the NHL issue is that more fans seem to be in the stands for teams such as the Red Deer Rustlers, the Oiler's farm team in Edmonton etc.
Local folks are saying that there is a larger attendance at the AJHL games and minor hockey tournaments etc., so some of the dollars normally spent attending NHL games here in AB. does seem to be filtering down.