Just some bits and bites from the world around us, such as it is, and my humble opinion, for what it’s worth, not that I’m asking what it’s worth because I’m afraid what the answer might be….
…..so the NHL talks continue their roller-coaster ride to oblivion. Or at least that’s how it appears to us outsiders, you know the fans that support the league and its players, well at least when it’s actually operating.
There’s been so much written on this topic already I doubt I can add anything worthwhile, except maybe just quit the posturing on both sides and get the deal done already.
I’m tired of watching hockey re-runs on TV, although I must admit I enjoyed the gold-medal game from the Vancouver Olympics the other night, and the ‘72 Russian series finale a couple weeks back.
And even Slapshot, with Paul Newman, was on the other night, and that was great, even though every second word in the dressing room was bleeped out.
But the weather’s finally changed and I’m actually starting to miss the NHL, even though I’m self-righteously trying to maintain that I don’t to spite the owners and players fighting over billions of dollars.
However, I have one question that hasn’t been asked in all this mayhem.
Do you think NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and/or NHLPA boss Donald Fehr have ever strapped on skates in their lives?
And if they haven’t, do you think that might be part of why they don’t seem to care enough about the game to get this over with and hockey back on the ice?
OK, that’s two questions, but I’m moving on now, hopefully the two sides can get over themselves and move towards a deal sooner rather than later as well…….
……keeping with the sports theme, the New York Yankees are out in four straight and I’m sure the hand-wringing and second-guessing is in overdrive in the Big Apple.
The fact that one big payroll team, the Yankees, lost to another big payroll team, the Tigers, isn’t that big a deal to me and at least one good thing about hockey is that it has a salary cap and in theory every team can compete for the top prize.
In baseball, throwing obscene amounts of money around at top players usually works. Not always, of course, as the Yankees are a testament too, but more often than not for my liking and it keeps me from being the fan I used to be.
The first rounds of the baseball playoffs were wonderful but it’s getting less and less interesting now, and I’m pretty sure it’s not supposed to work that way.
If my Giants lose out I may not even watch the World Series and that’s saying something. Although if it comes down to chores or baseball, well……
…….and speaking of chores, it might be later than you think. Due to an amazing September and half of October one might find oneself under the gun to get the pre-winter checklist completed in time.
If one had such a list, of course.
And even if you don’t you still have to somehow get the winter tires installed, bring in the hoses, change the filter on the furnace, cover the air conditioner etc, etc……and there’s no hockey on and baseball’s almost over and there’s no excuse really not to get started and…….come on Gary and Don can you please help a guy out here, this is getting serious……
…….Glenn Mitchell is the managing editor for The Morning Star
