The NHL is like a child that elaborately and carefully constructs a sandcastle on an exotic beach. It spends a painstaking amount of time building it into a majestic piece of sandy architecture.
Then, after basking in the glow of its glory and pure aesthetic appeal, the child destroys it with glee while giggling like a schoolgirl.
This certainly feels like the NHL nowadays, doesn't it?
After the crippling lockout of 2004-05, the NHL finally garnered the mainstream attention it attained at its peak in the mid-90s. This current lockout is the destruction of that progress.
And they are forcing their fans to sit and watch.
This Friday, the NHL will most certainly cancel more regular season games. If an agreement is not reached by the end of next week, its signature event, the Winter Classic, will be canceled.
Cancelling the Winter Classic will be like pouring gasoline into the castle's moat and lighting it on fire. Once that happens, the remainder of the castle will gradually burn to the ground.
And it seems as if commissioner Gary Bettman and NHLPA executive director Donald Fehr are content to let it happen.
After a couple of days of hope for a resolution after owners proposed a 50/50 split over hockey related revenue with the players, all optimism eroded after the players' counterproposal was only considered for ten total minutes. The holdup, based on several reports, is based on owners honoring current player contracts. The players are open to a 50/50 split.
So if this is the only major issue holding up negotiations, it is safe to say this lockout is all about ego. The 50/50 proposal is the best owner either side can put forth. Any other proposal at this point is a total waste of time, money, and most of all, the diehard fans' emotions.
Perhaps if NHL sponsors and luxury suite purchasers threaten to boycott the league, both sides will cave and end this nonsense? It certainly seems that egos are more important than the fans, or for that matter, making money off hockey games!
If the league takes the diehard fan for granted, then they most certainly do not care that the casual fan will never return. And the mainstream media, especially ESPN, will play the "who cares about hockey" card with relish and completely ignore the sport, lockout or no lockout.
The diehard fans are screaming in horror, and Bettman and Fehr are giggling like little kids while watching their castle dissolve. The fans can only hope the careers of these two men go up in flames as well once this craziness is resolved.
I still believe we will have a 2012-13 NHL season, even if it starts between Thanksgiving and Christmas.
But rest assured, should this continue beyond New Years, this diehard fan and countless others will stand up and walk away from this great sandcastle demolition.
Bettman and Fehr do not deserve the satisfaction of watching this great game die.
NFL Five Things We Learned From Week 7
1. The Jets will mightily regret their loss to New England. The Pats handed them this game, and they screwed it up.
2. If the Ravens get more performances like Sunday's, especially without Ray Lewis, they are in huge trouble.
3. The Lions define one-dimensional. If Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson are not on their A game, they have no chance.
4. Cam Newton is proving he many not be mature enough to handle his sophomore slump and beyond.
5. Eli Manning is the NFL's best 4th quarter quarterback since John Elway.
Plan the Parade We're Going to the Damn Super Bowl pick: Chicago vs New England (no doubt Pats fans will continue to pump their chests despite its teams' massive shortcomings on defense.)
Top 5
1. Atlanta
2. Houston
3. N.Y. Giants
4. San Francisco
5. Green Bay
Bottom 5
32. Cleveland
31. Jacksonville
30. Kansas City
29. Carolina
28. Tampa Bay
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