The View From Wisconsin
Just a random set of rants from a Sports Fan from Wisconsin.
Tuesday, June 07, 2005
What I Believe About the Lockout
Five things that I believe about the lockout at the present time:
- I believe that the CBA, in essence if not in totality, has already been completed. The major issues and "roadblocks" that have kept the two sides apart have been dealt with, and there are only minor issues - dates, exact numbers and figures, and such - that haven't been finished.
- I believe that the reason why there's been little word out of the two parties as of late is that lawyers have been going over the completed CBA with a fine-toothed comb. They're just checking the document for legalities and wording and dotted-I's and crossed-T's.
- I believe that once this CBA goes before the Board of Governors, it will have more than the required two-thirds super-majority for approval. Bettman preached so long about "cost certainty" in a new CBA; it would look absolutely foolish on his part not to support a deal that contains it - as it is very likely it will have, from all accounts.
- I believe that the NHLPA will also ratify this agreement in short order. The scuttlebutt is that the "Get It Done" faction of the PA outnumbers the "hardliners" by a two-to-one margin, and that a majority of players are itching to get back to playing hockey.
- I honestly believe that the two sides will conduct their votes on the new CBA by the end of June, if not earlier. And once this is done, the utter chaos that will ensue from free agency signings and the draft lottery will commence.
Copyright © 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, Joseph Houk. All rights reserved.
