HOCKEY HOCKEY HOCKEY HOCKEY HOCKEY HOCKEY HOCKEY HOCKEY!!!!!

[gaimeguy]

http://www.nhl.com/news/2005/07/230330.html<
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>HOCKEY!!! "As long as there are dreamers who have the courage to follow their dreams, there will be heroes. And as long as there are people who pursue the unkown, there will be new stories to be told...and new adventures to be had." ~ Skies of Arcadia Legends <
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[DEVILRAYS]

And yet again, I have no reason to be optimistic. As long as Bob Goodenow is involved, there will be no hockey. Watch for both sides to deny this report later today or tomorrow, or at the latest, for the NHLPA to vote this proposal down.<
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>The season will not start on time. It won't. I hate to be a buzzkill or to be ants at this hockey picnic, but I am not at all excited about this news. <i></i>

[Tanthalasis]

Well, unlike GaimeGuys assured optimism, and Rays' assured pessimism, I'm a realist on this.<
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>While optimistic that a season will start on time, I'll wait and believe it when I see it. <
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[NOAImawario]

We can only hope... my friends... <
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[Nakor BlueRider]

Local news described it as a sure thing. All that needs to be done is to ratify it, which means a majority vote of the players. The majority of players are under 2 mil/year players, so the odds of this going wrong all over again are something akin to the odds of Tanis never firing another bullet in his life. <i>There are many rules of<
>physics that govern our world.<
>There is only one exception.<
>His name is Nakor.</i><
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>--Nakor, the Blue Rider<
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[Tanthalasis]

Coincidentally, I'm also going up to the rifle range tomorrow morning. ^_^ <
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[DEVILRAYS]

I would love to be optimistic at this point, but the odds of this going through without at least a valiant attempt by Bob Badenow to tank it are about the same as the odds of the Hurricanes playing against the Predators for this year's Stanley Cup...although just watch and that will happen, what with the salary cap being what it is. <i></i>

[NOAImawario]

Well, I hope you are wrong and there is some hockey next season. <
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><i>Edited by: NOAImawario  at: 7/14/05 11:17 pm<
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[DEVILRAYS]

I hope I am too, but I am not one ot be optimistic after seeing what the motley crew known as the NHL and NHLPA has done since September. <i></i>

[frog hopping kilik]

I think your pessimism is unfounded. Even Roenick, Lord of Footinmouth, has practically conceded defeat on this one. The players are undoubtedly pissed at Badenow for losing on basically every issue, and I don't think they'll listen to him anymore. The season is almost assured to start on time. How many people show up to the games... that's another story. It's gonna take a looooong time before hockey regains its dignity again. <
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>I still agree with that one guy at ESPN who says they should fire both Tweedledee and Tweedledum, though. Neither one has done his job even vaguely satisfactorily, and it's time for some new faces to take over and rebuild the NHL. Those two let the old ship sink; they should go down with it. <
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>"When someone beats you with a flashlight, you shine light in all directions."<
>Ph33r flashlights.<i></i>

[NOAImawario]

Well, I'm a loyal fan. As long as there is hockey, I will want to watch it. <
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[frog hopping kilik]

Oh, I'll definitely watch it, but I wonder how many borderline fans have already given up on the game because of the st00pid lockout. Probably a lot, I'd bet. <
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>"When someone beats you with a flashlight, you shine light in all directions."<
>Ph33r flashlights.<i></i>

[soloist]

My question is whether or not loyal fans<
>of the sport will continue to support<
>it after the fall-out (of sorts). T-<
>here was mentioned to be ch-<
>anges as well in terms of<
>rules. I wonder will th-<
>e rules and the exp-<
>ected increase i-<
>n ticket costs<
>deter the f-<
>ans at a-<
>ll. Cur-<
>ious. <i></i>

[NOAImawario]

Rays not watching hockey anymore would be a huge thing... o_O <
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[DEVILRAYS]

If i don't watch hockey at all, it would be a huge thing...if I don't watch the NHL but still watch the college game, I can see that. I can't picture not watching any hockey anymore, though.<
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>Besides, you would still get a kick out of razzing me when the Stars beat the Red Wings, as if that ever happens...I'll have you know that last year, the Stars didn't win a game against the Wings! (Though despite there being no hockey, I am still surprised the Wings and Stars didn't manage to tie a couple of times like they always do...) <i></i>