Wil Wheaton

I want to send a special thank you out to Wil Wheaton. He got to do something that I would love to do, play poker for charity. To make it sweeter, Wil chose the EFF as his charity.

So thank you Wil, good game, good show and keep up the good work.

Teal Sunglasses: Hypocrites in the NHLPA?

Oustandingly good point Chuq!

Teal Sunglasses: Hypocrites in the NHLPA?

This also points out that the problem with the negotiations may not be the NHLPA as much as it is Bob (no)Goodenow fighting for the high priced players.

I've had this feeling that the current lockout has more to do with the marquis players than "the players". Probably 90% of the NHL players would be happy with a system that provides good salaries and benefits. It's the last 10% or less who are the forces fighting against the salary caps along with their agents.

I've (painfully) resigned myself to the probability that there will not be an NHL season this or next year. The upside is that I'm not spending $1000 to see 5 games with my kids or exposing myself to $4000 in risk of not selling excess tickets.

Windows vs Satire

This little ditty Windows vs proves that sometimes satire is the best tool.

Though this piece is fairly old, it is still entertaining. The funniest thing is that there are a ton of articles out there that read like this one and are completely literal.

Blogging Bettman

Chuq and Eric are blogging about Gary Bettman and the state of the league.

I'd like to answer Eric's question of the on-ice product with a qualified "what the hell has Bettman done anyway?". I can't look at the on-ice product and see his influence. I'm not a fan of Bettman by any stretch But I'm having a hard time blaming him for the ills of the NHL.

The dilution due to expansion has allowed more good but not great players to eat minutes on the ice. This though has also allowed better players to play at a higher level so maybe expansion is a wash.

The increased accessability of NHL hockey has brought in bigger and faster players that may have chosen football for a career. I also believe that this is the long term solution to the talent dilution problem.

Goaltending is certainly changing the state of the game with GPG down by about 2, but I don't know that it's a factor in excitement. International football gets by with a GPG avaerage below 2 and there's a much larger fan base world wide. I'm attracted to hockey because of the speed of the game...

Which brings me to my biggest problem with the game as it stands today (or stood as of last season) and that's obstruction. Calgary had some great players and incredible moments on their run to the finals but in their series with the Sharks, I don't think the better team won. Then again in '93 the same kind of clutch and grab crap went on, so another wash there.

Links:
Off Wing Opinion: Happy Anniversary, Mr. Commissioner . . . Not!

Chuq:
is the NHL better off?

and Eric responds:
In Defense Of Gary Bettman

Thank you to Chuq for giving me something to write about on this "day after"

scott evans :: welcome to the big city

I don't even know what to say about this story.
scott evans :: welcome to the big city

Keep your eyes out for a really cheap 15" powerbook and get back to Scott if you have any leads.

Serial Number: W844203SQHY