tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3435571560723564995.post2518948394570430081..comments2023-06-01T21:15:57.354-11:00Comments on The H Does NOT Stand For Habs: Dear Mr.Molson, Now That the Lockout's Over...J.T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00012075493503316318noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3435571560723564995.post-88293771182863917622013-01-13T23:04:02.744-11:002013-01-13T23:04:02.744-11:00I got great news from my satellite provider yester...I got great news from my satellite provider yesterday with respect to my Center Ice subscription.<br />I will not be charged for the three months there was no hockey.<br />How can I not renew?Jeromehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04895090604164576463noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3435571560723564995.post-8511283642771114642013-01-13T07:27:00.840-11:002013-01-13T07:27:00.840-11:00Here we go again, and the cynic in me believes tha...Here we go again, and the cynic in me believes that Geoff Molson's reply was canned and created by a communications person in their PR department -- 'OK, tee up reply #4 for this one' -- is the way I think it probably happened.<br /><br />As for how to make our 'feeling's felt -- I agree that we shouldn't purchase any merch, and I also suggest that we don't request autographs from the players (only retired ones). Again, the cynic in me believes it won't happen, but I'd love for Alexander Ovechkin to not get hit up for an autograph all season...<br /><br />Finally, the abbreviated season is a little more palatable when you harken back to the early days of the Rocket -- 50 game seasons were what it was about. I guess we'll have to live with it, and somehow, that makes me feel a little better.<br /><br />Welcome back to your blog, JT.StuartInAlbertahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09168395077302942003noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3435571560723564995.post-91571106513128768502013-01-12T11:58:45.067-11:002013-01-12T11:58:45.067-11:00With all due respect, I do believe Molson likely t...With all due respect, I do believe Molson likely thought your message was in jest. Can you/will you, imagine free tickets and concessions? There would be fatalities! The litigation would keep lawyers busy and wealthy beyond any reasonable timeline...<br /><br />There will be relatively mediocre compensation to fans in cities where they need to be persuaded to return. In the true hockey markets of Montreal, Toronto, New York and others, there will be a few gestures but not much more since none will be needed. <br /><br />Forget the fans who say they will never return to the game, as they spend their time surveying hockey sites and sports media for any trivial amount of information relating to the league. <br /><br />The Canadian teams are of little to no concern since the fans will return en masse. <br /><br />Will I? Absolutely, I never left. Endured the entire lockout, read information every day as to the progress or regress of the petulant behaviour of the owners' representative. <br /><br />As for merchandise, will I buy it? Sure, I just bought a winter Canadiens hat. The ones with the ear-flaps. Awesome! Why? Well, I do not blame the lockout on the players, I will watch the product on the ice and yes, I will criticize, condemn, praise, be emotionally involved and continue my love/hate relationship with les Canadiens. <br /><br />The one thing that the lockout has proven to me, beyond any iota of doubt, is that the NHL has joined other sports in that, when you reach the pinnacle, it is no longer a sport but a business. <br /><br />So, get ready to go along for the ride as we hate ourselves for sneaking a peek to see how our team is doing. Time heals all wounds, it will this one as well. <br /><br />I must confess though, that I am not in the privileged position to actually go to a live NHL game, geographically or financially. The latter being much more of a deterent than the former but I will not pretend to disconnect. <br /><br />I didn't disconnect through the past lean decades, I didn't disconnect through any of the previous lock-outs and will not disconnect now. <br /><br />Bring it on and... Go Habs Go!!!Pisanonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3435571560723564995.post-74547372940664457632013-01-11T12:01:21.280-11:002013-01-11T12:01:21.280-11:00Not sure if you had the chance to read the piece i...Not sure if you had the chance to read the piece in the Montreal Gazette the other day on Eller. Basically he says he's happy to be back, but in particular, he says:<br /><br />"...But what has most enriched Eller during his time in Finland has been the overall life experience.<br /><br />“As a person, it’s just good to play in some other countries and get that experience,” he said. “I think I’m going to appreciate the NHL a lot more if we start. Not that I didn’t appreciate it before, but you just can’t compare the NHL to anything else. The lifestyle, playing in front of 21,000 fans — you appreciate all of that a lot.<br /><br />“That’s nothing against leagues in Europe,” he added quickly. “You can make a great living here and have a great life, but it’s not really comparable to the NHL.”...<br /><br />You APPRECIATE it? <br /><br /><br />The lifestyle?<br /><br />You can make a GREAT living in Europe but it's not really comparable to the NHL? <br /><br />How much does Eller rake in? A million? A million and a half? Not bad for a guy born in '89, I'd say.<br /><br />So tell me, Lars, and the rest of you NHL'ers (and KHL moonlighters)...if the lifestyle is so GREAT in the NHL and nothing compares to it, why were you complaining?<br /><br />This is the way I see it: At first we didn't like the owners greedy stance. Then, like many fans -- if not most -- we got into the I'm-not-siding-with-either-side because it's a battle of zillionaires against millionaires. <br /><br />We were thinking, this IS OUR MONEY YOU ARE FIGHTING ABOUT. YOU HAVE GAUGED THE PRICES FOR TICKETS, FOR BEER, FOR PARKING AND FOR PEANUTS. YOU THEN HAVE THE AUDACITY TO CLOSE THE ARENAS AND LAY-OFF THE GUYS THAT FEED AT THE BOTTOM. IT'S HIGHWAY ROBBERY AND YOU ALL GOT REALLY, REALLY GREEDY.<br /><br />And we may be the real losers in this, but THE JOKE IS ON US because most will go back. Like a jilted lover with no self-esteem. And that's the sad news. We are losers in the sense that we lost money but also in the sense that we have no pride, no backbone and no desire to take a firm stance and say NO MORE.<br /><br />So welcome back Lars. Enjoy the lifestyle, the pension, the bonuses, the swag and go on to get a good job when your knees give out (because I'm sure you buffered your future with the decision to get a college degree...just in case...you know...you can't play till 65).<br /><br />Me? You lost me. I'm not going coming back. You will not get one penny from me. From TV, souvenir shops, beer (what's Molson?)or anything else.<br /><br />If and when you have a strickly-Canadian league, I may return. Because we know this whole circus is generated by the evil American dollar. <br /><br />Too-ta-loo,<br />DanielleJamDanielleJamnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3435571560723564995.post-25811534765188002992013-01-10T17:00:04.486-11:002013-01-10T17:00:04.486-11:00I think the lockout showed the fans exactly how it...I think the lockout showed the fans exactly how it works. There was plenty of high level hockey played, and ignored by CBC, TSN, and Rogers. They own the product locked out and aren't about to start the whole "You know that WHA is kind of exciting...who are these baby Bulls anyway" thing all over again. They have the talent locked up and you'll buy their product or go without.<br /><br />I wouldn't go back if they paid me. Yeah, seriously. I am the 1% who votes with their wallet. But I'll still probably watch some periods. Cause I'm stupid.<br /><br />Sorry Geoff.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3435571560723564995.post-56548515280234437222013-01-10T15:26:10.396-11:002013-01-10T15:26:10.396-11:00I've kinda spent the season watching NCAA D-1 ...I've kinda spent the season watching NCAA D-1 and I am not really all that sure I want to interrupt the enjoyment I get from college hockey by watching the NHL's crap. Gomez still on the Habs roster is a one-man reason they should not make the playoffs.<br />Brianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17900673722049832480noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3435571560723564995.post-8710022820766613132013-01-09T21:57:01.126-11:002013-01-09T21:57:01.126-11:00Nice to have your blog back JT - I echo your senti...Nice to have your blog back JT - I echo your sentiments about the sleep thing too. I'll watch, but won't be up until the wee small hours if the win isn't obvious. I'll read all about it the next day in your blog or on the internet.<br /><br />Go Habs Go!!UK3Xhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18157890946481175154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3435571560723564995.post-33440370157466140782013-01-09T11:39:32.348-11:002013-01-09T11:39:32.348-11:00Really great to have you back, JT. I wouldn't ...Really great to have you back, JT. I wouldn't enjoy the season as much if your occasional commentaries weren't part of it. (I'm not on twitter). The lockout only exposed the core of the ugly machinations at work in the belly of all pro-sports. It's an ugly sight but, like it or not, we wouldn't have professional hockey without it. We live in an unideal capitalistic society where these sorts of things are part of the game. The hockey loses its so-called purity as soon as it leaves the outdoor make-shift rink. The key is the keep all that away from the fans, who, after all, want the diversion of their sport, the basic love of their team-- not the reality tv show of ugly businessmen. In any event, I'll also not buy any merchandise but I will enjoy watching high level hockey again. I'm anxious to have Subban signed. I wonder how the long lay off will effect Price, who didn't seem to play any hockey. I wonder if Gomez will suck even more and how soon we can get rid of him. I'm anxious about our coach. Etc. Etc. Game on. Darren Biffordhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17400526498613989489noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3435571560723564995.post-10292967575995836032013-01-09T09:31:01.131-11:002013-01-09T09:31:01.131-11:00Welcome back JT.Welcome back JT.moemanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07714585748102791365noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3435571560723564995.post-59969366776086811502013-01-09T09:23:53.324-11:002013-01-09T09:23:53.324-11:00Expecting Molson to actually do something for the ...Expecting Molson to actually do something for the fans is like waiting for the president to make it up to the citizens for sending their children off to fight his wars or oil and gas company execs to help clean up the environment that their fracking and tar sands activities destroy. The thought will never even cross his mind.<br /><br />As far as hockey returning I don't care anymore. I'm glad that all the nameless faceless people who depend on the NHL for their income are back to work. Wouldn't it be nice if the owners gave them a big raise and bonus at seasons end?<br /><br />I remember the Richards, Beliveau, Moore, Harvey and Plante. Even the Mahovlich brothers, Cournoyer, Lafleur and Dryden owned my heart but Price, Subban, Gionta and Cole just don't cut it for me anymore.<br /><br />This lockout has freed me from caring about a game that doesn't care about any of us.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com