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Do-Over and we’re done for…

Tom Benjamin at Canucks Corner posted a link to the St. Louis Post Dispatch with regards to Gary’s Bettman’s plans post-lockout.

A clean slate summarizes what Gary is planning.

But Tom points out the worst comment in that article, a comment that effects all small-market fans who have fallen in love with the stars of there teams:

One scary quote for Stan Kasten, owner of the Atlanta Thrashers:
Let’s face it, hockey does not have a high profile right now. The top cadre of players aren’t well known enough. What can we do for a TV contract? Increase our appeal. The league won’t like me saying this, but Jarome Iginla, Martin St. Louis, Rick Nash – these players have to be in (bigger markets). Your best and brightest young players have to be in your biggest media markets to give us a fighting chance.” So basically, financial restraint = good with help of salary cap; building a star team in a small market through financial restraint and wise decisions = bad….

My firend that I talk to about the Lightning and the labor dispute tends to say that Tampa will be hit hardest by this lockout — not just for not seeing the Cup Champions on ice so soon after their championship… This city won’t take toa mediocre club again (as the Falcons/Phantoms game attendance showed) and even replacement players would hurt things in Tampa…

But who gives a shit about Tampa when New York needs a winner? When Toronto needs a winner? WHen Montreal needs a winner? When LA Needs a winner all for the sake of the NHL? Who gives a shit if the front office staffs of these franchsies are solely to blame for their teams suckage? Or for their big-spending, little-return ways?

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