CBA Dance Continues

1) Wow, hell is about to freeze over!  We read a Damian Cox article an agree totally with his opinion! the-beginning-of-the-long-slow-march  To refresh the memories of some, we don't agree/like Mr. Cox very much. We have said so quite vividly in the past. Here: why-damien-cox-is-douche-bag in 2007, and then again last year: damian-cox-continues-to-be-douche.  In his story he agrees with the perspective we at fauxrumors have been espousing about the CBA discussions.

2) As the talks between the NHL and the NHLPA continue we see these initial cordial discussions as an obvious tactic by both sides to appear to be trying to be fair, etc.  Talks started off on a positive note with both sides complimenting the other. Then the NHL lowered the first hammer with its proposal that would, among other things reduce salaries 24%, and severely limit free agency. The NHLPA did not take the NHLs bait. However instead of reacting publicly angrily about the immense take back of shared profits by the owners, the NHLPA instead went about their business saying all the right things and keeping things on a positive note. Stating that while they are not happy with the proposal they are busy going through dissecting it, and will have their counter proposal when they are ready and have all the requisite information

3) The NHL's attack dog, Bill Daly initially almost too took the bait as well when he (the NHL) believed that the players were stalling. Perhaps trying to test the resolve of the owners by making them look like the bad guys by (again) locking them out, while the players would be willing to play while still negotiating?  He got a bit flustered when the NHLPA asked for additional information (eventually 76,000 pages worth were delivered!) and it appeared they weren't going to be ready to respond the the NHL's proposal, submitted last month right, away.  As we wrote in June, we are hearing that there is ZERO chance the NHL will allow the season to start without a new CBA. http://newfaux.blogspot.com/2012/06/no-agreement-no-season.html  Mr. Bettman confirmed that yesterday. What we find amazing is that some were actually surprised to hear it!

4) What we at Fauxrumors also know is that the NHL even now, is formulating its response to the NHLPA's counter proposal. How? Ofcourse we already told our readers last month how the NHL is always one step ahead of the players.  http://newfaux.blogspot.com/2012/07/the-mole.html  The NHL we're told knows the players proposal will largely reject any reductions in percentage, and instead try toroll back the clock, sort of speak, and by and large eliminate the salary cap all together in favour of a soft cap with very significant revenue sharing/luxury taxes. This in an effort to blunt the NHL's assertion that the players need to take a pay cut due to teams losing money. The NHLPAwill assert that the current system is broken. All that happened is that "The rich got richer, and poor, poorer!" 

5) AS we have said ad-nauseum by now, and will continue to say until we are proven wrong, is that it doesn't matter a wit what the players via Donald Fehr propose. In Bettman's and the big revenue owners eyes, its their way or the highway (lockout). To respond to some who persistently like to have a fantasy that the owners can be split, sorry it will NEVER happen. You can continue to hope/pray/cross your fingers/legs, but Bettman we're told has a very tight grip on things and none of the 29 owners will fracture from the unified stance the NHL has, and will continue to take. Instead it will be the players who will ultimately fracture. Yes, as Cox correctly wrote in his article, and we have written countless times as well, the players will initially hang tough until about the 20 game mark (Thanks Giving). It is then that the negotiations will begin again (probably absent a resigned or fired Donald Fehr) and the 2012-2013 season resumes on or about the holidays.  Until then all the talk and discussion is merely another song in this dance.