Newsgroups: rec.sport.hockey

I just have to throw my two cents in about the strike.  I hate to do it, but
I just have to.

Exact details about the issues of the strike are hard to come by here in
Idaho, but to tell you the truth, I don't really care who is at wrong, whether
it be the players or the owners.

There are thousands of kids and people across both the U.S. and Canada who
would give their right arm to play in the NHL.  It is a dream come true to
play in the big leagues, even for one game.  The players seem to think that
people owe it to them to have them play in the NHL.  Not true.  They chose
hockey as their career, knowing that they would face short careers, that
would require all of their concentration and devotion.  If they didn't want
to make that commitment, then they never should have become players in the
first place.

Free agency has completely ruined the sports of baseball, basketball, and
football.  These are no longer sports, but merely businesses.  Owners can
buy championship teams by laying down lots of cash.  Players have no
loyalty to teams but go to the highest bidder.  I don't want hockey to become
like that.

I remember as a kid watching Hockey Night in Canada and hearing the Montreal
Canadien players talk about the mystique of the tunic of the Habs.  It was
like some magical power that possessed them, and how all they wanted to do
was to play hockey for Montreal.


If the NHL stays on strike and cancels the Stanley Cup playoffs, then I hope
the fans remember this and boycot next year's season.  It would treat both
owners and players right.

While I'm at it, I may as well keep going.  I've read alot about Eric Lindros
this last year.  I never saw him play except during the Olympics, during
which I thought he looked mediocre at best.  If I were Quebec, I would never
trade away his rights.  The kid is only 18 years old, and unproven, but he
goes around as a self proclaimed star.  He ought to sign with Quebec, play
for two years, getting lots of ice time and experience, and then ask to be
traded.

Another topic I have to bring up.  I have read many many arguments about who
is better Gretzky or Lemieux.  In my opinion there is no comparison.  Gretzky
is the greatest that has played.  Lemieux would not even make the top ten.
The reason is simple.  Whenever Gretzky plays, he gives it everything he has
got.  Mario Lemieux has perhaps the greatest combination of talent and size
and speed that was ever put into a hockey player.  However, he doesn't have
the heart.  When he plays with desire, as he did during last year's playoffs,
he is magnificent.  However, I don't think he does this very often.  Most
of the time I have seen him it looks like he is going through the motions.
If he could put it all together, he would be unstoppable.  Now, however with
his back, I expect him to retire in the next three to five years.

My last hot topic.  I really get sick and tired of everyone talking about 
how tough the Patrick division is.  This division usually does have teams
that do fairly well during the season, but the division is the prime choke
division when it comes to the playoffs (other than Buffalo).  It really
gets boring watching these teams alternate between choking and beating each
other up when playing interdivisional, and then getting annihilated when they
play the Adams Division.

Well, I'm done.  Thanks for letting me vent my frustrations and view points.
It's amazing on how a hockey strike can upset your life.  Start up the flames!


Ted Podelnyk
Development Engineer
Hewlett-Packard
Network Printer Division
Boise, Idaho
tpodelny@hpdmd48.boi.hp.com