From: lli+@cs.cmu.edu (Lori Iannamico)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.hockey
Subject: Pens, Martha meet to discuss strike
Keywords: Martha: Making bid for NHL president?
Date: 9 Apr 92 16:10:57 GMT
Organization: School of Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon

This was info gathered from KDKA TV and this morning's Post Gazette:

The Pens held a team meeting last night, and 2 unexpected guests showed up.
First was Paul Martha, Pens' General Consul and member of the NHL owners
negotiating committee.  The second was Pens' GM Craig Patrick.

Martha arrived first, and wasn't sure he would even be allowed to speak
with the players.  He met with player rep Kevin Stevens.  Stevens went back
to the team, who met for an hour and 1/2 while Martha waited.  While Martha
was waiting, he was joined by Craig Patrick.  After the players' meeting broke
up, Martha and Patrick were invited to address the team.  They spoke and 
answered questions for about an hour.

The players were glad that Martha and Patrick wanted to meet with them. "We
appreciate and respect the fact that they came over and talked to us," said
defenseman Gord Roberts.  "A lot of players don't understand things all the 
time, and you want to hear the other side."

Last night's voluntary appearance by Martha, a key member of the negotiating
committee, was interpreted as a sign the negotiations may continue.

Martha went so far as to suggest that the deadline may be relaxed.

"There's no question we'll talk [to other owners] now about how our players
feel, and we'll get some information from the other teams in the league, " said
Martha.  "Whether or not the deadline will stand, I can't answer that." And he
added, "Our players asked about the deadline, and I couldn't answer that."

Martha was concerned that the rank and file players were uninformed about the
owners proposal, which was issued Tuesday and turned down by the union
leadership less than an hour after they received it.

"We wanted to make a statement and spend some time with our players to make 
sure they knew exactly what they were doing," Martha said.  "I think to some
extent we've accomplished that.  Obviously, you never know.  I'm sure there
were areas that should have been covered that weren't."

Sources close to Martha say he will fly to (if he already hasn't) Toronto today
in an attempt to meet with Bob Goodenow of the NHLPA.

Said Martha, "I don't ever think you are ever really at a complete impasse in
these things.  When you're in court, that's an impasse.  When the union 
decertifies, that's an impasse.  But you're never really at a 100% impasse."

Ownership is believed to be fretting about the possibility the union will
attempt to de-certify.
-------------

I appreciate what Paul Martha is trying to do.  He is trying to salvage the 
NHL season, and the NHL as a league.  And I also think he is campaigning to 
be the next league president. (IMHO)

I don't mean that cynically.  To me it seems like the logical step.  He's been
around hockey for a long time.  He was the Pens' General Consul when Mr. Ed
owned the team.  He has earned the respect of both players and owners, which
is a difficult thing to do.  He is admired for his intelligence and willingness
to be reasonable and listen to all sides in a dispute.

He is sort of an odd man out with the Pens' new owner Howard Baldwin.  He had
attempted to by the team while Baldwin was trying to.  He failed (obviously),
and things have been uneasy since.  He has been kept on by Baldwin because 
Howie realizes Martha has a lot of influence in the NHL.  

As for Johnny boy, he cut his own throat.  The owners like having a 
controllable jerk as president, as long as he doesn't look like a controllable
jerk to the media and public.  We fans have always know Ziegler was a few 
bricks shy of the load, but now a lot more people know.  During the press
conferences, he comes across like a slow-witted fool.  He looks and acts 
clueless.

Martha can handle the media quite well.  And he has the presidental "look".
Meaning he's tall (Don't laugh, it's been proven that height can influence
a person's decision when voting), he looks intelligent and in control, and he's
attractive.  Apperances are half the battle.  You look good, people think you
are good.

Who knows, he just may be good.  He can't be any worse than Ziegler.  But like
I said, it's just my opinion.

Lori