From: kdc@ccu.umanitoba.ca ()
Subject: Pro Sports Again Shows Death Wish
Organization: University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Date: Mon, 7 Sep 1992 13:54:51 GMT


Scott Taylor's column in Sunday's Winnipeg Free Press:
 
 Agent Ron Salcer, a guy known as "The Prince of Poachers," has sued the
Winnipeg Jets.   Nobody is surprised.  Salcer has sued hockey teams and other
agents before,  He sincerely believes he's doing what's best for his clients
and one supposes thats all that matters.
 And frankly, if he wants to keep Alexei Zhamnov out of hockey, who cares?
Zhamnov is very good.  Anyone who has seen him play will tell you he could be
an outstanding NHL centre.  Of course, he could be a gigantic bust too.
  And what the hey.  The Jets already have Troy Murray, Thomas Steen, Luciano
Borsato, Kris Draper and Ed Olczyk while Zhamnov has never taken a faceoff
in the NHL.  He didn't play last year and as training camp is about to open
it doesn't look like he'll play this year.
 If Salcer wants to keep the 6'1"  190lb Russian out of the NHL that's his
business.  Somehow, as good as Zhamnov is, I doubt anyone would notice.
It's hard to miss something you've never had.
  The Jets, of cours, will go through the motions to see that Zhamnov 
eventually reports.  The Jets say the 22 yr old from Dynamo signed a contract
for $400,000 per season and that's what they intend to pay him.
Meanwhile, Salcer believes the young man signed his contract under duress.
Salcer claims Zhamnov's English is poor and therefore he didn't understand
what he was doing.  He believes Zhamnov would have received a huge signing
bonus had he held out past July 1, just like Teemu Selanne.
  And that could very well be true.
  Ya gotta admit, when it comes to knocking the market place out of whack,
ruining the finances of your fellow owners and generally making it more
difficult to do business, pro sports proprietors are magnificent.
  Has the idiots in Calgary not offered Selanne $1.5 million to sign, the Jets
could have inked the speedy Finn for $400,000 a year - period.
However, Selanne got the big buck and his fortune won't go unnoticed by other
players and agents.
  THE BONEHEADED FLAMES have set an ugly precedent by offering a huge amount of
moneyto an unproven European rookie.  The Jets HAD to sign Selanne, but as a
result the entire market place has been given a kick in the jock.
 
  Every Scandanavian with a little speed is now worth more than Gretzky.
Meanwhile, what's going to happen to the Flames when they try and sign their
stars in the next few years?  Agents never forget.
 
  But whats happened to the Jets in the past few months isn't unique to the
         NHL.
  [Details of self-destructive CFL moves ...]
 
  [ Comments on cut-throats baseball owners omitted.]
 
  Porfessional sport gets what it deserves and you can't blame the players.
Thanks to egomanical owners, greedy agents and dumb TV executives, pro sports 
nearing the financial abyss.  And in the middle are the Alexei Zhamnovs of the
world.... players who sign contracts under duress---while vacationing on the
beaches of Malta!
 
 Now wonder ticket prices are so high.
   --------------------------
 
 Ken D.    U of Manitoba        (typos are mine)