My wife has been working in another office outside the GTA yesterday and today. That means that I can zip out of the house faster and turn on my sports radio nice and loud during my daily drive into work. Traffic ain’t nothing to worry about when you have sports banter wreaking havoc inside your head.

Yesterday, we got news that the lockout appears to be imminent. Part of me actually didn’t care as long as both sides got to talking about a deal that works for both parties.  I honestly don’t care how much each side makes in this deal. I really don’t. It’s not my money and all I care about is watching a good product on the ice.  I have seen big spenders play like donkeys and small markets play like giants. In the post 2004-05 era of hockey, there seems to be a lot more parity in the league. Some might argue that it is because of the cap, all teams get a fair shake. I am going to go out on a limb and say that the quality of our everyday players has been increasing over the years. Could it be related to increased attention paid on stats or hockey’s version of sabremetrics? Is every GM a Billy Bean or The Epstein? Could it be related to the increased attention paid on players from a very young age due to the interwebs?  I am tired of the politics and drama surrounding the latest hockey news. I’d much rather just ignore it all and wait it out. Yes Gary, I am one of the ones that will come back to the sport. But don’t count on that happening south of the border. I cannot speak for my American friends, but football is in full force and baseball is insanely awesome this year. Those distractions will more than gladly distract many folks to those sports.  I really don’t know the answers to any of the above. All I know is that I typically will be watching a hockey game every 2^nd day on my TV and I want that to happen soon.

Now that you have forced me to consider some of the war-like commentary on the latest involving the strike, here is my summary.

Dear Gary B,

Can I call you GB?  You won’t be reading this so I am going to go with your new moniker. It makes me think of happier moments such hobby box group breaks (GB).

Here is my commentary albeit, none of it well informed nor researched. This is my opinion(s) nonetheless seeded with random statements.

Rich-Rich Owners Poor-Rich Owners:
News flash they are all rich, what a nice problem to have. Not much of an opinion, but a statement. I liked it, so I kept it in #1 spot. Occupy NHL? Ah right we already have that. All the autograph hounds are circling their wagons around your office right now. The rest of us can go home now..

Last strike, you got a roll back and a cap:
Now you want the players to pay out of the HRR for the teams that are in the red.

• Hmm I am willing to bet that the owners probably are worth a heck of a lot more than the players and will continue earning for years to come. Avg player probably plays 5 years and they are gonzo. Heck even Alexandre Daigle lasting as long as he did is a mystery to all of us.
• Hmm I am willing to bet these owners have big businesses that matter to them far more than the team they own
• Those owners, have GM’s spending crazy amounts of loot on players while claiming losses. Obvious contradiction. I don’t need to say any more about that.

MLB CBA works. I don’t need to say anymore.

• Selfishly, I have absolutely no problem with the Leafs overspending to get marquee type players and propping up a poor team.

NFL CBA and NBA CBA are the only CBA’s that matter?

• You can’t pick only the CBA’s you want to follow, you must consider all CBA’s
• The public actually thinks you are all out to lunch. I polled 5 people. That’s my baseline. I am going with it. 

You have the best player in the game calling you out.

• Your marquee player says you are crazy in so many ways without saying it.
• Fans like players, not owners.  Does anyone even know who the owner of the Panthers is? To use a famous statement from an NHL coach. I wouldn’t know who he was even if I ran him over with my truck.
• You are making me miss Coaches Corner with Cherry. (Pause: I just shed a tear)
• You are going to delay NHL 14?

Alas a good hobby friend of mine suggested that I counter my negatives with positives. There are quite a bit of positivity in having a lock out.

1. Players will be healthier since they can recover from their injuries. Namely Sid the kid. He needs to rest that noggin and play for a full season.
2. Bam Bam ‘Vechkin can rest up that body and go back to pounding opponents into the glass.
   1. Side note, he would make for a great V8 commerical. “OV8”has a ring to it.
3. I will not be a full time couch potato.
4. My Leafs will be winners this season without having to play a game.
5. Repeat #4
6. Alcohol consumption will be lower.
   1. Not as many morons parading the streets in their sweat soaked jerseys with the name of a player who no longer plays for that team.
   2. No fisticuffs at Rags games between Rags and Flyers fans
   3. Overall aggressive behavior in Philly will decrease since no Flyer hockey might as well equal house arrest.
7. I will prevent carpal tunnel from happening since I don’t have to constantly flip channels between football, hockey and baseball, basketball and some show with a beautiful actress in it.
8. We will not hear about Phoenix for one more year.
9. Repeat #8
10. Baby on the way means I will spend more time with him or her
11. More time to spend with the wife
12. More time to actually do eBay. Yahoo!!
13. Canadians will get along better from west to east coast.
    • Actually that’s wishful thinking but oh well.
14. I won’t have to dry clean my hockey jersey till next year.
15. I can chase hockey cards from years past instead of crying foul when I have to chase a new one LOLOLOL

This is purely tongue in cheek. Come on guys get the freaking game on…