Image via WikipediaJust when things are going well and we have witnessed some very good hockey you start hearing and reading about the NHL and a possible lockout. Talk about a looming NHL lock out would be a buzz kill. First off; last night’s hockey game between the Sharks and the Redwing was probably the type of hockey that the NHL envisioned when they were trying to remake In the last couple of days, Damien Cox from the Toronto Star wrote an interesting article about a possible NHL lockout and all I can say is that I hope not. I hope the NHL doesn't kill what momentum and good will that they have built in the last few years since the 2004-2005 lockout.their soiled image after the 2004-2005 lockout. Damien Cox; Sports Columnist --- You could have argued at one point that the new cap system was a big break for the richest teams, since instead of spending $80 million on players they could spend a lot less. But those teams are now contributing huge amounts to the league’s revenue sharing system and contributing funds to pay for the Phoenix Coyotes.
Maybe that’s why, so far, the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan hasn’t been able to get anyone to meet its asking price for its chunk of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment. Business may be good, but not $1.5 billion-for-controlling-interest good.
So with Phoenix a punchline and propped up only by the inexplicable antics of local politicians, Columbus hemorrhaging upwards of $25 million a season, Atlanta bathing in red ink, the Islanders about to try and get Nassau County taxpayers to pay $350 million for a new rink on a flimsy I.O.U., Nashville looking for new equity partners and any number of other clubs looking to sell, hockey fans better get ready for what’s coming.
Another lockout. Oh yeah.
Unthinkable? They’d never do that again? Think again. Hockey fans surely swallowed their pride and came back after the 2004-05 season was erased from the record books, quickly forgetting their promises to never support the league that had betrayed them.
Don’t think the NHL didn’t notice.
The league didn’t get its “idiot-proof” CBA; therefore, it must try again.
Chris Vivlamore; The Atlanta Journal-Constitution --- It is unclear this morning if the Thrashers have been granted permission by the NHL to begin negotiations with True North Sports and Entertainment, the entity that would purchase the franchise and move it to Winnipeg, or if those talks have already begun.
However, it does appear the situation is headed in that direction. All attempts to find a buyer with the intention – and wherewithal – to keep the franchise in Atlanta have not moved past the preliminary stage. After signing a non-disclosure agreement for an initial look at team financial records, a prospective buyer must provide proof of the financial assets to complete a sale. No interested party has done so to this point. Time is running out.
As I was told and reported this week, things could move quickly in regard to a sale and relocation. Although, contrary to reports, it won’t get done by this weekend.
There is also no timetable on the possible completion of a deal with True North. It is also not known if such an agreement could be reached in time for next season. The structure for a deal could be in place as True North had first hoped to acquire the Phoenix Coyotes, owned by the NHL, until a resolution was reached to kept the team in Arizona for another season earlier this week. The Glendale City Council voted to pay $25 million to the NHL for operating expenses to keep the team at least for next season.
NHL bylaws require that an owner seeking to relocate a team submit a written application to the commissioner by Jan. 1 of the year preceding the proposed move — “unless a majority of the [clubs] consents to a later filing date.” That clause and caveat leave open the question of whether a move, if a deal is reached, would be for the 2011-12 or 2012-13 season.
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, speaking on NHL Live radio Thursday, said the situation in Phoenix differs from Atlanta.
 |
| USA Today Photo |
Brad Elliott Schlossman, Grand Forks Herald; Grand Forks Herald --- The UND men’s hockey team will have plenty of question marks next year, but not in the most important position of all.
Goaltender Brad Eidsness, who will earn his undergraduate degree in three years, has decided to return to school for his senior year of eligibility while he begins his pursuit of a masters degree.
Coupled with the decision of Aaron Dell to return for his junior year, UND will have perhaps the best 1-2 tandem in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association. Dell was an All-American last year after setting the school record in victories and Eidsness is a two-time all-conference goaltender.
While Eidsness played in only seven games as a junior (4.09 goals-against average, .812 save percentage), he proved during his first two seasons that he’s a reliable goaltender capable of carrying the Sioux to a championship.
During his freshman year, he led the Sioux to the MacNaughton Cup as WCHA regular-season champions by playing 41 games and posting a 2.56 goals-against average and a .906 save percentage. As a sophomore, he led UND to the Broadmoor Trophy as WCHA postseason champion by posting a 2.11 goals-against average and a .914 save percentage in 41 games.
Eidsness weighed whether to move on from UND because of his lack of playing time as a junior coupled with the completion of his degree.
PHOENIX - Ice Edge Holdings has withdrawn its minority interest in the proposed purchase of the Phoenix Coyotes ahead of a Glendale City Council vote that would put off finalizing any deal by as long as a year.
Ice Edge CEO Anthony LeBlanc said Tuesday that his organization had been involved in the process with the Coyotes "long enough."
Ice Edge once had tried to buy the team as the majority owner but accepted minority status when Chicago businessman Matthew Hulsizer entered the picture.
Hulsizer's efforts to buy the team from the NHL have stalled in the face of a threatened lawsuit by the conservative Goldwater Institute watchdog group over terms of a lease agreement worked out with Glendale for the team to continue to play in Jobing.com Arena.
LeBlanc said his company would concentrate on its minor league hockey operations in Thunder Bay, Ont. He also plans to run for political office there, he said.
The move has no serious implications for the bid by Hulsizer, whom LeBlanc said would be "a terrific owner."
But Hulsizer's efforts have hit a logjam that may be impossible to break, since he has indicated he has made his last, best offer and the Goldwater Institute vows to sue if the city follows through on the deal. The institute is concerned that the generous terms of the lease violate the state's constitutional ban on subsidizing private enterprise.
Tom Dennis for the Herald, Grand Forks Herald ---- “You break it, you own it.” That’s the Pottery Barn rule, said former Secretary of State Colin Powell. It’s also the warning Powell gave to President George W. Bush on the eve of the invasion of Iraq.
Today, Gov. Jack Dalrymple and North Dakota legislative leaders should remember the Pottery Barn rule as they weigh their options regarding the Fighting Sioux nickname.
By passing a law forcing UND to keep the nickname, the Legislature and governor took responsibility for the issue. That means they now have a duty to minimize or eliminate any harm to UND.
And that, in turn, means they should act to bring about a positive outcome rather than passively observing what happens next.
“Be a player who makes things happen,” smart coaches often tell their athletes. It’s good guidance for the governor and legislative leaders, too, if they’re looking for advice on what to do next.
For UND and the State Board of Higher Education were on their way to settling the issue when the Legislature and governor intervened. Now, the best outcome — convincing the NCAA to relax its upcoming sanctions against UND — very likely will demand the governor and lawmakers’ leadership and active involvement.
They’re the elected officials with the status and clout that offer the best chance of persuading the association. They’re the leaders with the stature to ask North Dakota’s congressional delegation to join the effort, thereby presenting a united front of impressive strength to the NCAA.
BISMARCK — A group of lawmakers want Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem to decide whether it's legal for the Legislature to order the University of North Dakota to keep its Fighting Sioux nickname and American Indian head logo.
The 10 lawmakers sent a letter to Stenehjem today asking for his opinion on the issue.
It was written by Grand Forks Democratic Rep. Lonny Winrich and signed by eight other Democratic lawmakers and Fargo Republican state Rep. Kathy Hawken.
The letter asks whether the bill that orders UND to keep its nickname and logo is unconstitutional, because it interferes with the Board of Higher Education's administrative power.
It also asks whether the Legislature can overturn an agreement between the NCAA and UND that resulted in the decision to drop the nickname and logo.
BISMARCK — The North Dakota Board of Higher Education voted 5-3 today to ratify the chancellor’s recommendation to continue merchandising of Sioux nickname apparel for the 2011-12 season.
The board also voted 7-1 to direct the University of North Dakota to cease transitioning away from the Sioux nickname and logo.
Board President Jon Backes said he expects the board will discuss at its June meeting whether it’s appropriate for the board to challenge the action taken by the Legislature requiring UND to keep the Sioux nickname.
“We have a state law and that state law is presumptively valid until it is determined to be otherwise,” Backes said.
Just days after Ramsey County announced that they were very close to a deal with the Minnesota Vikings to bring the team's proposed new stadium to the site of the old Army Ammunition Plant in Arden Hills and the Farmer's Market site near Target Field took themselves out of consideration, it sounds like the city of Minneapolis might want in on the action after all.
According to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, the city of Minneapolis will announce a proposal today to build a new Vikings' stadium on the site where the Metrodome currently sits, and says that the city will pick up 25% of the cost. This comes with just two weeks left in the 2011 Minnesota Legislative Session.
The Star-Tribune is reporting that the plan would use sales taxes from the city's convention center, and would also provide money for renovations to the Target Center, the home of the Minnesota Timberwolves.
 |
| Global Image |
Eric Francis; Calgary Sun --- Colin Campbell is tired of seeing his officials embarrassed by players throughout these NHL playoffs and isn’t going to stand for it any more.This topic has kind of come to a head in round two; watching the Vancouver Canucks Hockey
Due to the increasing number of players diving and embellishing throughout these playoffs, Campbell and director of officiating Terry Gregson have instructed officials to crack down on players who snap their heads back to sell a call.
Teams and players have been warned to cut it out or referees will be handing out diving calls as well as “two and twos,” tagging both the victim and the perpetrator.
While diving generally increases in the post-season, what complicates the issue this year is the heightened desire to protect players from head-shots, leading players to prey on this and act as if anything coming close to their noggin makes contact, a la Vancouver Canucks goalie Roberto Luongo and teammate Maxim Lapierre.
The first fallout?
Since UND is not eligible for NCAA postseason play in all sports but hockey for the upcoming year, the 2011-12 season is relatively manageable for the department. But there will be challenges, starting with women’s hockey.
“If women’s hockey is a top-four seed for the first-round (NCAA) playoff games next season, and they were knocking on the door this past season, they potentially would be the first team to be impacted by the inability to host a game on home ice,” Faison said.
There are other challenges as well, not directly related to the NCAA sanctions.
Recruiting in all sports could be affected as schools may use the NCAA sanctions against UND to their advantage.
Scheduling is another issue. One of the perks of the move to Division I in 2007 was the thought of scheduling Minnesota in more than just hockey.
“Minnesota did pull back on a cross country meet in the fall,” Faison said. “And we’ve been discussing future football scheduling (with Minnesota). But they’ve pulled back that discussion for now. They’re in a holding pattern. They don’t want to commit to anything until everything is sorted out here.”
And it doesn’t appear anything will be sorted out any time soon, leaving the department and its coaches to forge ahead without knowing the outcome of the controversy.
By state law, UND will be known as the Fighting Sioux. And the state Legislature won’t meet again until January of 2013. Potentially, UND could be known as the Fighting Sioux for two more seasons.
Will UND remain the Fighting Sioux forever?
“I don’t really have an answer for that,” Faison said. “I do know that it will stick around for another year.”