We look out our windows down here in Florida and see the sun for the first time in two weeks.....it's about time.

Here at Hockeybird we have taken what most would call a pro-player stance during the lockout. I think a more correct description would be anti-owner. However you must keep in mind that neither side is on your side. No one on either side has done much of anything with the best interest of the fans in mind. While we inch closer to a possible deal many of you have begun to ask yourselves, do I really want to invest all that time and money in a league that has abused our loyalty? Larry Brooks makes an excellent point in his column today when he asks when Commissioner Gary Bettman will address the public as commish, not the leader of one of the two factions fighting about the CBA.

The NHLPA is not off the hook here either. If a deal is reached I think it's fair to ask why it took so long to hold all these meetings? If they were going to agree to some of the things we see reported, why not agree to them earlier? Yep, both sides have acted without regard for us, the fans. It'll be interesting to see what carrots are dangled to make us happy while the silly marketing guys look to attract non-hockey fans.

Of course, we still have no deal. Not much of a carrot if you ask me.

Newsday - "Restricted free agency and a cap that will go no higher than $38 million (if that) will allow the Lightning to keep this dynamic team together for a legitimate defense of the Cup."

Spector's - In the soapbox, Spector rips Mike Ulmer a new one......something we've done here in the past. In all fairness, Mike's stupidity makes it rather easy.

Daily News - "Maybe the NHL will get lucky. Maybe the NBA will have a labor dispute and hockey won't have to share the stage with the hoopsters next winter. Maybe the Yankees will miss the playoffs and someone in New York will notice the Rangers before December."

NY Times - "A lot of this stuff, like the shootout, is cosmetic," Harry Sinden, president of the Boston Bruins, said. "You don't have a home-run-hitting contest in the 10th inning, and you don't have 3-point shooting to decide an N.B.A. game."

Boston Globe - "Yes, Houston, there is a problem, an on-ice entertainment issue, and a lot of people connected to the National Hockey League finally are owning up to it."

Update:

Oops. The vett on the boards notified me that I missed an article on the NYR. Thanks, dude.

Star Ledger - Sather, who seems confident the NHL will play this season, spent this past winter looking at team prospects, scouting games in the AHL, the ECHL and in Europe and did "stuff that we would normally do -- except you don't see any NHL games."

Finally, I wish to thank longtime Hockeybird reader Patrick who hand delivered the worlds greatest stout (Guinness Foreign Extra) which is only made in the Bahamas. Patrick found us after finding out that Brian Leeds was writing articles here meaning that Leedsy is indirectly responsible for me getting this beer. Thank You Brian. I will toast both of you later as I BBQ and suck down some super suds.

----}- Bird

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