Goodenow steps down from NHLPA post

[mberube]

The NHLPA announced today that Bob Goodenow is stepping down.

See’ya later Bob!!

[1972Apex]

Geez, what a surprise....
Don't think he had much choice.

[Big Johnny69]

I guess you can save some dignity by stepping down as opposed to being voted out of your position by the union. Hopefully whoever fill his shoes will be able to negotiate better when the CBA is up in 6 years, I think.

[broken27]

Long overdue. This moron has been at the helm of the union for far too long without accomplishing anything at all. While they're at it, they may as well scrap the entire union... Millionaires are not in a position to require a union...

Dan

[LobWedge]

I guess you can save some dignity by stepping down as opposed to being voted out of your position by the union. Hopefully whoever fill his shoes will be able to negotiate better when the CBA is up in 6 years, I think.

The union wasn't going to vote him out. It was the players who caved, not him. He has fought against that deal from day one. He just realizes that it's a losing battle against ownership and that not only did the players get screwed but also the fans. The player's took a substantial hit in the wallet, but you don't see any of that money coming back to the fans. All this ticket price crap is a token gesture to get the asses back in the seats and then it will be the same as before, withnthe owners reaping a bigger profit.

[jvincent]

Millionaires are not in a position to require a union...

I agree, and I'm as anti-union as the next guy, but the union is a necessity in pro sports these days to protect the owners from anti-collusion (or whatever the correct legal term is) lawsuits and themselves.

Without a CBA, the owners will either:

a) have to collude on salaries, free agent policies, etc. which will land them in court.

b) spend themselves to oblivion because of the antics of one or two wildcards, which will bankrupt most of the league.

The CBA sets the rules, agreed by all parties, that they negotiate by so there can be no lawsuits.

Unfortunate, but that's the way it works.

[1972Apex]

Maybe it's because the teams don't have any money...

[broken27]

The union wasn't going to vote him out. It was the players who caved, not him. He has fought against that deal from day one. He just realizes that it's a losing battle against ownership and that not only did the players get screwed but also the fans. The player's took a substantial hit in the wallet, but you don't see any of that money coming back to the fans. All this ticket price crap is a token gesture to get the asses back in the seats and then it will be the same as before, withnthe owners reaping a bigger profit.

My understanding is that at a certain point of the lockout and negotiation process, Mr. Saskin was interjected into the mix because Goodenow's members had no faith in him. It became pretty clear to everyone that the December offer from the owners was going to be the best deal they were going to get, and yet Goodenow insisted on sticking to his guns...

Dan

[LobWedge]

My understanding is that at a certain point of the lockout and negotiation process, Mr. Saskin was interjected into the mix because Goodenow's members had no faith in him. It became pretty clear to everyone that the December offer from the owners was going to be the best deal they were going to get, and yet Goodenow insisted on sticking to his guns...

Dan

I think the reason that Saskin and Daly were brought in is because Goodenow and Bettman hate each other and both sat around waiting for the other to call with hat in hand.

[mberube]

He just realizes that it's a losing battle against ownership and that not only did the players get screwed but also the fans. The player's took a substantial hit in the wallet, but you don't see any of that money coming back to the fans. All this ticket price crap is a token gesture to get the asses back in the seats and then it will be the same as before, withnthe owners reaping a bigger profit.

That is very true and most if not all fans didn’t figure that one out yet. I hope that ticket sales will be boycotted although I doubt it.

I have not played for an NHL ticket since the cup game in MTL in 93. The best seat is in my living room.

Mike

[broken27]

I think the reason that Saskin and Daly were brought in is because Goodenow and Bettman hate each other and both sat around waiting for the other to call with hat in hand.

Strangely enough, every indication I've had is that Goodenow and Bettman are really good friends away from business... My editor at thefourthperiod.com has met them both, and both insist they're really good buddies. I think Daly's inclusion was likely a bit of a decoy to the union... Bettman knew exactly what he wanted, so he didn't need to sit in on negotiating something he was firm on... Daly's a bit of a better public speaker too... Saskin (from what I've been told) was injected more by the union executive committee than by Goodenow.

Dan

[broken27]

The best seat is in my living room.

Mike

While I love going to games for the in-house atmosphere, I agree that the living room is the best seat to watch hockey from. I can smoke (anything I want), drink reasonably priced beer, can get up to go to the bathroom without having to wait for a stoppage in play to sit back down, and I can eat a whole pizza for $10, not just a slice!!!

The smoking thing is also a big reason why I don't go to $13.50 movies....

Dan

[powerlefty]

Long overdue. This moron has been at the helm of the union for far too long without accomplishing anything at all. While they're at it, they may as well scrap the entire union... Millionaires are not in a position to require a union...

Dan

Actually a lot was accomplished during Goodenow's term and for most of the last ten years or so he was great for his constituency. Average salaries skyrocketed and for much of the last CBA, the players kicked the owners butts everywhere - contracts, arbitrations, grievances, etc.

It has only been the past couple of years where the owners started to get a wee bit more intelligent (the NY Rangers, Washington Caps and NY Isles notwithstanding) about the contracts they were offering and walking away from arbitration awards, etc.

Goodenow's biggest mistake was walking away from the deals on the table in DEC and FEB and not recognizing there was no more boold to be had from the stone. It was quite clear as the details of this deal were published that Goodenow could not stay around since he was spouting words like never accepting a hard cap or anything worse than a luxury tax.

[broken27]

Actually a lot was accomplished during Goodenow's term and for most of the last ten years or so he was great for his constituency. Average salaries skyrocketed and for much of the last CBA, the players kicked the owners butts everywhere - contracts, arbitrations, grievances, etc.

It has only been the past couple of years where the owners started to get a wee bit more intelligent (the NY Rangers, Washington Caps and NY Isles notwithstanding) about the contracts they were offering and walking away from arbitration awards, etc.

Goodenow's biggest mistake was walking away from the deals on the table in DEC and FEB and not recognizing there was no more boold to be had from the stone. It was quite clear as the details of this deal were published that Goodenow could not stay around since he was spouting words like never accepting a hard cap or anything worse than a luxury tax.

Commissioner and owner stupidity and the capitalizing thereon are hardly accomplishments. You can thank the agents for that, and especially the owners. There is no doubt that his 15 years in office will go down in the annals of NHLPA history as "triumphant" years, but that's a joke in my eyes. This guy did nothing.

---Sadly post was moderated, although no offensive remarks were made your way powerlefty...---
Dan

[Big Johnny69]

The union wasn't going to vote him out. It was the players who caved, not him. He has fought against that deal from day one. He just realizes that it's a losing battle against ownership and that not only did the players get screwed but also the fans. The player's took a substantial hit in the wallet, but you don't see any of that money coming back to the fans. All this ticket price crap is a token gesture to get the asses back in the seats and then it will be the same as before, withnthe owners reaping a bigger profit.

Well with guys like Steve Avery and Manny Legace speaking out about Goodenow keeping players in the dark about offers on the table, if you put it to vote I think you'd be surprised at how it would turn out. Guys usually stand together in a union, but when they speak out about your leader, and not in good terms, than there is something wrong.

[powerlefty]

Commissioner and owner stupidity and the capitalizing thereon are hardly accomplishments. You can thank the agents for that, and especially the owners. There is no doubt that his 15 years in office will go down in the annals of NHLPA history as "triumphant" years, but that's a joke in my eyes. This guy did nothing.

---Sadly post was moderated, although no offensive remarks were made your way powerlefty...---
Dan

In re-reading my original post, I thought I should clarify that I think Godenow was good for the players during Goodenow's term. I do not believe he was good for the game for the past 5-6 years as the economics got twisted. Any union leader's job is to maximize the rewards to their members and/or preserve job security. Whether he did it, or the stupid owners did it, there is no doubt the financial rewards to the players were maximized during his term. By the same token, anytime you convince the followers to play chiken with $1.4B in salaries and totally lose the season as well as cough up close to half (24% roll back, hard cap tied to revenues, etc) of that in the follow-on season, it is clear he should walk the plank.