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Make Whole, Not War (CBA & Lockout Discussion) XIX
If Dregger wants to be an insider reporter, he should report and keep his conflict of interest opinions to himself. Stop becoming the news or is that the new business model for struggling sports journalists?
... that bridge was crossed quite some time ago Im afraid tw. The messengers and their biases more important than the message, the events & people their paid to report on, cover. Infotainers.
If Dregger wants to be an insider reporter, he should report and keep his conflict of interest opinions to himself. Stop becoming the news or is that the new business model for struggling sports journalists?
"This move by the owners is considered a significant concession"
Who considers the move a significant concession. The PA? The League? There's no source to this quote that greatly enhances the league's position. And the PA has been on record several times saying the Make Whole didn't interest them...
Just look going forward at any bad news day by the league. It'll be followed by some other positive news that they already have pre-packaged for these emergency situations. When the coincidence happens every single time, it's not a coincidence...It's an old political trick. Not saying it's particularly wrong to do that. It"s information management. It is what it is.
So are you claiming that the owners somehow paid a player to leak the information to Dreger, or that the owners paid Dreger made the information up? Because this information release has absolutely zero to do with the owners unless one is wearing a tinfoil hat that wouldn't be out of place at the Kentucky Derby.
Neither have furiously backed the owners. Yes Dreger has definitely appeared to lean towards the owners (especially the past few days), McKenzie I'm not so sure of. Having said that TSN is not going to lose their contract with the NHL for being critical. TSN will lose their contract if they are outbid.
On the other hand, if Dreger is too pro-owners you can bet he will lose some of his contacts among players.
Losing a few player interviews is nothing compared to losing arena access. The first is an inconvenience, the second costs a sportswriter/caster their job.
"This move by the owners is considered a significant concession"
Who considers the move a significant concession. The PA? The League? There's no source to this quote that greatly enhances the league's position. And the PA has been on record several times saying the Make Whole didn't interest them...
They've also been on the record saying they want contracts honored in full, which this would do. They were against the previous Make Whole because it would be players paying players
So are you claiming that the owners somehow paid a player to leak the information to Dreger, or that the owners paid Dreger made the information up? Because this information release has absolutely zero to do with the owners unless one is wearing a tinfoil hat that wouldn't be out of place at the Kentucky Derby.
The story in and of itself is insignificant. It's the slant taken by the story. Which is a commentary piece presented as hard news.
"This move by the owners is considered a significant concession"
Who considers the move a significant concession. The PA? The League? There's no source to this quote that greatly enhances the league's position. And the PA has been on record several times saying the Make Whole didn't interest them...
Must be both, since the players leaked it, and the NHL reluctintly confirmed.
It was a PR move by the league. Which by the way they're amazing at. They've schooled the PA up to now... They always follow up any bad new item quickly by pulling out other breaking news that replaces it. Most obvious examples: Luntz fiasco buried the next day by the Brooklyn Islanders announcement. Winter Classic cancellation followed by this non-offer that was spun as a "major concession".
Sure GB and BD are evil geniuses. They new if they made this offer on Tuesday somebody on the players side would leak it on Friday at the same time they were canceling the WC.
The story in and of itself is insignificant. It's the slant taken by the story. Which is a commentary piece presented as hard news.
Again, as the information came from a PLAYER, are you insinuating the owners somehow got the PLAYER to text Dreger yesterday, or that the owners compensated Dreger for putting out the report and spinning it yesterday?
It seems a little disingenuous to blame the owners for a story that didn't originate with them.
Losing a few player interviews is nothing compared to losing arena access. The first is an inconvenience, the second costs a sportswriter/caster their job.
This will never happen. I think it has happened once in recent history (Chris Botta vs. Snow/Wang). Chris Botta was a blogger at the time. It'll never ever happen to a guy from TSN or CBC or NBC or any of their major partners. It just won't.
Must be both, since the players leaked it, and the NHL reluctintly confirmed.
Exactly.
All this other nonsense, is just nonsense.
I sure would like to see the details of it and why Fehr calls it another "smokescreen" though.
If you go by the PA's position of them not liking the first "deferment" idea, this should be a considerable move in order to get the 2 sides talking again, which is exactly what Dreger reported it as. He figured it should gain some traction.
Dreger reported this is as a significant concession off of the offer the NHL just presented (he mentioned earlier that this is considered an amendment).
Why is the PA (and their supporters) so hung up about the semantics of the word "concession?"
It was a PR move by the league. Which by the way they're amazing at. They've schooled the PA up to now... They always follow up any bad new item quickly by pulling out other breaking news that replaces it. Most obvious examples: Luntz fiasco buried the next day by the Brooklyn Islanders announcement. Winter Classic cancellation followed by this non-offer that was spun as a "major concession".
It may have been a PR move by the league letting someone like Dreger report that information, however I don't like it for this reason. The NHL goes ahead and cancels the Winter Classic which I was very much looking forward to seeing. Plus it's the first time they finally let a Canadian team like Toronto play in one. So knowing all this why didn't the NHL let the NHLPA know about their concession last week or earlier because they could have talked and maybe saved the Winter Classic. Basically if they reach a new CBA next week or in two weeks, then I say why even cancel the Winter Classic?
Sure GB and BD are evil geniuses. They new if they made this offer on Tuesday somebody on the players side would leak it on Friday at the same time they were canceling the WC.
I'm not saying they're evil geniuses. I'm saying they have a carefully crafted information management strategy for this lockout. It's a fact they have a strategy for the press and the fans. On the last lockout:
"The preparation for war began in the early part of 2000, more than four-and-a-half years before the deal was set to expire. Broad strategy sessions were held in the commissionner's office at NHL headquarters, where Bettman brought together the in-house and outside lawyers... to try and predict how the NHLPA would attempt to parry them...They crafted the message that would be sold to the press and the fans."
Gatehouse, The Instigator, p. 96
Let's not delude ourselves. There's a PR strategy for both camps. This was part of it. The owners have done a better job than the players.
Dreger reported this is as a significant concession off of the offer the NHL just presented (he mentioned earlier that this is considered an amendment).
Why is the PA (and their supporters) so hung up about the semantics of the word "concession?"
Because they don't want to allow themselves to start thinking about ways to negotiate. They all just love to whine and complain.
It may have been a PR move by the league letting someone like Dreger report that information, however I don't like it for this reason. The NHL goes ahead and cancels the Winter Classic which I was very much looking forward to seeing. Plus it's the first time they finally let a Canadian team like Toronto play in one. So knowing all this why didn't the NHL let the NHLPA know about their concession last week or earlier because they could have talked and maybe saved the Winter Classic. Basically if they reach a new CBA next week or in two weeks, then I say why even cancel the Winter Classic?
1) Dreger confirmed that the NHL spoke to the PA about this three days ago.
2) They're is a deadline for everything. The NHL had a deposit in place. They had to let the venue know by a certain date whether or not they plan on going through with the Winter Classic, otherwise they lose significantly more of that deposit. That date was yesterday. Fans have already booked hotels, flights, etc. Canceling the event two months in advance lets these people also get a majority of their money back.
I'm not saying they're evil geniuses. I'm saying they have a carefully crafted information management strategy for this lockout. It's a fact they have a strategy for the press and the fans. On the last lockout:
"The preparation for war began in the early part of 2000, more than four-and-a-half years before the deal was set to expire. Broad strategy sessions were held in the commissionner's office at NHL headquarters, where Bettman brought together the in-house and outside lawyers... to try and predict how the NHLPA would attempt to parry them...They crafted the message that would be sold to the press and the fans."
Gatehouse, The Instigator, p. 96
Let's not delude ourselves. There's a PR strategy for both camps. This was part of it. The owners have done a better job than the players.
Everybody knows that there is a PR strategy for everything done in business nowadays. Still doesn't explain your claim in this situation (the NHL letting this information leak through a player-connected source at the most opportune time for them).
I'm not saying they're evil geniuses. I'm saying they have a carefully crafted information management strategy for this lockout. It's a fact they have a strategy for the press and the fans. On the last lockout:
"The preparation for war began in the early part of 2000, more than four-and-a-half years before the deal was set to expire. Broad strategy sessions were held in the commissionner's office at NHL headquarters, where Bettman brought together the in-house and outside lawyers... to try and predict how the NHLPA would attempt to parry them...They crafted the message that would be sold to the press and the fans."
Gatehouse, The Instigator, p. 96
Let's not delude ourselves. There's a PR strategy for both camps. This was part of it. The owners have done a better job then the players.
So what are you saying? I'm still unclear.
Are you saying Darren Dreger did not receive his information from an NHLPA source?
Are you saying the NHL did not reluctantly confirm?
Are you saying Dreger is a liar?
Wouldn't it have been better PR for the league to "leak" that offer info tuesday, then shift the blame to the PA before cancelling the WC.
You're being vague, and it seems you're creating a conspiracy theory.
I'm sure there is a Powerpoint presentation somewhere in New York that has every offer the owners will ever make and what time it will be presented over the next year or so.
I'm sure there is a Powerpoint presentation somewhere in New York that has every offer the owners will ever make and what time it will be presented over the next year or so.
With dates for when the NHLPA will independantly leak the news of the offers to the media as well?
I'm not saying they're evil geniuses. I'm saying they have a carefully crafted information management strategy for this lockout. It's a fact they have a strategy for the press and the fans. On the last lockout:
"The preparation for war began in the early part of 2000, more than four-and-a-half years before the deal was set to expire. Broad strategy sessions were held in the commissionner's office at NHL headquarters, where Bettman brought together the in-house and outside lawyers... to try and predict how the NHLPA would attempt to parry them...They crafted the message that would be sold to the press and the fans."
Gatehouse, The Instigator, p. 96
Let's not delude ourselves. There's a PR strategy for both camps. This was part of it. The owners have done a better job than the players.
Still though a player leaked the information to Dreger. The NHL only confirmed the verbal offer. Did the NHL take advantage of a good situation? Maybe. However it's not as if the NHL planned the Friday news releases as the Winter Classic gets cancelled then they announce they are making major concessions. Your missing his point. Who cares if they have plans for their PR. Of course they do, its not instantaneous the things they do, but this Friday's announcement and then the leak were not in the plan.
This will never happen. I think it has happened once in recent history (Chris Botta vs. Snow/Wang). Chris Botta was a blogger at the time. It'll never ever happen to a guy from TSN or CBC or NBC or any of their major partners. It just won't.
So, the NHL won't bring up their unhappiness with Cherry and Maclean during the upcoming broadcast rights negotiations with the CBC?
For that matter, what about Al Strachan, highly supportive of the NHLPA during the last CBA talks, critical of the league during his HNIC Hot Stove segments, then gets drummed out of the business. The leaked news was it happened at Burkes request because he wrote that Leafs Sucks book, which was quite "convenient" for the powers that be.
