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Subscribe to RSSNegotiations are stalled, neither party wants to budge, and President Barack Obama said he’s had enough.
This wasn’t about the fiscal cliff, though – it was about ice hockey.
In an interview with a Minnesota TV reporter, Obama urged the National Hockey League and the NHL Players’ Association, who left their second day of federal mediation Thursday without a deal, to get it together.
“The president of the United States shouldn’t have to get involved in a sports lockout,” he told WCCO’s Frank Vascellaro. “And I shouldn’t have to be involved in a dispute between really wealthy players and even wealthier owners. They should be able to settle this themselves. And remember who it is that’s putting all that money in their pockets.”
The NHL season isn’t officially cancelled yet, but commissioner Gary Bettman has suggested a “drop-dead” date sometime in mid-January – not long after the painful mix of tax hikes and spending increases would go into effect if Congress doesn’t reach a deal.
Obama was asked to “pull some strings” to end the lockout back in October, when he appeared on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno.
But so far, he’s had as much success avoiding the “hockey cliff” as he has the fiscal one.
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The average NHL player makes around $2.4 million/year. Pooooooooooor baaaaaabiiiiiiiiiies, doing what they love and getting paid more in one year than most make in a lifetime!
What are the expenses that an owner has in operating the team? Do the players pay any of the operating expenses? Are they willing to pay the operating expenses 50/50?
Arent they losing more money in a year of not playing than they would gain from a small percentage change? According to the research I did (quick but accurate thanks to charts on official websites) the average player plays 4-5 years, though many retire after 1-2 if they arent good enough while far fewer player for longer on average. So 5 years at average pay of 2.4 mil/year is $12 million. Say they got it up to 3 mil a year but missed out on an entire year due to the strike, thats $12 million. Hmmm.
Jack
We all know how hard it is to live on $3 million a year. After all, they have to think about feeding their families.
Obama should stay out of Hockey before he makes that mess worse. Just like the US economy! We are doomed and the people who voted for him can blame themselves. You elected a Moron!
Does he have nothing better to do, like present a new plan for the cliff we're facing. No wonder this country is sliding.
The NHL is having another work stoppage? How could you tell?
Obama will be in the NHL negotiations fighting for the rich to pay their fair share of the taxes...
Then he gets his ass beaten to a pulp because he didn't think about all the minorities in the NHL being rich...
The owners won't even make any players go to the penalty box while the medics scrape Obama off the ice...
So this begs the question, if he "shouldn't be involved", then why the hell is he involved? This idiot can't manage to keep his mouth shut about anything unless it is about something (everything) he screwed up. Maybe he ought to be at Capitol Hill hammering out a deal rather than yapping his trap about @!$%# that 95% of people in this country could care less about. He is a worthless fool.
Obama might want to notice that another labor union is screwing the fans. They want more money and ticket prices will go up! Obama might keep his nose out of labor contracts! He can't even get his own party to produce a budget - 4 years and no budget!
The heck with hockey. Obama could end the fiscal cliff problem if he would just say what part of the bloated government he is willing to cut.
There's a hockey strike?? I thought everyone just quit due to lack of interest....
“The president of the United States shouldn’t have to get involved in a sports lockout,”
Then don't...simple.
The Obama government thinks they can manage every aspect of your life better than you can.
Mr. President, please concentrate on the millions of people out of work, not the rich athletes !
I think we all could do without professional sports. If hockey did not happen this year, who would miss them next year? After all, are not we just living vicariously through others? Perhaps it is time to get our own lives back?
We own our world, not them. Get off the couch and get a life people!
When asked about smoking weed, "we have bigger fish to fry". But the NHL lockout, that's a priority? Fiscal cliff, here we come. Like thelma and Louise, gun it and hold my hand.
Second national priority, NHL lockout. First priority, Socialism with even more golf..............