The absence of 250-pound men crashing into each other can be blamed on the selfish and idiotic owners in the National Hockey League (NHL). They put 10 years and millions of dollars into so-called superstars of the sport. Now they are expecting the players to give up more of their rights to the revenue-sharing plan set up to end the NHL lockout of the 2004-05 season.
The players should take absolutely no blame for the disgrace of a missed hockey season. The players just want to play. The money is a bonus. A perfect example of that fact is Patrik Berglund, St. Louis Blues forward. He is currently playing hockey for a Swedish Hockey Allsvenskan League. His salary — $0.
He chose not to take a salary so he could play with the team that gave him a shot in the pros. He is probably missing the action of the NHL more than anyone.
I know I’m not the only one being crushed a little deeper inside each time the lockout is extended. Now games are canceled through Nov. 31. Also, the Winter Classic, originally scheduled for Jan. 1, 2013 at the University of Michigan football stadium, has been officially canceled.
At least they will have less money to argue about.
Even Webster University has a little bit of its heart ripped out without hockey this year.
The stellar Webster baseball team had the best season in Webster athletics history, making it all the way to the College World Series. In postseason play, the Gorloks traveled to Highland, Ill., for the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference tournament. Then to Millington, Tenn., where they won the NCAA Division III regional tournament. After that, they took to Appleton, Wis., making Webster’s first-ever appearance in the College World Series.
Trips like that are expensive. The baseball team usually works concession stands at Blues home games as one way to raise money for the team. Obviously, that hasn’t been an option this year.
Of course, there is always a St. Louis Rams game to work concession stands at. But the Rams only play eight home games. Then to make that opportunity even smaller, one of those “home” games was conveniently played in London. Yes, London.
The baseball team is already scheduled to play in Tennessee and Florida this season. And if they should play as well as they did last year, the travel expenses will rise along with the out-of-town postseason games.
My money most well spent last season was attending the Student Night games for the Blues. With a student ID, you could buy tickets that were normally $50 or more for $30, and walk away with giveaways like hats, souvenir cups, scarves and more.
My Blues scarf sadly hangs above my bed wondering why he also hasn’t seen hockey yet this year. I have yet to break the news to him.
Webster’s University Center even sold tickets for those games. You Blues fans are at Webster, too, and I know you’re hurting with me.
Even the advertising department at Webster is taking a hit. Signs for Webster were at every Blues game last season. I even heard a rumor Webster was going to officially sponsor every Blues power play from now on.
Not really. But that would be cool, right?
I’d say Webster could use all the students who are Blues fans it can get.
The lockout isn’t good for any city, especially St. Louis. When the entire NHL season was canceled due to a lockout in 2004-05, St. Louis was one of seven NHL teams to see a significant drop in attendance from the 2003-04 season to the 2005-06 season.
While these owners and players argue over the sharing of the billion-dollar industry the NHL is, the people who make it happen and are still working in the Scottrade Center and stadiums all around the country are losing money and jobs.
My brother has an internship at the graphic design department in Scottrade Center. He has only been there for a couple months and has already seen layoffs and pay cuts. The only reason he still has an internship is because it is an unpaid position.
The NHL lockout is like waking up on Monday mornings, watching reruns of a horrible show or sitting through an English lecture in high school — life-draining.
It’s still a little ways away, but come December, all I want for Christmas is St. Louis Blues hockey back in action.
Let’s. Go. Blues.
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