Once again, “The Instigator” says it all:

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With the Lockout in full effect and Bob and Gary being in a political showdown more intense than the US Presidential Election, Sunshine Network is drawing up plans for what will air in place of the Tampa Bay Lightning this season:

We are talking with the Lightning about possible game replays but nothing is scheduled at this time. No plans for any AHL games. On many nights when Lightning games would have aired, we have college basketball games, live “Chevy Tailgate Saturday” programs and other shows/events that were already airing on Sunshine outside Lightning territory that we would then take statewide. As soon as any plans are finalized, we will also post the info. on our website.

Not an official post but I’d like to make sure to welcome back Tom Benjamin from his hiatus on the Blogsphere. It would seem that Tom Benjamin’s NHL Web Blog at Canucks Corner hit a speed bump and all of Tom’s original posts from last seasonw ere lost.

That’s unfortunate, but the good news is Tom’s back on the prowl and I’m glad to see it.

The Vancouver Canucks hockey blog has a post up this afternoon showing another player that isn’t exactly siding with the NHLPA with regards to their negotiating tactics. Who’s the wayward Union member? The New Jersey Devil’s John Madden.

Bolts Wonder Where This Is Headed

“Nobody wants to be in this situation and we hope that both Goodenow and Bettman can find a common ground, everybody wants something to get worked out,” Dingman said. “Nobody wants to lose a season over this. I mean, this is our livelihood. It would be nice to open everything up on time and be able to raise that [Stanley Cup championship] banner and celebrate our championship.”

Is it just me or is it frustrating any time there are comments like this from the labor side of a dispute but a standing-with-the-union-’cause-I-have-to type of attitude being expressed? It’s like baseball with drug testing and steroid tests — no one wanted to cross the line to prove they were above that.

Now the players just won’t say “This is bullshit, I want to play and I don’t want the Union to go to war over this.”

Of course, the comment is attributed to a 3rd/4th line player and not a superstar… Few will care what Chris Dingman has to say…

But here’s a dare to any Lightning player or any NHL player — if you’re above this squabbling and know the game is more important than what your union boss is fighting for (limitless profit possibilites for labor), then cross the line. Tear up your union card and show the fans you’re better than this absolute greed.

The Lockout goes into effect at midnight eastern time tonight — and repeating it is just repeating the doom and gloom of the months ahead — and la de da. There’s not much I can report but there is something that I’ve long believed that some people are acknowledging now which was dismissed in the past…

Thanks to OnTheWings.com, I found a great column by Dan Wetzel which basically sums up the shortcomings of Herr Commissioner, Gary Bettman:

Yahoo! Sports - NHL - Puck stops with Bettman

It is supposed to be the commissioner who either keeps the owners in line or figures out a way to generate so much new revenue it hardly matters.

Bettman has done neither.

Ain’t it the truth?

The NHL still hosts a lot of dated features and is intimately tied to it’s base in Canada. It’s failed in expanding and that’s part of the reason teh league is hurting. It was Gary’s job to lead the league to sunnier financial pastures and what happened?

He’s botched it up left and right.

This isn’t me siding with the players in this dispute. Far from it. This is me voicing my displeasure with the commissioner of the National Hockey League.

It’s too bad we can’t vote in a new commissioner… Because it’s high time that Gary and his game were pitted against someone else’s vision for the league and someone else’s proposed leadership…

And on that note, I offer a fond F.U. to Bob Goodenow - the chief manipulator who reminds me of a Bush Administration liar…er, I mean official… But of course Gary Bettman and co’s bungling is to blame as well.

Whomever wins, the fans still lose.