Mel
4-22-05, 12:13 PM
I think the NHL would be wise to keep Mr. Jacobs away from further meetings after reading this. Cooler (and softer) heads will be needed if there's any hope whatsoever of clawing out of this mess.
http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/sports/11456882.htm
A snappy retort followed by a stare-down. That was behind an angry exchange between Jeremy Jacobs, the Boston Bruins' owner, and Bob Goodenow, the NHL Players' Association executive director, which cast a shadow over Tuesday's labor talks in New York.
On Wednesday, the league did an about-face during its board of governors meeting, saying it would not start the season this fall with replacement players. The season will begin only with a new collective bargaining agreement, the NHL said.
At the same time, the cantankerous Jacobs even expressed optimism.
"I think we are in good shape. We will be playing this year," Jacobs said, smiling.
So why the gloom on Tuesday?
Goodenow took offense to something Jacobs said at the end of the meeting and the manner in which the Boston owner said it, according to two people who were there and requested anonymity.
Jacobs declined to comment yesterday, referring all collective bargaining matters to NHL commissioner Gary Bettman.
Here's a reconstruction:
As Tuesday's meeting broke up, Goodenow suggested future meeting dates.
Jacobs called out to him, "Do we have an agreement that whatever we're doing, we're not paying more than 54 percent player cost?"
Goodenow, who at that point was talking about schedule dates, was taken aback.
"No, that is not what we're doing," he retorted. "That is a leaguewide cap, and we're not interested in doing that."
Goodenow again told Jacobs that the union's hybrid plan would allow each team to determine, within a specified range, what it would spend on payroll, without guaranteeing a strict percentage.
Jacobs, who favors a small salary cap, got angry.
"He gave Bob a stare-down," one witness said. "Bob doesn't like that."
Jacobs then reportedly said, "Well, I don't know if it will be productive for us to meet, then."
That remark caught everyone at the bargaining table by surprise, since both sides had agreed moments earlier to speed up the negotiations with a set schedule.
Tuesday night or Wednesday morning, someone from the league office - perhaps Bettman or Bill Daly, the NHL's executive vice president and chief legal counsel - apparently pointed out to Jacobs that the goal was to extend the negotiations, not abruptly end them.
Hence, Jacobs' different tone after Wednesday's board of governors meeting.
Yesterday, Goodenow and Bettman reportedly were e-mailing each other schedule dates whereby they will meet twice a week for the foreseeable future.
http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/sports/11456882.htm
A snappy retort followed by a stare-down. That was behind an angry exchange between Jeremy Jacobs, the Boston Bruins' owner, and Bob Goodenow, the NHL Players' Association executive director, which cast a shadow over Tuesday's labor talks in New York.
On Wednesday, the league did an about-face during its board of governors meeting, saying it would not start the season this fall with replacement players. The season will begin only with a new collective bargaining agreement, the NHL said.
At the same time, the cantankerous Jacobs even expressed optimism.
"I think we are in good shape. We will be playing this year," Jacobs said, smiling.
So why the gloom on Tuesday?
Goodenow took offense to something Jacobs said at the end of the meeting and the manner in which the Boston owner said it, according to two people who were there and requested anonymity.
Jacobs declined to comment yesterday, referring all collective bargaining matters to NHL commissioner Gary Bettman.
Here's a reconstruction:
As Tuesday's meeting broke up, Goodenow suggested future meeting dates.
Jacobs called out to him, "Do we have an agreement that whatever we're doing, we're not paying more than 54 percent player cost?"
Goodenow, who at that point was talking about schedule dates, was taken aback.
"No, that is not what we're doing," he retorted. "That is a leaguewide cap, and we're not interested in doing that."
Goodenow again told Jacobs that the union's hybrid plan would allow each team to determine, within a specified range, what it would spend on payroll, without guaranteeing a strict percentage.
Jacobs, who favors a small salary cap, got angry.
"He gave Bob a stare-down," one witness said. "Bob doesn't like that."
Jacobs then reportedly said, "Well, I don't know if it will be productive for us to meet, then."
That remark caught everyone at the bargaining table by surprise, since both sides had agreed moments earlier to speed up the negotiations with a set schedule.
Tuesday night or Wednesday morning, someone from the league office - perhaps Bettman or Bill Daly, the NHL's executive vice president and chief legal counsel - apparently pointed out to Jacobs that the goal was to extend the negotiations, not abruptly end them.
Hence, Jacobs' different tone after Wednesday's board of governors meeting.
Yesterday, Goodenow and Bettman reportedly were e-mailing each other schedule dates whereby they will meet twice a week for the foreseeable future.