Bleacher Report - Articles by Ian Froese

NHL Owners: Will You Please Stand Up?

Ian Froese — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 12:51:48 -0400

I figured that as time passed, more sense would be kicked into the NHL regarding their sticky bidding war of the Phoenix Coyotes.

However, I was sadly mistaken.

Let’s get one thing out of the way: I am not a Jim Balsillie fan.

The Blackberry tycoon has proven repeatedly that he will stop at nothing to bring an NHL team to his beloved Hamilton.

You bet, he chose to step on the toes of the man he needed to win over, league commissioner Gary Bettman.

He was so desperate for a team that he was willing to steal one from the vibrant hockey community of Pittsburgh.

He’s proven that he’ll stop at nothing on his quest, and neither will the NHL, blocking any chance he’ll get.

Regardless of my opinions on Balsillie, the league must swallow their pride and fall to the best offer.

It’s all because they are refusing to admit that their hockey experiment in the South has failed.

See, back in the early 90s, Bettman dreamed of a huge American TV contract and, in the process, put threw teams in locales that had no prior experience with the sport.

Fast forward to the present, the NHL, unable to admit failure, wants to buy the money-losing venture that is the Coyotes with the intention of selling it back to a third party.

The league claims they have four interested parties. But since none of them have been publicized, it’s hard to argue that the league’s statement is valid.

When Jerry Reinsdorf, a man that knows the dog-eat-dog world of the sports business, owning two professional teams himself, is fed up with the process, you know you have a problem.

He was the league’s only genuine hope to keep the team in America; as Balsillie wants to ship them to Hamilton a year from now, and Ice Edge’s idea wants the Coyotes to also have a home rink in Saskatoon.

While it’s no surprise that no entrepreneurs want to keep the Coyotes in the desert, it is a wonder why the league’s owners haven’t cried foul against Bettman—at least in public.

The Coyotes haven’t made a dime since transferring to Arizona in 1996 and are already being propped up by the league. Now if you add the team to the NHL’s budget, the league will try for themselves to sustain a failed business, even for a limited time.

Some of that money will likely come straight from the owners’ pockets, and they shouldn’t be pleased about that. It’s like they’re putting their cash into a sink hole with no chance of success.

But it goes back to my earlier question: why haven’t the owners said anything?

hey voted unanimously to deny Balsillie as an owner. Understandable because he’s made enemies in the league’s circle, but he can make this team financially viable.

If the owners want to stop losing cash as part of the league’s revenue sharing program, then accepting the highest bid, Balsillie’s, is a step in the right direction. I’m guessing that Bettman has them on a leash because there’s no other reason why the owners haven’t spoken up.

The time has maybe never been better for the owners to unite against Bettman. The commissioner is living in a fantasy world where hockey is more than a niche sport in the States, but that’s far from reality.

Bettman wants his faulty vision to be paid by the owners’ wallets, but instead the owners should turn the tables and give the boot to the league’s boss.

Why Aren't We Caring About the World Baseball Classic?

Ian Froese — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 22:11:20 -0400

As an old expression goes, if a tree falls in the forest and no one is around to hear it, does it still make a sound?

Sadly, in this day and age, the World Baseball Classic (WBC) is that tree.

As you have all been breathlessly not paying attention to, Major League Baseball is going for their second swing at an international baseball tournament involving players from the majors.

This is just the second time that baseball fans have been presented with the opportunity of watching the pros put on the uniforms of the country they call home!

You would think that the anticipation and the excitement would be tremendous, but that belief is far out to left field. Now, I understand that public interest in the WBC won’t reach the levels of the World Cup of Soccer or the Olympics, but awareness of this event is beyond low.

For Canadians, a simple excuse to not knowing about it could be the windup of the NHL season. Though in the USA, baseball is America’s favourite pastime!

Why is interest in the United States on the same scale as Dr. Phil airings?

There are major problems with the tournament, one of them being the extra weeks added to an already lengthy baseball season while ignoring the postseason.

It is a long grind beginning in April and consisting of 162 games—almost double the 82 games NHL and NBA seasons have—not including the nearly two months spent in spring training commencing in February or the additional week or two required by pitchers and catchers to reach peak performance in their difficult positions.

That is a lot of baseball and the requirement of getting in top condition before a March tournament when players should be getting their groove back is difficult.

In comparison, the World Cup of Soccer is an huge event because it encompasses an entire country while the world watches. That can’t transpire with the WBC because the event is shared in five different countries in seven cities.

As a fan, it’s hard to follow an event spread out across the globe. Hey the tournament is even proceeding in Toronto. Didn’t know that, did you?

Most importantly, the WBC is occurring at the same time as spring training. A handful of all-stars are opting to practice with their team instead of playing for their country.

Blame the little monetary reward for competing in the WBC, the excuse of fear of injury, or the insurance needed to protect the millionaire athletes.

Nevertheless, if the athletes aren’t interested, why should the fans be?

Notable names that have dropped off are Albert Pujols, CC Sabathia, Mark Teixeira, Roy Halladay and Ryan Howard. This is a departure from what happens in the NHL’s World Cup of Hockey where there is no option for the players to say they would rather train than play in a tournament.

Sure, some will make an injury excuse but for everyone else it is a honour to have their country’s name on their uniform. That commitment doesn’t exist in baseball players and it’s a shame.

When even the official website of MLB has trouble prioritizing between their own tournament and Alex Rodriguez’s decision to undergo hip surgery, a problem exists.

Still, it might not be worth the effort because baseball has gone decades without an international tournament and this new idea might never appeal to the players and fans.

Then again, MLB shouldn’t throw in the towel but instead they should amend its formula. Maybe they could play ball in November?

Five Tips on Meeting the Stanley Cup

Ian Froese — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 14:21:54 -0400

For some hockey fans, the chance of their team winning the Stanley Cup in their lifetime is slim to none (*cough, cough* Toronto Maple Leafs).

Therefore, the next best chance to see the Cup is when a local boy brings it home. Here in Winnipeg, Detroit Red Wings players Derek Meech and Darren Helm spent their day with the Cup this summer.

I witnessed the shininess of the Stanley Cup for the first time when hundreds of anxious fans waited in line for Meech.

It was a long wait. Most fans waited between 90 to 120 minutes. I, on the other hand, received VIP treatment—my brothers are in a training program that Meech was once a part of—giving me early access for a picture with Lord Stanley’s Cup, and allowing myself to avoid the huge line.

Now, in the longstanding journalistic tradition of analyzing something that you weren’t a part of, I have five tips on meeting the Cup—considering you are seeing it in a public gathering of a few hundred people.

1. Time management: get to the destination either early or late

Both are viable options. Getting there early permits a spot near the front of the line. But at the same time, arriving near the end of the allotted time slot means the lineup will be short, or even nonexistent.

For example, within the final ten minutes, a father and son showed up, and got their picture within minutes. They didn’t get to speak to Meech—nevertheless, they had no line to wait for.

2. Bring something to do

Sure, it doesn’t come anywhere near hospital wait times, but you will have to hang around for awhile. To kill time, I suggest bringing an mp3 player or a Nintendo DS. Yeah, you might look pathetic, but at least you’re not socializing with strangers, or even family.

3. Be knowledgeable

I’m putting my money on the chance that a superstar isn’t bringing the Cup when you go see it. Thus, being well-informed on the athlete could give you some small talk to discuss with the player when the picture is taken.

4. Look at the Cup

Obviously, you want to smile for the camera. But before you do that, make sure you take a glance at the Cup. That was my regret which was why I returned near the end of Meech’s public showing, to take a closer look. There’s a lot of history to behold, so give yourself the chance to smell the roses.

5. If you can, follow the athlete

Since I had already seen the Cup (VIP!) I was able to follow Meech around with the Cup when he winded his way through the crowd. I got to take some great photos, as hundreds of others had to stay put in their line. In fact, I was on the cover of local newspaper, the Winnipeg Sun—but the picture was blurry, so I didn't use it for the article.

Well, there you have it. While meeting the Stanley Cup isn’t a cakewalk, this is something that I think all sports fans should try and check out.

Ray Emery a Distraction?: Get Real!

Ian Froese — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 10:49:05 -0400

Following a trip to the 2007 Stanley Cup Final and then getting off to a 15-2 start last season, the Ottawa Senators began to free-fall, and most of the blame was thrown at starting goaltender Ray Emery. Today, neither his team nor the rest of the NHL wanted to give him a real chance.

After having offseason wrist surgery, Emery was slow to recover to full form, and it’s debatable if he ever did. Following a series of regrettable events, like being late to practice, a fight with team heavyweight Brian McGrattan and the perceived assumption that he didn’t want to be there, the goaltender ultimately shared duties between the pipes with Martin Gerber. Emery ended the season with a 12-13-4 record and a modest save percentage of .890. His opponents claimed he was the main reason the Senators fell apart.

But even if that’s completely true, it’s pathetic. These are grown men that are paid millions of dollars for this job. How can they be distracted by one guy who would rather be partying than on the ice sometimes?

Yeah, he should have been more mature given the high investment that the Senators had in him. But what can you do? Think about it, readers, is there someone at your work that doesn’t always want to be there and needs a slap in the face? Of course there is! So why has this been such a big deal?

After that unfortunate year, Emery signed a $2 million deal (U.S. dollars) with Russian club Atlant Mytishci of the new Continental Hockey League—largely because there were no serious proposals from an NHL team. Just one year after starting in the Stanley Cup Final, the league’s 30 teams weren’t willing to give him a backup job and let him climb back into the form he is capable of reaching.

Basically, their reasoning is they're scared of the controversy he brings. Big deal. The NHL barely knows what controversy is. The league has nothing close to an Oakland Raiders. They had an occasionally tardy Ray Emery; in comparison, that’s laughable.

Emery’s agent, J.P. Barry, said he was contacted by NHL clubs only three times about the goalie’s services. They couldn’t have been significant offers. Just a year after a trip to the Final! Pathetic.

Ray Emery is not a bad guy. But it appears like that because he was forced onto the other side of the Atlantic. Yes, he is paid more handsomely than most, but he was no worse an employee than what most of us see in our workplaces.

Forget Gary Bettman: Brian Burke vs Kevin Lowe Good for NHL

Ian Froese — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 14:10:40 -0400

There is no doubt that the argument between Anaheim GM Brian Burke and his Edmonton counterpart Kevin Lowe is pretty childish. Burke has claimed that the NHL’s skyrocketing salaries are due to Lowe’s contract offers to Thomas Vanek and Dustin Penner last summer, while Lowe has recently turned the tables by throwing some harsh comments at his Anaheim Duck colleague.

In truth, both look pathetic. To Burke, it’s not completely Lowe’s fault that over $300 million entered the wallets of some NHL players. Or that somehow a player’s salary can increase at the same time that his productivity is decreasing (cough, cough, Mats Sundin.)

Although, Lowe has to hold some of the blame. $4.25 million a year for Dustin Penner is probably double what he deserves. That historic offer to a restricted free agent means that they are no longer untouchable.

And then you have Lowe’s insults at Burke that have been stolen straight from a crayon-filled elementary school textbook, such as hilarious one-liners like “an underachieving wannabe” and “a moron.” My younger brothers' insults surpass that.

But regardless of what NHL commissioner Gary Bettman says, this quarrel is a good thing for the league—since it’s indirectly throwing a spotlight on the other 28 GMs. Hopefully they are looking at this unfolding drama and telling themselves to keep the checkbook under control, so they don’t become the third wheel in this dispute.

For example, Toronto’s interim GM-for-life Cliff Fletcher is, with any luck, regretting his decision to give defensemen Jeff Finger $14 million for four years. I would tell you more about this player, but not even Colorado GM Francois Giguere knew about this guy.

In addition, the Rangers’ man-in-charge Glen Sather has to be wishing that everyone forgets the $6.5 million that he is sending Wade Redden’s way.

Overall, player salaries are once again spiralling out of control. I’m hoping that Burke and Lowe’s argument is a wake up call to the rest of the league to keep the salaries down, and avoid another lockout.

Hoping for the Best for Olaf Kolzig

Ian Froese — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 12:33:41 -0400

Loyal and resilient, Olaf Kolzig has played in 711 NHL games, all of them with the Washington Capitals organization. You would think that he would be treated with a truckload of respect from the team that he has given his heart and soul to, instead he has been given a slap to the face.

At the latest trade deadline, the tireless, hard worker was replaced with a younger, quicker model, in Cristobal Huet. It was a gamble that paid off for Washington GM George McPhee, as Huet ran to an 11-2 record following his acquisition as he lead the Caps to the playoffs.

In doing so, the Capitals stripped the starting position that Kolzig held for 12 seasons. His game may have been starting to slip downhill but that’s not the way to treat an employee that has stuck with his team throughout their many seasons at the bottom of the NHL food chain.

Caps fans are able to argue with me because Huet pushed his team into the playoffs under improbable odds. But that’s the thing it was very doubtful. The Green Bay Packers would never have replaced Brett Favre if his play dipped, he has given too much to the team and the community.

Same with Olaf Kolzig, declaring that his time with the team was done following their season’s conclusion, was not how it should have ended. He should have been given the opportunity to walk out on his own terms, he deserved better.

Trying to bounce back, Kolzig will suit up for a revamped Lightning team, this season. He will likely share time between the pipes with Mike Smith, who played 34 games last season, with a respectable .901 save percentage on the league‘s worst team.

While Olaf Kolzig’s pride might be shot, I’m hoping for the best for the veteran goaltender.