No links for this story just some random thoughts. Sure it’s easy to pile on Gary Bettman and wonder how does this guy still have a job? I know my fellow blogger Hans has his dislikes for Bud Selig, and I agree mostly with his assessment on Selig, but Bettman has taken it to another level.

Sports are a business, that I understand. Some businesses and things seem to have a much steeper learning curve, however. The NFL has had labor disputes before, but in 1987 when replacement players were used for three games, it was a tremendous wake up call to everyone involved. Both sides in the NFL have pushed to the brink, last year was perilously close to a lost season, but both sides let sanity prevail and one of the better NFL seasons was enjoyed by all.

Baseball has been the poster child for disagreements in the past. The players union had won virtually every round of labor issues. That somewhat changed in 1994 when the owners cancelled the World Series. No one thought that would really happen, and when it did there was a thought of ‘wow this really happened’.

NBA has has similar issues, with a couple of locked out seasons and shortened years, but for the most part until this last round the acrimony has been held in check. David Stern took some lumps this last time. For full disclosure here I will admit that I am not much of a basketball fan.

Now we come back to the NHL. Eight years ago there was no season, and we are back to that once again. Coincidentally Donald Fehr is involved; he was around for baseball in 1994.

I am not a billionaire sports franchise owner, nor am I a millionaire sports player. I do not understand the owners mentality that they need to be protected from themselves for giving too much money to the players. The players are hired to do a job, not like your or my jobs, but it is work nonetheless. With the salary cap that is in place, there should be no need to argue over how to divide the income of the league.

I need to caveat here and say for the record that I do not comprehend greed. I fully grasp that some people will always make more than others. I also understand negotiation and compromise. But I just do not fathom the idea of stepping on my fellow man, just to enrich myself.

So in all of this – hockey guys – you have the most awesome trophy in the history of sports. Remember what it is like to do the right thing. You can make this work if you really try.