http://msn.foxsports.com/nhl/story/3721780 This couldn't have made the NHLPA's public relations department happy. Roenick rips critics Check out Jeremy Roenick's profanity-laced remarks about the new NHL collective bargaining agreement and those who feel spoiled players are to blame for the league's problems. In a profanity-laced rant at a news conference for Mario Lemieux's charity golf tournament Saturday, Flyers center Jeremy Roenick ripped into fans who have been critical of the NHL Players' Association throughout the current NHL lockout. "If people are going to sit and chastise pro athletes for being cocky, they need to look at one thing and that's the deal we're going to be signing in about three weeks,'' Roenick said. "Pro athletes are not cocky. Pro athletes care about the game. Everybody out there who calls us spoiled because we play a game, they can kiss my a--. "I will say personally, to everybody who calls us spoiled, you guys are just jealous. We're trying to get this thing back on the ice and make it better for the fans. If you don't realize that, then don't come. We don't want you in the rink, we don't want you in the stadium, we don't want you to watch hockey.'' Roenick also reiterated previous comments from last week where he lamented the union's failure to reach a deal in mid-February, which would have salvaged some of the 2004-05 season and would likely have resulted in a better deal for the players in the new collective bargaining agreement. A new CBA is expected to be signed within the next two weeks, but the salary-cap numbers being talked about were higher in February. "If we would have signed that deal in February, in terms of what we're getting now, we would have looked like heroes,'' Roenick said. "Right now we look like a bunch of idiots. The deal in February beats the (expletive) out of the deal we're gonna sign in July.'' Roenick did admit players were not active enough in the negotiating process when there was a chance to salvage the season. "It's unfortunate we had to go through a whole year to realize the s--- that was going on,'' Roenick said. "We've hurt our league, we've hurt the reputation of our league and the integrity of our league by sticking up for something that might not have been the right thing to do.'' Last week, Roenick said he was debating if he would even return to the NHL when it comes back. "I have to see how my body reacts to some really, really, really hard training regimen here coming up in the latter part of the summer," Roenick told Sporting News Radio. "It's very hard to get motivated without a deal. Once that announcement comes, I think the motivational factor will definitely be lifted. "I have not 100 percent made my decision to play, but to tell you the truth, I have a lot of drive in me and really, really want to continue."
Boy, I sure can't wait to spend my hard earned money to buy NHL tickets and help support his salary next year.
When owners and players have disagreements, the smartest thing for owners to do is let these idiots speak for themselves. Stern did the same thing during the lock out and he kept the owners quiets. That way you got idiots like a current coach in Houston spewing crap like "we make a lot but we spend a lot". Good way to get the public on your side. Remember when Greg Zaun said something stupid to the media when it looked like there was going to be a baseball strike a couple of years ago? Anyone remember what he said?
yeah, i'm thinking this doesn't come off real well. particularly the "you guys are just jealous..." approach. very junior high of you, jeremy.
It amazes me how these guys become so detached from reality after a few years as a pro. ABout 99.9% of them spent their entire childhoods as middle class or less. You'd think they'd remember what its like for us regular folks.
There should be a script for all pro athletes during the lock out that goes on something like this: We as pro athlete serve the function of societal entertainment much like that of an actor or singer. The top athletes in certain competition have the ability to generate very significant revenue. That revenue is usually split between the players and owners. One function as the entertainer and the other function to make sure the entertainment is profitable as well as management of this business. The current lockout results from a disagreement between the players and owners, however, almost all of the reasoning of the owners to force a lockout (salary cap, minimum age, what ever) results from a failure of the owner's ability to keep themselves functioning correctly without major concessions from the players to forgo his market value in this business. This is the reason there's a lockout, the players have long held up their end of the bargain (playing) and should in no way be responsible for the management's role by conceding to their demands. The above represent how I feel and is the reason why I typically side with the players.
