NHL Lockout Looms and Week 2 Picks

The NHL is about to gamble on the loyalty of its fan base one more time.   Yep, Gary Bettman, in his infinite wisom, is doing his best to fuck over the sport get another cash grab for the NHL owners.  Note - this would be his third lockout since he became commissioner.  Niiiiiice...

Seriously, it's this crazy

Now, I'll be the first to admit, and have written many times, that the NHL needed to do something drastic during the last labor strike.  And it worked.  But what gets me most, and seems to be recurring theme of late, is one of the sticking points the owners want that makes absolutely zero sense...



The owners are reportedly asking players to reduce length of contracts, stating they are way too long and need to be cut back.  Wait, what?????

Aren't these the same owners from "large market" Minnesota that offered Zack Parise and Ryan Suter 13 years/$98 million EACH just two months ago???  Aren't they the ones offering Bryzgalov 9 years?  Kovalcheck 10 years?  I mean, it's not like the players held a gun to their head here.  This was the owners freaking idea, to create this long contracts and either front or back load them to be able to mess with the salary cap? 

But, LB, in retrospect, that was a bad idea.  They probably didn't make any money.  Well, in checking the Internets, the owners made a record $3.3 billion dollars last year.  Oh, did I mention they are citing the inability of small market teams to generate revenue?  I could understand that... if the following weren't true:

1.  The NHL is the only major sport without team revenue sharing - i.e., how the Y*****s make billions and the Royals stay in business with no problems.

2.  The NHL has hockey teams in the following cities - Tampa Bay, Raleigh, Miami, Long Island, Columbus, Phoenix, and soon-to-be-hemoraging-cash Nashville.  Take that 3.3 billion and divide by 5-7 fewer teams by moving one to Quebec and one to Hamilton... you know, places where HOCKEY IS POPULAR, MR. BETTMAN!!!

Popular, yeah?

We saw this crap during the NBA lockout, too, where these owners are all bitching about the size of the contracts the players are getting.  Note to idiot billionaires - you're signing these contracts, too!  All we Pistons fans knew signing Ben Gordon and Charlie Villaneuva to 7 years/way to much fucking money would kill our team for a decade.  Here's a solution to the problem - STOP OFFERING SO MUCH JACK TO GUYS WHO CAN'T PLAY!!!!  (Editor's note - we tried to get LB to stop shouting, he threatened to fire us.  We need the cash publicity something to do during the week). 

Here's how you know it really bugs me... a few weeks back, this total moron, second only in moronedness to this moron (I refuse to post their pics), wrote an article about N**** D*** football that said, in part that they should give up their exclusive TV deal with NBC.

While, I agree that N**** D*** shouldn't get any exceptions to any BCS deals, since they haven't been relevant football-wise since Ron Pawlus won three straight Heismans since Brady Quinn won three straight Heismans since Tyrone Willingham was the coach (admit it...), why should they give up the cash?  They have maybe the biggest fan base in the country (fraudulant, but big) and clearly have the appeal to get that contract.  Do I want to watch them every week?  God, no.  But enough people do to make it profitable.  Are they supposed to turn it down?

Just say no???

Consider this... Fah T is at Disneyworld with his handsome young sons.  He snaps a picture of them, puts it on Instagram, and suddenly Disney wants to buy it for some marketing project.  They offer him $250,000 and free park passes for life.  What's he supposed to say, "that's very generous, but my kids aren't that cute.  We'll be happy with a day pass for the family and some meal comps."  The moral of the story?  Fah's kids look a lot like their mother, or this story would never be possible.

Anyways, now that that's off my chest... despite the loss in the lock, the LB rules were right... I just forgot not to bet on an enigma (Eagles... fuck me.  They are such a pain to follow, and I don't even like them).  If I had listened and bet on the "good-good teams" and followed the new rule (teams that score alot versus bad teams), I would have had a couple winners (Pats, Texans).  So we move on...

Week 2 Picks (0-1 LB Locks, 7-7 overall.  Completely forgot the MNF games last week... oops)

Green Bay (-6.5) v. Chicago - My Bearrrrrrs looked great.  That line is pretty high (says Pack), I think the Pack comes out pissed.  But if the Packs comes out losing... might have to tune in to Green Bay sports talk.

New England (-14) vs. Arizona - Lotta points, but follows the LB rules... hmmmm.  You know, Kevin Kolb should be an upgrade, in theory.  Pats home opener... Cards D not soooo bad... let's lay off, but I could be talked into this one.

Oakland (-2.5) at Miami - The Dolphins are just... putrid?  What is a word for a terd hanging off putrid?  That's the Dolphins.

Indianapolis (+1) vs. Minnesota - I wonder if Indy is wondering what RG3 would look like in a Colts uni...

Jacksonville (+8) vs. Houston - Still not sold on Houston, though they looked reeeeeally good.  This isn't much of a test, either.  We'll go with the home points.

Cincinnatti (-7.5) vs. Cleveland - For the record, I will not be picking Cleveland under any circumstances until McCoy is starting.  If you want to know what it's like to be a Browns fan, if they get the #1 pick, presumably Barkley, that's the third year in a row they'll have had to use a 1st or 2nd round pick on a QB.  Owwww... weeeee.

Kansas City (+3) at Buffalo - Not giving up on the Chiefs just yet.  Stay the hell away, gamblers.

Baltimore (+2.5) at Philadelphia - Time to expose the Eagles.... please please please please please!  Stay the hell away, gamblers.  Why is Baltimore a dog in this game?  Or, strangely, why would the Ravens be a .5 favorite on a neutral site?  That is an Eagles line...

Carolina (+3) vs. New Orleans - Doesn't that line seem just a wee bit short?  Saints 0-2?  Stay the hell... you get the idea.

NY Giants (-7.5) vs. Tampa Bay - Doesn't that line seem just a wee bit high?  I still like Tampa, though.  Nice win last week.

Seattle (+3) vs. Dallas - Another really, really weird line... stay the... (Editors Note - Stop it, LB).

Washington (-3) at St. Louis - Stay the...

San Diego (-6.5) vs. Tennessee - LB Lock?  San Diego too enigma-y for me to lay the lumber.  Doesn't a three team parlay start to look good here?

Pittsburgh (-7) vs. NY Jets - I love love love the Steelers here.  If it were Week 3, I'd be all in.  Assume a couple points down cause of the NYC gamblers.  This has a nice little parlay piece to it... maybe with Cincy and SD?  How does a three-team Steelers +2, Cindy +1.5, and San Diego +2.5 look?  Pretty much need them all to win outright at home.  Yeah, I'm glad I don't live in Vegas.

San Francisco (-7) vs. Detroit - That line makes me think Vegas has no faith in the Lions.  I'm not sure I have faith in the Lions.  Early draft prediction - Detroit takes a corner and/or running back in the first round, and trades up to get them.

Denver (+3) at Atlanta (MNF) - Great Monday nighter.  We take the points cause A. line seems a bit short, B. I'm not huge on Atlanta, though a solid win here changes my mind, and C. Peyton had a HUGE f-you look on his face that whole game against Pittsburgh.  Kinda like, "Tebow did what last year now?"

Sigh....

Contact Logical Betting at logicalbetting@gmail.com and twitter.com/logicalbetting.  Save the NHL at bettmansucksmonkeys@gmail.com.  Still can't decide if parenting is a sport, and until I do, it won't be the picks teaser.  Until then, enjoy the games.  Hasta.