Hope is a Virtue

       On Monday the NHL cancelled the remaining games scheduled in December, which turns out to be a total of 35 games lost for the flyers so far. These cancellations don't really mean anything however, because the season at the earliest would start January 1. With the games being cancelled, it gives a chance for concerts, and other events the opportunity to book the arena they want that they couldn't have because of the scheduled games.

        Back to the table is where the NHL and NHLPA will be on Wednesday afternoon. With the recent collapse, Gary Bettman, and Bill Daly have decided that it would be best that the owners stay out of this meeting, since they could have been the reason no deal was done last Thursday. As of right now there is a 99.9% chance the season will start on January 12, with either a 48 or 52 game season.

        This would make the season a lot of fun to watch considering every game will be seen as crucial and could have the playoff atmosphere that we see in mid April all the way to late June. Hockey fans should be getting an early Christmas present when they find out that this dreadful lockout approaching day 90 has finally come to an end. The 48 or 52 game season will be all conference games, so the Stanley Cup match-up would consist on two teams that didn't see each other in the regular season.

        Many fans have said they are done with the NHL, and I feel your pain, but in all honesty if you are a die hard hockey fan do you really think you will turn away from one of the best sports ever? I think you'll be back along with many others. What happened last Thursday needs to be forgotten and on Wednesday Bettman and Fehr will sit down at the table and should not leave until a deal is done. When Donald Fehr announced he was very happy with the talks and that the lockout would be over shortly, he was lying straight to our faces. This man is the kryptonite of the NHL and needs to either resign or be fired after a settlement is reached.

        Gary Bettman stated that the proposed deal on Thursday was ready to be accepted, until Fehr told the players he could get more. I've said it a few times on the Sports Goombahs radio station he will not, I repeat will not get the players more money in this deal. I know it sucks right now with no hockey, but come January i think the winter will get a lot better with players finally stepping on the ice. I really hope that this is my last post that has anything to do with the lockout. I am ready to start writing about Claude Giroux amazing the NHL world, and watching Ilya Bryzgalov have a comeback year. Two things we should remember; there will be a season this year, and hope is a virtue.

Jimmy "the Fish" Forte (Sports Goombahs Beat reporter)