Celebrities and athletes typically have publicists who sugarcoat all of their client’s answers before releasing a statement to the public. But with the lockout still continuing after 25 plus days and a total of 82 games being cancelled, many hockey players have resorted to Twitter to voice their frustrations.
One hockey player in particular, New Jersey Devils right-winger Krys Barch, has been making headlines with his alcohol-amplified and emotional 26-post Twitter rant that took aim at NHL owners. A series of lockout–related tweets, some included below, began at about 10:30 p.m. and lasted for over an hour.
“I sit here from Gand Bend, Ontario putting a pen to my heart and writing on paper what bleeds out. My name is Krys Barch. I have played approx. 5 ½ years in the NHL and have worked for every second of it. I Haven’t been a 1st round pick, bonus baby or a son of a hall of famer. I have made it through sweating, bleeding, cut Achilles, broken hands, concussions, broken orbital bones, 8 teeth knocked out, etc, etc, etc.
I sit here with both my boys sleeping and my wife due with our 3rd. My thoughts racing on what I can conquer tomorrow to get our family ahead. Some times wonder if I should have existed when a word and a gun solidified and solved all problems. I feel the Wild West would more simplified than the world we live in now whet an employer who makes billions of dollars and a league with record revenues can tell me that I can’t do the things that my heart tells my me to do!
I wonder if the owners of Boston, New York, Washington etc, etc, have endured any of the injuries that I or any other player in the NHL have endured. Still they probably sit there smoking the same brand of cigar, sipping the same cognac, and going on vacation to one of the five houses they own…While we sit here knowing they want to take 20% of our paychecks.
…The system allows the owners to continually take money from the players contract after contract where eventually over 40 some years the owners will have 80% of revenue. The only way to stop the work stoppages long into the future is fix the root cause of the problems.
The lockout is a procedure to take from the players to pay for the NHL mistakes. Let not allow the NHL to make any mor mistakes. Let the league and the players to come together to fix the mistakes that have been made and make sure non are made in the future. Lets get a deal where the owners, players, and fans benefit from. We’re we can be sitting around in beautiful Canadian fall’s around a fire playing and watching the game we love. Here’s to the truth and our next conversation. As always speaking from my heart! Goodnight! Like me or hate me I speak what comes from my heart!”
The lockout is a result of the expiration of the collective bargaining agreement between the owners and NHL Players’ Association. In layman’s terms, the major issue here is who deserves the money the players bring in?
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and the owners of the 30 NHL teams, who are collectively locking out the players, want to cut player’s salaries by reducing contract values.
Bettman has been the central figure of three labor stoppages, including the 2004-2005 NHL Lockout, which cancelled the entire season. Seen through these tweets, included below made by other NHL Hockey players, it is obvious that it is not only the fans that have a problem with Bettman.
“This whole lockout thing is really making me mad! How does Bettman now have 3 lockouts under his name? Common denominator here! #NoLockout,” tweeted Jason Zucker of the Minnestoa Wild.
“Just wanted to send out big congrats to gray bettman on his 3rd consecutive work stoppage. Impressive stats for someone w no athletic skill,” tweeted John-Michael Liles of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
On Oct. 10, the NHL and NHLPA met in two separate sessions. It’s been reported that no significant progress was made from either side. Neither side has made an actual proposal since the lockout began on Sept. 15, and it appears that both sides refuse to be the first to budge.
Stubbornness and greed from both sides could eventually lead to further cancellations in the future, and without a doubt, more Twitter rants from both hockey players and fans alike.
To get involved with stopping the lockout or simply to vent frustration like the hockey players do, fans can follow @StopTheLock2012 on Twitter.