I wanna be Trevor Linden!!!!!!! - Printable Version
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I wanna be Trevor Linden!!!!!!! - cferneyh - 12-14-2004
So watching the reaction by the players to the NHL's latest offer is perhaps the best unintentional comedy of 2004. My hat goes off to Trevor Linden, who said (with a straight face no less) "I'm not going to announce my retirement tomorrow, but days like today make you think about it."
Ladies and gentlemen, my Poor Trevor Linden analysis for your reading pleasure (and be sure to read "Poor Trevor Linden" in your best baby voice).
Since the 1995/96 season when Linden unofficially retired from being a true impact player, he's made $24.4 million. That doesn't include any bonuses along the way. That's right - $24.4 million. USD of course. In that time he has:
- played 550 games ($44,364 per game)
- averaged 15 goals per season
- averaged 24 assists per season
- averaged 39 points per season
- had a total of 306 points ($79,739 per point)
Oh, I shouldn't forget "the intangibles". Well, Trevor's a minus THIRTY EIGHT in that time, and despite the fact that the Canucks have been a winning team for the past three seasons, Trevor was minus 5 three years ago, minus one two years ago, and minus six last year.
Oh, and in the playoffs this year, Trevor had ZERO points and was MINUS THREE.
Ladies and gentlemen, this guy has made $24.4 million from the NHL since '95/96. This guy is the President of the NHLPA.
What a friggin joke.
Bring on the replacements!
- beanmedic - 12-14-2004
Wow. That's all i can say.
- chancellor - 12-14-2004
interesting, very interesting
- Stephen Dame - 12-15-2004
He owns a box at GM Place, and 41 nights every year, five different terminally ill, underpriveleged or disabled kids get to see a Canucks game and then meet with him afterwards, whether he's had a good game, a bad game, regardless if he's hitting the road or not.
He's a good guy, an eloquent guy, he plays hockey, and the folks who ran this business model into the ground, on both sides, are responsible for his salary. A "joke" is a bit much. Nobody's forcing anybody to pay him that much.
If somebody offered you 24 million to do your job, you'd turn it down? Even if you'd fallen short of your own expectations?
- beanmedic - 12-15-2004
Ya you're probably right. Even though it seems ridiculous, he's still better than a lot of players. His salary is probably fair, relative to the rest of the salaries in the league. They are all too high, but thats a different issue.
- prz - 12-15-2004
Stephen Dame Wrote:He owns a box at GM Place, and 41 nights every year, five different terminally ill or disabled kids get to see a Canucks game and then meet with him afterwards, whether he's had a good game, a bad game, regardless if he's hitting the road or not.
He's a good guy, an eloquent guy, he plays hockey, and the folks who ran this business model into the ground, on both sides, are responsible for his salary. A "joke" is a bit much. Nobody's forcing anybody to pay him that much.
If somebody offered you 24 million to do your job, you'd turn it down? Even if you'd fallen short of your own expectations?
Right, he should take as much money as he is offered. Anyone would, but the issue now is they are being asked to roll back their salaries and try and fix this game. They wont do it.
The NHL is a very sick league. Its revenue is down, veiwership in the US is a joke. Bowling more often than not had higher rating. Plus, they do not have a US national TV contract. Without that they are strapped for cash. I am happy Bettman is not backing down on the salary cap demand. It will make the league work. Just look at the NFL, when the Green Bay Packers can compete on the same level as the New York Giants, you have something great. Case closed.
- cferneyh - 12-15-2004
Stephen Dame Wrote:He owns a box at GM Place, and 41 nights every year, five different terminally ill or disabled kids get to see a Canucks game and then meet with him afterwards, whether he's had a good game, a bad game, regardless if he's hitting the road or not.
He's a good guy, an eloquent guy, he plays hockey, and the folks who ran this business model into the ground, on both sides, are responsible for his salary. A "joke" is a bit much. Nobody's forcing anybody to pay him that much.
If somebody offered you 24 million to do your job, you'd turn it down? Even if you'd fallen short of your own expectations?
Ah yes, the "he's a good guy so it's OK" argument.
I'm not disputing that he does more than his fair share for the community. Nor would I turn down $24 million to do my job. However, what I take issue with is his whining about the plight of the players, when he's the LAST guy who should be talking about about players not receiving their "fair share" of NHL revenues. In other words, if I made $24 million, the last thing you'd find me doing is crying to the public about how I'm getting screwed by the man, which is essentially what he is doing.
- CanuckCourage - 12-15-2004
cferneyh is right, his post isn't questioning Lindens work in the community, it's his whining about retiring when he is so grossly overpaid and overrated. The absolute idiocy of whining about pay etc, when you've made tens of millions playing a childs game is insulting to anyone who actually works for a living.
- Stephen Dame - 12-15-2004
CanuckCourage Wrote:The absolute idiocy of whining about pay etc, when you've made tens of millions playing a childs game is insulting to anyone who actually works for a living.
Yeah, Trevor's gig is a breeze. No stress there.
I saw his comments, didn't look or sound like "whining" to me and I fundamentally disagree with the idea that just because he's well paid, and doesn't light the lamp like he used to, that it somehow negates his opinions. And I don't think he was insulting anybody.
The guy isn't the NHLPA head because of his stats, he's in that spot because of his other talents. His +/- is irrelevant when he's speaking on behalf of his union... I found what he said far more relevant today than any of the poorly written statements Mini-Stern read this afternoon.
...and I blame the players for the current dead lock, but Trevor was open and honest today which is more than I can say for most players over the last 90 days.
- cferneyh - 12-15-2004
Stephen Dame Wrote:I fundamentally disagree with the idea that just because he's well paid, and doesn't light the lamp like he used to, that it somehow negates his opinions.
Question for you Stephen - let's say you just started working at a place and you found out that a guy more senior than you, let's call him, ummm, Trevor, was the spokesperson for you and your fellow employees. You find out that back in Trevor's heyday, he was quite the worker. He did a great job, and everyone was pleased with him. To top it off, he did a lot of charity work and was well regarded in the community.
Well, fast forward to the present day. It appears that Trevor is washed up. People still like him, and he still does his charity work, but his performance is nowhere near what it used to be. Regardless, he still makes a lot of money. But the economics of the industry have changed, and either everyone is going to have to make some concessions or you're going to have to go to Europe to do the same job, but at one-tenth the pay. But if you made those concessions, you'd still be extremely well paid - just not as insanely well paid as your colleagues were in recent years.
Furthermore, Trevor's stance is that even if it costs jobs because certain divisions in the company will have to fold if a solution isn't found soon - maybe even your division - well that's just tough. Salaries have risen like crazy for the past decade and it should continue to be that way for the ones who get to keep their jobs.
Think about it - this washed up guy who's made his money could potentially cost you your job, and your industry, because he thinks that everything is rosy and will continue to be - despite the fact that your company has lost two major customers (TV and expansion).
Trevor can have his opinion. He's entitled. But is he the guy you really want speaking on your behalf?
- VioletlightHeron - 12-15-2004
I also think the union's stance is a bit ironic and a tad hypocritical, given that they complain about the owners making too much money. Whining about your salary and refusing to take a pay cut in order to keep the business afloat happens all around the world but the business world is no different from major league sports; if you live high on the hog and aren't bringing in the customers you are going to go out of business. and thanks for the Green Bay plug!
The NFL is a great model to run a major league sport cause the up and coming players get paid, the stars get paid and the cap keeps egos from swelling to stratospheric levels unchecked. Plus every team, through sound picks, good coaching and a bit of luck have the chance to play in the Super Bowl.
- j-monster - 12-15-2004
I think it's clear both sides have messed up here. Many owners have made shockingly bad business decisions, which is doubly surprising given how many of them have become incredibly rich by making smart decisions in their other businesses. And certainly you can't blame players for taking the money offered to them.
But why can't players see the trouble the NHL is in? Oh sure, they'll have you think they understand with the concessions made in their latest offer. But really, all it amounted to was a bribe of a sort, an incentive by cutting salaries now to keep the same flawed economic model that makes players incredibly rich, but drives the industry as a whole to the edge of financial disaster. Plus their attempts at luxury tax models are a joke.
Personally, I think a luxury tax model with real teeth at the upper end can act as a quasi-salary cap, which would make the owners happy, but would still allow enough freedom of movement and market to allow players to still make big bucks. If both sides could get off their high horses and start working out this kind of model, then maybe there's hope for the NHL yet.
Otherwise, well... there's always the World Juniors! And the OHL... London Knights still unbeaten in 31! WOOHOO!
- VioletlightHeron - 12-15-2004
I agree with your luxury cap idea, Baseball's luxury cap is kind of a joke with the Yankees being the team getting hit the most.
- tigerthelion - 12-15-2004
Cferneyh is absolutely correct IMO. I am a 'Nucks fan but I do realize that Linden is an average third line player. Even besides his ability to play, his comments are a joke. I don't know if Linden knows this but outside of a few people in Vancouver, nobody would care if Linden retired tomorrow. If being a nice guy is good enough, then the Bills should keep Drew Bledsoe and pay him 6 million a year for the next four years, even though Bledsoe is almost to "bum" status now.
Linden has to push for everything he can get, along with Goodenow, for the players but that doesn't mean he is above criticism. The players could be playing now if they budged any at all other than their proposal to TEMPORARILY CUT SALARIES only for the salaries to go back up in a few years. Go ahead and retire Trev, I certainly won't miss ya.
- CanuckCourage - 12-15-2004
Stephen Dame Wrote:CanuckCourage Wrote:The absolute idiocy of whining about pay etc, when you've made tens of millions playing a childs game is insulting to anyone who actually works for a living.
Yeah, Trevor's gig is a breeze. No stress there..
Playing hockey ? Are you joking ? The stresss to stay in shape, to play your best ? Look around, people are everywhere scratching and clawing to make a living, ask farmers in Alberta, ask people in forestry about softwood lumber. Ask a family dealing with a sick child..Yeah trevors got stress alright , he's also got 24 million in the bank, he has endless opportunities for the rest of his life, strictly due to his fame and NHL expertise. I don't have a thing against Trevor, he is one the more classy players, but for Trevor to make the inference that he'd retire, that the counter offer or the owners reaction to the proposal would make him think that, is laughable. Maybe if he had zero dollars in his account, zero fan adoration and the prospects of menial job, he might not consider the retirement option so quickly.