It's easy to vilify Gary Bettman because...well...simply...he's a villain. And it’s easy to side with the players, because, quite frankly, we like them better.  But if we all close our hearts and hold our passion for a just a second, and look at this objectively, maybe you’ll be able to understand why I don't side with either of them.

I’ve been called a “casual” fan, even by people I like, because I decided to boycott the NHL after the last lockout. I’m not a “casual” fan. I was NEVER a casual fan. I’m not obsessive with the stats, but I’m as passionate about the game as the stereotypes of Canadians say we are. But when you grow up in a poor Canadian family, and you know how hard it is for your parents to come up with a dollar to make ends meet, how can you not be disgusted by this “labour” dispute?

The players are not miners, sent into life threatening situations to scratch out a living penny by penny. They are athletes receiving MORE than a comfortable compensation TO PLAY A GAME.  I’m not saying hockey isn’t dangerous or rough, but they’re receiving PLENTY of highly specialized medical attention and LOTS of money. Even the young’uns are earning six figure salaries. HOW MANY OF *YOU* EARN THAT?!!? And how long do you think it’s going to take for you to get there if you’re not making that kind of coin now?

Granted, there are things to consider…like the fact that they can’t keep play pro hockey until they reach the legal retirement age of 65. So their timeframe is compressed and you could argue that a six figure salary for ~20 years is on par with an average salary paid out for 45 years. But many players are making more than a 6 figure salary.  Many (I'd say most but I didn't check) of them are making 7. And unlike the days of old-time hockey, the players can easily establish a very lucrative career AFTER they retire from hockey. You’ve got sportscasters, analysts, product spokespeople, and Battle of the Blades, etc.  Look at P.J. Stock. He was a mediocre player at best, and he's endorsing Depends in addition to sportscasting! I’m sure both gigs pay well.  But even without any post-retirement career prospects, the players are earning more than enough money.  Labour unions were intended to protect their members from exploitation.  You seriously think the players are being exploited?  Can someone exploit *me* like this?

However, I’m not blaming the players for everything. It’s very common to want more money. I mean, hey, if someone is willing to pay $2-3 M/year for Komisarek, then that’s what he’s worth (strictly from a business perspective). It doesn’t even matter if he sat on the ice and threw pucks at the net with his hands. If they’re willing to pay him that much, then he deserves it. Let me remind all the Habs fans that are siding with the players…you whine and scream about Gomez, but it’s THIS environment that enabled his agent to score such a kickass contract. I would trade spots with Gomez in a second…and I wouldn’t care if the entire fanbase hated me.

You can go ahead and insert the standard arguments of the evils of Bettman and his merry band of oppressive owners. You can say that they players deserve more money than them. But you know what…you’re wrong. There would be no league without the owners. They players only have teams to play on because the owners put out the money up front. The owners bear ALL the risk of an unsuccessful season. Players are paid as per their contract regardless of how the business side of the team performs. When there’s a media firestorm because of insane fans (I’m looking at you, Montreal), who bears the cost? It’s not the players. You can say the owners can’t survive without the players, but that’s bullshit and you know it. They simply would not be in the business of HOCKEY, but you can be damned sure they’d be in the business of something else. However, if your passion is to play pro-hockey, and if there is no league and no one is willing to bear all the costs and risks of creating and maintaining a league, you would probably only be playing passionately as a gym teacher. So all that is to say, “No…the players do not deserve more money than the owners.” The players bear none of the business risks that the owners bear. Even the occupational risks of injuries is financially borne by the owners (and their insurance companies).

Which brings me to my views. Despite all the arguments for or against, I do not support any one party more than the other. In fact, I don’t support either of them. And this is why.

This is essentially an argument between multi-millionaires. This is not a problem of being unable to find common ground, putting each party at risk of some kind of financial disaster. The dollar amounts being negotiated clearly show that no one is at risk of going bankrupt or starving. But both parties are staunchly refusing to be reasonable. And it’s only the people who have no direct say, the people that give them this money and this power, that will be most affected. Yes, the fans.

After the last lockout, I boycotted the NHL. I’d had enough. Not because I’m a “casual” fan, but because I will not tolerated being treated this way. There are people who do backbreaking work for many hours each day, that then go and spend it on these selfish, spoiled, uncaring corporations and divas. While I’m not exactly a labourer, I work harder per dollar that I earn than any athlete and any team owner. So, if with all that money they can’t settle it without taking it out on the fans, then they don’t deserve fans. They don’t deserve my love or my money.

Six years I boycotted the game. And were it not for the Habs’ Cinderella run, led by Halak, following the high of our two 2010 Olympic gold medals in hockey, I can guarantee you, I would still be boycotting right now.

You can rush to side with the players if you want. Or side with the owners. Do whatever you wish. But siding with either of these parties will only lead to more heartbreak because regardless of the outcome, as the fan, you will get hosed. Until the fans firmly show that this kind of behaviour is unacceptable…until we tell them that they don’t deserve our money, they will only continue to disregard us. Because, if it isn’t yet obvious to you, the group with the most say (the owners) only care about the money. If you’re still willing to give it to them after a lockout, then they have no reason to fear using a lockout.

I don’t particularly care who backs down. I don’t care who “wins” the negotiations. As long as they settle everything before the deadline and this doesn’t go to lockout, then I’ll stay in the game. If these people can't sort it out because they’re too busy frolicking in their money to give two shits about the fans (the people who gave them that money), well, then they can go fuck themselves. I’m out.