Gary Bettman and Donald Fehr Stuck On PR Ferris Wheel

With the recent cancellation of games through the end of 2012 (December 30) and talks of decertification ramping up, it is clear that the game we love wont be back anytime soon. The sad thing is the two sides are extremely close to a new CBA, but neither side wants to admit it for fear of defeat. In all honesty its sad and pathetic that the lockout has lasted this long and the only reason it has, is because both Gary Bettman and Donald Fehr are intertwined in the PR battle.

It's gotten to the point where Fehr is quicker to jump up on the podium and point the finger than too actually sit down with the players and actually hammer out a deal. For some strange reason the NHLPA believes they must win the PR and maintain their image with the fans, as the good guys. But what they fail to realize is that the fans don't care whose fault this mess is, they just want a solution. At this point the PR battle doesn't matter, fans are upset at both sides. All the posturing done by the NHLPA is for not if the 2012-2013 season is lost, fans will be just as upset at the players as they are with the owners because this lockout was preventable.

Another thing the NHLPA needs to keep in mind is the majority of hockey fans don't like Bettman as it is, they don't need anymore convincing. Telling the fans how stupid Bettman is and pointing the blame isn't going to help win the fans over, they already don't think highly of the man you're not telling them anything they don't already know.

Lets go back to the meetings last week when Bettman brilliantly suggested the owners, players and GM's meet without Bettman and Fehr in the room. Now of course this was a PR stunt by the league commissioner but it worked! The players were extremely happy to finally be allowed to talk and there was a real sense of optimism about getting a deal done. Then for whatever reason Fehr, ill advised, decided he wanted back in the meetings which sent things in a downward spiral.  Bettman left the NHLPA a voicemail that I imagine went something like this: "The deal was we stay out of the room! I held up my end of the deal but you couldn't stay away. You broke deal, we're done talking!" Which then in turn led to Fehr and the NHLPA holding a press conference to whine to the media about the voicemail left by the NHL. Fehr running to the media made Bettman furious who then called his own press conference. By the time two had cooled off all the progress had been lost.

It's understandable that the NHLPA was upset over the way the meetings were handled by their opposition, but it was their own doing. Yes Fehr had every right to want back in the meetings, but thats not what was agreed upon. The owners and GMs were only asked to talk with the players not Fehr, Bettman stayed out of the room his counterpart should have as well. At some point the NHLPA have to realize crying to the media isn't going to get them anywhere. All it does is frustrate Bettman and annoy the fans. It's turned into the boy who cried wolf situation and last week may have been the last straw for the NHLPA. If the entire season is lost one can relate the sinking point to Fehr's press conference last Thursday, I have never seen Bettman so upset or agitated over these discussions. It's time for the NHLPA to grow up and act like the professionals they are no more whining or the season will be lost, period.

The best thing to happen is whats happening right now, silence. The two sides are meeting with mediators but not letting any information slip to the public. The only chance we have at seeing a season is if we hear very little during the next few weeks.

The good news for fans is that as big as Fehr and Bettman's ego's are it's not worth losing the entire season over. One of them and I expect it to be Bettman, honestly because he's been the less talkative of the two, will decide enough is enough and leave his ego at the door and tune the media out. The only way this lockout ends is if they give up the PR battle and the media is told nothing.

How NHLPA Is Winning the PR Battle

On Wednesday the NHL and NHLPA agreed to meet after the players turned down Gary Bettman's request for a 2 week break. As expected the players submitted a new proposal and in almost predictable fashion it was turned down and met with disappointment. Or so the public is lead to believe. Since the two sides accomplished nothing yesterday, we're staying away from the depressing CBA talk and instead focusing on how and why the NHLPA has been able to win the fans support.

Let's get something straight right off the bat; We the public only hear and see exactly what the two sides want us too, which is why there is so much negativity right now. For whatever reason the two sides have decided to paint the picture that things are not going well and neither side has really compromised. Truthfully I don't think they're as far apart as they would have us believe. Just the same as when Bettman called the fans mindless sheep, the NHL and NHLPA know that we are just pawns in their game. If they tell us too jump we will; how else would you explain the swing in emotions on twitter on Wednesday? Whatever they tell the media gets relayed back to us the fans, and because it first passes through the media it will be dramatized.

Make no mistake, Donald Fehr and the players aren't stupid, they know exactly what they're doing and how they're going to win the fans over in the media so they look good. Don't believe me, let's look over some of the quotes from yesterday's media scrum.

"The players are suffering right along with the fans."

By saying that the players are suffering just as bad as the fans it helps draw the fans into the players world and earns them empathy. Fehr is making the fans believe that they can relate to the players and that the players in turn are relating to the fans. What fan doesn't want to hear that the players are in the same boat as them?

Considering there are at least 100 NHL players who have headed over season to play hockey, I don't think they're suffering at all actually. Another thing to note, is the players are still getting payed during this lockout. Sure they aren't getting any of their $6 million a year, but they are receiving money every week.

"We made an enormous move in the owners' direction to try and end it"

This one is pretty self explanatory. Fehr is telling everyone that his side is working hard to find a solution to the lockout and getting back to playing hockey, not only are they working hard they've made some major concessions to get a deal that is closer to the owners requests. Ironic how various members of the NHLPA started to leak their proposal before they even met with the NHL. Public negotiations aren't going to solve anything.

"The players are making enormous concessions to the owners and we want some protection on the downside"

This quote right here does a fantastic job of pinning everyone against the NHL and Bettman. Fehr is insinuating that the owners haven't backed off at all from their original proposal and wont help compensate the players on the concessions they've made. Truth be told the NHLPA hasn't offered many concessions, their "best offer" from Wednesday wasn't their best, you can almost bet that we'll see another one from the NHLPA.

Now back to the notion that yesterdays proposal was immediately thrown out by the league. The NHLPA's proposal was a HUGE step in the right direction and shows that they are willing to cave slightly to get a deal done. Bettman even acknowledged that this was a big move from the players; " There was movement on some issues by the players' association and that was appreciated." This proposal puts the NHLPA and NHL back in the same universe and talking the same

language. Many of the key points from the proposal are perfect starting blocks for further negotiations as long as the two sides are willing.

But the way Fehr and many of the players have been able to persuade the fans is by doing what they know best, whining. Listen to any Fehr press conference, interview, conversation, heck I imagine he even whines in his text messages, he never stops whining. In the same sense look at the players calling Bettman an idiot and their tweets on twitter, it's just nonsense.

https://twitter.com/BrandonPrust8/status/271364641664425984

All the players and Fehr do is whine to the media about Bettman and the owners. It's all about how hard done by they are, how the owners are against them and how they feel like they're the only ones negotiating. I don't know whats worse hearing these lies or the people who actually believe what they're being fed! As much as they want us to believe they haven't really given up a lot and the NHL isn't completely ignoring them. When you look at Bettman during a interview or press conference he doesn't blame the other side or complain that it's all them. He tells it like it is; "both sides are still far apart" Because Bettman is more of a realist and doesn't stoop to play the blame game he gets a lot of blame.

Yes I know it's a tactic and they're trying to win the public over by blaming this lockout on the other side, but they are misleading. Maybe just for a second stop listening to everything you hear on TV and see on the internet. Heck I wouldn't believe anything anyone from the NHL or NHLPA let the "media know". The story of the boy who called woof didn't end well, take note NHLPA.