The Monday Rant

Originally I was going to write about the mainstream media who only care about hockey when something really bad happens on the ice, but I've decided not to because we all are sick of hearing and reading about it and Lord knows I am sick of being asked about it. At the end of this post there will be a bumper-sticker of my thoughts on the incident and that will be the last thing I say about it on this page. So there.

Today's mini-rant is about the Guiding Light-like situation in Toronto with the NHLPA.

If you haven't heard--or don't follow these things--here is the ADD version for everyone who forgot to pop Strattera this morning:

--Bob Goodenow was a stick-in-the-mud non-communicator who bullied his own charges and sold the players down the river during the lockout...

--Ted Saskin rose to head the union after Goodenow was fired but since then there have been rumblings about how he was given the job and that the players themselves never held a vote to offer the job to them...

--It was disclosed recently that Saskin and his minions screened emails between players in a possible effort to stave off the detractors in the union....

--Saskin is currently on paid leave from his duties at the NHLPA while an independent councilor investigates the claims brought up by the dissidents in the union.

OK. First things first. Employers have every right (wink wink) to monitor email from people in their employ. Since technically the union and Saskin would be working for the players, that means a guy like (let's just say) Bruno Gervais should be able to read whatever pithy thoughts go from Ted Saskin's head to his fingers. It shouldn't be the other way around.

If the dissidents are making enough noise, they have every right to be heard by the union chief. Why is that? Because he works for them. Saskin and his cartel have reportedly been avoiding claims of mismanagement by Chris Chelios and others; taking the old turtle defense. Seriously. It's like Ted has his fingers in his ears and he is singing "LA LA LA!" really loudly so that he doesn't have to hear his mommy and daddy fight.

Is there anything more paranoid-sounding that someone looking at emails that may or may not be about recruiting other players into the tent to try and force a meeting about Ted Saskin and how he was hired? I mean, really. You'd think that it would just be a formality and that they guy who got the job would just say, "OK, I see where you guys are concerned.

Come up to Toronto and we'll talk about it." That would put out the fire. Chelios himself said that it wasn't about Ted Saskin personally at all back after the lockout: it was about how he was given the job. Chelios wanted a general election amongst the members and Saskin was elevated by the officers of the union. Just by knowing that, it is almost unbelievable that Saskin just didn't address the issue before last season. Then it would have been over and done with. So now, more lies and implied deceit have stretched the whole thing out until it comes to this: the players have taken the ball away from Ted Saskin and now he is home alone and left wondering what is future holds.

The NHL players have had some serious winners "representing" them since they first formed the union in the sixties. Books and lawsuits have been written detailing the shady doings and mismanagement of Alan Eagleson. Bob Goodenow led the association to unheard-of paydays and little else as the game (and the subsequent inability to do anything about it) crumbled around itself. Now, we get the Ted Saskin drama.

The more things change...well...you know the rest.

Regarding the fallout from the Simon incident, he got what he deserved, I think. I've read a lot of speculation that he might have a hard time getting a deal for next year (he signed a one-year contract with the Isles) but my guess is that the team will look to bring him back if they can. A lot of people are behind him in the organization--every quote you read from players and Garth Snow says that they are--and that Chris Simon is a good teammate. His prior relationship with Ted Nolan--he played for him in juniors and signed with the Isles because Nolan got the job--sort of points in that direction.