Monday, June 27, 2005

JR finds a microphone

It's been a long off season for Jeremy Roenick, JR who hasn't had many opportunities in the last year to comment on all things hockey, finally unburdened himself over the weekend. JR let loose on the NHL, his union executive and hockey fans who look at he and his fellow band of brothers as spoiled millionaires.

Roenick is upset that the union management did not accept a deal back in early 2005, one that would have saved the NHLPA some of the pain that is about to come their way with a new deal. JR says that the players got their butts kicked by the NHL and that the union will give back more than any other union in the history of professional sport.

And while all seem to agree that some damage control will be necessary with the fans after this year long debacle, JR isn't quite ready to take the barbs of the ticket buying public. While he admits that all will have to do their part, he has no time for those that think of hockey players as spoiled millionaires.

He apparently was only warming up after that broadside, Roenick went on to say that the union heads neglected to listen to him and other NHL players who repeatedly told them that the path they were on was one of destruction. They may not have listened to him then, but they're certainly going to be hearing from him now. It will be interesting to see how the players union reps respond to the latest from Mount Jeremy.

However for hockey fans JR's outburst is a good sign, he's back, he verbose and ready to rumble. Hockey must actually be on its way back grumbling and all!

The above posting first appeared in my HockeyNation blog, for more items about hockey check it out!

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