In Memory of Crab Farts
I’ve gone through a half box of tissues and I’m still sniffling and teary after watching Deadliest Catch tonight – saying goodbye to Captain Phil Harris. Phil was a grizzled, gruff, take-no-bullshit kind of guy. He won me over with his cigarette-stained voice and his genuine laugh. He was the epitomy of reality t.v. Frequently admitting to having lived very hard and fast, Phil joked about knowing his days were probably numbered after surviving a blood clot last season. That didn’t make it any easier to deal with when the news came in January of Phil’s stroke and then his death in February. It’s been equally hard for fans of the show to watch this season. We wanted to celebrate when each boat successfully got through King Crab season. We tried to be lighthearted about the opening of Opie season and cheer on the crews. But always hanging in the air was the knowledge that Phil Harris is already gone. It's been a bittersweet journey to this point in the season. Phil – you were a good human being. You lived your life doing what was in your heart and soul. There’s a lesson for all of us in that.
My favorite Phil memory:
Send In The Clowns
Well, what do you know...the NHL has rejected the league-wide joke, aka the Kovalchuk Contract. Is this Bettman finally doing the right thing? Maybe, but doubtful. Is this simply a PR response to having been caught cheating the league in broad daylight? More likely.
Official announcement from NHL.COM: National Hockey League Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly today issued the following statement regarding the free agent contract forward Ilya Kovalchuk signed with the New Jersey Devils: "The contract has been rejected by the League as a circumvention of the Collective Bargaining Agreement. Under the CBA, the contract rejection triggers a number of possible next steps that may be elected by any or each of the NHLPA, the Player and/or the Club. In the interim, the player is not entitled to play under the contract, nor is he entitled to any of the rights and benefits that are provided for thereunder. The League will have no further comment on this matter pending further developments."
Cue the calliope music and a multitude of clowns tumbling out of a mini-cooper:
1. The Devils will likely rewrite the contract in order to better meet the NHL guidelines.
2. Meanwhile, the NHPLA has 5 business days to decide to appeal the rejected contracted with an arbitrator.
3. If the NHPLA do file a grievance, next is the process of getting an agreed-upon arbitrator.
4. The chosen arbitrator has 48 hours to decide if the league correctly rejected the contract.
5. Kovalchuk would again be an unrestricted free agent should the arbitrator side with the rejection by the NHL.
6. Awkward silence ensues when Kovalchuk calls L.A. Kings to say he wanted to be with them all along.
What I'd like to see happen -
1. Arbitrator agrees with NHL and the contract is voided.
2. Kovalchuk goes to KHL, makes $100 million there and laughs all the way to the bank anyway.
3. Bettman gets ousted and parades are thrown in every NHL city.
4. Lou Lamoriello isn't allowed within 1000 miles of the next CBA bargaining table.
What will likely happen -
The contract will hold up under the CBA because that's how it was written and in spite of the fact that it's clearly a big joke. The league and the players association agreed upon the current CBA (current bargaining agreement), which includes this well known loophole. I don't know if the rejection by the NHL can stand up. I'm not a lawyer and I don't play one on t.v. so this is all just my opinion on the situation. Speaking of legal things - does anyone know the definition of collusion? I only ask because this particular contract had to have been orchestrated by both the player/agent duo and the ownership/gm duo. There's no way a player willingly agrees to go from making $3.5 million to $500,000 in the course of one season if his intentions are to play the full length of his contract.
What an enlightening blog-post ... thanks Dee ! We too, share your sentiments on the passing of Captain Phil. He was a captain's captain - always in control, no BS, had a nose for the 'crab farts' unlike any others. If I were to ever throw myself out there into the Bering sea as a Green-horn, I'd want to ride the waves on the Cornelia Marie with Captain Phil at the helm. But, now, I will never get that chance. Captain Phil ... rest in peace ! P.S. My second choice would be Captain Sig on the Northwestern. His boat looks a little bit more sturdy than the Time Bandit ... plus I like the way they stack the pods so that the boat doesn't tip over.
ReplyDeleteMy son, Josh, says he would Green-horn on the Time Bandit cuz he's a fan of the Hillstrand Brothers - whatever.
Good thoughts on the Kovie contract ... now maybe Bettman will go after Hossa, Pronger, and Luongo's contracts as well. There's no way that small market teams can compete with the likes of New Jersey, Chicago, and Vancouver when they are 'cheating' the system. Wait a minute, the WILD has sold out every game ... maybe they could find an extra dime to bring in some help for Koivu and Burns ? Or, bring back Marty Skoula and everything will be better (that one's for you Dee).