So long Guy Serota...

lol I always love the "I was hacked!" defense.

Who the **** is Guy Serota and what the **** is this ****.


So he was a random mediator that had some nonsense on twitter? Big deal. The world of NHL fans are ****ing crazy.

**** the fans honestly.

The only thing I care about is the SPORT of hockey. **** Bettman. **** the players. **** the fans. It's all about hockey.

I'm moving over to the IIHF.


LOL A+

**** needs Judge Judy, Imo.

Rob Fords out of work hire him. Hell know I am not paying back those donations what are you gonna do about it

i know you know way more about this than i do, but i don't see this as a positive development - i see it as posturing by the NHL owners. i'm really confused why they agreed to it.

you had respect for Dreger before?

lulz

I wonder if he uses Icy Hot or some non-Shaq brand for all those water buckets.

americans see darren dreger at the draft and on deadline day, where he has news to deliver. i follow him on twitter - again, he largely breaks trades and occasionally gives results of 10 year olds hockey or w/e. we don't see him on sportscentre daily.

Ya, pretty much this.

yeah i was just kidding around

never really been a big fan though, he's always been a little shilly/hacky for my tastes

and he was even worse in his pre-TSN days when he was Sportsnet, iirc

think we documented some of his sucking in these threads before (e.g. voting MAF for Vezina, which obv the DP boys know about)

voting MAF for Vezina is a high-level trolljob, and I commend him for it.

Nice

oh if he was trolling yeah i'd totally support it

unfortunately i'm almost positive he was being serious, which is tragic

It's my assertion as well that a mediator is a bad thing. It's means they can't stand the sight of other and can no longer communicate effectively. Neither side refuse the mediator because A) The mediator has no power and if somehow he can convince the other side to do something in your favor its win win. If it turns out the opposite he can easily dismissed for whatever reason when it suits. And B) If either side refused the mediator the other side would then use that fact against them by saying "look they won't even accept a mediator! blah blah...".

T,
It kills time without them getting bad public relations. (fehr's constant willingness to meet probably bugs the **** out of bettman)

Bettman probably think the players (not so much Fehr) will be more open with information and willing to budge with the mediator than he will be. He'll use that when the mediator gives up / realizes that no negotiations are really taking place.

Agreed unless its binding mediation its almost useless.

So, mediation was used during the lockout season that result in a lost season. The season was cancelled 3 days after mediation started.

I don't know WTF is going on. I for one would not be surprised if the season was called off though. Obviously this would be extremely ******ed but I can see it happening.

What about all you guys who just a week or two ago were saying the season will go on for sure, or like 95% sure. Am I still being paranoid or is anyone else starting to think the season could be lost?

I was in the 95% group 2 weeks ago, and I think it's probably 50/50 now.

I thought it was done a few weeks ago but always thought no way either side goes that long. Like any other strike the workers end up losing out when it goes this long

My experience has been the opposite. Not saying it'll definitely work here but it's an essential part of my practice precisely because it's been effective. I handle employment and commercial litigation matters, not CBA negotiations, so obv it's different. But I can definitely see how a good mediator will be able to help come up with solutions.

That's good to hear, any reason for optimism is welcome at this point.

There isn't really such thing as binding mediation (there is something kind of new with that name, which is a combo of arbitration and mediation, but that wouldn't be what the NHL is doing here). Mediation typically involves helping two parties reach an agreement, which they need to do so voluntarily. A mediator doesn't force them to make a deal.

I don't see how mediation is a bad thing. You bring a third party into the room and hope that third party can (a) work with the parties to bridge the gap between them and/or (b) open the eyes of at least one of the parties that it is being unreasonable and should reconsider its position. Worst thing that happens is mediation fails and you are where you are right now. The only loss is time and any expense involved.

That having been said, I wonder if mediation can be effective here. I don't see someone like Jeremy Jacobs being receptive to being told by a neutral that he needs to open his eyes. But conversely sometimes one party needs a little shove, or needs someone who it can use to save face when it moves off its "last and best" position in order to make a deal.

I know we're all piling on Dreger right now, but did anyone read his series of RT's from Jamal Mayers? What's the percentage of players that are this militant about the PA's position?

This whole thing just seems so unnecessary to me. I sincerely hope they lose fans and prospective sponsorship opportunities because of this.

There $189 million apart. If the season is canceled, everyone involved is pants on head ******ed.