This is a refreshing attitude

[elocomotive]

Tomas Fleischmann of the Capitals talking about his off-season signing. It's nice to see this kind of attitude. Even mediocre NHL players make more in ONE season of hockey than many Americans make their entire working lives. I'm not saying they don't deserve it, but it's an obscene amount of money to do something many guys would do for free, and it's nice to see someone that just appreciates it.


Tell me a little bit about the arbitration process. The team spends a lot of time preparing its case against you, but how do you and your agent approach the process?

“I didn’t do anything. Basically, after the season ended, I told my agent, ‘Just get it done somehow, I don’t care how.’ He called me every time to tell me how things were going and that’s basically it. I was just waiting for the call if I was going to arbitration or not because I didn’t know how it was going to end up. It finished with a signed contract, so I am happy. I never expected I was going to have that much money in my life. I am just happy for everything I’ve got.”

 

[mbhhofr]

Seeing what players make today, I have no problem with it. Get what you can, when you can. The Officials make pretty good money too. When I started refereeing pee-wee hockey back in 1954, I first worked 3 games every Saturday morning and wasn't expecting any payment. I was just happy to be on the ice. The man who ran the league, took me out for a corned beef sandwich and a coke. Three weeks later, to my surprise, he gave me ten dollars.

When I worked an NHL game in 1968 as an emergency replacement Linesman, I wasn't even thinking about what I would get paid. A week later I received a check from the NHL for $60.00. I still have the photo copy of that check.

 

[elocomotive]

Seeing what players make today, I have no problem with it....

When I worked an NHL game in 1968 as an emergency replacement Linesman, I wasn't even thinking about what I would get paid. A week later I received a check from the NHL for $60.00. I still have the photo copy of that check.

I don't either, just nice to hear a guy appreciate it and recognize how ridiculous it is, even if it's fair economically (based on the $ they generate for their teams).

As to the second part, that's freakin' awesome. Who played? Any controversial calls?

 

[Jimmy_the_Tongue]

Seeing what players make today, I have no problem with it. Get what you can, when you can. The Officials make pretty good money too. When I started refereeing pee-wee hockey back in 1954, I first worked 3 games every Saturday morning and wasn't expecting any payment. I was just happy to be on the ice. The man who ran the league, took me out for a corned beef sandwich and a coke. Three weeks later, to my surprise, he gave me ten dollars.

When I worked an NHL game in 1968 as an emergency replacement Linesman, I wasn't even thinking about what I would get paid. A week later I received a check from the NHL for $60.00. I still have the photo copy of that check.

Awesome post....I bet you have some stories to tell....I wish you would post more often

 

[mbhhofr]

As to the second part, that's freakin' awesome. Who played? Any controversial calls?

It was a Saturday afternoon game, Chicago Blackhawks at the Minnesota North Stars. I had season tickets for the Stars. I knew the whole NHL officiating staff. and always went down to the Official's dressing room before the game to say hello and went out for drinks with them after the game.

This day, when I went down to say hello, I was told that they were trying to get a hold of me, because Vern Buffey, who was supposed to referee the game couldn't get in due to bad weather out East. The Linesmen, Bob Myers and Ron Ego, were told by the Referee In Chief to call me. I didn't have my equipment with me, but fortunately, I only lived ten minutes from the rink. When I got back to the rink, they had already started the game, with Myers reffing and Ego, the Linesman. I got onto the ice with five minutes gone in the first period. Imagine the feeling, the game stopped and this 5'7", 130 lb. skinny guy, basicly, called out of the stands to save the day. No time to prepare for the game. However, I must say that walking down the corridor to the ice, that's when the nerves kicked in.

Every thing went fine. Skating around before the start of the third period, Pat Stapleton, the Chicago Capt., skated up to me and said that I was doing a good job. A class move, that helped relax me. We did have to break up a fight in the third period between Stapleton and Bill Goldsworthy of the North Stars.

Having season tickets for the North Stars, I actually paid to work an NHL game.

I was called later in the season to work another game, between Oakland and Minnesota, but the Linesman, who was sick, sucked it up and said that he was alright to go.

 

[jstewismybastardson]

Samuelsson looking for roommate with a heart of gold
By Ian Walker, Vancouver Sun September 2, 2010 Athletes and charities go together like Hall and Oates. Sadly, the thought behind the fundraising initiative is usually just as dated as the 1980s pop duo.

Well, now for something as stupid and wonderful as owning a pet elephant. Something as outlandish as Nicolae Ceausescu, the Romanian dictator who was rumoured to have people walk in front of him painting the leaves on trees green -- in the fall.

That's right, Vancouver Canucks winger Mikael Samuelsson is ditching the tried-and-true golf tournaments, softball games and signed jerseys and rewriting all the rules. The 33-year-old Swede is auctioning off an all-expenses-paid trip for two to Vancouver -- including a pair of tickets to two home games and access to the team's locker-room -- with the proceeds going to support minor hockey in his hometown of Mariefred, Sweden.

But that's not even the best bit. The winner will spend five nights at Samuelsson's home, no less. Not to mention enjoy his family's company for two suppers during the stay. No word yet on whether he's cooking.

Still, talk about honest and simple. Refreshing. Yet twisted. Sort of makes you wonder what his wife thinks of it all.

"She doesn't know about it yet," Samuelsson said from Sweden on Wednesday, one day before leaving for Vancouver. "No, she knows it's for a good cause so she's okay with it. What can I say? It's going to be interesting to see what comes out of it. I really don't have many expectations. I just wanted to do something different and unique to help my community."

The online auction takes place at www.samuelssonhockeyday.comand the leading bid as of Wednesday evening was 35,000 Swedish kronor or about $5,052 Cdn. Open to all comers, it runs through midnight on Sept. 10.

Now it requires a special person to open his doors to complete strangers -- heck, it requires a special person to open their doors to family, sometimes -- but Samuelsson says he's not worried about who may end up living under his roof for the better part of a week.

"If it's good people they'll live in the guest room -- if it's not so nice people, I'll put them in the basement," joked Samuelsson, the father of two young children. "No, I really don't think it's going to be a problem or a huge sacrifice in any way. It's not like I'm offering my life away. I'm still going to have my routine so it's not going to get in the way of how I prepare for games and things like that. They're just going to have a front-row seat to my life for a couple of days."


Read more: Samuelsson looking for roommate with a heart of gold

 

[dash]

The Linesmen, Bob Myers and Ron Ego, were told by the Referee In Chief to call me. I didn't have my equipment with me, but fortunately, I only lived ten minutes from the rink. When I got back to the rink, they had already started the game, with Myers reffing and Ego, the Linesman.

Interesting that Myers was a linesman before becoming a referee in the NHL (and based on several player accounts, not the most beloved ref either). However, a linesman named Ego, that's very funny.

 

[dash]

Pretty classy move by BC Lions defensive back Davis Sanchez to donate his game cheque this Friday to the Tony Proudfoot fund that has been established to help people suffering from Lou Gehrig's disease (ALS).

 

[jstewismybastardson]

Pretty classy move by BC Lions defensive back Davis Sanchez to donate his game cheque this Friday to the Tony Proudfoot fund that has been established to help people suffering from Lou Gehrig's disease (ALS).

this after completely destroying Stamps WR Romby Bryant Friday night with an open field hit, recognizing that he knocked him the hell out cold immediately, and waving off his teammates who wanted to celebrate the huge hit because he knew he hurt Bryant

classy guy

/and since this is a CFL game cheque its a material amount

 

[jstewismybastardson]

 

[dash]

this after completely destroying Stamps WR Romby Bryant Friday night with an open field hit, recognizing that he knocked him the hell out cold immediately, and waving off his teammates who wanted to celebrate the huge hit because he knew he hurt Bryant

Somebody needs to tell Henry Burris to stop throwing those "hospital passes" (pretty much the same as a suicide pass from a Dman in hockey)