ATTENTION OMBUDSMAN<\/i><\/p>\nHOCKEY DEAL ANNOUNCED<\/h2>\n
I got back from my lunchtime stroll to see that the NHL and NHLPA have made an agreement in principle to return to the ice for the 2005-2006 season<\/b><\/a> (The Post<\/i>). As expected, the players got hosed by not taking the NHL’s final offer back in February. Fools!<\/p>\n I am looking forward to hockey’s return. Having followed the sport closely for only a few years, I did not have enough invested in it emotionally to be bitter about the lockout. I look at it as a fun way to spend a winter evening and given how little I was spending for tickets, a better alternative to going to the cineplex to see the latest ’60s TV show turned into a movie. Also, it gives me a chance to have more sports rivalries with my friends. Caps vs. Pengyunz\/Devils\/Flyers is fun, but not as fun as it should be — damn you Southeast Division! Who can forget the epic battle for 29th place<\/b><\/a> back in March 2004?<\/p>\n You can read the official spin from the NHL here<\/b><\/a> and in the spirit of fairness<\/i>, the NHLPA’s here<\/b><\/a>. It is the same thing. Earlier in the day, the NHLPA was not operating due to an ASP error. Perhaps now that they are working again, they upgrade to something that works well and is more forgiving than that annoying code.<\/p>\n Interestingly enough, the papers of record from the hockeytowns New York and Pittsburgh were still using wire-copy on their Web sites hours after the announcement was made, while The Post<\/i> had staff written copy up before 1:30. This is the same Post<\/i> that pretty much removed their Capitals section from their Web site.<\/p>\n One last thing, if you want more hockey news, I recommend Eric McErlain’s<\/b> Off Wing Opinion<\/b><\/a>.<\/p>\n