http://manitobamythbusters.com/blog//blog4.php/2010/05/13/brinkmanship-bluff-in-the-desert-may-13-2010Brinkmanship: Bluff In The Desert May 13, 2010
Brinkmanship: Bluff In The Desert
It was suggested by Astrosnut, a local NHL fan, that "if the minutes from (Glendale City Council's) tuesdays meeting get published today or tomorrow, and Goldwater does step in and take action, would it be resonable for the NHL to throw their hands up and say 'we just cant risk it. We cant risk this getting drawn out in court, and be on the hook for next years losses...we have no choice but to relocate?'"
The implication has the NHL risking another year of losses given that those losses may be bigger than the current season as it could easily become a lame duck season. Needless to say in this situation the courts and not the NHL would be in control of the process just like last summer's tour through the bankruptcy halls of justice.
One would be OFFside to suggest that Gary Bettman is willing to roll the dice or give control from his hand to any other.
Under Astrosnut's scenario, Goldwater becomes the very-willing scapegoat and the NHL, two ownership groups and the City of Glendale all save face and breathe a sigh of relief once the NHL sends the Ex-Jets back in flight to Winnipeg.
This would go exactly according to plan! See here: "Glendale, Goldwater and Gift Law"
http://manitobamythbusters.com/blog//blog4.php/2010/03/19/glendale-goldwater-and-gift-lawOutside of the local fans, all parties embrace this result except for Jerry Reinsdorf who wanted his cake, an escape clause, an annual bailout of up to $25 million and Glendale to pay for one-third of that cake too! Talk about a free ride in the desert!
So NHL fans, stay tuned until around June 30th! Because should the NHL declare this impasse up to that date, as Astrosnut illustrates, then surely the NHL turns to TNSE in a hurry. That rush to relocate by the NHL is based on the NHL left holding the bag of annual losses. To be crystal clear, Mark Chipman will only have but one opportunity to take a team off NHL hands. Why? Should Mark Chipman say "No Thanks, Mr. Bettman, too late to take them this season!" Gary Bettman, most likely a vengeful man, will then have to find another owner and city to help bailout the NHL from the predicament it finds itself. Needless to say a Chipman refusal quite likely would be the very last time that under Bettman's watch the NHL will ever think or mention anything about Winnipeg.
As for when the real drop dead date would be, see "Has Time Run Out For The 2010-2011 Winnipeg NHL Season?" here:
http://manitobamythbusters.com/blog//blog4.php/2010/01/27/has-time-run-out-for-the-2010-2011-winniJune 30th or July 7th is the week that we reach the point of no return where the second season of league-owned losses are legitimized. A trick of negotiation is to set up artificial dates along the way as a pressure point to get the other party to budge. Any date before this last week of June, seems to fall into this sort of brinkmanship. This is a classic tactic and the City of Glendale is "falling for it". Cue the Goldwater Institute to call "TimeOUT" this weekend or next, which is long after NHL fans like Astrosnut have already called the bluff in the desert!
Chris
President,
www.myNHLincludesWinnipeg.com~ The Reality May Surprise You! Excite You! ~
30,000 Unique Visitors Monthly and Growing
