THE ORIGINS of the NHL Players’ Association debacle in which Paul Kelly, a good man, was kicked out the door by a vote by torchlight at 3 in the morning, can be traced back to the failure of the union to purge the enemies from within who had undermined the union’s bargaining position during the 2004-05 lockout.
Sheila Block, a noted Toronto attorney commissioned by activists to probe alleged traitorous behavior during the work stoppage and whose report was eagerly anticipated, published a whitewash not worth the price of the paper on which it had been printed, let alone the pricey cost of the investigation.
Indeed, the Block Report not only solved nothing, it exacerbated the mistrust and contempt that factions of the PA had for each other following its collective bargaining collapse. Union leaders — excuse the oxymoron — then produced a constitution ratified by an ignorant membership that neutered the position of executive director.
When Kelly was hired to lead the union in October 2007, the one-time assistant district attorney essentially left his job as a Boston attorney to take one as a eunuch. He eventually became surrounded by, and ultimately accountable to, layers of consultants, advisors and lobbyists who not only owed the executive director no loyalty, but actively sought his dismissal.
This would be tantamount to having Barack Obama in the White House with Dick Cheney as his vice president and Sean Hannity as his chief of staff, with both Cheney and Hannity empowered to initiate impeachment proceedings against the president.
Let’s make this clear: Kelly had as much business accessing confidential material as did Ted Saskin. Even if he was baited, even if proving the age-old adage that paranoids have enemies too, even if falling into a trap unscrupulously set for him by his enemies, Kelly should have known better. He must have known better.
Kelly may have had no power as outlined by the constitution and he apparently had no power base within the union, but he also had no excuse.
Neither, however, does the Players’ Association, now apparently spoken for by people such as Matt Stajan and Andrew Ference, the latter the Boston player rep who last year famously suggested the wrong players were making too much money.
Sidney Crosby isn’t the only one who wants answers. Players across the league have been left in the dark. The internal union Web site is widely disparaged by membership as more a source of propaganda than information.
Players are asking for answers. Maybe this time they’ll get some. Maybe this time they’ll get answers they never received from the Block Report. Maybe this time they will be entrusted with details of their history so that they don’t repeat it.
*
The Rangers’ Sean Avery won a settlement in his libel case against Toronto radio reporter Howard Berger following mediation earlier this month, Slap Shots has learned. The suit was brought in the aftermath of the pregame incident in Toronto on Nov. 10, 2007, after which Berger alleged that Avery had made comments to Jason Blake relating to the Leaf winger’s previously diagnosed cancer. Terms of the settlement are confidential. Avery has at least one more pending suit relating to the incident.
The Coyotes, we’re told by an interested party, have received deposits on 1,800 season tickets and full payment on exactly, um well, on exactly none for the coming season. Gary Bettman‘s check must be lost in the mail.
Seems that Calgary’s Dion Phaneuf could have been given a match penalty for intent to injure on his mean, blind-side blow that concussed the Isles’ Kyle Okposo on Wednesday, but neither the league nor PA seems to have a clue how to legislate against technically legal hits to the head, even ones that appear premeditated.
We would advise the Islanders, however, to knock off the implied threats against Phaneuf and advise head coach Scott Gordon to cut out the “Live by the sword, die by the sword” rhetoric.
Because how did all that kind of talk work out for Steve Moore, Todd Bertuzzi, the Canucks, the Avalanche and the NHL a few years ago?
The league investigation into the Marian Hossa and Chris Pronger contracts has not begun because the NHL and PA do not have an arbitrator in place as required, a source informs.
Denis Gauthier, by the way, a mean-edged veteran defenseman who has previously been charged as a headhunter and currently is out of work, more than once was invited to attend training camp on a tryout basis with the Rangers by GM Glen Sather.
The MENSA member declined the offers, choosing instead to remain unemployed.
This just in. Omar Minaya says Okposo is expected to return this week.