Other than the NHL players, Stan Fischler and Jesper Eklow, we now have conclusive evidence that the hockey work stoppage has troubled someone on American soil. From the Associated Press :
A hockey fan disgruntled by the NHL lockout is taking his frustration to the streets.
“I need my hockey fix(ed)” reads the newest version of those familiar magnetic car ribbons that express everything from national pride to cancer awareness.
Creator Doug Sitler got fed up watching millionaire players and owners squabble while the only ice time for fans this winter has been scraping windshields.
“Here’s these two powerful big-money organizations fighting, and the fans are left in the dark,” he said.
The magnet is black with orange trim and lettering, like the NHL logo. The slogan sends a dual message: Fans miss hockey and want the sport fixed.
“I thought, ‘Why not express my frustrations using a pop culture phenomenon?'” Sitler said.
The fact that he sold more than 2,000 magnets soon after their introduction showed him there are a lot of like-minded fans.
Sitler was actually more flattered than annoyed when someone swiped the magnet off his car. And it has been fun watching them pop up around town.
“The first person I saw who had one was a 70-year-old woman in a Lexus,” he said.
“I think it’s a good idea to keep it fresh in everybody’s mind that the fans miss hockey,” said Kate Resetarits, who stuck a magnet on her car.
There’s no worry at the moment that hockey will resume and render the magnets obsolete.
On Friday, the lockout was in its 121st day. No talks have been scheduled since Dec. 14, when the NHL rejected a players’ association proposal and its own counteroffer was turned down.
“I haven’t seen one glimmer of hope in any of these months of talking,” Sitler said. “Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like there will be any hockey unless a miracle happens — and I hope that does happen. I really want hockey. I’ll go nuts.”
The ribbons can be purchased at www.hockeyribbon.com.
if people need afix so bad, there’s plenty of great college hockey being played for those in traditional hockey areas. i’m sure many of those teams would love the support and the quality and intensity of play is very high. i’d rather watch RPI vs. Dartmouth than some meaningless NHL regular season contest and the Frozen Four is every bit as dramatic and fun to watch as the NCAA basketball brackets. and the players aren’t the “lil’ professionals” getting paid under the table by agents and boosters like in football and basketball (at least not on the same level).
can anyone imagine the same deafening 121-day silence if we were talking baseball? NHL owners made a gamble and thought public outrage would force the players to come around. They just didn’t realized that no one cared, and that the players instead would be having a great time playing in Europe, where they actually are considered stars (not entirely unlike when jazz musicians used to go to Europe in the 60’s – it was the only place they could get gigs, and they were treated with respect). Now, I do salute the (I sure hope) inevitable fact that the southernization of hockey probably will take a few steps back and maybe we’ll lose say 7 or 8 teams to make it NHL hockey again. Lower salaries and lower ‘national interest’ would be fine with me. Lose the helmets too. And the FOX glowing puck broadcasts. Hard to have to wait for that to happen while being forced to watch Mavericks’ games, but i’ll take it.