Gary Bettman protest, via The Kinks; lockout hurting NHL employees (THE VENT)

I wonder why no one has asked Don Fehr why -- if he says the latest NHLPA offer was only $182M apart from the owners offer and that it would only cost each owner $1.2M each year for the 5 years of the contract and he can't see why they won't sign for that -- why he does not see that it would only cost each of the 750 players $40,000 each for each of the 5 years to come to the same agreement, so why have they not signed the owners proposal if it is indeed only $182M difference from the NHLPAs?

The $40,000 is a drop in the bucket for even the lowest paid NHL player and I am sure they would do it in a heart beat rather than lose millions through further games lost by the lockout?

Just a thought, but it think it would make Don Fehr admit that the NHL is right when they say that his last offer is still miles apart!

We have vented and written letters to Gary and Fehr to no avail. Obviously that isn't getting us too far, how about a new way to vent: creative ways to display NHL Christmas decorations in protest.

Just got this ornament made of the civic arena last year. Almost puked when I got it out of the Christmas box. Not too creative, but it will be hanging upside down in our house until this is over. Let's see what the rest of the puck daddy world can come up with?

A quick vent from a disgruntled Bruins fan:

DISCLAIMER: I realize there are others who are affected much more adversely by the lockout than I am, but this still pisses me off.

My roommate works at a famous sports bar by the Garden; it's her main source of income since she's going to school. It's a well-known fact in establishments around the Garden that Bruins fans tip considerably more than Celtics fans do. The lockout has hit my roommate hard enough that we're cancelling our cable because she can't afford her half.

That's right, Jeremy Jacobs shut my cable off. You heard it here: Jacobs hates the fans, he hates me, and he really hates cable.

(I realize there are other selfish [expletive] owners out there, but I think most of us place the blame right where it belongs - squarely on Jacobs' shoulders. I f--king hate that dillhole.)

Kings fan. Have been for years. Suffered plenty. For years, I only purchased a game here and a game there. Tickets have never been cheap.

Celebrated in 2012. Committed to team during cup run. Paid thousands for lower bowl season tix at Staples Center. Happy to do so to support the team that gave me so much. Wanted to share love for game with new family.

Enter lockout. Family member works for league. Had his pay cut 20%. Life in NY isn't cheap. 20% hurts anywhere… in NY? Even more so … family of 4 in NY? Ow.

Kings holding my money and making it sound like they're doing me some sort of favor. Given offers of Galaxy tix, "just contact your season ticket rep". I like championships. I contact rep. Crickets. Literally no response to 2 emails. Maybe my rep got retrogressed 20% too.

Will return to Staples Center to see banner raised. I have to celebrate the team's accomplishment. Beyond that? I have real issues with an organization that treats its employees like this, and I do not mean the players only.

This lockout has been labeled as billionaires fighting with millionaires. This is true, and the fans are casualties for certain, but they are far from alone. The real casualties are the families that rely on this league to conduct itself as a professional organization and not as a bunch of racketeers.

Hope the mediators can get the sides to agree. Not holding my breath. Need willing participants or this is just an exercise in paying lawyers.

My commitment to the team is alive because I believe the Kings ownership to be more inclined to play than continue this nonsense. I may be wrong. Let me live in this fantasy for a bit. I die hard. However, if mediation fails, I'll cancel my season tickets and go back to picking the odd game to attend here and there.

Dear NHL: I am the demographic that you are about to lose. Working professional with family and new season ticket holder.. My demographic feeds the "now" and grooms the "future". I love hockey. I always will. NHL? You are not hockey's guardian. You are its beneficiary.