Hockey

That sick feeling I feel in my gut is that I may never get to see my team play again. I felt it when I left the last playoff game last year, and I felt it when I left the Milwaukee Admirals game in Nashville last year. The Preds meant a lot to a lot of people, and I hope it can be that way again.

In Nashville, I'm hopeful for the future, as people don't revolve their lives around the team like they might in other cities (and with the Titans), such that they could come back next year and not have it be so bad. I can see the fans showing up to see a winning team, because winning makes all the difference. And the fans really do love the players.

I actually had a glimmer of hope in the last few days when the negotiations re-started. It's too bad that human nature makes us wait until the last to really start. I believe that Gary Bettman wanted the season to be cancelled from day one unless he got every demand, and nothing else would make him stop. I blame him. The players didn't want this, and even accepted a salary cap and a pay drop of 33%! It's obvious to me that they wanted to play. It's also pretty obvious that the owners didn't.

So, unlike Jason, I'll be back next year, cheering my Preds on. I might make a more conscious effort to only buy from scalpers such that the owners don't make any more off of me than I have to give them, but I can't be that mad at our owner Leipold either. He did bring major league hockey to Nashville almost by himself, and because of him I have some great memories cheering our boys on at the Nashville Arena.

But, all-in-all, it just makes me feel sad. The pointlessness of it...

UPDATE: Me coming back next year depends on there still being a team, of course... or even a season.