Missing the NHL?
Some people couldnt care less about the pathetic playground antics of players and owners.
Others are truly despondent about not seeing their favourite millionaire collect a paycheque, as an informal poll of friends, colleagues, children and politicians suggests.
Politicians?
Yep, Vision Vancouver Coun. Geoff Meggs for one.
The Vancouver Canucks fan misses the good old hockey game so much that he devoted part of his working day to stickhandle a motion through city council Tuesday.
Apparently, his back was against the wall, it was a do-or-die situation and it was time to give it a 110 per cent and just play his game.
But it was hardly a game, as even his rabble-rousing opponent NPA Coun. George Affleck kept it clean and allowed Meggsy to score the political equivalent of an empty net goal.
Yep, he put the biscuit in the basket and got unanimous approval to have Mayor Gregor Robertson write the NHL and the players union and tell them to stop snivelling and get back to work already.
Meggsys motion was inspired by Ottawa mayor Jim Watsons call for all Canadian mayors to work as a team and put pressure deep into the zone of the millionaires and billionaires.
But seriously folks, dont politicians you elect to take care of moneyball budgets and create an engaged city task force and do stuff on a go-forward basis have better things to do than talk hockey?
Over to you, Meggsy.
People have asked why we should worry about this whether this is just a distraction, he said, standing in the political arena otherwise known as the council chambers. But the economic impact on the city of Vancouver is quite significant, in particular in the lives of people who work at the stadium.
Meggsy happened to have a letter with him he just received via email from an employee at Rogers Arena. In the letter, which Meggsy read in chambers, the employee pointed out there are thousands of worker bees employed at NHL arenas who depend on a paycheque the single mom with three kids slinging beer, students flipping burgers and others who sweep up the piles of peanut shells under the seats.
The millionaires are fighting over millions and may not be able to work out their differences in time for the start of the 2012 season, the employee wrote. But right now, many of us are wondering how were going to make ends meet in the event these brats cant work out their differences.
Meggsys wingman, Robertson, chimed in and said how discouraged he was the lockout continued. Day 89 or 90, depending on when you read this.
Its a big impact on us and we hope that players and the owners rise above their differences as soon as possible and get us all back to watching hockey and back to business back to jobs.
Intermission: Whew, glad thats all Robertson said and that all my young fans could get through this piece without having to read a cuss word.
As city hall watchers recall, the hockey-playing mayor got himself in a bit of trouble last July after he dropped the F-bomb a couple times in chambers while not realizing his microphone was still live. I asked him later what the public should make of his blue language, to which he replied: They should hear me on a rugby field or at the hockey rink.
So you get my concern here, people.
Ok, back to Meggsy
After going top shelf with his motion, the left winger who is more of a natural centreman left the political arena for a post-game scrum.
Lights, camera, reaction.
CBC reporter Steve Lus: So you anticipate now the lockout should wrap up now that the city of Vancouver has weighed in?
Meggsy chuckling.
I hope so, I hope this is what really rings their bell and theyve realized theyve irritated the city of Vancouver council and its time to get this done.
Then Meggsy got semi-serious.
Its always hopeful when bodies like ours take note of whats going on, he said And I think its just a reminder to the parties that there are consequences here, including really serious economic consequences for people who depend on hockey for their own income but are not players.
Another consequence is that Meggsy wont be able have a beer and a bag of peanuts and enjoy the good old hockey game. He planned to share a block of tickets to the Canucks with a friend this season.
Ive done that for a number of years, so theres a gap in my schedule, for sure and theyre holding my money.
Meanwhile, Ive got it on good authority that Meggsy will introduce another motion at the next council meeting calling for the Canucks owners to explain what Were all Canucks really means.
Twitter: @Howellings
