An open letter to Sydney Crosby

The hockey lockout — ho-hum. Does this mean that my favourite CBC TV shows won't re-schedule or cancelled because of NHL playoffs in June? That's a good thing.

My take on the lockout is this: the multi-millionaire players can't seem to negotiate with the billionaire owners and vice-versa.

I mean, how many BMWs do you need Sidney? This is not envy talking, it's disgust. Hockey is a violent brutal game played by overpaid spoiled brats. How many concussions do you want to suffer before you go gaga Sid?  

If you took away the ice and the skates, equipped the players with sturdy runners, install good strong plywood, and banned checking you might even have a good game. You could call it "flockey.” Has a nice ring to it, don't you think, Sidney.

Further, cut the players' salaries by, let's say 10. So a player who was earning $10 million would still bring in $1 million. Even one mil is too much. I would institute a rule that any player earning a million or more must pledge 50 per cent of their salary to the local food bank. So let say they would bring in $500,000 before taxes.  That sounds reasonable. I know lots of bright creative people who would love to make a half a million a year. After all, lot's of CEO's earn less than half a million. That we know about anyway.

You could drop ticket prices down to around $14. That's about what it costs to go to the movies these days. Length of entertainment is about that same. So what about it Sid? Do you think it will fly?

Frank Brown

Gibsons