Day 47 - A Murder of Escrows

Next Wednesday, the locked out players will receive their escrow checks. An escrow is a fairly basic contract between two parties and in the context of the NHL meant the owners withheld a portion of a player's check (in this case 7.98% of last year's salary). The holdings were to be dispersed in the highly likely event of a lockout. In layman's terms, the league's bottom-feeders made around the American median salary in one paycheck (approximately $50,000) and the superstars raked in barely under $1 million dollars. With most players off in foreign lands or minor American cities anyway, this is rather trite. I'm not cynical. This is money they were due, but I would much rather see these guys fighting on the ice, rather than across a negotiation table.

In other news, Disney acquired LucasArts in a move that can only make our hockey movies better. The Mighty Ducks trilogy will finally have a prequel and a sequel trilogy, closing off any open plot holes (and finally featuring Emilio Estevez donning the black suit and mask as an asthmatic goalie). We'll get to follow the team as they go through college and learn to cope with having Ewoks on the team. They will also be remaking "Miracle", keeping it closer to historical accuracy as Obi-Wan Kenobi scores the game-winning goal with a Force push. In non-hockey related Disney sports movies, Lando Calrissian will lead a team of Titans to a national championship against an all-white Galactic Empire. The possibilities are rather endless. Congratulations, Rob Iger!