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October 24, 2004Red Wings' McCarty critical of NHL ownersDetroit forward was in TC for a youth clinicByRecord-Eagle staff writer TRAVERSE CITY - The only competitive hockey Darren McCarty plays these days is the video-game variety - ESPN's NHL2K5, to be exact. And the Detroit Red Wings forward, out of action during the NHL lockout, plays the game with practically the same skill and enthusiasm as he does the real thing. "Pretty realistic, eh?" McCarty says with toothless grin after his image pummels a member of the Colorado Avalanche on the television screen. "Looks like you've played this a few times," McCarty is told, and he nods. "Every day," he says. The same can't be said for the real game. McCarty, who was in Traverse City over the weekend to perform with his musical group, "Grinder," and conduct a youth hockey clinic to benefit the Grand Traverse Hockey Association, believes the current labor strife will last a long time. He fears it may wipe out the entire season. McCarty took time to discuss the situation, as well as his fondness for northern Michigan. Q: Word has it that you volunteered to come up and host a clinic as a favor to your hockey friends in Traverse City (the training camp home of the Red Wings). A: Yeah, we thought if we could tie a performance (by Grinder) in with a hockey clinic it would be a worth-while venture. It was the ability to do the hockey clinic that allowed us to do the show. We're weren't going to come to Traverse City and not go to the rink. The hockey clinic was the first priority. Over the years, you get to know the community and you make friends. It's in appreciation for all the hospitality that we've been given - that's why we're here. Q: What's it been like not playing hockey this fall? Have you been able to enjoy the opportunity to do some other things? A: It's really been great for me to get into my son's hockey. He's 8 years old and he's so much fun. I've been on the school trips for my girls, too. It's given me an opportunity to do some things with the kids that I normally can't do this time of year. I'm making the best of it. Q: What's the hardest part about the lockout? A: Just mentally trying to stay focused and do what you have to do to be ready in case there's a season. It's tough for everybody. Guys are skating and guys are working out, but they're in and out, doing their own thing with their families and stuff. It's just hard. Q: How organized are your skates? A: Well, there's standing ice (times) three times a week. But I've been skating with some of my other buddies because the times the guys (on the Wings) are skating, I've had other things going. You do the best you can and do what you can do. Q: How many players get together to skate? A: It depends on the day and the time, but usually it's eight or so. Q: You've always been a straight shooter with the media and have never been afraid to speak your mind. What are your feelings about what's going on with the negotiations and when do you think you'll be playing again? A: Nothing's going on, That's the problem, to say the least. I'm an eternal optimist, but right now I'm not too optimistic about playing at all this year. You try to keep it in the back of your mind and hope things get done like they did last time (a 103-day lockout in 1994-95). But going through it in '94 ... it's a different feeling. There's a very strong possibility that there might not be a season. The game suffers the most, and that's the worst part. Q: Loaded question here - who's to blame? Can you honestly say it's all the owners' fault? A: There's obviously a lot of factors involved. It's about working together and finding a common ground, and that's the thing - there is no common ground. To say it's 100 percent one side or the other, that's not realistic. But this is the system that we have. The owners aren't happy with it, but they're the ones who made it the way it is. The problem is, they're trying to be bullies and say, 'We're going to change it and this is the way it is.' But we're hockey players, man. We don't get pushed around. We've got no problem with compromise, it's when there's no compromise on the other end that it just sours you. They say, 'It's our way or the highway.' That's why we're all on the highway. Q: What is it going to take to end this then? The owners want a salary cap; you don't. Is it 'no deal' as long as they're asking for a salary cap? A: Definitely, that's a huge part of it. They want a salary cap of $31 or $32 million and our team is at $60 or $70 million. We can't ice six guys with that. They want to take away everything that (owner) Mr. Illitch has done to produce a winning team. It's a sad state, and things have to change. Now that's there's been no movement and the owners are starting to lose money they would have gotten if games were being played, you might see some talk - hopefully. Q: Do you think about the fans and what they're going through by missing the games? A: Sure. But they have to remember that we want to play. The owners were the ones who shut the door and said, 'Don't come to work. We don't want you to come to work.' They're going to have to make the first move now. We've made proposals and concessions that they didn't even look at. That would make things better for everyone, but that's not a big enough change for them. They want it their way or nothing. They want to revert back to the way it was 10, 15 years ago. But things change. We've worked hard to solidify our union and to make it the way it is, and we're together on this. Fans have to realize this is no different that fighting a big corporation. When you're in a union, you understand. We're trying to make the game better for the future and for the players. If we give up what we've worked so hard to get, who knows if it isn't going to destroy the game sooner than later.
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