Freeze Out for Professional Hockey
COSTELLO: It's 6:49 Eastern. Here's what will be making news later today. In just a few hours, the sentencing hearing will begin in Massachusetts for defrocked priest and convicted sex offender Paul Shanley. His accuser, now 27, is expected to speak at the start of today's hearing. Shanley faces life in prison, although inmate advocates say they fear for his life if he is condemned to spend the rest of his life behind bars. In Washington this afternoon, the Senate will vote on the nomination of Michael Chertoff to head the Homeland Security Department. And the U.N. oil-for-food scandal will be back in the spotlight today as the U.N. deputy secretary general holds a briefing during the noon hour. That's Eastern Time. He'll discuss what the U.N. will do now in light of the program's many failures pointed out in the Volko (ph) report. The end may finally be here for the non-existent National Hockey League season. Commissioner Gary Bettman has scheduled a new conference for tomorrow that could put the rest of the hockey season on ice. But why? How could this happen? For more on that, we're joined by Paul Attner of the "Sporting News." Good morning, Paul.</s>PAUL ATTNER, "SPORTING NEWS": Good morning. A lot of hockey fans are asking that same question today, I guarantee you that.</s>COSTELLO: It's insane. We're going to bring in a big hockey fan, Chad Myers, who is getting a refund for his season tickets.</s>CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: You know, in the year 2003, the NHL averaged 16,591 fans per game, 1993, 14,700, 1983, only 11,300. The NHL is on a roll. Hockey is on a roll across North America, not only which was obviously at one point considered a Canadian sport, now really an American sport, and they throw a grenade in their locker room. I just don't understand it.</s>COSTELLO: How serious will this be, Paul, for the sport of hockey?</s>ATTNER: Oh, I think it's going to be devastating. I mean, I agree there has been progress, but it's still not an established ground-roots American sport. And what's going to happen is the fringe cities in this league, you know, there are 30 teams, and my guess is maybe 10 or 12 are solid, and those will survive. And after that, you have to wonder how many of the rest of them really will be around if they ever get this thing started again.</s>COSTELLO: Do they ever think of that? Or are they too arrogant to see the reality?</s>ATTNER: We're talking the classic stubbornness here. You know, the league says they've lost $500 million in the last two years. The union says no way. Let us see your books. The league won't do that. So, you've got this -- you know, this ying-yang (ph) thing here that nobody will give. And, you know, I guess it fascinates me that neither side sees what we're seeing. You know, why would you throw away the livelihoods, all of these thousands of jobs without trying to reach a compromise, which they have not been able to do now for months? You know, they've hardly even talked for the last month or so.</s>COSTELLO: Chad, as a fan, how does this make you feel? You said you were angry at first. But now how do you feel?</s>MYERS: You know, I almost feel apathy now. I was angry two months ago when we were losing games. Now, obviously this progress -- one side is trying to come together a little bit, and then the cap thing is getting in the way. I don't care anymore. And I'm certainly going to express my dissatisfaction by not attending any games.</s>COSTELLO: And, Paul, isn't there...</s>MYERS: That's all you can do.</s>COSTELLO: Paul, isn't there a danger now that this could carry on into next season and affect the draft?</s>ATTNER: Oh, I think it's going to carry on. I don't see any reason that we should not suspect it won't carry on into next season. They have not budged one inch, as Chad just said, in either stance since the beginning of negotiations. So, if that's the case, you know, why would we think that anything would change over the next six months? No, I think you're talking about -- again, you know, I think there is a great danger here of this league never really ever going again. They're talking about using replacement players. Now, you know, why would anyone with any sense at all pay one nickel to see replacement players play?</s>MYERS: Carol?</s>COSTELLO: We will be following that news conference.</s>MYERS: Carol?</s>COSTELLO: A quick last comment, then we have to go, Chad.</s>MYERS: I just have two words: Junior hockey. Players that want to play.</s>COSTELLO: Chad, thank you. Paul Attner from the "Sporting News," thanks for joining DAYBREAK. This is DAYBREAK for a Tuesday morning.