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Oilers Behavior Questioned
by Paul on 01/05/10 at 05:16 PM ET
Comments (9)
from Mark Spector of Sportsnet,
Look—we’ve all been part of a bad bill before. And, yes, NHL players can become targets in a situation like this one.
But the end result was 20 millionaires didn’t suck it up. Men who get more stuff for free in a year than anyone reading this column does in a lifetime, refused on principle to come up with less than $1,000 apiece for them and their spouse/girlfriend on New Year’s Eve. Instead, they created an incident that stained a once proud organization’s reputation from coast to coast.
Another dent in a train wreck of a season—in Calgary, no less. Like the story of the Oilers dine-and-dash wouldn’t have legs in that city? Sheesh.
Within days, team owner Daryl Katz had canceled a planned golf trip to Palm Springs for the players and their wives. The Oilers say the two incidents had nothing to do with each other, but we can only hope that isn’t true.
Now, the players will stay in minus-20 Edmonton for a mini-training camp instead of teeing it up in the sunshine. And their wives will sip Tim Horton’s coffee instead of Cosmopolitans by the pool.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Edmonton Oilers | KK Hockey | Permalink
Comments
Funny how alot of people in Calgary,(yes Calgary) think the resutrant was trying to inflate the bill and the oilers wouldn’t put up with it.
The other thing that bugs me, is on that night, the oilers made an agreement with the GM of the resturant for the bill (you make an agreement and print out a receipt) then it’s done.
You don’t go to the media and claim they stiffed you, they didn’t drop the 12K + tip on the table and walk out, an agreement was made.
Posted by Roboshow from Calgary on 01/05/10 at 07:06 PM ET
The initial “bill” was nearly $20K, a protest from the customers dropped the bill to $12K. Tha’s a pretty big difference and a large chunk of change for the restauranteer to “eat”. Then again even if the whole roster was being paid league minimum, they’re still making VERY good coin and outta pay up and shuddap.
Posted by MOWingsfan19 on 01/05/10 at 09:34 PM ET
they’re still making VERY good coin and outta pay up and shuddap.
This boggles my mind. Even people who think the Oilers got screwed on the original bill think they should just suck it up?
Why should people, even if they’re right, just accept being screwed over simply BECAUSE they’re rich?
Posted by Garth on 01/05/10 at 10:21 PM ET
The worst offense is leaving barely 15% tip on the lowered bill. Man-up and leave a decent tip on the original bill or leave 20% which is customary when you make that kind of coin. If they were ordering shooters and not whole bottles the waiters and waitresses still had to provide the service. The proper compromise is a $12,000 bill and a $2,400 tip. Shows they didn’t want to get stiffed by the owner, but still respected the staff. Can’t take rich kids anywhere these days. Maybe 18% of the bill should be held in escrow before service is provided.
Posted by Hockey1919 from Montreal on 01/06/10 at 12:31 AM ET
i agree with Garth. Why should rich people get screwed over just because they are rich?
Posted by drw on 01/06/10 at 07:36 AM ET
The worst offense is leaving barely 15% tip on the lowered bill. Man-up and leave a decent tip on the original bill or leave 20% which is customary when you make that kind of coin.
Really?
Someone tries to screw you over to the tune of FIFTY PERCENT above what you should be charged and a they still get shit for not leaving enough tip?
They’re lucky they got any kind of tip at all.
Posted by Garth on 01/06/10 at 10:23 AM ET
Instead, they created an incident that stained a once proud organization’s reputation from coast to coast.
Oh please.
This is Edmonton we’re talking about—the place players will do anything in their power to avoid having to go and play for. The place UFA’s won’t sign (so they have to try and sign RFA’s at ridiculous salaries), and the place players will refuse to waive their NTC’s for.
This does nothing to “stain” their reputation because they’re already a running joke.
Posted by Primis on 01/06/10 at 11:33 AM ET
I still say the tip goes to the wait staff not the owner. There is no evidence they were overcharged in the first place or that they got bad service or that the wait staff in any way tried to screw them. From what I read the players refused to pay for shooters when they thought they were getting bottle service. The wait staff still had to serve them their drinks and are the ones getting stiffed out of the whole thing. The owner has a built in profit and the players negotiated down the price, the wait staff didn’t set the price of the service, but I’m sure worked their tail all night to keep the food and drinks coming. When I get comped at a restaurant I still tip on the full bill since it isn’t the wait staffs fault if the kitchen didn’t prepare something correctly. Some people no matter how much money they make should maybe just eat at McDs where there is a fixed price Happy Meal.
Posted by Hockey1919 from Montreal on 01/06/10 at 03:45 PM ET
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There’s another side Spector’s not considering: was it good business for a restaurant owner in Calgary to drum up sympathy and anti-Edmonton/Oiler sentiment by taking this to the media?
Yes. Yes it was.
There could be elements to this story we’re all not aware of.
Posted by Josh from Whitehorse, Yukon on 01/05/10 at 06:54 PM ET