So this being flu season, and being stricken down with a particularly irritating case of it myself, I have to be concerned with the folks following the CBA talks in New York. Not too much though, I believe most sports journalists to be reptiles and unable to fall to human illness. But for the SportsNet crew I am concerned.

So this is a new kind of season... Christmas is over. The new year is arrived. The shortened season is here. The season of licking wounds, letting go of grudges and forgetting about all the threats you've uttered about the NHL over the last few months. It's the season of spinning player comments to the pont of having to apologize for opening their mouth. It's the season of Ilya Bryzgalov. It's the season of headhunting, slashing and out of control tempers. The season of trade rumors, cap crunching, and media catch phrases. It's the season of Brendan Shanahan videos and upper body injuryies. It's hockey season. Get over yourself and enjoy it.