Originally Posted by JensenS

Whats stopping them once they turn 18 from saying "screw you" and bolting before they sign the form?

That's just semantics. The age can be 16, 14, whatever. Their parents can be required to sign it.

Also, your whole argument about the student loans is off-base. When a person borrows money from an entity (bank, government, whomever), they are expected to return said money. This has little or nothing to do with what country they're living in.
Professional skills are not currency. As someone already mentioned, how would you even value something like that monetarily?

jpv,

Different countries have different societies. While in America you borrow from a bank, in some other countries you borrow from the government. I think you should have to pay back for services in either case. If you were educated in America in college I am sure you are paying or paid off your loans.

Originally Posted by Big

I will go further, if I were in charge in Russia I would have all Russian hockey players from age 18 on sign a form that would bar them from playing in any club outside of Russia without the release of the Russian government.

Why should Russia train great hockey players for America?

That is just ignorant. I like most of your post Big that is just silly. A person should be free to make a decisions that are best for themselves and there family. NO GOVERNMENT owns its people. It is the other way around.

Now why don't you discuss something sensible. Like the system in football (soccer). The NHL team would need to pay the club the player was from for the rights to have them play in another league. I mean the club did train them so it is a fair exchange. And this would be a system where the play would be able to make a choice.

Should Russia be pissed because one of the great minds like yourself have left? They did supply the system and protection needed to allow you to be born. Are you wending the government some $$$$ to thank them?

Originally Posted by spartansd

That is just ignorant. I like most of your post Big that is just silly. A person should be free to make a decisions that are best for themselves and there family. NO GOVERNMENT owns its people. It is the other way around.

Now why don't you discuss something sensible. Like the system in football (soccer). The NHL team would need to pay the club the player was from for the rights to have them play in another league. I mean the club did train them so it is a fair exchange. And this would be a system where the play would be able to make a choice.

Should Russia be pissed because one of the great minds like yourself have left? They did supply the system and protection needed to allow you to be born. Are you sending the government some $$$$ to thank them?

It seems that I should read all the posts before I send one out.


I guess you should explain the system in Russia. Is it socialist? I thought they went away from that a while ago.

But by your logic Canada should be pissed also. Maybe Russia should be a cooler place to live. Then there hockey players would come back and start businesses and hockey clubs in Russia ....hence giving back to mother Russia.

According to a recent SI article, the sport that the Russian government (and Putin was specifically mentioned) is trying hardest to develop is Basketball and they are importing many coaches and their best players are foriegn. If I remember the article correcly, the strategy is working and the Russian league is now considered the best in Europe.

So Big, should the Russian government start spreading out its recently acquired oil revenue to the rest of the world every time a foriegner goes to Russia to play BBall?

Originally Posted by Big

jpv,

Different countries have different societies. While in America you borrow from a bank, in some other countries you borrow from the government. I think you should have to pay back for services in either case. If you were educated in America in college I am sure you are paying or paid off your loans.

You also went to state-supported schools in the US. I am assuming even though you left NJ you don't expect to pay anything back to NJ for you fine Rutgers education.

I'm just confused why the Russian government would care that NHL players are leaving. The owners of the Russian clubs would care, but why is it a government or a Mafia issue? It's not like NHL players stop playing for the national team.