THE EDMONTON OILERS:WHO'S GOT THE TAB-WHO'S GOT THE CLASS?

The recent story about the NHL Edmonton Oilers and their New Year’s Eve restaurant bill was a very good example of very bad public relations. And half of the blame should go to the restaurant owner because nobody gets to be a good guy in this movie.

I was in the bar business for a long time and the one thing that happens very regularly is a dispute over the bill. Mix booze, a large bill, and even larger pro athlete egos and you have a recipe for confrontation of the most incredibly stupid variety.

The trick is how to handle the situation and the restaurant owner handled it badly.

I am definitely not here to defend the actions of the hockey players because that is not possible. They make an incredible amount of money for their services and even a five digit tab would be chump change for one player in the grander scheme of things.

To dispute a New Year’s Eve tab that involved about 50 people in a high end restaurant was wrong on the players’ part.

Lots of booze was consumed during the evening and the bill indicated that hockey players and their wives have expensive taste in wine and liquor. Good on them, but when it comes time to pay the piper, don’t cheapen the event with a highly affordable (in their world) final bill.

After that, it became the manager’s responsibility to defuse the situation and reach an agreement with his customers. Instead he accepted a compromise from the cheap-ass hockey players and then whined to the press.

Ultimately he received acceptable compensation from the Oilers –with a gag order.

A gag order is a fundamental part of doing business in the first place and he took his business dispute public. That was a very poor decision. He may have cost himself some business from other celebrities that may not want their private lives made public, no matter how badly they behaved. His restaurant has hosted many Hollywood celebrities, and even George W. Bush, but I’m sure that none of them want this guy talking out of school.

He may have created his own recession, at least as far as celebrities and athletes go, except for Calgary Flames fans who would really get behind this guy simply because of his shot at the Oilers. I hope that is enough to carry him in the future.

Like I said, no good guys in this one, just people who should know better- a lot better.

COMMENTS

DENNIS: "Being the Dinasaur that I am, this article reminds me of a song. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhQx7K2XZWc&feature=related"I live in hotels, tear out the walls. I have accountants pay for it all".If you're going to cater to "wasted" celeberties that act like idiots for the sake of the cash, expect a bunch of rich, pampered, egocenteric, CHEAP idiots and expect to FIGHT for the cash.The pampered class, especially sports figures who didn't make their money with their intellect, are the first act badly and the last to think their behavior will make it into the Tabloids. Can you say "Tiger Woods"?If you make your considerable fortune in the public eye, you have little to complain about when the "perks" of your scandalous behavior end up in the public eye as well.The same thing applies to cars. If you're going to drive something with "flames" on the fenders, a blower sticking out of the hood and "wheelie" bars on the back, you're going to attract attention and sometimes, that attention may have flashing red and blue lights on it.It just comes with the turf. If you're not personally responsible enough to deal with it, buy a Prius."

KAREN:"you put a new perspective on this for me .....still..its kind of sweet to be able to quash the Oilers...hehe"

DAVE:""I laugh at that whole situation! Both parties can share the blame. The restaruant is going to be the big losers in this one though!"

KIRBY: "Although my dislike for the coilers and coilers fans are legion. I am taking a non-biased opinion of the bar tab fiasco. I think that the restaurant owners handled this absolutely horribly. I think his advisors are hired by the coiler staff. If you think taking a bunch of much loved professional hockey players to task will win you any brownie points you are sadly mistaken. my only question is this if you are going to drink conundrum should you not pay a premium. Only the special people or those who have extremely large expense accounts should even think of enjoying this little bit of excess. YOU SHOULD NEVER, NEVER NEVER complain about your bill".