Let's see . . . they travel around a whole hell of a lot to do a huge amount of heavy mouth-breathing in the middle of many geographically separated crowds of thousands of people in various urban areas.

Yeah, it's a travesty that they should get the vaccine first.

I have no idea how likely it is that a bunch of flu-infested pro-hockey players could infect a given member of the audience at a given game. But there are a lot of people in those crowds, and large public gatherings are a great place for airborne diseases to spread. And there aren't thousands and thousands of NHL players, so is this really such a squandering of vaccine?

Besides, it's not like the NHL couldn't pay extra for it.

Anything to be outraged at a sensible health care system.

That is poutrageous.

Uh, this actually makes sense. With all the travel and time spent at airports professional athletes could be a very effective transmission vector were they to get infected. Not to mention all the screaming fans, immune systems temporarily compromised by gallons of Molson Canadian.

Says it all. Joe Hall is the one seated without gloves.

gilgamesh23: Uh, this actually makes sense

'nuff said.

capitalist medicine at work: the vaccine is currently available at walgreens for less than 20 dollars.

capitalist medicine at work: I would rather watch you die than make less money for my company's shareholders.

proteus_b: capitalist medicine at work: the vaccine is currently available at walgreens for less than 20 dollars.

i admit that i haven't been following it too closely, but isn't it available at walgreens for less than 20 dollars because the federal government ordered a shiatload of vaccines at taxpayer expense?

subby is probably a Leafs fan.

The massive cross-expenditure of blood may have something to do with it. Ahh, sport.

jennyz: subby is probably a Leafs fan.

Subby wanted the Leaves to go down in swine flu

I wonder how many elderly will die because a bunch of young fit men in excellent physical condition stole the vaccine that they should have received.

still no cure for the trap.

i'm not advocating the overthrow of the gov't. just pointing out that if anyone is personally worried and wishes to get a vaccine, that they are also available if you buck up. or you can wait in line for 4 hours to get it, if you believe cnn's hype. or you can move to the west bank, where they surely don't have that.

proteus_b: capitalist medicine at work: the vaccine is currently available at walgreens for less than 20 dollars.

Socialist medicine at work: I got my H1N1 vaccine today at the county health office for FREE.

Shaggy_C: I wonder how many elderly will die because a bunch of young fit men in excellent physical condition stole the vaccine that they should have received.

Not many, considering H1N1 doesn't kill old people, it kills young/middle aged people.

Shaggy_C: I wonder how many elderly will die because a bunch of young fit men in excellent physical condition stole the vaccine that they should have received.

We must save the hockey players, they're our most sacred canadians!

Subby's headline is misleading. It wasn't all NHL players. It was just the Calgary Flames. The Edmonton Oilers didn't even request the vaccine and they had a player with confirmed H1N1.

This has nothing to do with socialized medicine, and everything to do with the perks of being famous.

fine by me

welcome to obamas canada

This morning I heard my local right-wing radio nutjob spouting off about how the vaccine hasn't been properly tested yet and the govt. is just going to use the resultant side-effects to further justify Marxist socialized medicine. I wonder if in this case they'll take the "OMG ELITISTS!!!1" approach, or that one.

/probably both

Don't you know that Glenn Beck told me not to get H1N1 vaccine because it could might possibly freakin kill me?! I feel BAD for those hockey players cause now they will get sick because big bad gubment is giving those them their evil vaccine.

However, I am still outraged that these damn rich ass hockey players will get the vaccine before I do! I mean, I'm not taking it, but if I was, why should these assholes get it? This whole "risk" thing is bullshiat! What does that word even mean?!