Brace yourself for another bloody cage match between players and owners now that Paul Kelly

has been fired as executive director of the NHL Players' Association. The shift in power was

just a warning. Danger lies ahead, and there's no telling how much carnage will be left

behind.

Recent history has shown the dysfunctional union is way over its head when it comes to making

decisions that require common sense. They don't call a repairman when their refrigerator

breaks down. Their nature is blowing up the house, cleaning up the debris and hoping the one

they buy with the new home works better.

It's with that in mind that Kelly, an intelligent man who appeared to be making as much

progress as possible given his time in office, was abruptly jettisoned Monday morning during

union meetings in Chicago. It was surprising, certainly, but to say it was a total shock

coming from the NHLPA would be ignoring years of incompetence.

After all, it was this union that failed to comprehend what any pea-brain with two eyes could

see in 2004-05, that they had little leverage against the owners. They wanted a bump in pay

without a salary cap and wound up limping back a year later millions of dollars lighter with a

24 percent pay cut and salaries tethered to revenues. Heck, with unions like theirs, who needs

sleazy owners?

What led to Kelly's downfall isn't quite clear. There's been talk of inner-office turmoil

because he was so demanding. Players have grumbled about him being buddy-buddy with NHL

Commissioner Gary Bettman and not fighting hard enough for them. The union offered no

explanation, but it sure looks like it's preparing for another long labor dispute.

"You're going to hear more down the road," free agent Andrew Peters, who remains the Sabres

player representative, said Tuesday. "People are going to respect players for their decisions

and their strength. We have guys in that room and on that board that are very smart guys, very

intelligent. Give it time."

Peters is a good guy, but people should remain skeptical until proven otherwise about a union

that hasn't done much right in recent years. At the very least, the NHLPA is admitting it made

a mistake when it hired Kelly less than two years ago. This crew is so twisted that they're

capable of being wrong about being wrong.

Kelly was hired because he brought a new set of eyes and fresh ideas. He was everything his

predecessors were not. And while many players were uncomfortable with him extending a friendly

hand to Bettman to keep peace, it's quite possible Kelly was trying to work over Bettman

rather than work with him.

Regardless, his approach was a departure from caveman tactics that had failed in the past.

Former union chief Bob Goodenow's hard-line stance killed the 2004-05 season and led to his

firing. He was replaced by Ted Saskin, who was exposed for monitoring his constituents'

private e-mail. Kelly was trying to mend a membership torn apart.

All the while, it appears people he trusted were working against him. Many believe he was the

victim of a coup with Eric Lindros behind the effort.

Lindros was an ombudsman before he resigned a few months ago. He was replaced by Buzz

Hargrove, best known for playing hardball while representing Canadian auto workers. Lawyer Ian

Penny, who worked under Goodenow and was looking to become chief after Saskin, also was

involved. He was given a three-year contract extension in June.

Just so we're straight, players are entrusting people who had their own agendas and were in

cahoots to dump a guy they should have been following. Sorry, it just doesn't sound right.

With these guys, it rarely does.