[Ridemonkey]

http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/news;_ylt=AvMg9GM_KboxChURFLdur4N7vLYF?slug=dw-bettman012907&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

 

[brungeman]

I like this quote from the article

There has never been a commissioner of a major North American sports league this inept, yet the league's board of governors keeps employing him, keeps giving him another chance to sink this once-proud, once-vibrant league to new depths.

 

[Potroast88]

I will miss Hockey when its gone.

 

[Hawkeye]

http://www.hockeyfansunite.com/pages/posts/january-2nd--the-bettmanization-of-the-nhl24.php

Upon being given the commissioner’s job of the NHL without one iota of hockey knowledge, Gary Bettman was sent a congratulatory puck by former commissioner, John Zeigler. Mr. Bettman put the piece of rubber on his desk and summoned in an office worker, “Pretty neat paper weight,” stammered Commissioner Bettman to the befuddled office worker. “No Mr. Bettman, that’s a hockey puck,” stated the worker as the esteemed commissioner just nodded his head. This is a true story and is just one incident that sums up the ineptitude of Gary Bettman’s reign as commissioner.

 

[Lex]

I will miss Hockey when its gone.

I haven't missed it for a few years now. I used to watch any game I could and nothing beat a Red Wings vs. Avs game with a few beers at the bar. Now I can't even make it through a whole game. I just don't see the players' passion anymore. Despite growing up in the Boston area, I've never been a Bruins fan which is a good thing since they now play some of the most uninspired hockey of all time.

My wife is from Quebec City and there are people there that are still stoked about the Nordiques despite the fact that they haven't existed in almost 10 years. Talk about strange. You can go into any sports store and buy a jersey for a team that is long gone. Despite being one of the consumate "hockey cities" they no longer have a team in favor of some of the other expansion locations. Dumb.

 

[Silver]

Expansion wasn't Bettman's fault...you can lay the blame for that on the owners of the other teams who wanted to split up the revenue from expansion fees.

 

[Hawkeye]

He clearly said that he wanted expansion and hockey in Tampa, Nashville, Columbus, Carolina, and Miami are his fault.

I didn't have a problem with the glowing puck. It was stupid and it ended quick.

But now the talk about streamline uni's and the schedule are really bad ideas.

 

[Silver]

Yeah, but you have to remember who Bettman works for. He's not in charge of the league, the owners are. Bettman makes a nice scapegoat for them, but he must be making them happy, or he wouldn't be around anymore.

And yeah, the schedule sucks...I have no idea what's happening with Eastern Conference teams this year. Blech.