Toronto Star Article on Bettman

hockeydadx2*

Guest
The article has a highly pro-Canadian, anti-Bettman bias, does it not?

This line is an absolute lie:

Fact is, the guvs already know Balsillie very well. They unanimously approved his purchase of the Pens before Bettman and lieutenant Bill Daly drove him away.



There was never any agreement from the BOG, and if they had voted, it would not have been anywhere near unanimous. The article is just another Candian hatchet job on Bettman.

Not that he doesn't deserve it, but the bias is way too visible.
 

vivianmb

Registered User
Jan 10, 2007
2,891
2
winnipeg
www.whocares.ca
it does capture how most of the POPLE i now up here think though. right or wrong. they feel that the nhl wants nothing to do with more canadian teams.
i still think the nhl is in total " deny everything mode" until the whole thing is a done deal. thats how these guys operate. everything is rosy.
then AFTER the sale is announced( IF THERE EVER IS A SALE) they'll say how hard they worked on keeping the team in nash.
if i was in nash. i wouldnt drop another dime on that team. they are as good as gone. this is the way it went down in hartford.
from.... the teams staying
to... well we tried to keep them here, but it just wasnt feasible.
 

Injektilo

Registered User
Feb 3, 2005
2,516
0
Taiwan
They're essentially politicians or PR people, there's no reason you should take anything they say seriously or at face value. Actions speak louder than words.
 

Semantics

PUBLIC ENEMY #1
Jan 3, 2007
12,150
1,449
San Francisco
Damien Cox lives in Hamilton, so needless to say he's quite biased in favor of the idea of Hamilton getting a team. That said, he has a bit of a point. Bettman's statement "I'm not exactly sure why people are focused on the Nashville Predators being anywhere other than Nashville at this point in time" is simply ridiculous. That comment should be offensive to Nashville and Hamilton fans alike. If he doesn't want to address the situation, he should just say "no comment", not insult the intelligence of everybody interested by pretending the issue doesn't exist.

I generally think Bettman has done a good job as commissioner and find most of the arguments used to support the negative public perception silly. But whenever the guy opens his mouth to make a public statement he says stuff like this; he comes across as completely disingenuous and a liar. I can see where the hatred stems from.
 

TorFC-TML*

Guest
They're essentially politicians or PR people, there's no reason you should take anything they say seriously or at face value. Actions speak louder than words.

Ya. I dont know why anybody is surprised by anything anybody involved in this says. Theyre all just business people and as smart business people do, they keep their cards very close to their chest.
 

Artyukhin*

Guest
if losing 13 -14 million a season AFTER even receiving revenue sharing payments from the NHL is good business,then the NHL can work anywhere .
 

Jonjmc

Registered User
Feb 7, 2006
1,498
1
Damien Cox lives in Hamilton, so needless to say he's quite biased in favor of the idea of Hamilton getting a team. That said, he has a bit of a point. Bettman's statement "I'm not exactly sure why people are focused on the Nashville Predators being anywhere other than Nashville at this point in time" is simply ridiculous. That comment should be offensive to Nashville and Hamilton fans alike. If he doesn't want to address the situation, he should just say "no comment", not insult the intelligence of everybody interested by pretending the issue doesn't exist.

I generally think Bettman has done a good job as commissioner and find most of the arguments used to support the negative public perception silly. But whenever the guy opens his mouth to make a public statement he says stuff like this; he comes across as completely disingenuous and a liar. I can see where the hatred stems from.


I dont think its ridiculous, I think its a very calculated statement aimed at Balsillie. Maybe this is saying the situation doesnt exist.

The handwriting is on the walls, not inviting Balsillie to at least answer questions along with not voting on the transfer of the Preds sends a pretty strong message.
 

Northern Dancer

The future ain't what it used to be.
Mar 2, 2002
15,199
13
5 K from the ACC
For those that do not know Damien Cox is a complete tool and is always writing negative stuff about hockey. If it were not for Bettman, we may have lost some Canadian franchises when the Canadian dollar was down to .65 cents.
 

Semantics

PUBLIC ENEMY #1
Jan 3, 2007
12,150
1,449
San Francisco
I dont think its ridiculous, I think its a very calculated statement aimed at Balsillie.

This was a quote on the record to a newspaper columnist; the statement was aimed at the fans. If Bettman wanted to make a "calculated statement aimed at Balsillie" then what he actually made was a miscalculated statement using the wrong medium.

Maybe this is saying the situation doesnt exist.

That's laughable. The current owner has invoked the escape clause in the lease, and the prospective owner has asked the board to vote on relocation to Hamilton. The NHL will have to address this sooner or later, by way of a board of governors vote, indeed they were *supposed* to address it yesterday but for the "incomplete paperwork" excuse. Unless Bettman's strategy is *actually* to ignore the issue and hope Balsillie goes away (insert loud guffaws), he's being disingenuous and a liar.
 

Semantics

PUBLIC ENEMY #1
Jan 3, 2007
12,150
1,449
San Francisco
For those that do not know Damien Cox is a complete tool and is always writing negative stuff about hockey. If it were not for Bettman, we may have lost some Canadian franchises when the Canadian dollar was down to .65 cents.

I've always wondered why my fellow Leafs fans hate criticism from the press so much, particularly Cox and the like. Sure he's always negative and frequently off the mark, but the funny thing is that if every article he wrote were positive everybody would love him no matter how often he was wrong.

Given that the Leafs organization has failed for the last 40 years I wouldn't mind if there wasn't a single positive word written about them, frankly.
 

Jonjmc

Registered User
Feb 7, 2006
1,498
1
This was a quote on the record to a newspaper columnist; the statement was aimed at the fans. If Bettman wanted to make a "calculated statement aimed at Balsillie" then what he actually made was a miscalculated statement using the wrong medium.



That's laughable. The current owner has invoked the escape clause in the lease, and the prospective owner has asked the board to vote on relocation to Hamilton. The NHL will have to address this sooner or later, by way of a board of governors vote, indeed they were *supposed* to address it yesterday but for the "incomplete paperwork" excuse. Unless Bettman's strategy is *actually* to ignore the issue and hope Balsillie goes away (insert loud guffaws), he's being disingenuous and a liar.


Actually, its a "cure" clause, and as it was explained to me this most likely would have been invoked with or without Balsillie involved, it speaks more to losing money and having the city make up lost revenue than it does to relocation.... although that is the obvious hammer in this situation.

And we will soon see what the stategy was. Balsillies LOI expires at the end of the month, if there is no extension granted then yes, ignoring him would make him go away.

I have contended from the start of this that Balsillies actions were a blueprint of how not be approved as an owner, time will tell if this assessment was correct.
 

Northern Dancer

The future ain't what it used to be.
Mar 2, 2002
15,199
13
5 K from the ACC
I've always wondered why my fellow Leafs fans hate criticism from the press so much, particularly Cox and the like. Sure he's always negative and frequently off the mark, but the funny thing is that if every article he wrote were positive everybody would love him no matter how often he was wrong.

Given that the Leafs organization has failed for the last 40 years I wouldn't mind if there wasn't a single positive word written about them, frankly.

Oh I think you are confused. There is a difference between criticism and poor journalism, which Cox, Simmons etc. are famous for. This article is representative of the skills, the integrity and the research lacking in most of Cox's writtings.
But what the hey, it is summer, the Hamilton fiasco is the flavour of the month. I was therefore not surprised to see Cox and his buddy Simmons both put out negative articles on the situation and BOTH based on absolutely NO sense of reality.
The one good thing about Damien Cox and Steve Simmons is they both made Al Strachan look good for a number of years with their poor work !!!
 

william_adams

Registered User
Aug 3, 2005
1,942
0
Kyushu
Oh I think you are confused. There is a difference between criticism and poor journalism, which Cox, Simmons etc. are famous for. This article is representative of the skills, the integrity and the research lacking in most of Cox's writtings.
But what the hey, it is summer, the Hamilton fiasco is the flavour of the month. I was therefore not surprised to see Cox and his buddy Simmons both put out negative articles on the situation and BOTH based on absolutely NO sense of reality.
The one good thing about Damien Cox and Steve Simmons is they both made Al Strachan look good for a number of years with their poor work !!!

Well put. It's really the fact checking research that Cox lacks that pisses me off -- he writes stuff that a 6th grade English teacher would cross out for being unsubstantiated... Steve Simmons is a bit of a different case for me, he lets himself be used by sources who want to get their spin in the press... I'm not sure Strachan has EVER looked good, but you're right, compared to these two knuckleheads he's at least merely incompetent...
 

GSC2k2*

Guest
This was a quote on the record to a newspaper columnist; the statement was aimed at the fans. If Bettman wanted to make a "calculated statement aimed at Balsillie" then what he actually made was a miscalculated statement using the wrong medium.

Nik, surely you do not think that businessmen do not use the media to deliver business messages. The media is used in this manner all the time. And I mean ALL THE TIME. "Aimed at the fans"? I do not think so.
 

GSC2k2*

Guest
Well put. It's really the fact checking research that Cox lacks that pisses me off -- he writes stuff that a 6th grade English teacher would cross out for being unsubstantiated... Steve Simmons is a bit of a different case for me, he lets himself be used by sources who want to get their spin in the press... I'm not sure Strachan has EVER looked good, but you're right, compared to these two knuckleheads he's at least merely incompetent...

Quoted for absolute truth. Well stated, WA.
 

Semantics

PUBLIC ENEMY #1
Jan 3, 2007
12,150
1,449
San Francisco
Actually, its a "cure" clause, and as it was explained to me this most likely would have been invoked with or without Balsillie involved, it speaks more to losing money and having the city make up lost revenue than it does to relocation.... although that is the obvious hammer in this situation.

So, you admit relocation is "the obvious hammer" in this situation, and yet Bettman can't imagine why people would talk about it. I'm glad you're helping to support my point.

And we will soon see what the stategy was. Balsillies LOI expires at the end of the month, if there is no extension granted then yes, ignoring him would make him go away.

Not if he remains the person Leipold wants to sell the franchise to.
 

Semantics

PUBLIC ENEMY #1
Jan 3, 2007
12,150
1,449
San Francisco
I have contended from the start of this that Balsillies actions were a blueprint of how not be approved as an owner, time will tell if this assessment was correct.

Hamilton has already tried the opposite approach of being passive, meeting all the NHL's requirements, letting the league call the shots, and submitting a superior bid for a franchise. That approach was an utter failure. Balsillie's approach can't be any worse.
 

jkrdevil

UnRegistered User
Apr 24, 2006
42,636
12,485
Miami
Nik, surely you do not think that businessmen do not use the media to deliver business messages. The media is used in this manner all the time. And I mean ALL THE TIME. "Aimed at the fans"? I do not think so.

First thing they teach you in a media lit class. All media messages have an economic purpose behind it.
 

Semantics

PUBLIC ENEMY #1
Jan 3, 2007
12,150
1,449
San Francisco
Oh I think you are confused. There is a difference between criticism and poor journalism, which Cox, Simmons etc. are famous for. This article is representative of the skills, the integrity and the research lacking in most of Cox's writtings.

Quite the opposite. In your first post, you stated that Cox was always putting out negative articles as your main grievance with him. If you had simply said he's not a very good journalist, I would have agreed.

Very few full-time sports writers are actually good journalists though. Cox is pretty much par for the course. I actually find his arguments more compelling and better presented than Strachan's, though his sources aren't nearly as good.
 

Semantics

PUBLIC ENEMY #1
Jan 3, 2007
12,150
1,449
San Francisco
Nik, surely you do not think that businessmen do not use the media to deliver business messages. The media is used in this manner all the time. And I mean ALL THE TIME. "Aimed at the fans"? I do not think so.

Indeed, Bettman makes similar disingenuous comments nearly every time he comments in public, whether it's in an interview with a journalist, or on HNIC, about all sorts of topics. This is but one example. Would you go so far as to suggest that all the other lies are also brilliantly calculate statements designed to deliver a message to one business party or another?

Don't be silly. Occam's Razor applies here. He was asked a question by Cox and simply answered it, with an overly defensive answer. This guy talks to media people constantly, he's not trying to plant a hidden message or execute some conspiracy every time. He was asked about a problem, didn't want to admit there was a problem, and lied. That's exactly what good leaders do -- tell people what they want to hear. Unfortunately Bettman is terrible at the delivery, and always has been. Rather than gracefully deflect or soften the question, he gets defensive and greatly exaggerates the message he's trying to state. That's why he's leading for a relatively small organization, and not CEO of a major company or a major political leader. This is simply his usual persona, which you can see exposed to a disturbing level every time Ron MacLean grills him on HNIC.

Frankly, if his response to Cox was a veiled message to Balsillie he did a terrible job of it. If it was a veiled message to anybody I'd say it would have been to Cox himself, telling him to stop writing so many articles about the subject. And in either case, why would he choose to word a veiled message in a way that makes him appear weak and defensive and dishonest to the public? Bettman almost always comes across as being hyper-defensive (heck, he even came across that way in his speech while awarding the Stanley Cup, for crying out loud!) which isn't an image you want to project if you're in a leadership position.
 

Sotnos

Registered User
Jul 8, 2002
10,885
1
Not here
www.boltprospects.com
Hamilton has already tried the opposite approach of being passive, meeting all the NHL's requirements, letting the league call the shots, and submitting a superior bid for a franchise. That approach was an utter failure. Balsillie's approach can't be any worse.
All they had to do in 1990 (89?) was say "yeah, we'll pay your $50 million!" and they might've gotten a franchise. The money was the only consideration, and the BoG was offended by anyone who tried to get out of paying the expansion fee up front.

On topic, that was a really amusing/obnoxious article. Maybe he wants to work for Balsillie, because he sure was sucking up. He also didn't make it too clear that Bettman wasn't in charge when the "courting" of Anaheim & South Florida was going on.
 

Big#D

__________________
Oct 11, 2005
2,779
0
The one good thing about Damien Cox and Steve Simmons is they both made Al Strachan look good for a number of years with their poor work !!!

Silly me. I thought it was Strachan and Simmons that made Cox seem not so bad all these years.

The point is taken though all three are hacks that write almost purely with opinion and very little to back it up. I take whatever they write with a very large grain of salt.

That being said, I did agree with Cox's perspective on Bettman in this article. Bettman was being an idiot by pretending the situation doesn't exist. He would have been better of saying something along the lines of "The issue of the potential Nashville Predators sale and/or relocation will not be discussed in any great length at this meeting. The NHL will not be commenting on this potential transaction or any hypothetical situations relating to any of our franchises. The league's position is now and has always been that we support the City of Nashville as the location of the Predators franchise and we will do everything we can to ensure that the organization is a success there."
 

GSC2k2*

Guest
Silly me. I thought it was Strachan and Simmons that made Cox seem not so bad all these years.

The point is taken though all three are hacks that write almost purely with opinion and very little to back it up. I take whatever they write with a very large grain of salt.

That being said, I did agree with Cox's perspective on Bettman in this article. Bettman was being an idiot by pretending the situation doesn't exist. He would have been better of saying something along the lines of "The issue of the potential Nashville Predators sale and/or relocation will not be discussed in any great length at this meeting. The NHL will not be commenting on this potential transaction or any hypothetical situations relating to any of our franchises. The league's position is now and has always been that we support the City of Nashville as the location of the Predators franchise and we will do everything we can to ensure that the organization is a success there."
It is a bit of a chicken and egg scenario when discussing the relative lack of merit of Cox/Simmons/Strachan. I too would put Cox on top by default, however. As for opinion, they are columnists who are paid to write their opinion; for me it is just that professional writers try to form opinions which are substantiated, rather than pull opinions out of their ass. These guys do only the latter.

Regarding your suggested answer for Bettman, I put it to you that it is a bit of a mug's game to suggest an answer for him when you are not even aware of the question to which he was replying. Keep in mind he was not issuing a statement (which is what your suggestion was). He was answering a reporter's question. The response is dictated by the question, unless one wants to answer a question with a non-answer (which the haters here would lambast him for as well). As to your specific statement, he has said all of those things before.
 

Ad

Upcoming events

Ad

Ad

-->