Why do the players despise Gary Bettman?

[tom_servo]

Both sides in this CBA steel cage pride match have a common enemy. The players despise Gary Bettman, which I actually find strange. Bettman's accomplishments as NHL commissioner — expansion, lucrative business partnerships, TV deals and renewing the CBA — have made players wildly wealthy. Bettman has set up a lot of players for life, their children for life and, in Bobby Holik's case, his grandchildren for life. What's not to like?

Buccigross makes a good point, I think. But I guess it's a "what have you done for me lately" type of sentiment.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/columns/story?columnist=buccigross_john&id=2003102

Click to read more...

 

[wazee]

Buccigross makes a good point, I think. But I guess it's a "what have you done for me lately" type of sentiment.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/columns/story?columnist=buccigross_john&id=2003102

I have always thought the personal animosity for Bettman was a little odd. Disliking his policies is one thing but it is more personal to the Bettman opponents. I think it is because he is American and he didn't play hockey.

 

[habfan4]

Not surprising really, Goodenow, the PA leadership and some PA members have been demonizing Bettman as a negotiating tactic for some time now and its starting to cross the line from strategy to personal animosity.

 

[AlexGodynyuk]

Bettman might have made them wealthy and done good things. But he's also the one that steered the ship to where we are at right now. He's also the one that essentially cut off the cash flow with the lockout.
It's the same reason why so many on the NHL side despise Bob Goodenow.

 

[NJD Jester]

I have always thought the personal animosity for Bettman was a little odd. Disliking his policies is one thing but it is more personal to the Bettman opponents. I think it is because he is American and he didn't play hockey.

Amazing as it may be for some people on this board to believe, the players actually care about the NFL. And while their pockets have been filled in the last decade -- more so a case of arbitration and free-agency than anything Bettman's done -- they've seen the league mis-marketed and mismanaged by a basketball guy, who seems more concerned with the next labor deal than with TV ratings that rival the yule log.

 

[Weary]

I have always thought the personal animosity for Bettman was a little odd. Disliking his policies is one thing but it is more personal to the Bettman opponents. I think it is because he is American and he didn't play hockey.

Not just didn't play -- he hadn't even been to a game prior to Board of Governors offering him the job.

There is widespread animosity from fans towards Bettman, it's not a stretch to believe players share common reasons for disliking him. Also, Bettman was holding out for a salary cap, rumored to be about $15 million, during the last CBA negotiations. I don't think it's a stretch for the players to believe he's trying to shaft them again.

 

[oil slick]

Amazing as it may be for some people on this board to believe, the players actually care about the NFL. And while their pockets have been filled in the last decade -- more so a case of arbitration and free-agency than anything Bettman's done -- they've seen the league mis-marketed and mismanaged by a basketball guy, who seems more concerned with the next labor deal than with TV ratings that rival the yule log.

I think Bettman has been mediocre at best. Things are definately worse after his tenure (old CBA, expansion), and the only thing positive I think he's really done is the Olympics.

However, I do think he gets too much blame for mismanagement. I agree TV ratings are bad, but that is mainly because the on-ice product is bad. Some of the reason for this is expansion, but a much bigger reason is improvements in goalies and defensmen, and the clutch and grabbing style. I think he's genuinely tried to improve these things during his tenure. I guess you can blame him for not succeeding, but he has realized the game is getting boring, and is trying to do something about it.

 

[Hecht]

I always thought it was because he was never a "hockey guy" since he came over from the NBA..

 

[arnie]

Buccigross makes a good point, I think. But I guess it's a "what have you done for me lately" type of sentiment.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/columns/story?columnist=buccigross_john&id=2003102

The players don't hate Bettman personally. A lot of them are spolied brats who have always had their way. They would hate anyone who refused to give them what they want. Remember seeing some child screaming at his mothin in the mall because she wouldn't buy him a toy? That's a lot of players.

I also wonder how many really hate him. There are over 700 players in the NHPLA. How many have made any public statements to that effect? People are generalizing too much from the statements of a few loudmouths.

 

[Sammy*]

Because the players are like little children. If they cant get exactly what they want & feel they deserve, they get all angry & act immature & childish & lash out at whomever they perceive are doing this grave injustice.. Given their whole lives they have been coddled, hero-worshipped & received whatever they ask for by hangers on & wannabe's, its really not all thart surprising.

 

[Exisled]

The fact that Bettman is such a snide little bugger probably doesn't help his case.

After the NHLPA rejected the Leagues initial "6 Proposals", Bettman was asked if the League had any plans to put forth anything new. He made a comment that the Players needed some time for "quiet reflection", or some such.

Look through his correspondence with the NHLPA. His tone is belittling, his language condescending, and his attitude borderline insulting.

Remember his speech at the Cup presentation last season? With the triumphant Lightning Players standing there on the ice, still covered in sweat and flushed with Victory, he infers that they're accomplishment is small, and that without men like William Davidson, they would be nothing.

Then he goes so far as to mandate that NO Stanley Cup Parade will be held in Florida, and that only a select few of the Team, (7 Players, total, IIRC), will be allowed to attend a Ceremony to accept their Championship Rings - A Ceremony to be held in the BASEMENT of the St. Pete Times Forum.

Mighty big of him. And probably NOT something which endeared him to ANY Hockey Player, regardless of which Team they play for.

 

[Hunter74]

Because Hockey players in general need a bad guy to focus on. In the playoffs every team has that 1 thing, event or person the whole team gathers around wether good or bad. They need something to bring them together and unit them.. Thats the way I find hockey players mentalities tend to work. Something bad happens so they all band together and in unanimous voice chasties what had happened. Thus making them feel bigger and stronger than they really are. Example : Calgary Flames with the League against us or the us against the world mentality which helped motivate them past supior teams.

In this case Bettman is the Bad guy so all 750 members of the PA want to make him the focus point that unites them. Hopefully if they can all unite in there hatred for Bettman it will help keep them solidified and you wont get splinter group like the one they might of had.

 

[Mess]

Because the players are like little children. If they cant get exactly what they want & feel they deserve, they get all angry & act immature & childish & lash out at whomever they perceive are doing this grave injustice.. Given their whole lives they have been coddled, hero-worshipped & received whatever they ask for by hangers on & wannabe's, its really not all thart surprising.

Agents stand firm behind `brilliant' Bob's leadership

PLayers think Goodenow is the MAN !!!

In fact, Edmonton-based agent Ritch Winter was downright zealous in his support of Goodenow.


"It's clear that everybody in that room is on the same page as Bob Goodenow," Winter said, "because (NHL commissioner) Gary Bettman's proposal will kill the game of hockey and he doesn't understand.

And Bob's brilliant approach to negotiations — historically and at present — will save our game and I can only hope at some point the owners will wake up and pay attention and really understand what's at play here because it's clear there is no way we can follow the path that the NHL has laid out. If we do, we'll annihilate what's left of the product."

http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1109803812367&call_pageid=1044442959412&col=1044442957278&DPL=IvsNDS%2f7ChAX&tacodalogin=yes

 

[me2]

You have laugh at Winter. He's just so, like, super-pumped up by Goodenow's genius. All all this without having the slightest clue over Goodenow's plan B. His head will probably explode from admiration if Goodenow ever trusts him enough to actually tell him the plan.

 

[Mess]

You have laugh at Winter. He's just so, like, super-pumped up by Goodenow's genius. All all this without having the slightest clue over Goodenow's plan B. His head will probably explode from admiration if Goodenow ever trusts him enough to actually tell him the plan.

It was pretty funny for sure when it aired on TV ..

The NHLPA is in Reactive mode not proactive mode ..

The NHL was in charge of the Lockout and they control the direction of the Events ..

Goodenow is simply playing Defense and his Plan B will depend on what course of action the NHL takes ..

Each move they make will be countered by the NHLPA with the appropriate reaction ..

.....until either a FAIR deal is reached or the end of the NHL as we know it ...

What ever comes first ..

 

[shveik]

I do not think the players give credit to Bettman for the good money they got during his tenure. Nor should they. His job is to do exactly opposite, and it would be extremely naive to credit him with something, which, if true, would get him fired 10 times over.

I cannot comment on the corporate sponsorships, do not know much about that. As for TV deals, he got 1 good one and one horrid one, so it is a wash at best.

The one thing that I blame Bettman for, is the total deterioration of the game into clutch and grab fest.

 

[me2]

I do not think the players give credit to Bettman for the good money they got during his tenure. Nor should they. His job is to do exactly opposite, and it would be extremely naive to credit him with something, which, if true, would get him fired 10 times over.

So why would the owners and Bettman offer linkage? The more money the NHL brings in the more money the players get. Doesn't that run counter to your argument?

 

[Sammy*]

It was pretty funny for sure when it aired on TV ..

The NHLPA is in Reactive mode not proactive mode ..

The NHL was in charge of the Lockout and they control the direction of the Events ..

Goodenow is simply playing Defense and his Plan B will depend on what course of action the NHL takes ..

Each move they make will be countered by the NHLPA with the appropriate reaction ..

.....until either a FAIR deal is reached or the end of the NHL as we know it ...

What ever comes first ..

Fair? Thats a good one. The players have no desire for to do whats "fair", just whats best for them,as is their right . If they cared at all about fairness, they would have agreed to open up negotiations 2 1/2 years ago when the owners were bleeding hundreds of millions of $$.
The players would like another "fair" CBA, like the last one.

 

[Brewleaguer]

I have always thought the personal animosity for Bettman was a little odd. Disliking his policies is one thing but it is more personal to the Bettman opponents. I think it is because he is American and he didn't play hockey.

AND that he has a NBA background on his resume'. And expansion in to weak markets. And in changes to the game rules which has made it more difficult to play the game. And etc..... I don't really think it's becasue he is American though.

 

[CGG]

Because the players are like little children. If they cant get exactly what they want & feel they deserve, they get all angry & act immature & childish & lash out at whomever they perceive are doing this grave injustice.. Given their whole lives they have been coddled, hero-worshipped & received whatever they ask for by hangers on & wannabe's, its really not all thart surprising.

Then why exactly have they hated Bettman for the last 10 years when the players were getting everything the wanted?

 

[CGG]

Fair? Thats a good one. The players have no desire for to do whats "fair", just whats best for them,as is their right . If they cared at all about fairness, they would have agreed to open up negotiations 2 1/2 years ago when the owners were bleeding hundreds of millions of $$.
The players would like another "fair" CBA, like the last one.

Wrong again. If they wanted a CBA like the last one, why did they offer a rollback, a salary cap, and a bunch of other crap? Why is it "fair" for the players to terminate a perfectly legal CBA that the owners extended long before it expires?

 

[Sammy*]

Wrong again. If they wanted a CBA like the last one, why did they offer a rollback, a salary cap, and a bunch of other crap? Why is it "fair" for the players to terminate a perfectly legal CBA that the owners extended long before it expires?

Why? Cause they thought that that hollow offer would get a deal done, not because they thought it was "fair".
And I'm not saying the players were obliged to open it up, but with the benefit of hindsight, it sure in the heck was not a "fair" deal, otherwise the dispute would not be where it is today.
If the players were concerned about "fairness" 9which they of course are not obliged to), when the owners are bleeding tons of $$$ and ask the NHLPA if they can discuss a new deal, the "fair" thing to do as opposed tp **** & pillage for the next 3 years is to try & negotiate a "fair" deal.
By the way sonny, its your hero that is yammering about a "fair" deal. Make no mistake, he could care less about fairness, he wants to make the best possible deal for his constituents, & if that means the the owners get crushed in the process, c'est la vie. To believe otherwise is naive in the extreme..

 

[Sammy*]

Then why exactly have they hated Bettman for the last 10 years when the players were getting everything the wanted?

Wrong again. They havnt. This vitriol has only really come out in the last 18 months.
And btw, I'll refresh your memory . There was a labor dispute in 94

 

[BLONG7]

I do not think the players give credit to Bettman for the good money they got during his tenure. Nor should they. His job is to do exactly opposite, and it would be extremely naive to credit him with something, which, if true, would get him fired 10 times over.

I cannot comment on the corporate sponsorships, do not know much about that. As for TV deals, he got 1 good one and one horrid one, so it is a wash at best.

The one thing that I blame Bettman for, is the total deterioration of the game into clutch and grab fest.

The coaches and the players are every bit as much to blame as Gary for the clutch and grab...Where Gary has failed is to get the refs to call it, and continue to call it...until the guys with the really thick skulls eventually get it, then and only then will we see a skilled player get around a big D who can't keep up, and then maybe a scoring chance may occur...

 

[shveik]

So why would the owners and Bettman offer linkage? The more money the NHL brings in the more money the players get. Doesn't that run counter to your argument?

The more revenue the more players get naturally, the only way to *prevent* that from happening is by regulating the salaries, for example by a fixed, non-indexed cap. And the linkage is(was) pushed by the NHL for a different purpose, to bring the salaries *down*, and you know it.

The interests of players and owners conflict in dividing the pie, but they are both interested in growing that pie. I just wish that they both would remember that.