Worst Commissioner In Sports History

[ohiohabsfan]

...easily is Gary Bettman.

The NHLPA deserves their share of the blame, but it's impossible to overstate how inept Bettman is.

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[McDonald19]

...easily is Gary Bettman.

The NHLPA deserves their share of the blame, but it's impossible to overstate how inept Bettman is.

As much as I dislike Bettman, I'm more angry at the players and surprised at how stupid they are.

 

[AM]

wrong

Id say hes the best, and anyone who liked the Expos thinks the same thing.

 

[bert]

The NHLPA came back with the last proposal yet he figured they would come back with another one? What an idiot if he was willing to do a 45 million dollar cap, why the hell didnt he come back with a proposal it was his turn!!!!!!!!!

 

[chiavsfan]

Inept? If he was so inept, he would have been easily fooled by the crap the PA put out there for a proposal. If he was so inept, the owners wouldn't give him all the rights he has right now. And if he was so inept, he would have given in, and the NHL would be a 10 team league in 3 or 4 years.

The players are inept. Half of them barely finished high school...less than half go to college. They wouldn't know a good deal unless if crosscheked them from behind.

 

[X0ssbar]

No point placing blame at this point - season is toast. Everyone loses this battle- especially the game of hockey.

 

[DARKSIDE]

Game needs fixing...

I back Bettman, especially, when a Bobby Holik is making $9 mil per. Ok, you want to say that no one put a gun to the owners head to pay these salaries, fine, so the league needs to protect the owners from themselves, but the players weren't complaining either. This game makes no T.V. money, fan interest is at a low and maybe a one year lock-out will make players realize what they have. Hopefully, players will break with the Union and the new rules will help make this a much better game for all of us!

 

[Pepper]

Inept?? Bettman is quickly building himself a name in the history of the sport. He will crush the union and make the playing field as level as possible. He shouldn't be allowed to touch the actual rules of the sport but economically he's building a great long-term future for hockey.

 

[AlexGodynyuk]

Inept? If he was so inept, he would have been easily fooled by the crap the PA put out there for a proposal. If he was so inept, the owners wouldn't give him all the rights he has right now. And if he was so inept, he would have given in, and the NHL would be a 10 team league in 3 or 4 years.

The players are inept. Half of them barely finished high school...less than half go to college. They wouldn't know a good deal unless if crosscheked them from behind.

The NHL will be a 10 team league in 3 or 4 years. After all the crap that's gone on, there's no way fans (especially those in marginal hockey places) are coming back.

 

[Poignant Discussion*]

Inept?? Bettman is quickly building himself a name in the history of the sport. He will crush the union and make the playing field as level as possible. He shouldn't be allowed to touch the actual rules of the sport but economically he's building a great long-term future for hockey.

@ long term future for hockey

Pass me whatever you are smoking

 

[Dr Love]

Fay Vincent was probably worse.

 

[AlexGodynyuk]

Inept?? Bettman is quickly building himself a name in the history of the sport. He will crush the union and make the playing field as level as possible. He shouldn't be allowed to touch the actual rules of the sport but economically he's building a great long-term future for hockey.

You are dreaming. The long term impact of a cancelled season will devestate a league that was already fighting for any kind of recognition in the USA.
A lot of franchises will fold, the revenues will dry up, and the NHL will no longer be THE place for marquis talent. I'm not saying the new NHL won't attract marquis talent, but with lower revenues they will be fighting with euro leagues for the cream of the crop and the longer this thing drags on into next year, the weaker and weaker it will get.

 

[Optimist*]

Thumbs up for Bettman. The season is trivial compard to the health of the NHL.

 

[Riddarn]

You are dreaming. The long term impact of a cancelled season will devestate a league that was already fighting for any kind of recognition in the USA.
A lot of franchises will fold, the revenues will dry up, and the NHL will no longer be THE place for marquis talent. I'm not saying the new NHL won't attract marquis talent, but with lower revenues they will be fighting with euro leagues for the cream of the crop and the longer this thing drags on into next year, the weaker and weaker it will get.

I always get a chuckle when you north americans write this like you actually believe it. With some extreme exceptions in Russia, often backed up by local authorities and both oil and mafia money, there are no european teams that could even afford to pay a third of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Not now, not anytime in the near future. There are firstly no big TV-deals to be made in europe, second the arenas are on average not even half as big as those in the NHL and third the fans will never, ever, pay anything close to NHL ticket prices.

 

[kerrly]

I'm not happy that the deal didn't get done, and last night was not too happy with Bettman. But since then I've carefully studied the NHLPA's proposal and I now see it for exactly what it is. Its not just the numbers that are keeping them apart, its the loopholes that Goodenow tried to sneak into the proposal.

As of right now, I still fully support Bettman and the owners decision, and this needs to be done. Bettman's legacy will be judged 10 years from now, and with foresight, the game will be better off under a new system and the oppurtunity to take the NHL to a new level will be there.

 

[Rhett4]

Both sides are a bunch of weasels and henchman. How Gary Bettman managed to get almost everyone to say how wonderful he is, despite most people hating him for years and years prior, is beyond me. His PR department does a wonderful job. Goodenow, on the other hand, has one terrible PR department and a bunch of idiot players making them look like the devil. But the fact of the matter is, both sides have ruined the game for the fans.

We shouldn't support either, otherwise, they will never have pressure to get anything done. I'm sick of both of them, and Bettman and Goody need to take a walk down a short plank. Let's bring in some fresh blood and do this right. I'm sick of the "he said, she said" BS that pervaded these talks, the silly ultimatums, and the childish letters.

 

[chiavsfan]

As for everyone turning coat on Bettman for cancelling the season...it takes two to tango, and Goodenow did just as little to get to this situation. What could possibly have happened anyway...if a deal was reached, the season would have been a farce anyway.

 

[Doc Hollywood]

Why is everybody on Bettman? He negotiates on behalf of the Owners. He is doing what the owner's tell him to do.

 

[Rhett4]

Why is everybody on Bettman? He negotiates on behalf of the Owners. He is doing what the owner's tell him to do.

Why does everyone suddenly love Bettman...after maligning him for years for ruining the game, putting in the instigator, and otherwise being a horrible NHL commish that did nothing to bring in fans? I support the owners to a degree. The league needs to be fixed, and the NHLPA is full of cronies, but the NHL hasn't exactly been dealing in good faith either. This whole process has painted both sides as a bunch of slime balls. It saddens me that us, the fans, who get hurt by this can be so easily sucked in by either side. They're both as transparent as can be.

 

[Dr Love]

Why does everyone suddenly love Bettman

Love Bettman? No, I think most people simply dislike him less than Goodenow. Bettman is doing his job, and doing it well.

 

[SPARTAKUS*]

...easily is Gary Bettman.

The NHLPA deserves their share of the blame, but it's impossible to overstate how inept Bettman is.

Bettman is doing a great job for the firts time the owners are say NO to players enough is enough. There's only one person to blame for this Bob Goodenow. The NHLPA just blew it they had a chance to accept a 42.5 million dollars cap. But no, it's not enough for the greedy players. Now they will have linkage. Good I'm happy the league will come back stronger and better than ever before I'm behind the owners 200%.

 

[Doc Hollywood]

Why does everyone suddenly love Bettman

What the hell is that? I just said is why is everybody on him? He does what the owners tell him to do. Plain and simple that is what I said.

 

[Rhett4]

Love Bettman? No, I think most people simply dislike him less than Goodenow. Bettman is doing his job, and doing it well.

I've sensed quite a bit of Bettman love. He's driving a hard bargain, that's for sure. He will probably get his way eventually, too, which will be a success for the league in terms of a CBA...but will probably be a disaster in terms of generating revenue. I can't imagine the limited fan base coming back in droves. The league will lose some teams at the end of this, I would guess, and both sides are to blame. This isn't black and white, as the PR departments would lead you to believe.

 

[Rhett4]

What the hell is that? I just said is why is everybody on him? He does what the owners tell him to do. Plain and simple that is what I said.

Woah killer. Is your name everybody?

 

[no13matssundin]

Love Bettman? No, I think most people simply dislike him less than Goodenow. Bettman is doing his job, and doing it well.

Agreed.