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What ever just get Gary Thorne.

It seems many of Bettman's defenders are younger, and I guess you can't help but give Bettman a 'passable' grade since the lockout, and if that is your scope, it does seem ridiculous for this guy to be so hated. But if you are a bit older, you remember that condescending prick as the one who lost 1 1/2 years of hockey and ESPN. It's really not all irrational reasons this guy is booed everywhere he goes.

It's amazing how lauded Bettman is now for helming increased revenue since the lockout, as if that was the year he took over. But Gary was there for the lockout too, and for over a decade leading up to it. In case I need to remind anyone, Bettman was the commissioner residing over the first major N. American professional league to lose an entire year because of a labor dispute. The Only. Ever. Oh, and he lost another 1/2 year on top of it earlier. Beautiful. I'll admit Gary may have learned a thing or two following the lockout, after 12 years of ineptitude, but that in no way pardons the 12 years of ineptitude. It was during Gary's reign the NHL went from a hot commodity in the early 90s to 12th on ESPN, behind poker, bowling, college sports, lawn darts and rock hucking. Not addressing the clutch and grabbing until 2005 was a costly, costly mistake. Bettman is also guilty of focusing on new customers before existing customers, which confounds me, as it just seems marketing 101 to always focus first and never alienate your existing customers. I guess you can love Bettman for moderate success over the past 5 years, but I have not forgotten the first dozen years and have long felt Bettman's level of 'success' is set awfully low.

This thread I think is eye candy for the girls wrapped in the disguise of personal fitness. lol

say why and you won't get so many negatives. unless that's what you like..

On the fence on that one. I've always liked the name Versus.

All of George Malik's blog entries from the prospect camp. 7/7 http://www.kuklaskor..._a_light_skate/ 7/8 http://www.kuklaskor...velopment_camp/ http://www.kuklaskor...velopment_camp/ 7/9 http://www.kuklaskor..._prospect_camp/ http://www.kuklaskor..._camp_msm_stuf/ 7/10 http://www.kuklaskor...f_ball_hockey_/ http://www.kuklaskor...ings_prospects/ 7/11 http://www.kuklaskor...id-day_news_da/ 7/12 http://www.kuklaskor...p_and_vokoun_s/ http://www.kuklaskor...he_most_import/ 7/13 http://www.kuklaskor...p_winding_down/ http://www.kuklaskor...p_blistering_p/ 7/14 http://www.kuklaskor..._prospect_camp/ http://www.kuklaskor..._prospect_camp/ 7/15 http://www.kuklaskor...urn_engagement/

I thought Nick was a Swede. What's he doing looking like a Spartan from 300?

Then you simply do not remember the early-90s.

"I much prefer Nokia"

He has not attempted to negotiate a contract of League games, covering a full season, by a national network via free TV (i.e. not having to pay a premium to view them). Until this coming season, he has seemed content to let coverage begin on New Year's Day. That's three months exposure lost.

:banana: :beerbuddy:

you must have seen aurie in lots of games to make that decision. i apologize.

Reasonable salary, really. He probably does just as much work as any athlete, constant meetings, planning, public affairs, travel, etc. I'm pretty sure Bettman probably lives his job and puts in as much time and a lot of travel as the athletes do. Whatever our feelings of Bettman, the fact is he has overseen the rebuilding of the sport into a much more marketable, and arguably more popular version nationally. At least he did something (as much as I hate to admit it) to earn the raise, unlike some of our other corporate CEOs who profit while their companies implode. And this will probably be the one and only time you see me defend Bettman.

LOL Osgood in the rafters? Some of your should play the "which one is not like the others game".

B+ for not offering osgood a contract he can bump it up to an A+ if he ditches draper, too.

thanks for the really awesome after-school-special advice, but that's my legitimate opinion. i don't want osgood or draper on the team anymore. i'm not the only one. have to give you +1 for the ridiculous suggestion that posting unpopular viewpoints on a messageboard = dying sad and alone. i like your style.

I have always found this argument awfully flawed. Bringing a known locker-room cancer onto the team is damned well not a low-risk venture. Part of the Wings` success over the years has lay in the fact that they do not bring in players who cause problems behind the scenes. Everyone on the team gets along, and everyone either works hard and behaves well or finds himself going the way of Leino, Williams and Avery. Do not underestimate locker room dynamics in their relation to how the team performs on the ice, nor in how they relate to players wanting to come to the Wings. Frankly I don't give a damn if he wanted to be on his old teams or not, and indeed he shouldn't have signed with them if he didn't like them. He consistently had a bad attitude and put forth substandard levels of effort while being paid a high-level professional athlete's salary. And his story about the problems he supposedly had in Philly that kept him from succeeding are meaningless in light of the fact that he's had the exact same problems with attitude and with his coaches on both of the other NHL teams he's played for. The fact that every single team passed on him when he was put on waivers rather than risking putting up with him for the last two or three months of the season demonstrates how troublesome a player he is to any team he's on. Honestly, how many talented players get completely passed over, especially when their contract is ending and they aren't being paid that much? What does that tell you about him? If any of you think that he's suddenly being honest, is willing to work hard, and isn't responsible for his laziness and piss-poor attitude last season, then I won't hesitate to call you gullible. The guy wants a job. He wants to get paid. He knows he has a bad reputation. Once he gets on a team, he's guaranteed a salary. I don't doubt that he'll say whatever he feels will help him get that.

Durant is a good signing if they get Tulloch... If they don't the team is no better than it was. Davis was a stupid signing, and if that money keeps them from getting better I am going to be mad. But I doubt he will be on the team. I am so pissed that they Missed out on J. Joseph. Houston paid him a ton, but I was thinking they would have gotten him and the best two LB in FA and might have actually won the division. Now if we get Tulloch we will have the best front seven and the worst back four in the league. At least that is better than the other way around. I think they are set in nearly every other position... which is a shame because there are some people I would love to see get brought in. Number one on that list of people we don't need but would love to have is Todd Heap. I guess the Lions just signed Eric Wright DB Hardly a victory... I guess he was brought up on rape allegations and charges for possession of the drug Ecstay. Hooray.

I vote for same old s***. Sounds like they are passing on the best MLB in the game because they don't want to give him more money instead to get an older less productive counter part.

Yeah, but he isn't as good as Tulloch, and he is four years older with about three good years left in him. I would much rather have the guy who is a perfect fit and has the second most tackles over the last two years in the league. ******* lions.

couldn't be any more wrong