egroen

I would prefer not to see them at games, just like I would prefer not to see clowns piling out of a tiny car at center ice... it all has its time and place, but I prefer my hockey games to have a bit of an 'old-time, traditional' feel instead of a circus, spring-break feel. Oh, and I can't believe GS&T is actually lecturing someone about being stubborn and arrogant

Ok. I don't know what to say anymore and am putting this away for the evening. It upset and angered me that Lidstrom and Datsyuk were being dragged through the mud (yes, I care about my local sports stars without personally knowing them, so sue me), especially after what overwhelmingly looks to be a last minute exception to the original rule is created, with what looks to be one certain player especially in mind. It upset me that Bettman and Crosby then proceeded to allow, and actually encourage the perception that Lidstrom and Datsyuk had it coming, while Crosby was a token of virtue. That upset me. To my chagrin, I have ended up defending why I was upset, repeatedly, on a Red Wings forum. Man, you guys win -- until I have an actual original recording of what took place in the GM's meeting back in February -- you've got me. You're right, a general manager of a multi-million dollar professional sports team, being paid millions of dollars himself and with ample competant staff is merely "lakadasical" for not mentioning to his two star players that they could avoid not only a suspension, but a public image black eye by merely attending the All Star Game.

Ok Harold, Holland is either: A) Incompetant, and did not pay attention to this "exception" to the rule that you believe existed since last February. And as quoted on the very first page of this thread, still failed to understand the entire context of the rule when he contacted Colin Campbell earlier in the week to let the NHL know Lidstrom's and Datsyuk's status. B) Malicious, and did not TELL Datsyuk and Lidstrom about the "exception" until Friday. Or the exception to the rule simply did not exist back in February, as all the evidence seems to overwhelmingly suggest (from not only Crosby, Lidstrom, Datsyuk and Holland, but Colin Campbell himself).

Harold, I'm not sure what you want... this was clear as day to me even before Lidstrom and Datsyuk themselves said they had not heard about the new "exception" until Friday. Colin Campbell himself states the rule (twice), as it was created by Bettman and presented to the GMs back in February (they have to PLAY in the ASG or miss one): http://watch.tsn.ca/#clip132854 Crosby, shooting himself in the foot, even admits he did not know about the exception until he talked personally with Bettman over the phone on friday, and promptly hopped on a plane: http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/hock...sby_in_montreal The policy was: You miss playing in the All Star Game due to an injury, you must miss a game immediately preceding or following the ASG to validate that injury. That's it.

The point, is that on Friday Bettman made an exception to the original rule, created back in February stating you had to PLAY in the ASG, for Crosby. Great for Crosby, a single 22 year-old living with Mario Lemeiux who could drop his video game and get on a plane, but not exactly great for Lidstrom and Datsyuk who have familes and injuries as well. The later character assassination enjoyed across the league stems from the perception that Lidstrom and Datsyuk knew "all along" that this exception was in place and "all they had to do" was "show up" to avoid the suspension. That is obviously not the case, as the exception did not even exist until the day they all of sudden were required to be there for. Even more upseting is Bettman and Crosby actually encouraged this perception.

Probert and Kocur, and quite a few others, were there to enforce for Yzerman. Who needed to be there to enforce for Wendel Clark and Messier... since that is who you were comparing Yzerman to? Maybe if Lidstrom or Datsyuk had the most feared enforcer in league history shadowing them around, they might play a little more "fearlessly" as well? Just maybe?

Broken 16, You are really starting to grasp at straws here. So now you are holding the Wings at fault for not calling Bettman and attempting to "haggle" on a black & white rule that had been in place since last February? Micah, I can think of exactly one occassion of Steve Yzerman actually getting into a fight, and it did not exactly end well for him. Yzerman also had Probert, Kocur and later McCarty out there to have his back. How many more fights do you think Yzerman has over Lidstrom (who has all of one)? Yes, I have seen Yzerman push and shove during a scrum, but I have also seen Datsyuk do the same. I think Yzerman was twice the leader of someone like Messier, but come on, Messier (or Wendel Clark) would tear him apart in two seconds in a fight. If your idea of leadership and toughness hinges on someone who will "stick up for teamates" you really need to drop Yzerman from your list of respected leaders. The Red Wings employed a steady line of enforcers to "stick up for Yzerman"... let's not kid ourselves here.

Just because you have been watching/playing hockey for a whole two years now does not give you the right to come in and poop on our anti-Bettman parade.

http://www.mlive.com/redwings/index.ssf/20...dstrom_pav.html Red Wings' Nicklas Lidstrom, Pavel Datsyuk upset about having to sit out a game by Ansar Khan Monday January 26, 2009, 3:54 PM Update from Monday's practice: Wings defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom and center Pavel Datsyuk both said they were disappointed in the NHL's decision to force them to sit out Tuesday's game in Columbus for withdrawing from the All-Star game due to injuries and not showing up in Montreal for the off-ice activities. The Wings said, contrary to reports, there is no appeal process. It's cut and dry. They will not play tonorrow. Technically, it's not a suspension, as they will be paid. It's simply the NHL enforcing an understanding it and the league's general managers agreed to last February. Lidstrom, who's been battling tentinitis in his right elbow for some time, said he didn't find out until Friday that he could have avoided the ban if he would have showed in Montreal for the off-ice part of it. But he said it didn't matter. He still wouldn't have showed up because he needed to stay home and get treatment for his elbow. Datsyuk said he wasn't aware this loophole either -- that's how Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby avoided a one-game ban. Datsyuk said he's not sure if his strained hip flexor would have allowed him to play Tuesday anyway.

Thank you so much for posting that.

The whole thing is a can of worms. In the CBA, players are required to play in the ASG to the best of their ability, but final discretion is with the club. So Bettman bypasses this last February with an amendment stating you must play, or you must miss a regular season game as well, to "prove" you are really injured. Now, with the "Crosby Amendment to the Amendment" somehow being able to be physically present at the ASG, whether playing or not, proves your injury is legitimate, and you do not have to miss a game. Add in how careful the NHL is to state this is NOT a suspension, in that they are still being paid, and it gets even more confusing. Imagine if Holland plays them on Tuesday - Check and mate, Bettman. Now Bettman will feel forced to suspend them "for real", without pay, and then the NHLPA will really be able to step in and make Bettman's life even more miserable than it must already be from having to drag a step ladder around with him every where he goes.

You use this one perceived (by you) slight from Pavel and Nick to question their toughness, call them "d-bags" and "ingrates", despite careers to the contrary, so in a similar light, it is not unfair to assume Crosby posters are hanging from your walls as we speak. I'm just so thankful you took the time to share this with all of us. Kudos for being willing to pull anything and everything currently available to you out of your own ass at a moment's notice to dig yourself out of your hole, but you are really not doing yourself any favors. If "friends" (in this case team) is second, *I* am third... where is Bettman? Is he "God"? Because Lidstrom and Datsyuk need to put Bettman ahead of their team and themselves?

Micah, You extoll Luongo as an example. Were you aware Luongo skipped the All Star Game last year so he could be with his pregnant wife?

As a fellow man, I too prefer to publicly proclaim my lust of hot chicks, in order to prove my heterosexuality.

I prefer my stars to think more about their health and the success of their team, than suckling at the teet of Bettman and his corporate sponsores, thank you. Might I suggest Pittsburgh? They are an up-and-coming team, with an illustrious past and current home of perhaps god's greatest gift to the world, Sidney Crosby. He obviously is not a ***** like Lidstrom and Datsyuk. Oh, and WOW! You speak at galas!!?? Holy crap, I am impressed and thankful you felt it necessary to share that. I'll be sure to respect you more in the future!

Go cheer for another team, seriously. If Lidstrom and Datsyuk are not "tough" enough for you, and are literally "d-bags" in your estimation, there is not much this team has going for you. It is a free country and you are free to cheer on anyone you wish. I personally think you have s***-for-a-brain.

If the Wings lose, it will be teams like Edmonton that will raise the most hell about it. Imagine if Columbus sneaks into the playoffs by 1 or 2 points? This would be a pretty open and shut case if Bettman had stuck to the original policy and suspended all three of Datsyuk, Lidstrom and Crosby. Yes, it would remain a stupid rule obviously in need of a second look, but still pretty black and white. The fact he offered a last-minute exception, that in reality favored only one of those individuas (Crosby) really opens a can of worms. How does being "present" at the game somehow validate an injury, while not being present makes an injury suspect and worthy of a suspension? It also resulted in a very petty and eager character-assasination of Lidstrom and Datsyuk all over the media, while extolling the virtues of Crosby. If Crosby deserved a "break", why not Lidstrom and Datsyuk, who have nothing on their records but an incredible service to the NHL in upholding all its virtues, and like Crosby, are genuinely injured. Is Bettman at all capable of foresight? Is he really that petty he felt he needed to send a message to the NHLPA? Even at the cost of alienating fans further, not to mention pissing off an incredibly successful franchise he has thanklessly exploited for years? Is this going to make players really excited to participate in future All Star events? It just seems like it was literally handled the absolute worst possible way imaginable.

Bowman as assistant. I bet he would love that

Holland is challenging it and the NHLPA is filing a grievance over it. http://blog.mlive.com/snapshots/2009/01/ho...th_li.html#more Cue the "level-headed" LGWers who should now feel it necessary to chastise Holland as well.

I didn't question the stats, I questioned how much of it had to do with Bettman, especially when he was not even the NBA commissioner. How often do businesses lose an entire year due to a labor dispute?

Kevin Lowe has already responded and is furious. Edmonton is one of the "on-the-cusp" playoff teams, like Columbus.

False. This "rule" is not in the CBA or players' contracts. It is a policy Bettman dreamed up and presented to the GMs in February of last year, after 7 All Stars gave various excuses for not playing. Including Brodeur and Luongo for "family reasons". In the clip I posted earlier, Colin Campbell states twice the rule, as presented last February, was that a player had to PLAY in the all star game, or miss a game in order to validate the injury.

It's the arbitrary handling of it that pisses me off. If you can excuse Crosby, certainly you can excuse the three-time reigning Lady Byng winner, and a captain that is universaly heralded as one of the classiest ambassadors of the sport... both of whom are injured, and have actualy played in more All Star games than Crosby. Either suspend all three, or excuse all three... as they have a history of suporting the NHL in every capacity, no history of suspensions or "disrespect" to the league, and can show that they are genuinely injured. Crosby then publicly stating his injuries are "real" while others are merely "resting" does not particularly endear himself to me. You were just handed a 'get out of jail card free' Crosby, don't stand up there and turn your nose up at those who did not. *******.

Don't think Lidstrom's and Datsyuk's images are being tarnished as a result of the way Bettman handled this? Articles like this are all over the place: http://www.calgaryherald.com/sports/star+a...5408/story.html All-star absentees 'spoiled brats' by Theo Fleury

The Young Stars game "doesn't mean anything", well of course neither does the All Star Game, but the Young Stars Game means even less than nothing, obviously.