Gary Bettman doesn't intend to step down

[T-Ruff 47]

Ultimately, Bettman answers to the owners. During the last CBA they proposed a cap to curb the growth of player salaries, which the players naturally shot down. In the end it was the owners who gave in and accepted the old system because they were afraid of losing an entire season (and no one could have foreseen just how badly the system would eventually turn out). However, they had learned from their mistakes and subsequently fixed them in the most recent CBA with the unfortunate cost of losing an entire season. I don't think Bettman could have saved said season no matter what kind of tone he took. What reason did Goodenow have to think that the owners wouldn't fold like they did in 94/95?

Yes, I remember how horrible it was to not have hockey in December. I remember being unrealistically optimistic about the season being saved and keeping up to date on the latest news. I remeber the season being cancelled and how horrible it was to not have playoffs in the spring (I recall watching freakin NBA playoffs ). But, without a shadow of a doubt, it was worth it. We can thank the majority of the players, the owners, and Bettman for that.

The only reason NHL is on Versus is because ESPN gave the NHL an "insulting" offer because they were coming out of the lockout. In hindsight they maybe should have taken ESPN's bid just on the basis of greater exposure, but ESPN had no respect for the NHL, and (while I can't find an old thread on the announcement) I'm sure people were optimistic about a network that was going to treat the NHL better.

The bottom line is: Bettman takes of lot of crap and - in my opinion - undeservedly so.....

P.S. He knows the people want a new schedule. No doubt that last owner will come around for a revision, there is just too much negative attitude towards it to be ignored for much longer.

[Earthhuman 8]

You're hilarious!

My goal is to win "Stalker of the Year." So far so good?

It's puckloos, barring some horrble injury... I hope you don't know where she lives!

I'm kidding, of course you get my vote :!:

[haroldsnepsts 4,826]

P.S. He knows the people want a new schedule. No doubt that last owner will come around for a revision, there is just too much negative attitude towards it to be ignored for much longer.

And yet Bettman comes out and says stupid sh*t in the press how no one has an idea for a schedule they like better, when every one who loves hockey everywhere is pretty much in agreement that even going back to the old schedule would be an improvement.

He's either in denial, or doesn't give hockey fans of a lot of credit as being intelligent enough to know he's lying.

It's the same garbage he said with all the clutching and grabbing pre-lockout. Complaints started growing from the players, from fans, from sporstwriters, but Bettman would stand there and basically say "everyone loves the game. we don't need to change anything." then suddenly with the lockout, Shanny and some other people get the leverage to make positive changes to reduce the ugly state of the game in the NHL.

And Bettman does take a lot of grief, but he is commisioner of the NHL. He more than anyone is responsible for the current state of the league.

[puckloo39 5,686]

It's puckloos, barring some horrble injury... I hope you don't know where she lives!

I'm kidding, of course you get my vote :!:

Hey. Just let me get my astronaut diapers on, and I will be right over.

Bettman's major failing is that he makes weak decisions and then doesn't have the brass to step up and change them when he's wrong. To make an analogy, a certain world-leader is forever saying that he's made executive decisions about Iraq, and he plans to stand by them, despite the obviously incorrect nature of most of the plan. Some call that posture resolute. I call it stubborn and stupid.

Bettman is the latter.

Now certainly the state of the NHL has little to do with the seriousness of the Iraqi predicament, but you know what I mean...

** sorry for the political reference.