Reason # 851 Gary Bettman is an NHL dictator

[theman19 47]

http://www.tsn.ca/tsn_talent/columnists/darren_dreger/

Why does Gary Bettman hate the Red Wings?

Common Gary, when T.O and Detroit (two of your biggest draws at the gate league wide,..i'm talking more than just home games,...we play phx,...it's a red wing crowd) come up with an idea that's please to the fan, you say no.

This idea would help alot with the travel constrantes on the wings, despite playing two more games,..but bettman is hell bound on keeping the wings playing western conference teams as much as he can.

[WingMachine91 0]

can somebody please tell me what actually has to be done, or what series of events need to take place to finally get rid of this piece of s*** commish

[theman19 47]

well,...i'm assuming something like all 30 league owners will have to vote him out, and i'm also assuming it would have to be by a large margin. None of which will ever happen as the owners love Bettman.

[Guest DetroitIan]

Pretty sweet that out of all the teams out there, the Red Wings were the team smart enough to prepare a proposal to change things. Shortening the pre-season is nothing but a positive. So I just don't understand why Bettman is so against improvement.

[Guest Crymson]

Reason #851 that Gary Bettman is a piece of s***.

I don't know a single hockey fan who doesn't hate this guy's guts, and he's been terrible for the sport. WHY IS HE STILL AROUND??

(P.S.: I know it's because of s***head owners like Leipold.)

[Blood On The Ice 15]

Its time for a fire bettman campaign. Not just detroit, league wide. Think enough of us can start it at one particular game. Bring the signs "fire bettman". I know it did'nt work for Millie and the lions but that was just one team. If Redwing fans started it, maybe other team fans would folow suit.

[Guest LivingtheDream]

can somebody please tell me what actually has to be done, or what series of events need to take place to finally get rid of this piece of s*** commish

Dateline Detroit, Joe Louis Arena, June 2008: Just as Captian Nick Lidstrom was handed his fourth Stanley Cup a strange whooshing sound was heard, followed by silence then deafening cheering. It was inconceivable that this could get past Joe Louis security, but Wings Fan WingMachine91 had done it. The custom made cross bow with laser sight performed perfectly and dropped NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman like a underwieght doe on opening day. Aging wonder Chris Chelios, when asked about WingMachine91 as a prime suspect in the assassination said, "I'm not accusing anybody of anything."

[auxlepli 17]

I can't form the words right now to express my anger.

[Zion 93]

Nothing but good can come from hockey season starting (and definitely ending) earlier, and 8 divisional games is 2 games too many.

This is nothing new. Why is Bettman... the way he is? I hate... so much... about the way he chooses to be.

[eva unit zero 271]

All Bettman did was shoot down debate. If you would stop to actually read the article...

At next months NHL Board of Governors meetings, the commissioner is expected to roll out a new schedule similar to the pre-lockout format that will see fewer divisional games and the assurance all teams will play each other at least once.

Aren't those the two issues everyone has with the current schedule? If he's already changing that, then doesn't it make sense for him to not want another season-long debate about the schedule that is being removed?

[betterREDthandead 58]

Its time for a fire bettman campaign. Not just detroit, league wide. Think enough of us can start it at one particular game. Bring the signs "fire bettman". I know it did'nt work for Millie and the lions but that was just one team. If Redwing fans started it, maybe other team fans would folow suit.

No, they wouldn't.

And imagine if they did. Imagine if every fan at every game in every city brought a Fire Bettman sign to the game and spent the whole game chanting Fire Bettman....oh what a wonderful world......

It still wouldn't happen.

[Winged Scooter 0]

Just like any other red blooded, North American hocky fan, I just CANNOT express my complete and total disgust, loathing, contempt, hatred, for that putrid, ego-maniacal, idiotic, clueless, indifferent, pathetic piece of crap that is Gary Bettman!! :flamingmad:

[lfd250 1]

When he screws up the next contract and the owners start losing money, he'll be out. Or start the rumor that attendence is down because of him.

[toby91_ca 620]

All Bettman did was shoot down debate. If you would stop to actually read the article...

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Aren't those the two issues everyone has with the current schedule? If he's already changing that, then doesn't it make sense for him to not want another season-long debate about the schedule that is being removed?

At least one person is using some common sense.

[theman19 47]

At least one person is using some common sense.

yes he shot down the debate,....like he shot down every other time the red wings have tried to alter the schedule

My point is that isn't not he's evil for doing that, it's that he does this with everything.

He wants to quiet some of the public debate on scheduling,...

Gee wonder why,...could be because everyone hates the schedule, but you won't admit you messed up.

[BlakChamber 8]

Gee wonder why,...could be because everyone hates the schedule, but you won't admit you messed up.

Um, aren't they supposed to be changing the schedule next season? Pretty sure that's an admission they messed up.

And Toby, you know that common sense has no place in a Bettman Sucks thread.

[auxlepli 17]

It's his deny everything attitude.

Also there's this.

http://blog.mlive.com/snapshots/2007/10/be...plan_for_a.html

Read: hard-line owners and GM's who want no reduction in divisional games, like Brian Burke, Lou Lamoriello, and the vast majority of the Eastern Conference's teams hold more sway than the Wings, so Bettman will tell fans, "You'll get one game against every other team, and you'll like it," despite the fact that such a schedule would entail seeing Original Six rivals in Detroit on an every-other-year basis.

Emphasis added.

I think a majority of Wings fans here want to see all O6 teams every year.

[Zion 93]

And those that don't should be forced to move to Carolina.

[haroldsnepsts 4,826]

It's his deny everything attitude.

Also there's this.

http://blog.mlive.com/snapshots/2007/10/be...plan_for_a.html

Emphasis added.

I think a majority of Wings fans here want to see all O6 teams every year.

That's the part that really infuriates me with Bettman. Because either he's an idiot, or he just thinks hockey fans are.

He'll cite some fictional poll or conversations to defend unpopular decisions. "Fans come up to me all the time and tell me how much they love the new schedule." or regarding clutch and grab hockey "The players are happy with the game. And the fans love it." Then during the lockout they decide to create new rules, in spite of Bettman's denial for years that there was nothing wrong with the clutch and grab game.

[toby91_ca 620]

With respect to the schedule, I can understand why Bettman (and the league as a whole) would prefer to see the Wings play most of their games in the West.

While as a fan, I would love to see the Wings play more games in Toronto and Montreal for example, does it really matter economically? Toronto and Montreal are going to generate more revenues than most other teams regardless if Detroit comes to town or not. This is not the case with some of the Western teams where the Wings are a big draw.

[Winged Scooter 0]

That's the part that really infuriates me with Bettman. Because either he's an idiot, or he just thinks hockey fans are.

He'll cite some fictional poll or conversations to defend unpopular decisions. "Fans come up to me all the time and tell me how much they love the new schedule." or regarding clutch and grab hockey "The players are happy with the game. And the fans love it." Then during the lockout they decide to create new rules, in spite of Bettman's denial for years that there was nothing wrong with the clutch and grab game.

Exactly! I remember the moron was on Stoney & Wojo's radiothon earlier this year, and he had the nerve to say that the Wings had GREAT rivalries in the Western Conference, are you FREAKIN' kidding me?

hate him, hate him, hate him, hate him!!!!!!!

[theman19 47]

Um, aren't they supposed to be changing the schedule next season? Pretty sure that's an admission they messed up.

And Toby, you know that common sense has no place in a Bettman Sucks thread.

um,...no it's not.

It's saying, I the great gary bettman have fantastic idea, totally unrelated to the fact that most teams hate the schedual! We'll have a new schedual, were everyone can see crosby play once.

The thing about Common sense is that it's not so common. How about the new Jersey's, they being slaughtered by the fans, the players, and the media. What does gary do? Come out with a statement to the effect of "everyone is really impressed with the new jersey's, they improve the game."

He's a tinker, everything always has to be fixed in gary land.

If he messes up, he doesn't admit guilt,..he just sidesteps it and comes out with a new idea

watch,....if Bettman goes along with ESPN and gets off versus, the word "i made a mistake" will never come out of his mouth.

And those that don't should be forced to move to Carolina.

I live in North Carolina, so do at least three other people on this board.

Edited October 24, 2007 by theman19

[haroldsnepsts 4,826]

I'm not even looking for him to say "I messed up" because I think it's unlikely that any commissioner would make such and admission.

But it'd be nice if he at least acknowleged the things fans were unhappy with, instead of just denying they exist. And maybe make some statement how they will look into it, or they're working on things, or even asking fans to be patient because changes take some time to get tweaked and sorted out.

Instead it's the "eveything's great! the fans agree!" crap.

[vangvace 12]

Its time for a fire bettman campaign. Not just detroit, league wide. Think enough of us can start it at one particular game. Bring the signs "fire bettman". I know it did'nt work for Millie and the lions but that was just one team. If Redwing fans started it, maybe other team fans would folow suit.

Philly's planning on doing that for thier upcoming game on Versus.

It needs to be organized for Hockey day in Canada and maybe the NBC games too.

BTW "Fire Millen" signs are the new John 3:16

[auxlepli 17]

With respect to the schedule, I can understand why Bettman (and the league as a whole) would prefer to see the Wings play most of their games in the West.

That agrument doesn't hold water anymore when Phoenix can't sell out a Wings game.

http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/100105

But on a Saturday night when the Arizona State Sun Devils were off, the Diamondbacks were done and the Cardinals were out of town, the Coyotes-Red Wings game at Jobing.com Arena had nearly as many empty seats as fans.

Anaheim and L.A. were abberations IMO. I predict more Western Confercences cities will be like Phoenix when the Wings visit this season rather than California games. Even the Wings - Avs game I attended last year at The Pepsi Center wasn't sold out.

Edited October 24, 2007 by auxlepli