Do You Hate Gary Bettman?

Sunbiz1 · Mar 8, 2013

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-p...nhl-commissioner-good-bad-211646123--nhl.html

"He's an advocate for fighting rather than an opponent, despite the instigator rule. His allowance for violent play has frequently crossed over into negligence (see: shots, head)."

Despite his incompetence on 3 lockouts, as a purist I do like the above quality.

Agree or disagree with the old article?.

Gunzaan · Mar 8, 2013

Canadiens hate him, so I'll agree with them

DewsSox79 · Mar 8, 2013

DMelt36 · Mar 8, 2013

I think he's more of a product of a bunch of greedy billionaires than anything he personally believes. But I can't say anything nice about a commissioner that's been in charge for 3 lockouts in less than 20 years.

Jntg4 · Mar 8, 2013

He's grown the game that's for sure, he gets too much hate for the most recent lockout (other two were probably more on him), Fehr is more to blame for this one IMO. Obviously everyone hated him before that though. Only thing I really hate in his recent policy (putting inconsistent discipline on Shanahan) is the fact that the Coyotes are still here.

nwfisch · Mar 8, 2013

Jntg4 said:
He's grown the game that's for sure, he gets too much hate for the most recent lockout (other two were probably more on him), Fehr is more to blame for this one IMO. Obviously everyone hated him before that though. Only thing I really hate in his recent policy (putting inconsistent discipline on Shanahan) is the fact that the Coyotes are still here.

Crosby and Ovi grew the game.

Winning in LA, Chicago, and Boston the past three years also helps.

Sunbiz1 · Apr 9, 2014

DewsSox79 said:
yes.

A year later, so do I.

-Mainly b/c of the playoff formatting, which is a joke.

The NHL is doing themselves a disservice with this backwards thinking.

Diehardfan · Apr 9, 2014

Bettman was handed this job only because of his riding the coat tails of David Stern. No other reason whatsoever. I'm fairly certain he didn't know the difference from icing and offsides when he was hired. As inept as I believe he's been in his tenure, I don't see him as being overly at fault in the lockouts. Greed in pro sports has no limits or boundaries so the NHL had to take it's turn with all the other major sports...that won't be stopping anytime soon either.

Sunbiz1 · Apr 9, 2014

Diehardfan said:
Bettman was handed this job only because of his riding the coat tails of David Stern. No other reason whatsoever. I'm fairly certain he didn't know the difference from icing and offsides when he was hired. As inept as I believe he's been in his tenure, I don't see him as being overly at fault in the lockouts. Greed in pro sports has no limits or boundaries so the NHL had to take it's turn with all the other major sports...that won't be stopping anytime soon either.

You mean Stern wanted him to have the job so the NHL would not compete, or so the rumor goes.

Common sense dictates seeding playoff teams like every other sport on the planet, yet the NHL seems to think top tier teams meeting early on is a good thing.

Diehardfan · Apr 9, 2014

Sunbiz1 said:
You mean Stern wanted him to have the job so the NHL would not compete, or so the rumor goes.

Common sense dictates seeding playoff teams like every other sport on the planet, yet the NHL seems to think top tier teams meeting early on is a good thing.

There's a bit more to it but yeah, that's basically the story. As far as the seeding goes...what they are doing here is insane. But I can see why they're doing it. It's a lame attempt to give the bottom feeders a better chance at a Cup. Good teams go at it head to head early and eliminate one another while lower seeded teams move up the ladder. I'm fairly certain that no other Pro sport does this. It's bad enough when a team can theoretically finish under .500 and still make the playoffs by winning a division.

You get the best record in the conference, you've earned the right to play the worst team to make the tourney in said conference. That should be a given. Apparently not, to a moron like Bettman.

Gustavus Adolphus · Apr 9, 2014

Wait....what's this playoff thing?

Anyways, the nhl unfortunately needs espn, and that isn't happening.

southern_cross_116 · Apr 10, 2014

I don't know --- I really don't buy that the quality of the game is better today as compared to the 80's . I wonder what the Oilers would have done if they had these training wheel rules in place while they were playing ... I mean seriously ... they used the red line back then --- they did not have 4 on 4s for coincidental minors (the Gretzky rule - literally)... no 4 on 4 in seldom death overtime ... and those teams still averaged over 5 goals a game.

I saw something about the 4th line on the Hawks being probably the best that they ever have - not sure what stats that is based on -but the 4th lines in the 80's were largely over-shadowed by the top two lines on teams. Scoring a point a game on average was considered a nice season - not something so incredibly awesome.... - as a point of reference I think Savard had 130 some odd points in his best season and had 87 assists .... let me say that again .... 87 assists --and even that couldn't touch Gretzky - that guy I think had some seasons with over 200 asssist -he had more assists than the next guy had total points in some seasons - his best goal scoring season I think he scored 50 goals in the first 39 games or something like that .... he ended up with 92 that year.... or in other words .... if John Scott were to stay in the leave 100 years he might have that as a career total (never mind the assists).

Anyway - history is a interesting thing - if you lose it -you have lost the context of the discussion.

DMelt36 · Apr 10, 2014

PretentousBastard said:
Wait....what's this playoff thing?

Anyways, the nhl unfortunately needs espn, and that isn't happening.

What does the NHL "need" ESPN for? To be on a network where it'll be the organization's 6th priority behind the Little League World Series and Poker?

No thanks.

I think the NHL is doing fine with the NBC deal. This postseason every single playoff game is going to be broadcasted on NBC's family of networks. ESPN would never dedicate that much airtime to hockey, nor would it commit to advertising the hell out of it the way NBC has.

I doubt hockey will ever pass the MLB or the NFL ... those two are firmly entrenched at the top of the American sports popularity chart. But the NHL is gaining substantial ground on the NBA, as this story tells you.

Diehardfan · Apr 10, 2014

DMelt36 said:
What does the NHL "need" ESPN for? To be on a network where it'll be the organization's 6th priority behind the Little League World Series and Poker?

No thanks.

I think the NHL is doing fine with the NBC deal. This postseason every single playoff game is going to be broadcasted on NBC's family of networks. ESPN would never dedicate that much airtime to hockey, nor would it commit to advertising the hell out of it the way NBC has.

I doubt hockey will ever pass the MLB or the NFL ... those two are firmly entrenched at the top of the American sports popularity chart. But the NHL is gaining substantial ground on the NBA, as this story tells you.

What a treat it would be to sit back and squirm in your seat listening to ESPN's dufus collection enlighten us on the nuances of the game. ESPN's hockey coverage was a joke, actually with the possible exception of baseball....their coverage of most sports is poor. When they dumped the NHL it looked like a disaster for the sport but in reality it was the best thing that could happen to them. Well, actually the BEST thing was Comcast purchasing NBC which opened many doors.

Sunbiz1 · Apr 10, 2014

Diehardfan said:
There's a bit more to it but yeah, that's basically the story. As far as the seeding goes...what they are doing here is insane. But I can see why they're doing it. It's a lame attempt to give the bottom feeders a better chance at a Cup. Good teams go at it head to head early and eliminate one another while lower seeded teams move up the ladder. I'm fairly certain that no other Pro sport does this. It's bad enough when a team can theoretically finish under .500 and still make the playoffs by winning a division.

You get the best record in the conference, you've earned the right to play the worst team to make the tourney in said conference. That should be a given. Apparently not, to a moron like Bettman.

But this waters down the talent pool playing for their respective conference titles, by forcing them to square off early.

"The teams finishing second and third in each division will meet in the First Round within the bracket headed by their respective division winners. First-round winners within each bracket play one another in the Second Round to determine the four participants in the Conference Finals".

http://www.nhl.com/ice/standings.htm

We should be seeded against L.A at the moment.

DMelt36 · Apr 10, 2014

I kinda like the new playoff format. Those playoff matchups between division rivals is the stuff that breeds the best rivalries.

Sunbiz1 · Apr 10, 2014

DMelt36 said:
I kinda like the new playoff format. Those playoff matchups between division rivals is the stuff that breeds the best rivalries.

Like the one's against Detroit?...re-aligning divisions is a 2 edged sword.

DMelt36 · Apr 10, 2014

Diehardfan said:
There's a bit more to it but yeah, that's basically the story. As far as the seeding goes...what they are doing here is insane. But I can see why they're doing it. It's a lame attempt to give the bottom feeders a better chance at a Cup. Good teams go at it head to head early and eliminate one another while lower seeded teams move up the ladder. I'm fairly certain that no other Pro sport does this. It's bad enough when a team can theoretically finish under .500 and still make the playoffs by winning a division.

You get the best record in the conference, you've earned the right to play the worst team to make the tourney in said conference. That should be a given. Apparently not, to a moron like Bettman.

That's how the bracket is right now, though.

Division leaders play the two "wild card" teams. Then the 2nd and 3rd place teams in each division face off.

DMelt36 · Apr 10, 2014

Sunbiz1 said:
Like the one's against Detroit?...re-aligning divisions is a 2 edged sword.

True, but I was referring to the playoff format. You don't think the Hawks and Avs could build a rivalry just like Hawks/Wings? I think Hawks/Blues will be just like the recent Hawks/Canucks rivalry if they meet in the postseason one time.

Diehardfan · Apr 10, 2014

DMelt36 said:
That's how the bracket is right now, though.

Division leaders play the two "wild card" teams. Then the 2nd and 3rd place teams in each division face off.

Yeah, found that out after I posted. Thought it was strictly divisional matchups. Regardless, its still stupid. Its almost like the NHL brass had to find a way to put the term "wild card" into their playoff format.

Gee....we're just like MLB and the NFL now!!!!

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