DevsMan84 Posted July 14, 2010 Share Posted July 14, 2010 Weren't the division names only started in 1974? They were around for less then 20 years so its not much of a "tradition" same with White jerseys at home. He also gets flack for the Jets and Nordiques moving and how he "hates" Canada. Never mind how he helped save the Oilers and stabilized other traditional markets like Buffalo. But no people still think the Jets will be economical viable True, the division names were only around for about 20 years, but I liked it because it separated the NHL from the other sports by not dumbing it down to attract people who would not be interested in hockey no matter what. Yeah the Oilers were saved, but Buffalo was saved by Golisano, and not really because of Bettman. For the jerseys, I really do not care which color they wear at home, but I think an interesting idea would be to switch about every 10 years or so just to change it up. No one can really fault the Jets and Nordiques for moving. Their reasons were mostly economical with the weak Canadian dollar and the fact that there was a rule where their revenues came in via Canadian Dollars, but had to pay the salaries in US dollars. Thus this gave them a disadvantage when it cam to signing players as they would have to offer less money to the players to stay profitable. Also, the fact that their owners needed new arenas that the city or province would not approve also contributed with them leaving. Same can be said for Hartford and to an extent the North Stars. The fault that Bettman made was to allow and encourage the owners to go to the Sun Belt, and that has been a disaster. Phoenix, Florida, Tampa, Atlanta, and even to an extent Carolina are hurting right now. These are not places where interest in hockey is large. The whole fiasco with Phoenix is just proof that Bettman is incompetent as a commissioner. His only reason for wanting Phoenix to stay is to prevent the league from being embarassed that in 13 years, the team was better off in the original market and that the NHL also helped lobbying in getting that new arena built in Glendale when the Scottsdale arena plans fell through. This only added to the problem as Scottsdale is where a majority of Phoenix fans come from, and Glendale is on the otherside of the city. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devil Dan 56 Posted July 14, 2010 Share Posted July 14, 2010 Weren't the division names only started in 1974? They were around for less then 20 years so its not much of a "tradition" same with White jerseys at home. He also gets flack for the Jets and Nordiques moving and how he "hates" Canada. Never mind how he helped save the Oilers and stabilized other traditional markets like Buffalo. But no people still think the Jets will be economical viable I was listing things that Bettman is hated for. I added that he isn't to blame for them all, but that since they happened while he was commissioner, he gets associated with them. Personally, I would like the division names back because they were different and unique. If people can figure out NFC and AFC, they can figure out Campbell and Wales. The dark jerseys at home I don't really care about. As DevsMan84 said, I hate that he encourages (or forces) teams into markets where they don't make sense. Sometimes they work great, like Dallas, SJ, etc. Sometimes they are just bad, like Phoenix and Atlanta. He fights so hard to keep them there and save face, but it just doesn't fit. Yes, he helped save the Oilers. But what happens if they can't get their new arena? I'm curious to see how he handles that. I think the Jets would fail again. I just don't think that city has the corporate support it would need, plus their new arena is very small. I wouldn't be shocked to see a team in Quebec City, only because they city is already planning a brand new arena, showing that clearly there is something behind that movement. On top of that, Bettman has met with QC recently. I haven't heard that about Winnipeg, but I could have just missed it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spud387 Posted July 15, 2010 Share Posted July 15, 2010 Bettman has done some good things for the game I feel, but he is hated up north because of his departure from tradition, sell-out attitude to corporate money and treating canada like the ugly duckling to keep out of sight. Hell, we even made a movie making fun of him: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bon_Cop,_Bad_Cop see character: "Harry Buttman" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ice dog Posted July 15, 2010 Share Posted July 15, 2010 Dont forget he tried to move us to Nashville that was the big reason...at least for devils fans! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devil Dan 56 Posted July 15, 2010 Share Posted July 15, 2010 that was the big reason...at least for devils fans! Yeah, that's when he made it personal. All the other stuff is annoying, but this jerk has us signed sealed and delivered to Nashville while we were in the middle of our first cup run. NASHVILLE? NO WAY! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Masked Fan Posted July 15, 2010 Share Posted July 15, 2010 ...why the commissioner is so hated? Because, ASsman is to Hockey what Godzilla is to Tokyo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ice dog Posted July 15, 2010 Share Posted July 15, 2010 Yeah, that's when he made it personal. All the other stuff is annoying, but this jerk has us signed sealed and delivered to Nashville while we were in the middle of our first cup run. NASHVILLE? NO WAY! i remember thinking at the time the only thing that was keeping the Devils in Jersey was this Cup run; Bettman was definitely in favor of the move...no doubt about it! after they pulled it off and got the Hardware that seemed to just kill the nashville momentum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vadvlfan Posted July 18, 2010 Share Posted July 18, 2010 In short: - Trying to turn the NHL into the NBA (used to be an exec for the NBA) - Dumbing down the game so "casual" viewers can adopt easier (I so miss the Wales and Cambell conferences and the Patrick and other divisions) - Has a burning man-crush on Sidney - Has a slightly less burning man-crush on Ovechkin - Because of Crosby and Ovechkin, lets the TV networks only promote them along with Toronto, Philly, NY, LA, Chicago and Detroit. All other markets are SOL. - When was the last time you saw the Devils on NBC and it was not against any of the above teams mentioned? - Beats his wife (I'm guessing at this one as I have no evidence) - Under his tenure, more teams have folded, relocated, and expanded than ever before thus dropping the overall quality due to the high number of teams - 2005 Lockout - Phoenix Coyotes - Brodeur Rule (I might be wrong on this as this is most likely the Board of Gov fault) That's the gist of it. These are all the reasons he should be praised. under his tenure, more teams in the south (yes, needed in order to secure tv contracts) made the game more fun to watch, and must importantly, made the playing field level, more parity. we don't have hte ny yankee's in this league.I think the guy has been good for hockey. they will still boo him because you always boo the commish in any sport. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MDPucks Posted July 18, 2010 Share Posted July 18, 2010 Bettman has done some good things for the game I feel, but he is hated up north because of his departure from tradition, sell-out attitude to corporate money and treating canada like the ugly duckling to keep out of sight. Hell, we even made a movie making fun of him: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bon_Cop,_Bad_Cop see character: "Harry Buttman" Yeah the evil Sith trio of NHL Prez. John Ziegler, NHLPA cheif Alan Eagleson, and Blackhawks owner/BOG head Bill Wirtz all only cared about tradition and never sold out to corporate types back in the old days. Just ask Bobby Orr how he ended up retiring in a Chicago uniform instead of where he should have been in Boston. The big difference was Eagleson made sure the Canadian media including Dick Irvin was also in on the racket and that they were well paid off. Just read Russ Conway's book "Cracking the Ice" and you'll get a picture of the rackettering that went on between the NHL and NHLPA offices from the 1960's until the palace coup (led in part by Lou) took them down in the early 1990's. Its been suggested that a disgruntled Bill Wirtz dragged the Blackhawks into the toilet on purpose to screw over the NHL's new guard including new Commish Bettman. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mouse Posted July 19, 2010 Share Posted July 19, 2010 I was listing things that Bettman is hated for. I added that he isn't to blame for them all, but that since they happened while he was commissioner, he gets associated with them. And he should. A good commissioner has control of the league. I'm tired of commissioners (Selig especially) getting a pass when someone else made the decision. It's the commish's job to know what's going on, know the implications of decisions made, and ensure the right thing happens, and Bettman and Selig both hide from that responsibility far too often (see steroids in baseball, the lockout in hockey). Nobody's perfect, but I have a lot more respect for Goodell putting his neck on the line in football, you know what he wants, and what he's going to do to get it. The NFL has issues, but they also have strong, assertive leadership. It makes a difference, and gives you confidence for the future of the sport. Stern is a unique case, because he was the best in his prime, and now he's old. He gets a break because most fans have fond memories of his successes as commissioner, but he has done a terrible job recently, and his league is in nearly as much trouble as the NHL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neb00rs Posted July 19, 2010 Share Posted July 19, 2010 Ok, if we're being honest here, I think people hate Bettman because of who he is a how he looks. Some people are just more hateable then others. Again I'm being honest here: I think it's just the way he looks, his demeanor and his voice. That's the psychology of it. He is just the kind of person that people are put off by. He probably hasn't done anything as commisioner that a different commish would have done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devil Dan 56 Posted July 19, 2010 Share Posted July 19, 2010 (edited) Ok, if we're being honest here, I think people hate Bettman because of who he is a how he looks. Some people are just more hateable then others. Again I'm being honest here: I think it's just the way he looks, his demeanor and his voice. That's the psychology of it. He is just the kind of person that people are put off by. He probably hasn't done anything as commisioner that a different commish would have done. True, he does look untrustworthy... Someone had a much better one with the NHL press conference logos in the background. I was too lazy to find it. Edited July 19, 2010 by Devil Dan 56 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DevsMan84 Posted July 19, 2010 Share Posted July 19, 2010 These are all the reasons he should be praised. under his tenure, more teams in the south (yes, needed in order to secure tv contracts) made the game more fun to watch, and must importantly, made the playing field level, more parity. we don't have hte ny yankee's in this league.I think the guy has been good for hockey. they will still boo him because you always boo the commish in any sport. -The NHL is still struggling with making money with the TV contracts, and VS is still way behind ESPN in terms of viewership. - The league is not any more fun to watch than it was years ago. Hockey goes through phases and the clutch and grab era of 95-05 was just an era. Would you prefer the 80's stat-driven era? I honestly do not find more joy in seeing a game thats 7-5 than 3-1 and now the goals actually mean something. Plus now we have the Brodeur-trapezoid rule, instigator rule which in turn has helped lead to more players taking liberties to other player's heads, and now the refs call a whistle for every single tap on another player. - You are the first one to say that parity and level playing field is a good thing, outside the owners who were struggling financially before the lockout. Now, every team in the league is the same and dynasties are nearly impossible to build with parity. Plus with the overall watering-down of the game, the NHL is worse off than it was 20 years ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devils Dose Posted July 21, 2010 Share Posted July 21, 2010 He'll definitely get booed forevermore in New Jersey now, that much is guaranteed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jagknife Posted July 21, 2010 Share Posted July 21, 2010 If I ever see him, no matter where it is, I will not hesitate to boo him and exclaim "you killed hockey you _____" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devil Dan 56 Posted July 21, 2010 Share Posted July 21, 2010 I tried to be reasonable... but eff Bettman. Eff him right in the ay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nyrsuck26 Posted July 21, 2010 Share Posted July 21, 2010 I used to absolutely despise him, but I have recently grown to understand his positions on things more and more. That said, I still don't agree with many things that he has done, and now only mildly dislike him. Ok, now I hate him again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmajeski06 Posted July 21, 2010 Share Posted July 21, 2010 I hated him before, now I really hate him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UnderDogX Posted July 21, 2010 Share Posted July 21, 2010 the answer is this....this is the reason why he gets booed... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sundstrom Posted July 21, 2010 Share Posted July 21, 2010 bettman actually goes to about 10 Devils games/year. he sits in my row (there are 4 seats in section 7 that are for the NHL - Bill Daly goes to about 25 games/year). after this, i honestly cannot see him entering the arena except for major events. i mean, i've always been civil to him and actually said hello. i've been introduced to him before by a mutual friend. i've actually seen him outside of hockey games at other events and spoken with him for 30 seconds or so. and if i saw him now, i would honestly make some comment about how this was a disgraceful play by the league. he simply can't set foot in the Rock unless the Cup is in the house. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triumph Posted July 21, 2010 Share Posted July 21, 2010 bettman actually goes to about 10 Devils games/year. he sits in my row (there are 4 seats in section 7 that are for the NHL - Bill Daly goes to about 25 games/year). after this, i honestly cannot see him entering the arena except for major events. i mean, i've always been civil to him and actually said hello. i've been introduced to him before by a mutual friend. i've actually seen him outside of hockey games at other events and spoken with him for 30 seconds or so. and if i saw him now, i would honestly make some comment about how this was a disgraceful play by the league. he simply can't set foot in the Rock unless the Cup is in the house. c'mon, let's not go all HOI here. this is resolved and mostly forgotten by september. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
devilsrule33 Posted July 21, 2010 Share Posted July 21, 2010 (edited) c'mon, let's not go all HOI here. this is resolved and mostly forgotten by september. I don't know with Devils fans. I hope Bettman for his own sake doesn't step into The Rock. Like you said earlier...everyone in the league offices approved...and as Bettman was about to sign off on it...he ripped off his suit to reveal a Graves' Rangers jersey and then used his 'denied' stamp. Edited July 21, 2010 by devilsrule33 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jagknife Posted July 21, 2010 Share Posted July 21, 2010 I don't know with Devils fans. I hope Bettman for his own sake doesn't step into The Rock. Like you said earlier...everyone in the league offices approved...and as Bettman was about to sign off on it...he ripped off his suit to reveal a Graves' Rangers jersey and then used his 'denied' stamp. This is all part of the Bettman conspiracy against the Devils. Any other team this deal would be accepted. Kings ESPECIALLY. this would be a non-issue if he signed with LA i bet lobardi is laughing his ass off right now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jagknife Posted July 21, 2010 Share Posted July 21, 2010 Who's your father? Who's your father? Who's your father, Gary? You don't have one, you're a bastard, You're a bastard, Gary! sing it with me!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Legion15 Posted July 21, 2010 Share Posted July 21, 2010 why will he continue to get booed - especially in NJ? July 20, 2010 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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