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Update: You can listen to the NHL Hour from this past Thursday (01/17/08) by clicking here (MP3 file). The RSS feed for these podcasts is http://www.nhl.com/podcasts/nhl_hour.xml
Gary Bettman is really putting himself out there these days… his NHL Hour XM Radio show will be on again today (1/17/08) at 4p.m.. You can listen to the live stream at that time, or tune into XM Radio channel 204. Your questions and comments can be sent to NHLHOUR@NHL.com or called in at 1-877-645-6696. Willie O’Ree, the first black (African-Canadian) player in the NHL and current NHL Director of Youth Development, will be Bettman’s guest today.
Apparently, Bettman doesn’t feel like he’s heard enough criticism, or feels like he hasn’t addressed all of the criticism thoroughly… because he will also be taking your questions following the NHL’s YoungStars competitions on January 26th on the CBC’s ‘Hockey Night in Canada’. You will be able to send in your questions and comments via email to askgary@cbc.ca.
So start getting those questions and comments together and let the commish know that you are truly concerned about what he has done to our favorite sport and league, and that we think the NHL can do much better!.
You might want to ask Bettman about the purchase of the Minnesota Wild by former Nashville Predators owner Craig Leipold. As you may recall, it was just over a month ago that Mr. Leipold officially ended up taking about $40 million less for the Predators from a ‘local investment group’ (which includes outsider William “Boots” Del Biaggio who will most likely move the team to Kansas City), than what he could have gotten from Canadian billionaire Jim Balsillie. It was rumored and highly speculated that Balsillie would have moved the team to Hamilton, ON. However, Gary Bettman had a very strong hand in keeping Balsillie out of the picture, and the Predators in Nashville, even though accomplished businessman and owner Leipold could have made off with over $40 million more if he had sold to Balsillie.
The fact that Leipold is now majority owner of one of the most successful teams in the NHL, less than a month later, makes this whole deal seem a bit fishy to us, and to others. Did Bettman promise Leipold the team of his choice or a successful NHL team if he agreed not to sell to Balsillie? It is reported that Leipold put up around $250 million for the Wild… so did the NHL somehow cover that extra $50 million or so for Leipold (after the $193 million he sold the Predators for)? Is this how the NHL revenue sharing system works? We’ll pat your back with everyone else’s money if you keep doing things the way we want you to? It seems like the first places to check would be on the NHL’s, Leipold’s and former Wild owner Bob Naegele’s bank account statements. You would think the commissioner of a professional sports league would be smarter than this… but remember, this is Gary Bettman we’re talking about. Sometimes power, money and ego can cloud one’s thought and rationale.
How much do you want to bet that all (20,000) questions pertaining to Buttman’s insistence on keeping the Predators in Nashville and not allowing them to go to Hamilton will be deleted so that Mr. NBA reject won’t look even more like the buffoon that he is on the CBC?
So which small market team will win the cup this year? My guess would be San Jose. They need a cup in that city to create fan interest in hockey. Since no one cares for hockey in the USA, my guess would be that it will be at least another few years before a Canadian team finally wins the cup since the MTL Canadiens did in 93. It could have possibly been the Leafs had the Leafs game vs L.A. Kings not been fixed. I believe the playoffs are fixed as well as the Stanley Cup. Time to get rid of Bettman.
hehe…fix a hockey season? while I’m skeptical about that, if a team is going to be “handed” the championship, it’d be Atlanta. San Jose does have fan interest there, so I don’t think the Sharks will be the one. Atlanta on the other hand, has very little fan interest, so that’d be the team I’d think Bettman will choose.
Well, Im with Al.
My guess for Gary’s cup winner would be Atlanta. What’s left of GOOD teams after the salary cap, just get slaughtered on the ice, by the lesser teams come playoff time. The Oilers run to the cup a few years back and the Sens run recently, ought to keep the Canadian hockey fans at bay for awhile, so Gary can focus on a crappy American market team getting their 15 minutes of fame, and pumping up the fanbase.
Bettman is about as blind and stupid as Wiliam Clay Ford and Matt Millan.
well, even if Bettman pumps up the fan base, it’d probably be only a short-term solution. Heck, just look at Carolina. Yes, their attendance has risen over the past several years, but only so slightly. Lets see how the team does in attendance when the Hurricanes have several successive losing seasons.
That’s probably what will happen to Anaheim also. I live in Orange County, CA and people here do not care about the Ducks unless the Ducks field a winning team. People here think Teemu Selanne was the team’s captain and top centerman last season. A lot of them can’t name the Ducks’ starting goaltender either. Giguere once walked into a car dealership while I was working there and NOBODY recognized him. Anaheim Ducks fans are among the worst fans in the league. When the Ducks have several successive losing seasons, I can bet you that the Honda Center will only be half-filled.
Personally, I believe that the only two sunbelt areas that FOR SURE should have an NHL team are Los Angeles and Dallas. Those two teams have shown to draw a decent crowd even when the team stinks. I am skeptical about Tampa Bay…so for now, I’d say contract them. But my mind can change if Tampa Bay has several successive losing seasons and yet, still draws a large crowd.
This guy Bettman a crazy nut. Nobody know this but before he work in NBA as bellboy for David Stern he was a stand-up comedian in Catskills. Its true! Only comedian let hockey teams play in Phoenix, Nashville, Atlanta and Miami am I right? Take my wife please, no…take away my TV contract please! Under Bettman we go from ESPN to fishing channel unbelievable. Under Bettman we go from Gretzky-Lemieux wild scoring hockey to Guy carbonneau-kris draper defensive trap hockey. Oh boy that was exciting. Anyone watch Panthers-sabres and Caps stall and clog there way to Stanley cup finals in 90’s? No? I didnt think so. Thats because bad Catskill comedian runs NHL