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Just when you think Gary Bettman couldn’t get more full of himself and ‘his NHL’… today he and the NHL filed a counterclaim against Madison Square Garden LP (owners of the New York Rangers), threatening disciplinary action for “materially breaching their contractual commitments to the league and the other 29 member clubs - as well as for compensatory damages stemming from those breaches.”
At the beginning of the 2007-2008 season, MSG LP sued the NHL for violating anti-trust regulations, and monopolizing teams’ promotions. The suit came after the NHL made every team turn over the private operations of team web sites and promotional activities to the NHL offices in New York. The lawsuit was taken to court three times, and the NHL won every time. The Rangers owners have challenged the decisions based on anti-trust regulations, and now the NHL will have nothing to do with it… so they have filed this counterclaim with an intent to stop MSG’s continuous actions against the NHL… with a threat of fining, suspending or making MSG lose ownership of the Rangers.
What?? The Rangers or no team can challenge the “rules”??? Everything the NHL does is completely correct and no one can say otherwise??? This is typical Bettman style… never admitting he’s wrong, sticking to his rules even though LOTS of people who know much more about business and hockey disagree, and doing anything he can to counter-attack and shed the blame when there is constructive criticism about the way he is operating the NHL (”NHL Hour” anyone??). Why would any team want to turn over their web site or promotions operations directly to the NHL? The only thing the NHL cares about is posting Sidney Cry-baby’s face all over their ads, putting teams in markets that will never survive, putting NHL games (even almost all of the playoff games!) on a TV network (Vs.) that no one really knows about or receives, turning the game into the NBA or other over-dramatic productions/sports, and making the owners money no matter how much it costs/hurts the fans and game.
In other news, apparently the NHL Players Association isn’t too happy with Mr. Bettman either. Before the infamous lockout of 2004-2005, one of the main reasons Bettman and his cronies insisted on a salary cap was to reduce ticket prices for fans. Just the opposite has happened… ticket prices have gone up… and there are still teams, such as Phoenix and Florida, who are losing money. Point being, no one but certain team owners are reaping the benefits of the salary cap and the new collective bargaining agreement. The players, fans, and many teams are worse off than they were before 2004-2005. It’s apparent the NHLPA is getting more frustrated with Bettman and his antics and tactics… as the article states “The union also agreed to form a committee to decide whether to opt out of its labour agreement next summer”.
Also, tomorrow night (June 20th) is the beginning of the official 2008 NHL Draft in Ottawa!! The thing we’re most excited about is to see how loud the “boos” are at Scotiabank Place when lil’ shit-fer-brains steps up to the microphone.
I am tired of this SOB Buttman and his moves to kill the NHL. When are the owners going to wake up and fire him????? To say you will try to kick out the Rangers from the NHL is so stupid.
Fire Buttman I say now before the 2008/09 season starts.
LOL, I’m waiting to hear the boos as well, they were tremendous in Columbus, and that’s a market that should be grateful to him! Can’t wait to see what a Canadian crowd thinks!
Good for the Rangers !! Frodo and his bullying tactics need to be stopped. It was one thing when he was jerking around Winnipeg and Quebec. But now he wants to screw with one of the Original Six in one of the biggest markets in the country?
And don’t think we in Detroit have forgotten how he tried to rig the cup for his pet Cindy Crosby.
The only reason this guy still has a job is because he broke the union.
This guy makes Bud Selig look like Pete Rozelle.
I despise this guy. So much.
His stature sure mimics his mental capacity. Pretty damn small. I was watchin’ the draft and at first I thought the circus was in town cuz’ I saw a midget on stage. Then I realized it was none other than dick weed. The only person in hockey who can walk under a goal crossbar and not have to stoop!
Maybe someday ‘ol Boots and numb nuts will be able to share a room together; like at the Folsom Correctional Facility.
Morris, hey bud I agree. Cindy Crys-baby puked out in the finals. I was kinda gettin’ sick of watchin’ those damn Gatorade commercials - “Every game needs a hero”. Made me wanna barf. That boy’s got some growin’ to do. And I don’t mean physically. Poor Butthead put all his eggs in the wrong basket on that one too!
Well, at least there’s some grumblin’ goin’ on with some of the teams at the top and bottom of the revenue scale. Maybe the pygmy’s days are numbered.
I n reading an article today on FoxSports, it seems that there is really not much yelling going on about this move by Buttman and his dip shit home boys in the NHL. I am wondering WHY????
Now if there was a time for the players to get together and stand as one, it is now IMHO. The players need to stand up as a group and twll the owners and the NHL that unless they fire Buttman ASAP, We, the players will not, repeat NOT be playing in 2008/09 season.
I for one would support another walk out by the players to show the nhl and the owners for whom support this dip shit that he has ruind the gamew of hockey. The NHL is not and has not come back from the last lock out in fans and profits.
Does the owners need another serious problem on their hands if the players don’t play in 2008/09 season? I would think not.
Buttman, the little CPL needs to go. He is totally useless as a pimple on a dogs butt. Send him back to Queens in a box I say.
QUESTION
How can the fans get together and bomb this Buttman wit protests to his email? How can we send protests via emails to the NHL?
Does anyone have any emails for these butt heads???
Maybe it is time to start this email protest.
As if he actually reads any of them…
gbettman@nhl.com
Sailorjohn
Jun 22nd, 2008 at 5:36 pm
QUESTION
How can the fans get together and bomb this Buttman wit protests to his email? How can we send protests via emails to the NHL?
Does anyone have any emails for these butt heads???
Maybe it is time to start this email protest.
gbettman@nhl.com
Don’t expect a reply. I sent him a professional E-Mail (read: no name calling) last year and never received a reply. I actually shared it on this forum expressing my concerns with the NHL.
I did however break one of my promises: I will probably go back to the Hockey News because the Sporting News is turning into a bi-weekly rag focusing on commentary which means whatever little hockey converage they had will be gone.
Here’s another column from Rick Westhead in today’s Toronto Star.
http://www.thestar.com/Sports/article/447764
Bettman was ‘blindsided’ by 2 of his faves, Leipold and Anschutz when they lent Del Baggio money so he could afford to buy into the Predators? And of course the trouble Samuelli is in with the feds. Are we finally seeing the seeds to the beginning of the end of Mr. NBA Reject??
This is reminiscent of the days of old when there was no NHLPA and the owners had full control of the league. This little man has no business in the NHL. How can he say, with a straight face, that he wasn’t aware of the dirty dealings of his cronies? Isn’t it part of his job description? He is the commissioner and is privy to every little thing that happens. I have never seen such a small person so full of arrogance and contempt.
I think that the NHL and Bettman are making a big mistake by suing the Rangers and Madison Square Garden. That’s too big a target to go after.
The Garden won’t go away quietly, unlike Pittsburgh, Ottawa and some other teams.
Let’s see, The Dolans took on Mayor Bloomberg (West Side Stadium), The Yankees (YES), The Mets (Leaving MSG Network), The Daily News (or any media not conforming to the Knicks Media polcy), Verizon (FiOS), The NFL (NFL Network), and Anucha Browne Sanders (Isiah Lawsuit).
So does Bettman expect the Dolans to fold as the NHLPA did? I’m not a fan of either party and quoting Dwyane Johnson: “Just Bring It!”, I hope the Dolans can rattle Bettman has they have rattled Knicks fans.
Bettman needs to be pasturized as soon as possible. I found it quite humorous that he couldn’t beat the Wings on the ice or through his idiocy. After watching the handling of Thomas Holmstrom late in the playoffs and in the finals I’m 100% convinced that this guy is a complete idiot. It won’t be much longer before the hockey purist needs a road map to understand all the tweaking and whining, but good ole boy Gary really ins’t interested in the welfare of the game, he’s in it for the dough. I hope the players revolt at some point in protest against the redefining of the greatest game on earth.
ugh, its always the same with that guy. he does everything he can to keep teams in cities that dont even want them, he’s even willing to sell to bankrupt crooks who cant even pay the rent instead of admitting he made a mistake. keeps pretending that tampa and florida are “doing very well” LOL, they made less than 20 MIL at the gates last year and the salary FLOOR is twice that. then he turns around and takes the big teams on, sues the Rangers and asks his refs to do everything they can to give the cup to his beloved posterboy Cindy Crosbaby and take it away from the real best team. How long until he has no more support at all??
This explains the call on Chris Drury in game 5. Wow.
Bettman needs to go in a bad way.
If Bettman DOES NOT get fired, announces his resignation, is not going on trial for fraud (i.e. rejecting Jim Balsillie for another fraud nicknamed “Boots”… the evidence is on the Hockey Night In Canada interview before game 4 of the Cup Finals GARY) or Bettman receives a contract extension from the board of governors when his current term expires, then the NHL will eventually go out of business because Mr. All-Time worst commissioner in the history of sports has done nothing to improve the NHL and hockey except for ruining the game in his 15 year tenure as commissioner which had better come to an end soon, not 6 months later.
Prucha25 wrote: “This explains the call on Chris Drury in game 5. Wow.”
Hooking, holding is called… but high sticks to the eye go undetected (usually without penalty if it’s detected)
Remember what got the Crapolina Hurricanes the Stanley Cup in 2006?
How come there has not been any new posts for the last three weeks?
Now it’s time for this site to turn up the heat. After what’s been going on in Nashville, serious questions HAVE to be raised about Dictator Bettman and his shady office.
You guys have done a great job in highlighting the ridiculousness of Bettman going after MSG - now it’s time to show how crooked this S.O.B. is.
Check this out people.
http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080713/SPORTS02/807130395/1028
I hope somebody pushes Bettmans worthless ass into traffic. I’m gonna laugh when I hear a story about some angry Rangers fan dragging him the Jimmy Hoffa treatment. If we end up with an NHL franchise here in Vegas, I hope Bettman’s body is poured into the foundation.
Seriously, the guy even looks like a prick!!!!
gary bettman is a pukeface panzy waister. buttplug has ruined the nhl the game is so antiseptic theres more hitting in the game of tennis then there is at a nhl game the rivalries are not the same we need more physical play more hitting more fighting and that will lead to more scoring gary bettman is an embarassment remember gary bettman approved john spano to buy the islanders? the guy didnt have assets to buy the team that alone should of terminated his contract nhl owners get smart, at least james dolan is one owner that wants to get rid of bettman now we have to work on the other 29
I have less sympathy for the 6 Canadian teams, because their country and culture tolerates socialism, which prevents them from competing with the larger American cities for the big stars.
No way that Messier and Gretzky could play two-four years in Edmonton today.
Bettman stinks, but the other small-market owners like Bettman and the cap, because it absolves them of making hard decisions.
JMN
This week two things came into to my head that our Napoleonic commissioner should come up with because Butthead is SOOOOOOOOOOOOO fucking obsessed with Cindy Crosby
1) A double minor will be given to any player who steals the puck from Cindy Crosby
2) A five minute penalty and a game misconduct will be given to any player who contacts Cindy Crosby (even if it’s a little hook for fux sake)
LVgoalie35 writes “I hope somebody pushes Bettman’s worthless ass into traffic.” I will be laughing SOOOOOOOO hard like you LVgoalie35 and with millions of hockey fans all over the world when someone gives Bettman the Jimmy Hoffa treatment whether it be an angry Rangers, Red Wings, Flyers, Leafs, Sabres, or Canadiens fan (speaking of the Canadiens, Les Canadiens de Montreal will be hosting the all star game and the 2009 entry draft… so hey, there might just be a BIG RIOT if that prick comes anywhere in or near Montreal city limits.) Also, not only does Bettman look like a prick, did you see him squirm in that interview with Ron McLean before game 4 of the Stanley Cup Finals? Every hockey fan knows that Bettman is NOTHING but a fraud… Yo Gary, why don’t you just have some honour and resign you little fuckface
Sensfan, I forgot to add….later in that same game, getting close to OT, Drury was called for a major for sticking Malone and it was questionable. Drury is a good guy to have off the ice in a situation like that. Seems the refs wanted to help Bettman’s pet team there.
Prucha25, I don’t think the refs wanted to help Bettman’s pet team, the referees were forced by the sports world’s largest Napoleonic fraud to help the Penguins and the biggest pussy in the history of hockey… none other than Cindy “Choker” Crosby advance all the way to a TAINTED Stanley Cup victory which thankfully didn’t happen.
On another note: since Bettman has jerked the Rangers for nearly a year now over the league’s (Bettman’s) internet policies, MSG owner James Dolan deserves large props for wanting to remove Napoleon as NHL commissioner. Now only if the other 29 owners in the league would want to also get rid of Bettman, the NHL would become a better league once again.
Amen to that, Sensfan!
Here is a bit of an update. I’m not sure if this was already posted.
http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/rangers/2008/07/rangers-strike-back-with-count.html
Hey JB & Puckhead; when are you guys going to come up with more posts?
Wow! Even the Dolans have more sense than Gary “I hope he gets hit by a bus” Buttman. And these are the same people who hired Isaiah Thomas to be the GM and coach of the Knicks, who are now the biggest joke in Basketball. Let somebody who KNOWS the sport of hockey become commish.