Every once and a great while, I question the decision making of sports executives and owners. After all, they are in direct control and primarily responsible for millions upon millions of dollars, they must know what they are doing right??
I’ll have to admit, as much studying, analyzing and detail I like to pretend I have any clue about, in reality these executives know what they are doing and do it with conviction. In this point, I find myself wrong more often than not.
Except when it comes to this man….
The NHL and owners just cancelled their first block of NHL games, meaning yet again the fans of this tremendous sport are robbed over corporate greed. As if the previous lockout didn’t tarnish the NHL enough, the owners seem hell bent on running the sport into the ground.
Worst part of it all? They seem to revel in the fact that they have this power, and the fans will return. NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly went so far as to call the cancellation “extremely disappointing”…… Are you freaking serious Billy?
Going to a all you can eat buffet and finding that they don’t have any food is “extremely disappointing”. Jumping the gun and cancelling NHL games without even entertaining the thought of playing the normal schedule while negotiating in the background, is flat out stupid.
The Owners have given little in the way of compromise, steadfastly holding to the drop in player revenue from 57 to 47 percent. Do you think for any second that these people actually REALIZE what they are doing to the game?
Fans will and should be disgusted, players will feel and should feel disgraced and the wonderful sport that still clings to silly things like respect and tradition, may fall by the wayside..
Donald Fehr has publicly stated the players position :
The team owners and the NHLPA continue to do fans and the sport a huge disservice, all while Gary Bettman is sitting back in his office with a smug grin on his face. Why should he care?
It’s only his THIRD lockout under his watch, and while the players and owners wrestle about what part of the pie should be larger Bettman is laughing all the way to the bank.
How far to the bank? Close to the tune of 8 million dollars, that’s how far he’s laughing. That’s more than DOUBLE what it was during the 2004-2005 lockout! And he wants players to take less????
Chris Johnston of The Canadian Press reports the two sides haven’t scheduled a date to meet again it’s not likely they get back together until next week.
I love the sport of hockey to it’s roots and love the NHL. Everyday Gary Bettman is in charge, I love it a little less. I pray that the owners and players will realize the gravity of the situation, and move quickly to resolve this issue before hockey takes the blow that the sport might not be able to rebound from.
Please.. do the right thing. Bring back hockey.
Oh.. and fire this man. Thanks in advance.
