This is a decent article, for those of you don't follow too closely, what Hockey fans have had to deal with lately.

Unhappy anniversary - NHL - Yahoo! Sports (http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/news?slug=dw-bettman012907&prov=yhoo&type=lgns)

As the conspiracy theory goes, Stern sensed the potential trouble in 1993 while the NHL was in search of a new commissioner. So he looked around his own office for someone so incompetent that if they got the job, the NHL would be marginalized by their mismanagement and never again be a threat to the NBA.

Naturally, Stern recommended one of his assistants, Gary Bettman, for the job.


Yep. Makes sense to me.


Seriously though, that guy thinks that the NHL has the power to expand like the NBA. Moron.
(http://www.pistonsforum.com/As%20the%20conspiracy%20theory%20goes,%20Stern%20s ensed%20the%20potential%20trouble%20in%201993%20wh ile%20the%20NHL%20was%20in%20search%20of%20a%20new %20commissioner.%20So%20he%20looked%20around%20his %20own%20office%20for%20someone%20so%20incompetent %20that%20if%20they%20got%20the%20job,%20the%20NHL %20would%20be%20marginalized%20by%20their%20misman agement%20and%20never%20again%20be%20a%20threat%20 to%20the%20NBA.)

Bettman is set to begin his 15th year as commissioner Thursday, and like most hockey fans I feel the need to mark the occasion by popping a bottle of champagne, chugging the entire thing in an effort to drown my misery and then smashing the empty bottle over my temple to black out the memories.
I love it when writers let out their inner fan.

This is a great article (fixed the link). Must read stuff for Hockey fans.

Great read. Bettman is like Millen. No matter how poorly they do, they still have jobs.

I couldn't believe it when I found out the All-Star game was on a weekday. Not only is Bettman not growing the game (or in actuality, over growing the game in non-hockey markets), he's alienating true hockey fans. Something he can't afford to do in a post-lockout NHL.

That guy has caused more problems than he has solved, and the new "tighter" uniforms remind me of David Stern's Basketball. Maybe they'll stick around, but it seems that he has invested a ton of research into the wrong area. He needs to get the league on a real network, and get more exposure (and stop carrying Sidney Crosby's jock strap already for crying out loud).

http://images.usatoday.com/sports/hockey/_photos/2007-01-17-uniform.jpg
From USA TODAY (http://www.usatoday.com/sports/hockey/nhl/2007-01-18-new-uniforms_x.htm)

I like that they have made the game a little faster, getting rid of clutching and the 2-line pass, and setting limits on goaltender equipment, but that was more Shannahan than Bettman anyway. Getting rid of fighting and the physical element has driven off some long time fans, and the "new look" hasn't attracted new fans.

The NHL will be better off when this guy gets a multi-million dollar severance package and hits the road.

I think it was Nike that first came out with a tighter fitting jersey a couple of years ago.

I believe Team Canada (maybe the junior team) used them in competition a while back.