I hate to say this in some ways, but I am beginning to side with the players on this whole deal. I think that Gary Bettman and the group of owners that are pushing this salary cap are going to ruin the league. They keep saying they want to save it, and cost certainty is the way to go. But they are treating this like they are a big time sport with huge TV contracts. Heck, even the players seemed to have admitted they thought too highly of themselves when they offered to take a 24% pay cut.
I also think that Bettman is getting too big of a head/ego. This quote from an article at ESPN.COM just floored me.
Bettman has placed a gag order on team executives, and has already handed out significant fines to those who speak out of turn. Steve Belkin, one of the Atlanta Thrashers’ owners, was ordered to pay $250,000 for saying the league would use replacement players next year if a new collective bargaining agreement isn’t reached.
The punishment will be much harsher if the source of the leaked memo is revealed.
“If I find out, there won’t be much reason for you to be talking to them because their career in the NHL will end abruptly,” Bettman said. “I think it’s about the most irresponsible thing that could be done. I would really like to know who did it.”
Oh come on now! He actually works FOR these guys that he is supposedly going to run out of the NHL. I understand that Bettman was hired as an outsider and given the power to run the league (like all commissioners). But this statement proves that he has gotten too big for his britches. And it also might point out that there is possibly some slacking in the owners’ ranks. I wouldn’t be surprised if a small minority of owners are pushing this.
Either way, I am really dissapointed in all this. My opinion is that the season will be canceled before New Year’s. And that if and when the NHL comes back, it will be a very different league. Whether with fewer teams, or replacement players.
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