There is a website dedicated to bringing together people who agree that Gary Bettman should resign or be fired from his position as NHL Commissioner - http://www.firebettman.com/.
I have to admit there is some merit to this cause. Honestly, it always felt like most hockey fans took a dislike to Bettman on sight when he took office in 1993 and never had a real reason to dislike him. I think that has changed. You always had this sense that he was anti-Canadian although his denials were never convincing (sounded too much like Dick Cheney). But clearly his true colours have come out.
Forcing Predators’ owner Craig Leipold to walk away from earlier negotiations with Canadian billionaire Jim Balsillie (who was planning on relocating the team to Hamilton, OT) is outrageous. Now Leipold is in negotiation with William "Boots" DelBiaggio but the offer is close to $50 million less than Balsillie’s, and it is said that he plans on relocating the team to Kansas City once the Predators’ lease in Nashville. The NHL already tried Kansas City in the 1970s and it was a disaster. No reason to believe a second shot will be any more successful than the second round in Atlanta.
"Let's get this straight -- Balsillie anted up $220-$238 million U.S. for the Predators, plus possible indemnity payments to the Leafs and Buffalo Sabres and the costs of a new arena to replace Copps Coliseum a few years down the road. DelBiaggio puts up $190 million and he's apparently going to get the team, in a city where the NBA and NHL have each failed.
Why? To fulfill Bettman's vision to "Americanize" the NHL.
12 years ago
