Gary Bettman

IF GARY BETTMAN HAD BEEN THE CAPTAIN OF THE TITANIC:
HE WOULD HAVE BEEN THE FIRST TO ASSURE THE PASSENGERS…
“THERE IS NO SHORTAGE OF ICE!!!”
ON SATURDAY IN DETROIT…THE GOOD SHIP BETTMAN ONCE AGAIN…SET SAIL…
IT WAS THE ANNUAL “STATE OF THE UNION” ADDRESS…
THE CENTER OF ATTENTION WAS THE FATE OF THE PHOENIX COYOTES…
LET US BE CLEAR ABOUT ONE THING…
THIS FIGHT IS NOT OVER A FAILED FRANCHISE…IN A FAILED MARKET…
IT IS ABOUT WHO RUNS THE NHL…
RIGHT NOW IT IS BETTMAN…AND A SMALL COLLECTION OF OWNERS WHO SUPPORT HIM…
THE MATH IS THIS SIMPLE…
IF BETTMAN LOSES THIS FIGHT…HE LOSES HIS JOB…
NEVERTHELESS ON SATURDAY…WHEN THE ISSUE WAS RAISED…
BETTMAN LOOKED INTO THE EYES OF THE MEDIA AND SAID…
“FROM MY STANDPOINT…IT’S NOT PERSONAL”…
WHO THE HELL IS TRYING TO FOOL…
FOR BASILLIE…IT DOES NOT GET ANY MORE PERSONAL…
BOTH IN PITTSBURGH AND THEN IN NASHVILLE…HE HAD THE DOOR SLAMMED IN HIS FACE…
FOR A BILLIONAIRE…THAT’S PERSONAL…
SHOULD BASILLIE WIN IN BANKRUPTCY COURT…
THE NHL WILL ALMOST CERTAINLY HAVE TO LET HIM INTO THEIR LITTLE CLUB HOUSE…
THE OTHER CHOICE WOULD BE A LONG AN EXPENSIVE LEGAL FIGHT…
DURING WHICH…THE LEAGUE WOULD HAVE TO SUSPEND THE FRANCHISE…
THE NHL WOULD ALSO HAVE ANOTHER FIGHT ON ITS HANDS WITH THE PLAYERS ASSOCIATION…
THAT’S A LOT OF HEADACHES…TO PROTECT A TEAM THAT HAS LOST MONEY…EVERY YEAR SINCE MOVING TO PHEONIX IN 1996…
EVEN IF THE NHL WINS THIS ROUND…UP NEXT IS ATLANTA…THEN FLORIDA…THEN TAMPA BAY…AND THEN NASHVILLE…
IN THE MEANTIME…THE MAGIC NUMBER FOR BASILLIE IS “16”…
THAT’S HOW MANY OWNERS HE NEEDS ON HIS SIDE…TO HAVE BETTMAN THROWN OUT AS COMMISSIONER…
SO GARY…HOW ABOUT A DRINK???
WORD HAS IT…THERE’S NO SHORTAGE OF ICE!!!