Players believe Bettman's playing a 'little game'

[Don Cherry]

SPORTS Wednesday, January 15, 2003


http://www.canoe.ca/EdmontonSports/e...1-15-0093.html


By MIKE ZEISBERGER, SUN MEDIA

TORONTO -- The spin doctor is in, and his name is Gary Bettman.

At least that is the perception of the NHL commissioner by various players around the league, who are not buying into Bettman's prognosis that their lofty salaries are at the heart of the sport's problems, including the precarious situations in Ottawa and Buffalo.

Bettman said Monday in Buffalo: "One of the reasons we have to have a new system is so we can stabilize our franchises and not have to go through this again."

"He can say all he wants but it's some of the crooked owners he should be looking at, not us," veteran forward Craig Berube of the Calgary Flames said yesterday.

"That's what happened in Buffalo - the owners were (arrested). He just wants to get the fans on his side and make us look bad."

Defending scoring champion Jarome Iginla said NHLPA boss Bob Goodenow has been doing his best to keep players informed of the situation in preparation for 2004, the year the collective bargaining agreement runs out.

[HenryRules]

Everyone involved in this thing is stupid ... the players and the owners. Did they not notice the damage the players' strike caused baseball? Many markets still have not recovered from the strike in baseball ... if hockey is in such a desperate situation where 2 franchises declare bankruptcy in a week and 3 in a few years, a strike/lockout is going to probably make 10 fold permanently within 2 years of a settlement. Regardless of the CBA they get, if fans don't turn out, no one (players or owners) will make money. Do they honestly think fans in Nashville, Tampa, Atlanta, Columbus, or others will show up after hockey has locked out/striked?

[don137]

I am not saying the owners are clear of any wrong doing but it seems that the players are more much concerned with there pocket books over the game of hockey. What happened to the players that use to say "I love hockey that I would play it for free." Now I am not saying players should play for free but there needs to be some type of econmoies of scale throughout the league.
Berube should be careful what he says because he plays for a small market team and the league is trying to save the small market teams from these money hungry players. I don't think many fans in Calgary sympthize with the players.
Players can still make a very nice living if there was revenue sharing and/or a salary cap.
Hockey is just like baseball where it seems to be the same teams year after year with all the all-stars and high payroll and going deep into the playoffs (NY Rangers being the exception -hockeys' version of the Orioles). Occasionally a small market team will go far in the playoffs but it's tough to beat Goliath with all the all-stars (Carolina vs. Detroit and Dallas vs. Buffalo). Personally I am sick of seeing Colorado, Dallas, Detroit, Philly, NY Rangers etc. dominating the league with all the all-stars while small market teams can't compete and sign any top notch players through FA.

I think it would be an absolute shame that if nothing is done I can envision Canada only having two NHL teams in 10-15 years because they can not compete. Many teams will fold if nothing is done but I guess the players don't care about the league only there pocket books.

[Earthquake Enyart]

The players have to decide if they want big money and have 20 teams or make less and have 30 teams.

[SABURZFAN]

it doesn't surprise me because buttman likes to make it known that he's in charge.as for the berube comment,we're living proof about crooked owners.

[Novacane]

Maybe the players will believe it when they are locked out and are not making a dime in '04. Greedy jerks!

[Buffarama]

Originally posted by HenryRules
Do they honestly think fans in Nashville, Tampa, Atlanta, Columbus, or others will show up after hockey has locked out/striked?

That's a very good point. Non traditional hockey cities will not come back to near what they are now. Add to that list Carolina, San Jose, Phoenix, and Florida.