21 replies to this topic

[RazielSabre]

I would like to know a bit more about his role. His held it for almost 20 years now and seems to be widely hated. If the worst happens and there is another lockout surely it can't look good for him since that will be 2 in less than 10 years, but there never seems to be any mention of him losing his job. Who governs/controls his job? Is he really as corrupt as everyone makes out?

Anyone give me a bit more information in the details/politics of that side of hockey? I know my question is vague but other thank knowing he kinda controls hockey I don't actually know that much about him/his job. Wikipedia is useful but it's not quite as good as hearing it from ya'll.

[ROC Sabres]

Other than making appearances at the draft,all-star game, stanley cup presentation, he is pretty much a figure head in my book.

What goes on behind closed doors may be different but the CBA is between the owners and NHLPA so I really don't see his role in that, other than final approval, being that big.

Edited by ROC Sabres, 10 August 2012 - 06:09 AM.

[inkman]

Bettman may be hated by all the fans but his constituency, the owners love all the $$$ he's helped them make.  

League commissioners never win the popularity contest.

[Suffer_enuff]

I think the NHL Commissioner's job has always carried with it a bit of dislike from the fans - if you look back at former commissioners, John Ziegler was pretty widely disliked and even the now (more or less) beloved Clarence Campbell was never warmly received.  I think part of it has to do with the fan's perception of the amount of power the commissioner's office has and the often unpopular decisions that each commissioner has handed down. In the case of Ziegler and Bettman, their personalities (or lack thereof) and inability to give a straight answer (lawyer-speak) also conspired to make fans dislike them. (I avoid bringing up Bettman's downplaying of the "No Goal" incident, which has made him pretty much hated in Buffalo ever since.)

Frankly, I think the job is a difficult one. The commissioner has to please owners, players, the NHLPA, officials AND fans. Even a popular former player, if thrust into the commissioner's role, would have a tough time remaining well-liked. That being said, I personally can't stand Bettman.  His mannerisms remind me of a professional wrestling manager from the 70's and 80's called "The Grand Wizard", later Abdullah Farouk (real name Erinie Roth). Roth's managerial persona always seemed to look down on everyone around him with disdain. Somehow, when I see Bettman speaking, I get that same feeling that in his mind he is thinking "I'm better than all of these people - get this riff-raff away from me!"  That is probably undeserved, but you can't control your feelings.....

Edited by Sabre Dance, 10 August 2012 - 08:06 AM.

[nucci]

Nothing about CBA negotiations surprise me anymore in any league but I still find it hard to believe there is going to be another work stoppage so soon after the last one.

[Taro T]

ROC Sabres, on 10 August 2012 - 06:09 AM, said:

Other than making appearances at the draft,all-star game, stanley cup presentation, he is pretty much a figure head in my book.

What goes on behind closed doors may be different but the CBA is between the owners and NHLPA so I really don't see his role in that, other than final approval, being that big.

He is the point man in setting the owners' negotiation strategy and he is point man on getting all the owners on board with it.  When he fails on the 2nd point, as in '94-'95, the owners get their lunch handed to them as the players will be much more unified than the owners will be.  You've essentially got 3 groups negotiating, players, big market owners, and small market owners.  The owners get crushed when the big ones and little ones don't pull the same way.

When he gets them all on board with the strategy as in '04-'05, then the final product ends up pretty equitable for the players and owners.

The fans take it pretty hard either way, so they don't like him.

inkman, on 10 August 2012 - 07:47 AM, said:

Bettman may be hated by all the fans but his constituency, the owners love all the $$$ he's helped them make.  

League commissioners never win the popularity contest.

Agreed.

[shrader]

Sabre Dance, it goes well beyond the NHL commissioner job.  Every single sports commissioner is hated.  That's just the way it is.  It's part of the job.  They take the focus away from some of the more d-bag owners out there and force it squarely upon one person's shoulders.

[RazielSabre]

Thanks for the info, I get that one person in that role will always be hated, look at heads of state. Always the case. A work stoppage will be seriously unpopular and the players will only lose the fight again, odd move.

[DR HOLLIDAY]

I hate Bettman for man reasons.  When he made the announcement that Winnipeg had gotten a team back he was so full of spite and such an ###### that I will never forgive him for that.

[That Aud Smell]

Quote

Sabre Dance, on 10 August 2012 - 08:03 AM, said:

I personally can't stand Bettman.  His mannerisms remind me of a professional wrestling manager from the 70's and 80's called "The Grand Wizard", later Abdullah Farouk (real name Erinie Roth). Roth's managerial persona always seemed to look down on everyone around him with disdain. Somehow, when I see Bettman speaking, I get that same feeling that in his mind he is thinking "I'm better than all of these people - get this riff-raff away from me!"  

shrader, on 10 August 2012 - 08:15 AM, said:

Sabre Dance, it goes well beyond the NHL commissioner job.  Every single sports commissioner is hated.  That's just the way it is.  It's part of the job.  They take the focus away from some of the more d-bag owners out there and force it squarely upon one person's shoulders.

agreed with both dance and shrader.

@shrader: the fact that antipathy towards league commissioners extends beyond the nhl does nothing to change the fact that there is something viscerally dislikable about bettman, as dance notes. goodell's a bit of an arrogant bastage who wields too much power, but i get the sense that i would like having a couple of beers with him. stern is a smug SOB, but i also get the sense that he's aware of his persona and he sort of has fun with it from time to time. bettman? he just comes off as a weasely guy with nothing interesting to contribute to a conversation -- someone who will do small, petty things to punish people in his life -- e.g, under-tipping a car valet whom he thought was too pokey. i just fukcing hate bettman.

[nfreeman]

inkman, on 10 August 2012 - 07:47 AM, said:

Bettman may be hated by all the fans but his constituency, the owners love all the $$$ he's helped them make.  

League commissioners never win the popularity contest.

Taro T, on 10 August 2012 - 08:05 AM, said:

He is the point man in setting the owners' negotiation strategy and he is point man on getting all the owners on board with it.  When he fails on the 2nd point, as in '94-'95, the owners get their lunch handed to them as the players will be much more unified than the owners will be.  You've essentially got 3 groups negotiating, players, big market owners, and small market owners.  The owners get crushed when the big ones and little ones don't pull the same way.

When he gets them all on board with the strategy as in '04-'05, then the final product ends up pretty equitable for the players and owners.

The fans take it pretty hard either way, so they don't like him.

shrader, on 10 August 2012 - 08:15 AM, said:

Sabre Dance, it goes well beyond the NHL commissioner job.  Every single sports commissioner is hated.  That's just the way it is.  It's part of the job.  They take the focus away from some of the more d-bag owners out there and force it squarely upon one person's shoulders.

Well said on all of these.

That Aud Smell, on 10 August 2012 - 10:36 AM, said:

@shrader: the fact that antipathy towards league commissioners extends beyond the nhl does nothing to change the fact that there is something viscerally dislikable about bettman, as dance notes. goodell's a bit of an arrogant bastage who wields too much power, but i get the sense that i would like having a couple of beers with him. stern is a smug SOB, but i also get the sense that he's aware of his persona and he sort of has fun with it from time to time. bettman? he just comes off as a weasely guy with nothing interesting to contribute to a conversation -- someone who will do small, petty things to punish people in his life -- e.g, under-tipping a car valet whom he thought was too pokey. i just fukcing hate bettman.

Whoa, big fella.

As was mentioned upthread, I will always have a bit of animus for Bettman due to No Goal and his failure to act in the breach, which absolutely and unjustly screwed the Sabres.  Other than that, though, unless someone knows someone who was personally wronged by Bettman in a petty/weaselly way, this thread has a number of very speculative personal shots at the guy.

FWIW, I think he's a pretty effective commissioner.  The NHL as an overall organization has performed very well since and including the lockout.  I don't think the owners will be able to duplicate their 2005 success this year, but they will still get a number of meaningful concessions and probably not lose more than 15-20% of the regular season schedule and much less than that of their overall economics for this season.

[shrader]

That Aud Smell, on 10 August 2012 - 10:36 AM, said:

@shrader: the fact that antipathy towards league commissioners extends beyond the nhl does nothing to change the fact that there is something viscerally dislikable about bettman, as dance notes. goodell's a bit of an arrogant bastage who wields too much power, but i get the sense that i would like having a couple of beers with him. stern is a smug SOB, but i also get the sense that he's aware of his persona and he sort of has fun with it from time to time. bettman? he just comes off as a weasely guy with nothing interesting to contribute to a conversation -- someone who will do small, petty things to punish people in his life -- e.g, under-tipping a car valet whom he thought was too pokey. i just fukcing hate bettman.

I do wonder if he wouldn't be as hated if he wasn't the only public face of the NHL owners.  The other leagues have the more public figures, the Jerry Jones', Dan Snyder's, and Mark Cuban's of the world.  The NHL really doesn't have any owners who are well known in the public like that.

[Taro T]

shrader, on 10 August 2012 - 10:59 AM, said:

I do wonder if he wouldn't be as hated if he wasn't the only public face of the NHL owners.  The other leagues have the more public figures, the Jerry Jones', Dan Snyder's, and Mark Cuban's of the world.  The NHL really doesn't have any owners who are well known in the public like that.

Cough, cough, Lemieux, cough, cough.

PS - I knew what you meant, just pointing out that the NHL does have ONE famous owner in the public, even though he doesn't come across as a horse's bippy like the others you mentioned; and he isn't famous for having gotten rich and then buying a very public toy.

[shrader]

Taro T, on 10 August 2012 - 11:25 AM, said:

Cough, cough, Lemieux, cough, cough.

PS - I knew what you meant, just pointing out that the NHL does have ONE famous owner in the public, even though he doesn't come across as a horse's bippy like the others you mentioned; and he isn't famous for having gotten rich and then buying a very public toy.

I guess I phrased it wrong.  Of course everyone knows Lemieux, but he's not an attention ###### like the ones I listed.

[That Aud Smell]

nfreeman, on 10 August 2012 - 10:59 AM, said:

Whoa, big fella.

big fella? didn't you get the memo?

That Aud Smell, on 08 August 2012 - 08:11 AM, said:

i know that i'm a fairly effete dude.

nfreeman, on 10 August 2012 - 10:59 AM, said:

I will always have a bit of animus for Bettman due to No Goal and his failure to act in the breach, which absolutely and unjustly screwed the Sabres.  Other than that, though, unless someone knows someone who was personally wronged by Bettman in a petty/weaselly way, this thread has a number of very speculative personal shots at the guy.

FWIW, I think he's a pretty effective commissioner.  The NHL as an overall organization has performed very well since and including the lockout.  I don't think the owners will be able to duplicate their 2005 success this year, but they will still get a number of meaningful concessions and probably not lose more than 15-20% of the regular season schedule and much less than that of their overall economics for this season.

i own the fact that my hatred for the guy is based largely on speculation, conjecture, suspicion, and surmise. but so too is the sexual prowess that i attribute to mila kunis for the purpose of constructing our elaborate fantasy life together. i don't have a personal basis for forming either of those opinions, but (1) i'm pretty sure they're both substantially accurate and, in any event, (2) i enjoy harboring both of them.

[Suffer_enuff]

shrader, on 10 August 2012 - 08:15 AM, said:

Sabre Dance, it goes well beyond the NHL commissioner job.  Every single sports commissioner is hated.  That's just the way it is.  It's part of the job.  They take the focus away from some of the more d-bag owners out there and force it squarely upon one person's shoulders.

This is very true - i agree 100%.

That Aud Smell, on 10 August 2012 - 10:36 AM, said:

agreed with both dance and shrader.

@shrader: the fact that antipathy towards league commissioners extends beyond the nhl does nothing to change the fact that there is something viscerally dislikable about bettman, as dance notes. goodell's a bit of an arrogant bastage who wields too much power, but i get the sense that i would like having a couple of beers with him. stern is a smug SOB, but i also get the sense that he's aware of his persona and he sort of has fun with it from time to time. bettman? he just comes off as a weasely guy with nothing interesting to contribute to a conversation -- someone who will do small, petty things to punish people in his life -- e.g, under-tipping a car valet whom he thought was too pokey. i just fukcing hate bettman.

Although I can't find documentation online of such, I think that the above mentioned Ernie Roth was referred to as "The Weasel" by all but himself and his wrestlers...

nfreeman, on 10 August 2012 - 10:59 AM, said:

Well said on all of these.



Whoa, big fella.

As was mentioned upthread, I will always have a bit of animus for Bettman due to No Goal and his failure to act in the breach, which absolutely and unjustly screwed the Sabres.  Other than that, though, unless someone knows someone who was personally wronged by Bettman in a petty/weaselly way, this thread has a number of very speculative personal shots at the guy.

FWIW, I think he's a pretty effective commissioner.  The NHL as an overall organization has performed very well since and including the lockout.  I don't think the owners will be able to duplicate their 2005 success this year, but they will still get a number of meaningful concessions and probably not lose more than 15-20% of the regular season schedule and much less than that of their overall economics for this season.

Oh, Bettman has been incredibly effective - league profits are way up and the league exapnded to 30 teams under his watch.  Obviously, I've never met the guy personally and he might be an okay guy to have a drink with (although I see him drinking 12 year-old scotch, not beer), but his mannerisms just rub me the wrong way.

[nobody]

If I recall correctly - he wasn't booed in Columbus after the all star game and he wasn't booed in LA after the Cup win.  Could be outliers but maybe things have shifted his way.

[Ghost of Dwight Drane]

Bettman drinks White Zinfandel.

[ubkev]

Sabre Dance, on 10 August 2012 - 01:47 PM, said:

This is very true - i agree 100%.




Although I can't find documentation online of such, I think that the above mentioned Ernie Roth was referred to as "The Weasel" by all but himself and his wrestlers...


Oh, Bettman has been incredibly effective - league profits are way up and the league exapnded to 30 teams under his watch.  Obviously, I've never met the guy personally and he might be an okay guy to have a drink with (although I see him drinking 12 year-old scotch, not beer), but his mannerisms just rub me the wrong way.

Really? I see him drinking appletini's or mineral water, or maybe something with fruit in it.

Edit:Ghost beat me to it.

Edited by ubkev, 10 August 2012 - 02:32 PM.

[That Aud Smell]

nobody, on 10 August 2012 - 02:07 PM, said:

If I recall correctly - he wasn't booed in Columbus after the all star game and he wasn't booed in LA after the Cup win.  Could be outliers but maybe things have shifted his way.

i don't consider either of those venues as being located in legit hockey towns. also, i harbor as much "hate" (i use that term advisedly; this is the sort of bar room b.s.-ing hate reserved for public figures) for bettman as anyone, but there's no way i would be booing him if we were to present the sabres captain with the cup in the f'n center.

Quote

Ghost of Dwight Drane, on 10 August 2012 - 02:30 PM, said:

Bettman drinks White Zinfandel.

ubkev, on 10 August 2012 - 02:32 PM, said:

Really? I see him drinking appletini's or mineral water, or maybe something with fruit in it.

Edit:Ghost beat me to it.

full marks, both. my bet is that his drink of choice includes rum and/or a muddled ingredient that is a huge pain in the arse for the bartender to prepare. and then i bet he fails to tip accordingly.

[TrueBluePhD]

That Aud Smell, on 10 August 2012 - 01:01 PM, said:

i own the fact that my hatred for the guy is based largely on speculation, conjecture, suspicion, and surmise. but so too is the sexual prowess that i attribute to mila kunis for the purpose of constructing our elaborate fantasy life together. i don't have a personal basis for forming either of those opinions, but (1) i'm pretty sure they're both substantially accurate and, in any event, (2) i enjoy harboring both of them.

Water spit out .  Well done

[DR HOLLIDAY]

nobody, on 10 August 2012 - 02:07 PM, said:

If I recall correctly - he wasn't booed in Columbus after the all star game and he wasn't booed in LA after the Cup win.  Could be outliers but maybe things have shifted his way.

Both of those cities are not hockey cities, that is why he wasn't booed.