B.E.T.T.M.A.N

Bettman – Bringing Energy To Talks -or- Making All Nauseous? Well, I’d say that’s a no brainer. I have been, to date, a fan of how the Bruins ownership has handled itself during the opening rounds of the talks to institute a collective bargaining agreement and stop a lockout. Fat chance now I’d say. Bettman, like the angry child has taken his ball and decided to go home. He has gone off to sulk for his attempts to end a lockout his way failed. (The first attempt was a rollback to 1994, and the second one barely more tolerable.)

I now have to take off the rose colored, black-n-gold glasses and be a tad more critical. Mr. Jacobs is running one of the more profitable hockey franchises in the NHL. While the Bruins are not the powerhouses of revenue that Montreal and Toronto are, the Bruins are fiscally sound and financially healthy. When the players offered their “partnership proposal” to Bettman and the owners, it seemed a breath of fresh air. Yes, the players are willing to give up a significant amount of money to make this work. However, the players were willing to do this for the enrichment of the league. To strengthen the franchises that were in desperate need of help. (Like the Phoenix Coyotes, the debt ridden, league owned team that once upon a time a certain Bettman claimed another Sun-belt franchise would only make the league better.) *rolls eyes* Nice job, Gary.

So, what did the owners do? Reject it outright. Worse, they sent Bettman to offer a paltry counter offer. One the players in good conscience couldn’t accept without exposing their throats to the ravenous appetite of some out of control owners. “What I thought was starting as a promising week … ends in disappointment,”  Bettman told reporters after meeting with the union for the third time in four days. “We did not get a proposal from the union, call it more of a response. … We both agreed when one of us has something to say, we will pick up the phone.”

How about this Bettman. Sit the hell down. Mr. Jacobs, perhaps its time one of the local networks sat down with you and got your take on this. Let’s find out where you stand. I saw you as the most respected member of the “Boston Owners” league, and I’m hoping you’re not one of the people feeding Bettman this pile of manure to spit out upon the players and fans alike.  I, and a lot of Bruins Nation want to hear it from your own lips that this is not what you want to see happen.

I don’t feel bad just for the Bruins. I feel remorse for the Los Angeles Kings. Seriously, look what they accomplished. They had an amazing season. A few weeks ago we had a party at my other job from the west coast. A few of them were very vocal Kings fans. I congratulated them for the season, and told them I was routing for them the day they took the Canucks out of the playoffs. They saw my Boston hat and we enjoyed a few laughs over our mutual loathing of Vancouver and hockey in general. Those fans will be cheated! Those players deserve the right to have that banner go up, just like we did last year.  They have earned the privilege of having the Stanley Cup banner go up, to have their fans laugh and cheer and cry, and it is so WRONG for this kind of lockout to diminish their accomplishment and steal that amazing lifetime moment from thousands of people.

Finally, the NHLPA shared this on Twitter. I was tearing up by the end of it, and I just want to pass it on. This is one of the finest amateur productions I have ever seen on YouTube. Please pass it on.