Today on some East Coast ESPN radio affiliate, NHL head moron Gary Bettman basically endorsed what Pronger's done thus far in the playoffs and inferred that the officials got it right by not calling the game... you know... by the rulebook.
This isn't exactly news. It's no secret that Playoff rules are different than regular season rules. It's an unwritten rule, for sure.
Here's a few interesting quotes from NBA.. I mean NHL commissioner Gary Bettman:
"It depends on who you're rooting for, but he's been around long enough to know how to get close to the line without crossing it."Why is Bettman talking about who people root for? The question isn't about what the FANS think. Quennville is questioning the LEGALITY of his acts in relation to THE NHL RULEBOOK. Screw the fans.
Ok ok... Maybe he said that because he's afraid of the Philly fanbase after what happened to the Montreal based journalist's car? That's gotta be it.
The article on ESPN.com stated that Bettman "didn't mind the publicity generated by the stunts." (Paragraph 6 of the article found at: http://sports.espn.go.com/chicago/nhl/news/story?id=5251980)
Of course he doesn't! Bettman is concerned by only one thing: Publicity. If it gets butts in the seats and people tuned in, YIPPEEEE!!!!!!!!!!
Now, I admit that viewership is a prime concern of the NHL. And I do want people to tune in to watch even if it isn't the Red Wings playing. But at the cost of the rulebook and the integrity of the game? NO FLIPPING WAY.
"It's bringing attention to the game," Bettman said. "It's showing our players have personality."Is that so, Bettman? Is that so? That's the message we want to send to potential viewers? Watch the NHL tonight! You don't know what kind of low life behavior is going to happen tonight!
Bettman is TRULY an amazing man. And when David Stern retires, the world will find out. And the NHL will rejoice as they'll finally be rid of the most worthless excuse for a commissioner of any professional sport that hasn't been accused of breaking U.S. law.
You're pathetic Gary. You're nothing more than a different angle on the Hollywood stereotype that states that the best sleep their way to the top. I just wonder who you slept with.
I don't see why ANYONE outside of Philadelphia's fanbase would EVER want the Flyers to win the Cup.
Citation note: All quotes in this article was taken from this article written by a staff writer (unknown) out of ESPNChicago.com. The article can be found here.
It's the Jordan rules, baby!!!
ReplyDeleteSeriously, Bettman is trying to turn the NHL into the NBA. It is sickening how much crap Philly is getting away with.
Pronger is only a POS if he DOESN'T play for you -- if he does, he's an effective D-man with incredible reach and blazing Finley-like speed (read: when you're that big, with the wingspan of a South American condor, it doesn't matter). That being said, he has good hands and he is not afraid to use them -- whether attached to his stick or not! Bettman cannot disappear soon enough -- who takes him seriously (and now he is a de facto OWNER!?)? Gotta go (Bettman, that is!) for the good of the game -- and most fans' sanity!
ReplyDeleteSioux_Me:
ReplyDeletePrecisely. Chronic Rule Breakers are ok as long as they play for you.
I'd like to go Johnny Cochran on all of you and call up the Robin Hood Analogy and insert Bettman into the whole thing:
Robin Hood is a legendary figure in England. He stole from the rich to give to the poor. I argue that, in fact, Robin Hood was NOT a thief. After all, he only stole from people that weren't on his "team." In fact, he only took from those who could afford to lose it. Hence, he wasn't stealing. He was REDISTRIBUTING wealth. Prince John, I argue, had no requirement saying he had to like Robin Hood. After all, Robin didn't play for his team. But Robin Hood knew how to play the game without crossing the line. (Sound familiar?)
Gary makes this argument about Pronger. He's not breaking the rules if he's playing for your team. He's just "redistributing the talent."
Buttman has no grasp on integrity of the game. RJ was right on with the MJ rules.
How sad that the owners don't realize what is going on.
I'm a bit of a 'Hawks fan (grew up in Chicago) and this whole Pronger bit is really turning me off the Finals. I sit and watch Pronger x-check the hell out of Byflugen, and someone lightly taps him with their stick last night, and it's 2 minutes. What a joke...
ReplyDeleteCry me a river you clowns. This is how the Flyers play, and this is how the Flyers are always going to play. If you can't deal with it, don't watch it. Chicago has to deal with it, they have no other option. Sioux Me in GF is exactly right: Pronger is despised if he doesn't play for your team. He is there for one reason, to shut the best opposing team's forwards down, and thus far he's obviously done a pretty good fu**ing job! Slashing is a pretty obvious penalty if you break the other guy's stick. Its like too many mean - there's no gray area or dotted line involved.
ReplyDeleteMeant to type too many "men"
ReplyDeleteYou're all basically saying the same thing....
ReplyDeleteThis is the whole reason, as a Hawks fan, that I didn't want to play the Flyers. They do push the limits and are quite marginal. The problem is that Hawks are mostly getting caught retaliating. That's always been understood, the person retaliating gets caught and gets the penalty.
WCHADominates-
ReplyDeleteI have no problem with how the FLYERS play. They play physical. Fine.
My point is: If it is a penalty, IT IS A PENALTY.
If the Hawks get penalized for it, why isn't the Flyers?
And besides, if Pronger is the reason why the Hawks have looked so pathetic the last few games, then...
CONGRATS to the Flyers, 2010 Stanley Cup Champions.
The Hawks have beaten themselves. The Flyers have played very well for 90% of this series (I think neither team really played well in game 1). The Hawks have progressively played worse and worse. It worked in Game 2 and the eked out a win, but in Game 3 and 4, they were exposed.
Heh... Hawks are having a Bruins lookalike contest... only the Flyers didn't spot them a 3-0 series lead.
I have no problem with the officiating on the Hawks end of things. From what I saw, there weren't any calls that could have gone the other way. The retaliating is driving me nuts!
But to simply dismiss or excuse illegal play by saying that if Pronger were a Hawk it'd be ok is just ludicrous. You are right, people do overlook things when it is their guy. After all, look at all the Flyers fans when Pronger comes up.
wchadominates -
ReplyDeleteso, since everybody knows that philly is a dirty hack team, then it should just be accepted and other teams should just deal with it?
i can't see logic in that point of view.