Allsports and the Phoenix Fiasco

Since the real sports news on the web has been delayed an extra day, Allsports thought why not talk a little about the other NHL news story on the web.

That would be the legal story of Jin Balsillie against Gary Bettman and the NHL. In case you have not heard, Balsillie has offered $212.5 million for the Phoenix Coyotes. A tidy some indeed, and much more than the franchise is worth.

The problem is that Jim wants to move the club from Phoenix to a much better hockey market in Hamilton, Ontario, and Gary does not want to have any of that. If he did, then he would have to admit that his idea of putting a team in the desert was a foolish idea in the first place.

Bettman whines about the loyal fans in Phoenix losing their right to have NHL hockey in their fare city. Give your head a shake Gary. If the fans were loyal, the franchise would not be moving. For that matter, where was this great crusader when the truly loyal fans in Winnipeg lost this team in the first place?

In a just society, the Coyotes would be moved back to the City of Winnipeg, where I might add they would have a much better climate for success than Phoenix. Winnipeg could support the NHL in today’s economic market, especially with the salary cap and such in place.

Gary Bettman

No, this is not a case of logic. Rather, it is a good old fashion pissing contest. Balsillie has dealt with the NHL on two previous occasions. He bid on both the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Nashville Predators. The problem was that he wanted to move those franchises too, and Bettman vetoed the transaction.

Bettman blamed Balsillie for reneging on the deal, but the real reason was that Bettman was trying to tell him what he had to do with his money. You can’t blame Balsillie for pulling out.

Jim Balsillie

Balsillie has not endeared himself to the rest of the owners in the “old boys club,” and he may not have followed protocol. Now, what Balsillie is trying to do is show Bettman for the primadonna that he is, and Allsports thinks he is doing a pretty good job of it.

If I were an owner of the other floundering franchises, (are you listening Florida, New York Islanders, Atlanta, Nashville, and Tampa?) I would be very nervous. If the Bettman NHL wins this case, they will be doomed to keep their respective teams in the crappy markets they are in, and continue to pour money into the financial sink holes.

All of the Canadian owners should band together and tell Bettman to run along. They are tired of giving about 50% of the revenue share to his weak sister locations.

Bettman has been at the helm for about 16 years now and the game is no better off in the US than it was when he started. This latest fiasco could just be enough to finally push the wimpy New York lawyer out the door.

Allsports says "don’t let the door hit your behind on the way out, Gary." Then maybe the NHL could get a real commissioner.

Can you say, Wayne Gretzky or maybe Brendan Shanahan?

“No Guts No Glory”

Walt Webb

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