Do you even know who owns (super pac contributors) Citizen’s United???

I’m actually over 40 y/o, I work for an employer that is worth over 13 billion dollars in assets. I work in a Upper Management position with multiple degrees. Oh bye the way, I have no college debts.

Now, I’m a wise and mature person today. I’m merciful, civilized, and educated.

I understand your political views, that’s the way I was in my mid-20′s.

So, hockeyfan, you’re actually proud of the fact that due to gerrymandering, a blatant affront to democracy and essentially rigging the election, the Republicans can hold on to the House? I thought you tea baggers were such patriots (even though I’ve only met one that ever served his country)! I would think you would be outraged by gerrymandering since it is denying the voice and the will of the people. Or is that only bad when Democrats do it? You’re a prefect example of what’s wrong this country. You vote blindly for a party instead of examining a candidate. BOTH parties are doing a damn fine job of destroying this Nation and it’s assclowns like you that allow it to happen because they know all they need to do is feed you some propaganda on talk radio and you’ll start salivating and stop thinking. There is no political party that represent s the average American anymore. Citizens United destroyed the last hope of that. Unless you’ve got millions, you simply are irrelevant. Until they take the money out of the game, we need to wake up to the fact that it’s not a democracy anymore.

mp1131211, you write Bettman should not be commended for the good things that happened to the game since becoming commissioner because it was not solely his doing. Then, you suggest he should be scolded because his actions have been a slow and steady build up to the present lockout. So, if things go good it’s not all his doing, but when things go sour throw him under the bus because it’s all his doing. Wow! I’d hate to have you as my boss…..

Hey, how’d Sheldon Adelson’s money work this year? LOL

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-puck-daddy/great-dead-puck-era-panic-2012-150018020.html

In addition to the high volume of complaints about slow play, there was a chorus of calls for rule changes to hits and fighting. Last year, everyone was talking about how the recent rule changes had nearly ruined the game and encouraged cheap head shots.

Bettman **might** be responsible for the increase in salaries of players, but certainly not him alone. And it certainly hasn’t been his goal. In fact, he’s overseen 3 lockouts all of which involved the league trying to reduce player pay.

So rather than commend Bettman for doing those things that you listed (excluding the winter cup- was that even his idea??- and the increase in revenue), he should be scolded. His actions have been a slow and steady build up to the present lockout.

dprouse – No doubt that’s a popular sentiment in the context what what’s currently playing out now. However when you view Bettman’s body of work in it’s entirety, then a valid argument could just as be easily made to the contrary. During his soon to be 20 year tenure, Bettman has accomplished among other things …

- a “tenfold” increase in average player salary (256 K to 2.4 million)

- an “eightfold” increase in league turnover (400 million to 3.3 billion)

- the addition of 6 x new franchises, increasing the NHL’s footprint by 25% (24 to 30 teams)

- overseen the most dramatic “rules overhaul” ever, aimed to improve the game

- overseen the most “innovative” marketing concept since the ’72 Summit Series (WC)

I too like many others have questioned the wisdom of his “sunbelt” vision. In fact, many would argue that “that” is at the crux of this current turmoil. And yet as an ardent and loyal supporter of the “original” sunbelt team (LA Kings), I realize that it’s almost hypocritical of me to start bashing the likes of Phoenix or Nashville … perhaps they too will one day become Stanley Cup Champions like us ? The other thing which has recently dawned on me is the fact that “growing pains” were probably always going to be inevitable, given the sheer scale of what Bettman has done for the game. An analogy could perhaps be made to your United States of America … would it be reasonable to expect your country to be able grow from 13 states to 50 states with no conflict or upset ? … of course not. I’ve even had cause to reconsider my entire thinking regarding this current lockout, which I suspect to be a “contrived” ruse with a “predetermined” start date. Perhaps some underhanded “cunning and guile” is the only way to get things done for the long term interest ? I know myself only too well from personal experience, that playing the “Joe Square” nice guy role in the merciless world of commerce can get you killed, figuratively speaking.

The bottom line is that I think it’s important to never lose focus of the big picture. On February 1st, Gary Bruce Bettman will mark his 20th anniversary as league commissioner. And so when you stand back at look at where we’ve come from then, it’s hard to argue that the game hasn’t done well since then, all things considered.

My name is Blomfeld and I support Gary Bettman !