The headline reads "Bettman casts doubt on NHLers in future Olympics." Now, if you've read my last couple of posts about hockey you have an idea of how I feel about Commissioner Bettman. I think he's wrong, in it for the money, doesn't care about the fans and with this article (the link is also available by clicking the title of this post), he also doesn't care about the league as a whole. The article I mentioned was an interview conducted by the Canadian Press regarding a wide variety of issues. The biggest one for me is a comment Bettman made about the Olympics. He basically says he doesn't think that NHL hockey players should play in the Olympics after the 2010 Winter Games except maybe if the games are played in North America. The two week shut down of the league every 4 years in February is apparently more than the league can handle. Bettman said he doesn't see any point in having players play games around the world especially because no one in North America would be watching. The next are being held in Russia, roughly 13 or so hours ahead of the east coast, so games may not be played during prime time in North America. Bettman thinks the added exposure isn't enough to out way the loss of those two weeks.
Let's look at a couple of things, first off the "complaints." A) The Olympic break comes at a time when there isn't much other sports going on in North America and b) it comes right as the NHL is beginning it's playoff push. First my answer to part a. Relatively slow time in sports in North America in February??? Funny, the NBA season is in full swing and, living in a NBA market, it's all most people want to talk about. The Olympics are watched WORLDWIDE!!!!!!!!! Taking a week break every 4 years to show the world the best hockey players the NHL has to offer and possibly the best players in the world sounds like a pretty good trade off to me. It's not like hockey doesn't need more exposure in the United States, particularly in markets where people don't go to games like oh I don't know Phoenix, Atlanta, Nashville, Florida, Tampa Bay. Olympic coverage makes more people aware of the sport. More people aware, means more who want to play, more people who want to play means more competition, more competition means...well you get the idea. Now for part b). The Olympic break only happens every 4 years. Just based on that alone I don't understand what the problem is. Every 4 years the playoff race is put on hold for two weeks and the whole world watches the Olympics instead of the NHL.
Mr. Bettman if you want to grow the NHL and make it better quit treating the fans like crap and demanding that everything be done your way. If you want to grow the league get exposure worldwide by allowing NHL players to continue to play in the Olympics. If you want to diminish the NHL and make it a place where fans and players alike don't feel accepted keep doing what your doing. You and you're management team are fast becoming the laughing stock of the major leagues in North America. Heck some people even say that MLS is doing better than the NHL. Really, soccer???? Change your ways Bettman or you will lose respect from even more fans and players and you might even completely destroy one of the oldest and greatest hockey leagues in the world (notice I said world not North America, yes, I know I'm being redundant but I'm trying to make a point here). Go Oilers! Go Hockey! Go Olympics! Vancouver 2010 130 days and counting.
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