Gary Bettman Sucks

[Niittymaki30 0]

Gary Bettman is ruining the game of hockey. Today, he said that all penalties WILL be called, and if they are not, the officials will not be working series. Well, Mr. Bettman, if I had my way, YOU would not be working. Where did this guy come from? He is the biggest joke since Tie Domi. A great example of how this retard is single handedly ruining hockey is the Philly/Buffalo series. Every call is bullshit, either way. They call Rathje for an interference, and if you touch someone with your stick, you are going to get called for a hook. Yet, Antropov is diving all over the place and isn't getting called, but that is another story. Officiating in sports has truly turned into the deciding facrtors in games, and that is bullshit in itself. The playoffs are all about letting them play, and what Bettman is doing is shooting someone who steps out of line. Unbelievable.

[Eazy_b97 1]

Hey! You leave Antropov alone! We aren't even in the playoffs!

[dietzie27 0]

Now come on bud. Everyone knows that the flyers have been goons for years and now the new rules are cutting down on it.

[UMWhockey 0]

Gary Bettman is ruining the game of hockey. Today, he said that all penalties WILL be called, and if they are not, the officials will not be working series. Well, Mr. Bettman, if I had my way, YOU would not be working. Where did this guy come from? He is the biggest joke since Tie Domi. A great example of how this retard is single handedly ruining hockey is the Philly/Buffalo series. Every call is bullshit, either way. They call Rathje for an interference, and if you touch someone with your stick, you are going to get called for a hook. Yet, Antropov is diving all over the place and isn't getting called, but that is another story. Officiating in sports has truly turned into the deciding facrtors in games, and that is bullshit in itself. The playoffs are all about letting them play, and what Bettman is doing is shooting someone who steps out of line. Unbelievable.

what is he supposed to say? OK, the rule crackdown made games more exciting in the regular season, but now since it is play-offs we will just forget about everything we have been trying to do with the game. I think he made the right call and I love being able to see the skill players work their magic. I watched a game from 1997 yesterday and I couldn't beleive how many times players were not able to get to loose pucks or get scoring chances because someone ran them away from the play. I think the game is going in the right direction and we can't let the game take a step backwards in the play-offs.

[gavin 0]

Niittymaki, I take it from your nick that you are a flyers fan. I understand what it's like to have a team bomb out like your team is, as the Canucks just did that to me. BUT for a totally different reason. The Flyers and slow and undisciplined. They are getting outhustled and as a result they take all kinds of stupid penalties. Don't take it from me, one of their players (LeClair?) said on TV that they were a PRE-lockout NHL team. The kind that is going to get eliminated.

I don't have a vendetta against the Flyers, but I'm pretty sure that you're in the minority as to wanting the old NHL back.

[bullet1 0]

Yea, I guess if I were a Flyers fan I'd be pretty mad right now too watching Buffalo skate circles around my team. But I have to agree that you are in the vast minority wanting the clutching and grabbing back. I watched the Philly Pitt. game on OLN tonight from 1997 and it was amazing how much grabbing and stuff people got away with. Players would get stuck behind the net or in the corner for long periods away from the puck without getting a holding call. It was pretty ugly to watch when comparing it to some of todays action. I'm not a huge Betteman fan, but todays product on the ice is definitely better than years past.

[gp3r 0]

Get over it! Slow teams don't work anymore.

The Sabres are faster, much faster, than the Flyers, that's the reason they get so many power plays. Philly started off the season real good, but at the end of the year, their lack of speed started to show up, just like it did for Toronto. You can't blame the refs, or the rules, for their bad performances. Yes, there are bad calls sometimes, but that's part of the game, but saying most penalties are bad ones, that's not being able to face the truth. The game has changed for the best. It's still very physical, but it's faster. Teams have to adapt to the new game. The Flyers, who have a very slow defense didn't pick the good d-men, that's it. Toronto didn't have enough speed to be able to compete night-in and night-out against fast teams.

It's simple, hockey is a game of speed, quickness. It's a tough game, but it's toughness should never go over it's speed. That was the problem before, but now, with the new rules, it's not it anymore.

[LegoDoom 0]

The problem that Flyers fans have is that a lot gets called against the Flyers, but it seems that not as much is called against them. I admit, the Flyers take a lot of stupid penaltes, but it's tough to watch a very marginal call against them and then watch Forsberg get mugged with nothing called from it (mainly because he's tough to actually force off the puck).

I am fine with calling ALL penalties, but they're just not doing it. And I'm not saying it doesn't go both ways, but the Flyers do get shortchanged quite a bit. Yes, they should have faster d-men (although it wouldn't be nearly as bad if Johnsson was in the lineup), but that doesn't change the fact that the Flyers seem to get called for hooking or holding more than the teams they play. And it's not just the slow guys that get called either.

It will take time for the players to adapt to the new rules. I'd still rather see more even up clutching and grabbing hockey than a game that's practically played on specialty teams for half the game. It's the players fault for not adapting quickly, but it's still not ideal hockey to watch.

[gavin 0]

Saying that bettman is calling penalties what shouldn't be called penalties is NOT the same thing as saying that the refs are one-sided and trying desperately to force Philidelphia out of the playoffs by making one-sided calls. Which are we talking about here fellas?

I'm a Forsberg fan and I don't like a sweet player like him get mugged either, but I'm a long way from saying that the refs have not been calling them both ways.

[LegoDoom 0]

I'm a Forsberg fan and I don't like a sweet player like him get mugged either, but I'm a long way from saying that the refs have not been calling them both ways.

That's because you don't live in Philly.

And with all that's said.... I don't know how anyone could blame the refs for game 2. Game 1... I have a bit of a grudge since I thought Forsberg was hooked, which led to the Sabres first goal. And the high stick thing with Knuble getting called for it a shift after he took two. I wouldn't call it a conspiracy though.

[Chadd 916]

I'm a Forsberg fan and I don't like a sweet player like him get mugged either, but I'm a long way from saying that the refs have not been calling them both ways.

That's because you don't live in Philly.

And with all that's said.... I don't know how anyone could blame the refs for game 2. Game 1... I have a bit of a grudge since I thought Forsberg was hooked, which led to the Sabres first goal. And the high stick thing with Knuble getting called for it a shift after he took two. I wouldn't call it a conspiracy though.

I watched a replay on comcast earlier today and the blade of the stick never touched him. Yes the shaft made contact with his side and that has been called a lot this year but there really wasn't a hook there. Had the ref been on the back side, he probably would have called it. Since he would see the actual position of the stick, there was no call. Just my two cents as a bad ref.

[Cunndies 0]

Maybe it's 'cause I don't live in North America, but I've never gotten the whole "playoff refereeing" thing. Why should the rules be any different to the regular season? Nothing in the rulebook says they should....

If it's a penalty in the first minute, it's a penalty in the last minute of triple overtime of Game 7 of the finals. Same rules.

[DarkStar50 679]

I saw bits and pieces of regulation and than most of first OT with Habs/Canes. Those teams were end-to-end, petal-to-the-metal thanks to no clutching, grabbing, hooking, holding. I would rather watch that style than old school playoffs with slugs on ice. Yes, there have been some very ticky-tacky hooks called while other guys are getting rammed into the boards on checking from behind. The refs were never perfect to begin with. As they said on TSN, it is time to make checking from behind 2 and 10 or 5 and a game misconduct. Its dangerous in youth hockey but it is even more dangerous with these guys. This season has featured more face plants on the wall and ledge than I can ever remember.

As I said on another post, the playoffs are all about your special teams. You will live and die with your power play's ability to score goals and your penalty killers ability to keep the other team from scoring. This has always been the essence of playoff hockey. Well for the Flyers and others, WAKE UP! Now with the refs calling the playoffs the same as regular season and why not, if you want to live by the sword, you will die by the sword. Stop your crying, line up, and play hockey!!

[Bane 1]

If it's a penalty in the regular season it should be a penalty in the playoffs... I am so sick of the "let them play" crap. These guys claim to be the best in the world, if they are the best they should be able to play by the rules.

[Jason Harris 31]

To be fair Lego, When you have a history of diving or embellishing calls as Foppa does, it puts the refs in a bad spot as well.  Last game he admitted to really drawing attention of a play.

Theo, I know people have had a play on words with 'Floppa', but that's the first time I have ever heard someone say that Forsberg has a history of diving. If anything, his reputation has been the opposite -- that he gets hurt because he seems to relish contact.

Regarding the penalties, only 300 people to blame -- the players. A hook is a hook. A slash is a slash. A trip is a trip. It's up to the players to make sure they don't do any of the above, and then it's up to the refs to call them when they occur.

[Megamandan 0]

Liking the Avatar? I am :D , even though I'm a hard core Flyers Fan.

[Chadd 916]

To be fair Lego, When you have a history of diving or embellishing calls as Foppa does, it puts the refs in a bad spot as well.  Last game he admitted to really drawing attention of a play.

Theo, I know people have had a play on words with 'Floppa', but that's the first time I have ever heard someone say that Forsberg has a history of diving. If anything, his reputation has been the opposite -- that he gets hurt because he seems to relish contact.

Regarding the penalties, only 300 people to blame -- the players. A hook is a hook. A slash is a slash. A trip is a trip. It's up to the players to make sure they don't do any of the above, and then it's up to the refs to call them when they occur.

You live near Denver, people there won't talk about it. Forsberg is the kind of guy that can carry two guys on his back while driving to the net, then suddenly fall if someone looks at him wrong. He does a good job of picking his spots but he has a reputation for embellishing.

[Niittymaki30 0]

Look guys, my main point aside from my being a flyers fan, was that Bettman is scaring the officials, and telling them that they won't work unless everything is called, and I don't agree with that. You shouldn't put fear into them, just let them do your job. That would be like your boss coming up to you and giving you a 500 page report that he just read, and telling you to proofread it, and if you miss ONE mistake, just ONE, you are fired. That is bullshit, and Bettman shouldn't be doing that.

On a side note, the Flyers problem isn't as much speed as it is they don't play defense, aside from Forsberg, Gagne, and Mike Richards. Dimitrakos, Umberger, Gauthier, Rathje, etc. can't play a lick of D. Meyer does a good job, but he is really the only one. If you look at the team two years ago that got to the conference finals, it was stacked at the D positon. Markov, Mahlakov, Johnsson, Ragnarsson, Seidenberg...All those guys are great defensive players. Bob Clarke thought that offense was needed to win in the new NHL, and like 99.9% of the things he does, he is wrong. Look at the signings of Knuble and Forsberg...They were needed for offense, and thats what the Flyers got...offense. Not defense (although forsberg does play good D). Roenick was a good defensive forward, and so was Zhamnov, etc. These guys better bear down, or they are done. It isn't Esche or Niitty's fault that slam dunk goals go in.

[donkey87 0]

Look guys, my main point aside from my being a flyers fan, was that Bettman is scaring the officials, and telling them that they won't work unless everything is called, and I don't agree with that. You shouldn't put fear into them, just let them do your job. That would be like your boss coming up to you and giving you a 500 page report that he just read, and telling you to proofread it, and if you miss ONE mistake, just ONE, you are fired. That is bullshit, and Bettman shouldn't be doing that.

I don't think that its possible for a referee to be fired for not making a call. Don't NHL officials have a union? If they were fired for not making a call, the union would have a few things to say. It sounds like Bettman is just trying to sound tough. I don't think officiating is going to be much different from the regular season.

[willy0314 0]

the point of what bettman said was to assure the reffs called things like they are supposed to. In the past, the reffs put away the whistle come playoff time and let the teams play. Which ment teams did a ton of the things the NHL has tried to getaway from this year.

[sdh 0]

The good thing about what bettman did was say this before the playoffs for everyone to hear. So, there should be no shock that this stuff is getting called.

Refs can't win. No matter how they call a game there will always be calls they could have made and missed or calls they made that seemed weak. Imagine how hard it must be to ref an NHL playoff game. We have the luxury of TV and replay, but they are watching real-time and it is a fast, fast game.

I think they need to make more diving calls. We don't want this to turn into soccer :P

Also, what's the deal with players turning their backs when they are about to get checked? I don't get it. If it is so dangerous, why would they do it? I think there are probably two different situations here, one that is incredibly dangerous and one that really isn't.

[j8Zt8r 0]

Under the circumstances, I feel the refs have done a decent job. They will always make a bad call and always miss another. They are people so they are not perfect. I do not like having so many penalties called but, I think that it is good that they are remaining consistent. IMO they have really let the players battle in front of the net which during the season they were constantly calling. They have found a happy medium there I think. It is nice to not see players catching a ride from another player with his stick. The players will catch on and the series will get more entertaining.

Do I like Bettman? NO

He has accomplished some things that needed to be done so I accept him. The playoffs are starting to remind me of how they were back in the 80's, a lot of good battles combined with speed.

[chippa13 1844]

Gary Bettman is ruining the game of hockey. Today, he said that all penalties WILL be called, and if they are not, the officials will not be working series. Well, Mr. Bettman, if I had my way, YOU would not be working. Where did this guy come from? He is the biggest joke since Tie Domi. A great example of how this retard is single handedly ruining hockey is the Philly/Buffalo series. Every call is bullshit, either way. They call Rathje for an interference, and if you touch someone with your stick, you are going to get called for a hook. Yet, Antropov is diving all over the place and isn't getting called, but that is another story. Officiating in sports has truly turned into the deciding facrtors in games, and that is bullshit in itself. The playoffs are all about letting them play, and what Bettman is doing is shooting someone who steps out of line. Unbelievable.

File under: Sour grapes tirades.

[DarkStar50 679]

The playoffs are starting to remind me of how they were back in the 80's, a lot of good battles combined with speed.

I totally agree with 80s idea. Once again players are moving through the neutral zone but still getting hit with solid body checks on the wall. I saw that in Ducks/Flames last night. There are nowhere near as many 2-on-1s as there were in the regular season, except for the Flyers and when Ozolinsh is on the ice for the Rangers. The playoffs will get better as the teams realize that there is no going back to the way the game was called 2 years ago. I don't have a problem with that.

[Shagel 0]

Look guys, my main point aside from my being a flyers fan, was that Bettman is scaring the officials, and telling them that they won't work unless everything is called, and I don't agree with that. You shouldn't put fear into them, just let them do your job. That would be like your boss coming up to you and giving you a 500 page report that he just read, and telling you to proofread it, and if you miss ONE mistake, just ONE, you are fired. That is bullshit, and Bettman shouldn't be doing that.

On a side note, the Flyers problem isn't as much speed as it is they don't play defense, aside from Forsberg, Gagne, and Mike Richards. Dimitrakos, Umberger, Gauthier, Rathje, etc. can't play a lick of D. Meyer does a good job, but he is really the only one. If you look at the team two years ago that got to the conference finals, it was stacked at the D positon. Markov, Mahlakov, Johnsson, Ragnarsson, Seidenberg...All those guys are great defensive players. Bob Clarke thought that offense was needed to win in the new NHL, and like 99.9% of the things he does, he is wrong. Look at the signings of Knuble and Forsberg...They were needed for offense, and thats what the Flyers got...offense. Not defense (although forsberg does play good D). Roenick was a good defensive forward, and so was Zhamnov, etc. These guys better bear down, or they are done. It isn't Esche or Niitty's fault that slam dunk goals go in.

Umberger cant play D he can barely tie his shoes now