tonytalkssports My Take on Sports, particularly the Yankees, Maple Leafs and Browns

If Bettman Were President

One of the biggest stories in the news today is the impending deadline of fiscal disaster if the President and the Congress can't come up with a deal. Can you imagine if Emperor Gary Bettman was President??? He would have convened a meeting with Speaker John Boehner and told him we are raising taxes on everyone, not cutting any entitlement programs and Congress will relinquish its right to question anything. Boehner of course would reject this ultimatum and then President Bettman would call for a two week moratorium on any further negotiations.

The above scenario may seem ridiculous but it is exactly what is happening with the NHL-NHLPA negotiations. Some fans like to place blame on both sides. You will get some who say that the players are getting paid well and should just be happy they are playing a game and earning great money. But these positions neglect the following:

1.) The owners are the ones who give out outrageous long-term contracts. Right up until the league announced there was going to be a lock out, teams were signing players to multiple year contracts.

2.) Bettman put forward a take it or leave it proposal on the first day of negotiations setting the tone for distrust among the players.

3.) The players have agreed to go down from a 57-43 split to a 50-50 split of the revenue. All they are wanting are current contracts honored. They have proposed a gradual phase-in of the reduction. Remember the players in 2004-2005 took a pay cut.

4.) In my opinion, it is the players who came up with the most creative proposal to achieve fiscal stability by proposing a revenue sharing plan which would see big market teams helping out small market teams.

5.) The players in the last contract gave in on a salary cap, changes in eligibility for free agency, a salary roll back (reduction) and salary arbitration.

Emperor Bettman is leading the league to disaster. Fans are getting outraged. Sponsors are not happy. And in spite of all of this, Emperor Bettman has called for a two week moratorium on negotiations. It's a slap in the face to the fans, the people who work at the arenas, the tavern and restaurant owners near the arenas, the owners & employees of sports apparel stores and the parking lot attendants. But as far as the Emperor is concerned, let them all eat cake.