Worst commissioner in sports?

[909 0]

Yes, both he and Max Mosley are absolutely terrible. They are intent on ruining Formula One.

 

Sepp Blatter's a real bad one. Nearly forgot about him.

[Czech please! 0]

- Waiver system: There are no options down like in the MLB. In the NHL, unless its put into your contract, you need to put the player through waivers all the time. And guess what? You get shafted half the contract if he gets picked up.

Yeah, what the hell is that? Why should you be responsible for 50%? If you claim a contract, you should get the contract. He doesn't play half his games for someone else, after all. Then you have re-entry waivers, possibly the most ass-backward concept in player transactions ever.

[Mike wanna be 0]

Goodell's just overreacting to seeing his superstars get their shit ruined. It's obviously in the best interest of the league to not have anybody get injured for maximized marketing strategy....he's just taking a more overprotective approach to it...as opposed to Selig, who sees fans get clocked with flying chunks of maple wood and responds by handing out 1950s Duck and Cover pamphlets at the ball park.

 

Bettman, on the other hand, cost every fan, player & coach within his league 82 games and any chance at Lord Stanley's Cup, and that is un-fucking-forgivable.

[sfaJack 0]

Goodell's just overreacting to seeing his superstars get their shit ruined. It's obviously in the best interest of the league to not have anybody get injured for maximized marketing strategy....he's just taking a more overprotective approach to it...as opposed to Selig, who sees fans get clocked with flying chunks of maple wood and responds by handing out 1950s Duck and Cover pamphlets at the ball park.

 

How did Brady's injury affect the Patriots' and/or the NFL's marketing? All of the Patriots' games were sold out long before the season started. Fans didn't stop watching games just because Tom Brady got hurt. Not that that would matter anyway--TV revenues were already guaranteed. And it's not like ESPN wasn't talking about Brady's knee/staph infections every goddamn day.

 

So who (other than Brady) was feeling any pain from his being hurt? The Patriots still went 11-5 and sold all their tickets, along with a whole lot of jerseys/tshirts/whatever. Plus, for 2009 the NFL gets to put new 'superstar' Matt Cassel on the marquee in Kansas City in addition to promoting 'THE RETURN OF TOM BRADY = OMG PATRIOTS TO THE SUPER BOWL.'

 

Might it be a win/win in that regard?

 

 

I voted for Stern, btw. I don't follow the NHL so I won't vote for Bettman. But Goodell gets my vote if the NFL can't figure out how to split the billions and billions of dollars with their players and all or part of the 2011 season is lost.

[Hitler Cubano 0]

If Matt Cassell would've been a total failure- which is frequently the case when the superstar QB gets hurt these days- it could've been disastrous for the Patriots and a large portion of their bandwagon hoppin' fanbase.

[the max 0]

- Graphite Sticks: Though these things don't break as often as a wood stick, you can't feel the puck worth a damn. Because there's no give, you can't get the puck onto your stick as good as a wood one, and you have errant plays because of it. You want to know why guys can't hit the net, or catch a saucer pass? Problems right there.

 

Yup, Bettman and Bettman alone is responsible for this. If he instituted a "WOODEN STICKS ONLY: FOR THE GOOD OF THE GAME" most players would have a big problem with it as they prefer composite sticks now.

 

- Trades: When you can get a fourth rounder (Leafs) for a medically unclear player, let me know. Yes, yes, I know, Lafrentz of the NBA hasn't played in forever. But at least you are collecting insurance pay. The Leafs got a fourth for a guy who hasn't played, and there is a possibly would never play (I don't know if he has or hasn't), and there is no insurance.

 

Yes, I do realize there are and were other players in that trade going to the Leafs, but for all intents and purposes, it was strickly the fourth rounder, the other guys were just there to make a smoke screen.

 

The guy (Petiot) that the Leafs sent to Tampa has played for them. As for why the Leafs traded for an injured Kolzig and Heward? Who the fuck knows? I thought Burke always knows what he's doing.

 

- Sloppy contract system: How exactly can you have a hard cap if you've got guarenteed contracts? The two can't co-exist. I feel bad for the teams that are signing these guys for like 8-9 million for multiple years and realize that you can NEVER get rid of these things. If a guy gets injuried, you are stuck with the bill. If they are permanently injured there is no insurance to recover for them.

 

Actually there is insurance if they are permanently injured. The Bruins ran into this with Alexei Zhamnov when he destroyed his ankle. The contract appears on the cap but has no effect on it, since once Zhamnov was medically examined at the start of the 07-08 season, he was deemed unfit to play and his contract was paid by an insurance company. And you can still release players with buyouts and waivers.

 

...you don't know how much I was hoping DiPietro was done for when he went down the first time to make people realize how stupid this was. Then again, they did get stuck with DiPietro for 15 years, so I guess that's a good trade off.

 

The DiPietro contract WAS stupid. Look who gave it out though. Wang couldn't find his dick in the dark. But compare that 15 year deal with Ovechkin's 15 year deal and tell me if Washington isn't happy they locked him up for his career?

 

- Waiver system: There are no options down like in the MLB. In the NHL, unless its put into your contract, you need to put the player through waivers all the time. And guess what? You get shafted half the contract if he gets picked up.

 

Only to send a player signed to a one-way contract to the minors do you have to place him on waivers. And that's to the player's advantage. If a guy isn't playing well for a team and the team tries to send him to the minors, he gets a chance to catch on with another team. If he does get sent down and the team is obviously desparate enough to try to get rid of him, they should be responsible for half his salary. If he's not worth the contract, don't sign him to it. It's a great way to stop big market teams from sending away their expensive but useless players to small teams without having to pay a penalty.

 

- The lack of superstars/scoring: It used to be a time when you could look at a players goals, assists and point totals and go "ah, a superstar". Now if we can get more than one or two players cracking 50 goals, 80 assists, or 100 points, its a f'n miracle.

 

Note, I say "superstar". I know there are stars in the league, but superstars? Like 5 at most. I'd add goalies wear too much, but I think everyone agrees on that one.

 

Bettman and the BOG aren't doing anything to increase scoring? They've been talking about making the nets bigger for years. They added the new faceoff rule following a penalty this year. They eliminated the two-line pass.

 

- OT/Point System: Seriously, if you are introducing a shootout, get rid of the OT during the regular season (real men win in 5 overtimes in the playoffs) and just let them fire away at the end of regulation. Just change the point totals to 3 per Win, 2 per Shootout Win, 1 per Shootout Loss, 0 per Loss. This way I also don't need to see nearly 70% of the league with .500 or better. Wins still count as wins, losses still count as damned losses. It would be like this 51-31 (14-3). Isn't that simple and lovely?

 

Not really for me. I'm guessing the #'s in parentheses are the OT record? Add another column to the standings?

 

 

Look, I'm not some kind of Bettman apologist. But people act like he literally sits in his office and draws up ways to ruin the league. Any rule changes are done by the Board of Governors. Bettman is hired by the owners of all 30 teams to make them money. Not to make the league more enjoyable. Not to make sure every fan is happy. He's hired to make the league owners more money.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

I don't see a problem with efforts to prevent player injuries in the NFL (and I wish MLB did something about home plate collisions, but I'm usually alone on that). Toning down celebrations though is really unnecessary. You scored points. Celebrate. It's a football field, not a church.

[Prophet of Mike Zagurski 0]

My opinions:

 

First, I'm really enjoying this thread.

 

Secondly, I think David Stern is probably the worst commissioner. I don't want to say Bettman because everyone else has.

I used to follow the NBA a lot more closely but after ref betting scandal was exposed to public, it made me really mad. I still wonder if there is any other officials who are betting on the games. This was quietly swept under the rug. Also, Seattle moving upset me. The Supersonics were in Seattle for 40 years, I believe and then they just left.

 

The NBA has had 3 franchise move in recent history and it seems like at least a couple more may move soon(Sacramento, Indiana). The loan that NBA got for all their franchises is a bit disturbing.

 

Bettman to a certain extent is evil but the people at hfboards actually got a few things right. He wasn't responsible for the Ducks, Sharks, and Panthers. According to Wikipedia, he started in 1993 and those franchises were already approved by the league. Yes, I know people are upset about Hartford, Quebec, and Winnipeg moving but since 1996 no other teams have moved. He kept Buffalo in Buffalo. Columbus and Minnesota are thriving.

 

Yes, the lockout sucked.

 

 

Selig is bad too because of steroid era. Also, the All Star game fiasco in Milwaukee. I liked his logic of fixing the ties in the All Star game. Just give home field advantage to the winning league. Make sense to me.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Much of a Selig hater that I am, I can't see giving him blame for the steroid scandal. Steroids have popped up in every corner of world sports. MLB, NFL, NBA, boxing, professional wrestling, the Olympics, the Tour de France. How should the commissioner of one sport put a hedge on that? Selig might have covered it up, but he couldn't have stopped it.

[Prophet of Mike Zagurski 0]

This is what I think of Selig:

http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/02/13/the-dug...-with-eastasia/

[Smues 0]

"This one counts" is one of the reasons I voted for Selig. Home field in the World Series should NOT be dependent on an exhibition game.

[Czech please! 0]

If he does get sent down and the team is obviously desparate enough to try to get rid of him, they should be responsible for half his salary. If he's not worth the contract, don't sign him to it. It's a great way to stop big market teams from sending away their expensive but useless players to small teams without having to pay a penalty.

If you give away free puppies, you don't keep half the puppy. Teams should be able to negotiate trades where one picks up some of the cash if that's what it takes to get a deal done, but if a player is claimed off waivers, the waiving team should have no contractual obligations left once the player is claimed. That's common sense. It's not a "great way" to do anything.

[Kahran Ramsus 0]

I don't see a problem with efforts to prevent player injuries in the NFL (and I wish MLB did something about home plate collisions, but I'm usually alone on that). Toning down celebrations though is really unnecessary. You scored points. Celebrate. It's a football field, not a church.

 

While I agree, that's nothing new with Goodell. They've been trying to stamp that out since Rozelle was the commish.

[YourKock'sReallyGreat 0]

Selig is bad too because of steroid era. Also, the All Star game fiasco in Milwaukee. I liked his logic of fixing the ties in the All Star game. Just give home field advantage to the winning league. Make sense to me.

 

 

HFA should go to the team with the better record like how it is in the NBA and NHL.

[the max 0]

If he does get sent down and the team is obviously desparate enough to try to get rid of him, they should be responsible for half his salary. If he's not worth the contract, don't sign him to it. It's a great way to stop big market teams from sending away their expensive but useless players to small teams without having to pay a penalty.

If you give away free puppies, you don't keep half the puppy. Teams should be able to negotiate trades where one picks up some of the cash if that's what it takes to get a deal done, but if a player is claimed off waivers, the waiving team should have no contractual obligations left once the player is claimed. That's common sense. It's not a "great way" to do anything.

 

Except these aren't puppies, they're multi-million dollar contracts.

 

I've explained it to you before. Only on reentry waivers does the waiving team pick up half the salary. If tomorrow, the Bruins decided to send down Zdeno Chara, he would have to clear waivers. If the Islanders claimed him, they are stuck with his entire price-tag. But if Chara cleared waivers and the Bruins called him back up, he would have to clear reentry waivers. If the Islanders claimed him then, they get him at half price.

 

I don't see a problem with it, but then again, my team hasn't been crippled with waiver obligations. No team really has been.

 

And the trades where teams throw in cash? I thought you hated big market teams. What's to stop the Rags from getting rid of a shitty contract by giving the player and the cash to pay for it for another team's good young prospect that they know they won't be able to afford? That's ok to you but not reentry waiver cost? Bullshit.

[Kageho 0]

Yup, Bettman and Bettman alone is responsible for this. If he instituted a "WOODEN STICKS ONLY: FOR THE GOOD OF THE GAME" most players would have a big problem with it as they prefer composite sticks now.

Ok, so maybe he wasn't totally to blame for this. But come on. You can't honestly say this doesn't help at all.

 

Actually there is insurance if they are permanently injured. The Bruins ran into this with Alexei Zhamnov when he destroyed his ankle. The contract appears on the cap but has no effect on it, since once Zhamnov was medically examined at the start of the 07-08 season, he was deemed unfit to play and his contract was paid by an insurance company. And you can still release players with buyouts and waivers.

 

Well, I didn't know that you do get insurance. Last I heard, you got totally dinged for it. That was more why I made the DiPietro comment, not trying to rag on Wang (as he's so easy to do). That makes this a little easier to swallow.

 

And buying out a full contract is really stupid, because if you need to buy out someone you've paid a ton of money too for a long time, its going to hurt really badly, or you are going to be stuck with the guy forever. Then again, you should never sign anyone that long, but I digress...

 

Czech pretty much nailed my point with the giving away puppies analogy. Though I don't agree with the cash part of the trade as it makes the cap pointless.

 

Bettman and the BOG aren't doing anything to increase scoring? They've been talking about making the nets bigger for years. They added the new faceoff rule following a penalty this year. They eliminated the two-line pass.

And how much has scoring really improved? Not a whole lot. I don't really want to see it back to the 80s style of days, but I'd like to see a little more scoring. Also, there will never be a net increase because the traditionalists would be all up in arms over it. I wouldn't mind that though.

 

Not really for me. I'm guessing the #'s in parentheses are the OT record? Add another column to the standings?

Yes, parentheses would be for the OT record. You wouldn't need to include a new column. Just have a thing explaining that's the OT results are in those and there's no need for a new column. You would need to make record larger, but since its already... Actually you know what? I just checked it out, its the same size as what we've got right now. The column would still look just as big. Nevermind.

 

Look, I'm not some kind of Bettman apologist. But people act like he literally sits in his office and draws up ways to ruin the league. Any rule changes are done by the Board of Governors. Bettman is hired by the owners of all 30 teams to make them money. Not to make the league more enjoyable. Not to make sure every fan is happy. He's hired to make the league owners more money.

 

You know, I wrote something different here, but I'll just point this out. If we're going to use the BOG hasta do any rule changes, why are we having this discussion about Commissioners then? They are figure heads and nothing more that can do nothing and can't suggest anything. We should really be bitching about which group of owners suck more then.

[Red Baron 0]

C'mon, the 80's didn't have much talent in the NHL. It was Wayne Gretzky & Co. some good players on different teams and a bunch of mediocre goalies.

[Kageho 0]

The only thing that I commented on was "80s style of scoring" which was used as I don't want it back to there, but I would like it if there were more scoring. How you get I want the 80s back, I have no idea.

[Nightwing 0]

While I wouldn't mind a little more scoring, I find it foolish to say that's why we have a lack of superstars in the NHL. It's not like Bettman made a decree that "to be a superstar, you must have this, this and this". That's bullshit. The problem is that the NHL is only starting to really promote stars again. Even then, Bettman has screwed that up by pushing Sidney Crosby too hard and too early so that now the fanbase is starting to push back.