Last summmer I attended the NHL draft here in Columbus. Being that I watch many sports I was suprised at the size of the crowd. It nearly filled the lower bowl of the arena and part of the upper bowl. I don't know the official attendence but I am thinking around 8 to 10 thousand. That impressed me as the recent NFL draft didn't seem to have that crowd.

More to my point is that when Rodger Goddell approached the mic in the NFL draft he was able to do so w/ little to no respons, some cheering, some booing but very little noise at all. When Bettman approached the mic at the NHL draft it was a chorus of loud boos. I was outraged. My thought was, "this is the commisioner of the league that you people love to watch." Giving the man his due respect at the very least was appropriate - right? It happened over and over again every time he went to the mic. I was a good thing that a representative from each team got to reveal there own selection. (Highlight was The Great One was on hand for Pheonix - many cheers went up for that)

That was the point at which I began to take and interest in the fan hatred of the Commish. If there is one thing the NHL fans can agree on it is not crease violations, goal replays, the goalie trapoziod rule or an enphasis on stick use penalties, it is however, that they all hate Gary Bettman.

This story is one of the many reasons why. How can a man who runs this league not know something like this? Or at the very least how can he comment on it definativly if he does not know for sure. Gary you will continue to get booed and loose respect from fans when you run the league like this - and make George W. Bush-esk comments like this. You want respect Gary, here is where you start - get the NHL back on ESPN. While Vs. may be putting money back in the game, there is no substitue for old fashion exposure. You have lost casual fans because they don't channel surf Vs. They do surf ESPN. For gods sake the NHL playoffs are in season and you know what your casual fan is watching - during a very exciting playoff season I might add - Monday Night Football, Arena Football. Gain some respect of the fans back - call ESPN, get the NHL back on their channel.

LOL, man these are hilarious! You should do contract work for Bush too...

Great post, Fever, and a an outlook that seems to be prevailing among the common hockey fan. Hey, I can't take anything away from the businessman side of Bettman, but to go on a show in NYC and spew this junk just makes Bettman look foolish.

This isn't a writer, a fan, a GM or an owner talking...this is the Commissioner of the NHL, the man at the top. And this was not a Freudian slip...it was a major mistake, one that is difficult to fathom for the casual fan when you look at where it came from.

Ace Bailey (Irvine) played a long time ago, true, but he is in the Hockey Hall of Fame and one of the true legends of the sport. There are blunders that we all make, and then there are screwups that make one Commissioner look misinformed and foolish. It's not hard to figure out where this one lies.

Just another reason why Bettman has got to go. That is brutal.

Not sure if anyone else caught it but did you hear him mention Afinogenov as a defenseman before correcting himself? Probably when someone from PR emailed him on his Blackberry.