E-mailgate revealing fan-league disconnect?

Quote caption : "yes, I'm inept... the Phoenix situation has not gone as planned ... expansion and relocation to several cities in the last 10-15 years is looking like a mistake ...but other than that, how am I doing?"

QUOTE(#1):

Originally posted 08:36 AM ET  11.17 by BrownsBucksBlueJackets

Quote caption : "yes, I'm inept... the Phoenix situation has not gone as planned ... expansion and relocation to several cities in the last 10-15 years is looking like a mistake ...but other than that, how am I doing?"

They got ya BBBJ. The old picture switcharoo after your post. I think they'll get me on the Caps thread.

this articvle doesn't real tell us anything we didn't know. Everyone is certainly in agreement that Bettman and Campbell are idiots. End of story, let's move on.

"... there is this incredibly huge, and growing by leaps and bounds every day, disconnect between how hockey fans and media view crime and punishment in the NHL and how the league ...... deal with it..."

Yep. They're like **** politicians. Once they get in there, they don't give a flipping fig what the stupid fans think. Fans are good for one thing only, as far as they're concerned: Shell out the big bucks for tickest, NHL junk and TV packages and keep your mouth shut! Just be a nice sheep, OK? We'll fleece you right!

The whole article was actually in defence of Campbell, saying that as much as this looks bad on him, there is no doubt throughout the league that he is able to keep his personal feelings out of his decision making process.

Otherwise though, its a hard topic to argue. Knowledgable hockey fans have a good idea of what the sport needs to succeed, and voice their opinions accordingly.

The MEDIA thinks they know what the sport needs, but they are biased because what they are REALLY looking for are headlines. More often than not, you get American sports writers who know nothing about hockey talking about it as if they are credible sources. I'm not saying Americans don't know hockey, I'm saying many of the sports reporters in the U.S. don't know hockey. When Kornheiser gets talking hockey on PTI, I just cringe, because he only ever has a comment when something bad has happened - like Avery's sucker punch the other day. If you don't talk hockey on a regular basis, don't comment on what the NHL needs to do to get better. You don't know, so stick to what you do know.

Either way though, it seems like the league doesn't really take either of these entities' opinions into consideration. Ever. Sure, they have this Competition Committee now, and Shanny in his new role, but where is the seat at the table for the NHL Fan's Association? Why is there still a team in Phoenix? Nashville? Atlanta? They keep wanting to make the sport more popular and more "watchable", but they never communicate with the end users. Seems like a poor business practice to me.

QUOTE(#6):

Originally posted 09:26 AM ET  11.17 by goCanada!

... Either way though, it seems like the league doesn't really take either of these entities' opinions into consideration. Ever. Sure, they have this Competition Committee now, and Shanny in his new role, but where is the seat at the table for the NHL Fan's Association? Why is there still a team in Phoenix? Nashville? Atlanta? They keep wanting to make the sport more popular and more "watchable", but they never communicate with the end users. Seems like a poor business practice to me.

Well thought out perspective - thanks.

All I can add is that with regard to "poor business" practices is that if they really, REALLY want to grow the sport in the states, rivalries are the direction to go. And it makes NO sense for the Stars to be in a division with a group of teams in a time zone TWO HOURS away when more regional ties (Nashville / St. Louis) exist.

Excellent point. The Hockey News ran a story a couple issues ago about the old (Chuck) Norris Division, and how intense every game was between those teams. Why can't we go back to the more traditional divisions? They aren't far off now, other than the names, but Detroit is what, a 3hr drive from Toronto and they only play once a year, but they are half a continent away from Anaheim and play them 4 times. Brilliant. Though Detroit is a bad example because they are getting jobbed by not being in the Eastern Conference. Most travelled team in the league, year after year.

But what a time it would be to have those divisions and those rivalries back....almost brings a tear to my eye thinking about it.

QUOTE(#6):

Originally posted 09:26 AM ET  11.17 by goCanada!

Either way though, it seems like the league doesn't really take either of these entities' opinions into consideration. Ever.

True that. Fans always recognizes incompetence long before the people who run the NHL do.

Even in the NHL, they don't give a darn about the fans except for their $$$$, the NHL has been mismanaged ofr years, bar none.

ofr = for , sorry

QUOTE(#9):

Originally posted 09:53 AM ET  11.17 by goCanada!

... But what a time it would be to have those divisions and those rivalries back....almost brings a tear to my eye thinking about it.

I simply cannot stay up to watch a division game that starts at 9:30 PM local time.

Ludicrous...

And dead on about Detroit... not playing Toronto but once a year is moronic.

Can anything come out without this idiots attaching the word "Gate" to it?

QUOTE(#3):

Originally posted 09:07 AM ET  11.17 by Canuck eh?

They got ya BBBJ. The old picture switcharoo after your post. I think they'll get me on the Caps thread.

they got me!!!! grrr

QUOTE(#18):

Originally posted 10:30 AM ET  11.17 by Spiny Norman

Can anything come out without this idiots attaching the word "Gate" to it?

Apparently not. It's overused-gate, or p.o'd-gate, or ice-gate or .........never mind. At least I will never use it again. Sorry about that.

new photo caption: "I just sharted"

If the economy don't pick up, all sports teams will be in hock. Then the owners can suck it up for once.

the tolerance for cheap shots and sucker punches is very questioning ..... if i did this on the street, i could face serious consequences ..... but for some reason, if u r on a rink then the same rules dont apply. if avery does not get punished for his repetitive dirty play, opposing teams should make a point by hurting this guy every time he steps on the ice ...... one good cheap shot and end his career

QUOTE(#17):

Originally posted 10:23 AM ET  11.17 by Otis B. Driftwood

And dead on about Detroit... not playing Toronto but once a year is moronic.

Wings fans just want to pad a few more easy wins onto the schedule by playing the Laffs a couple more times a year...much like playing division games vs Columbus a few years back.

QUOTE(#18):

Originally posted 10:30 AM ET  11.17 by Spiny Norman

Can anything come out without this idiots attaching the word "Gate" to it?

T&Rgate?

You mean someone in the media is just now picking up on the disconnect between the league and the fans? For me, the disconnect with hockey started when Bettman decided that the divisions should have bland names as opposed to their traditional ones. It may seem silly, but I miss the Patrick Division, et al. That to me said that Bettman and his crew just didn't care about the history and traditions of the game. And the only connection the league wants with the fans is a connection to their wallet. But, as long as games sell out, nothing will change.