NHL ASKS COURT TO TOSS OUT BALSILLIE'S BID FOR COYOTES

There's something about Balsillie the NHL doesn't like... He is also being circumvented for Nortel consideration as well... So the NHL has company...

I heard that the Coyotes have continually lost money since they moved to Phoenix, makes me wonder why the NHL wants to bleed itself dry over it.

Not that he might have made the best offer or the one most acceptable to the creditors but just because Bettman doesn't like him.

Two reasons that come instantly to mind:

1. Gary Bettman thinks he's going to be the second coming of Gretzky and bring hockey to the American mindset. By gum, the people of Phoenix/Glendale or the rest of Maricopa County are just going to fall in fucking love with the Coyotes whether they like it or not. (Hint: The answer is "not".)

2. Putting a team in Hamilton wouldn't dent the Leafs one bit, but it would likely put the struggling Sabres into the grave. Balsillie would just give them a new headache with a destitute Buffalo franchise. Of course, the logical step would be to put them in Quebec City or Winnipeg, but that goes against point 1, which Gary Bettman has embroidered on his throw-pillows.

Another reason that came to me is Bettman is a douche who desperately wants to maintain control of the NHL. Balsillie would usurp his steely control of league operations. (Hint: That steely control is firmly locked on "nose-dive" so maybe another set of hands on the stick wouldn't suck.)

Ding! Ding! Ding! Someone get the man a cigar. "The Dark Knight" Bettman has to stop Jim "The Joker" from getting his hands on Gotham, even if it means destroying Gotham in the process. Meanwhile the fans are stuck in Arkham slowly going insane watching the game erode. Maybe if Bettman ever bothered to watch a game he'd realize the game is suffering by keeping these dead weight teams alive.

Bettman should really take a look at how his former-mentor David Stern does things in the NBA. Stern doesn't hesitate to allow a struggling franchise to move to a more-friendly environment for basketball if a town shows no interest in keeping an NBA team around (e.g. Vancouver Grizzlies moving to Memphis). Bettman's going to kill himself and damage the NHL by continuously trying to prove that his failed theory of US expansion into non-hockey areas can succeed. It's just too bad that the NHL owners are such a pack of ridiculous short-sighted idiots that they go along with Bettman's every decision.

I saw a program with "experts" who claim that Gary boy is working under orders from the owners because another thriving Canadian franchise will up the revenue coming in, which in turn will drive up the salary cap, which we all know the owners are agianst.

For what it's worth.

Absolutely.....Bettman is just the front man. His bosses tell him how high to jump and it's up to him to make it so.

Absolutely.....Bettman is just the front man. His bosses tell him how high to jump and it's up to him to make it so.
That must be so difficult for that vertically challenged mental midget...poor little thing

From July 30 bleacher report: My comments are in
With the news that the NHL Board of Governors has approved a bid by Major League Baseball's Chicago White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf hitting the papers this morning, I am left with a lot of questions for Mr. Bettman.

The obvious question: How did you sell the other owners on the idea of accepting an offer that was about $60 million less than that of Jim Balsillie’s $212.5 million offer?
Isn’t your job to go out and sell the NHL to the highest bidder? How is it that everyone is "OK" with diminishing an asset?

The explanation as to why Balsillie’s bid was rejected was laughable. In an e-mail to The Globe and Mail, NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said Balsillie was rejected as an owner under bylaw 35 of the NHL’s constitution, which says the NHL can reject an owner if the league deems them to be of poor character and/or integrity.(How come the NHL hasn't rejected Rattman then?)

For his part, this is what Bettman said about the bylaws: "The criteria set forth in the (NHL) constitution and bylaws relates to financial wherewithal, character, integrity, and the view whether or not the other owners would deem you a good partner."
With that in mind, other than being a tad aggressive in trying to land an NHL franchise, what it is that Balsillie has done that makes you believe he is of poor character and integrity? As for the question of financial wherewithal, have you seen Balsillie's bank account?

This is the same league that has endorsed the likes of Bruce McNall, who defaulted on a $90 million loan and later pleaded guilty to five counts of conspiracy and fraud.
This is the same league that endorsed former Nashville Predators owner Bill (William) Del Baggio, who has recently pled guilty to fraud and should be imprisoned for a very long time.
This is the same league that endorsed Henry Samueli, the former owner of the Anaheim Ducks, who has pleaded guilty in a stock options fraud case and is suspended indefinitely by the NHL.

Most recently, Bettman demanded that Len Barrie, the co-owner of the Tampa Bay Lightning, prove that he had the $10 million that represents his share of the amount of money the Lightning lost last season. Barrie stepped up and “showed Gary the money.”
So, Mr. Bettman, what happened? These are the guys you let through your rigorous background checks? Now you don’t trust your owners?
These guys were better than Balsillie? Yeah right, buddy.

The fact that the NHL let these “frauds” into the league is hilarity. If this is any indication of how thorough your background checks are, I cringe at what we don’t know about the other owners that have recently been approved by the NHL.

All the while, Bettman has never stepped up and taken a shred of responsibility for any of these poor decisions. Your hands are bloody, Bettman, so be a man and take responsibility for the slaughtering of the NHL’s integrity, will ya? What kind of leadership is that, Gary?

Clearly, Bettman has it in for Balsillie. Personally, I blame little man syndrome.(otherwise known as little-itus) Bettman seems determined to come out on top, regardless of the cost to the NHL and its ownership.

Balsillie is just what the NHL needs. He is passionate, flush with cash, a visionary, and his connections throughout the wireless communication world could only be a positive thing for the NHL.

Balsillie has built one of the most influential companies of our time, so imagine what he could do for the NHL. Bettman’s exclusion of Balsillie is short-sighted and, in my mind, an act of stupidity.(nothing new there)

Balsillie has stated that he will not back down and looks to file another bid to the bankruptcy court in the coming days. If nothing else, Balsillie is nothing short of a pit bull when it comes to his desire for an NHL franchise.
Good on ya, Mr. Balsillie.

Given time, I expect the NHL and its owners to wake up and realize that having Balsillie as an ally would be a good thing. At the same time, I am not holding my breath, and I understand that the axe may very well have to fall on Bettman’s head before this happens.

Patience is not Mr. Balsillie’s strong suit, but you don’t get where he is by lollygagging around hoping to make things happen. You grab the bull by the horns, dig both heels in, and pull like crazy.