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How Would You Feel If Bettman Did Not Present The Cup To The Winning Team?
by Paul on 06/11/09 at 12:59 PM ET
Comments (26)
from Adam Proteau of The Hockey News,
When the game is over and Gary Bettman appears at center ice with a microphone in one hand and the Cup at his side, he will be booed.
Allow me to emphasize that for a second. The league commissioner will be booed long and booed hard. He will be booed as if he and he alone mismanaged Michigan’s automobile industry. At least one square mile of vocal chords in attendance will be blown out amid the Bronx cheering.
He won’t deserve all, or even most of the ill will, but the crowd will bestow a virtual beret of raspberries (and not the kind you find in a second-hand store) on him nonetheless. And that is my big problem whenever I see Bettman handing the Cup over to a championship team’s captain.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Detroit Red Wings, Pittsburgh Penguins, NHL Talk | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Gary+Bettman,
Comments
Find me a suitable replacement and I’ll be more than happy.
How about one of those creepy Japanese robots?
Posted by Garth on 06/11/09 at 12:10 PM ET
How about one of those creepy Japanese robots?
Posted by Garth on 06/11/09 at 01:10 PM ET
The little ones from Postal Service commercials? Fine by me. Hell, you could even use the guys behind the counter.
How about they together all of the “NHL Fans aren’t like other fans” actors and have them present it? The crazed new father, the Flyers goalie and his french maid wife, the two ambiguous fans from the elevator...get them all together in costume and have them walk it out there. Any other suggestions?
Posted by Animal Drew from A Nightmare on Helm Street on 06/11/09 at 12:13 PM ET
The interesting thing is that it doesn’t matter where the Cup is presented - last year he was booed in Pittsburgh, and I remember boos when Anaheim won, too.
Any other suggestions?
Gordie Howe?
Or someone else from the history of the game - Stan Mikita, Jean Beliveau, it doesn’t even have to be someone with any ties to either of the teams - legends like that are respected everywhere.
Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 06/11/09 at 12:18 PM ET
sad that the once great hockey insitution such as Hockey News has turned into a Propaganda tool for the league.
anyone but bettman would work even the zamboini driver at JLA
Posted by FlyersFan on 06/11/09 at 12:25 PM ET
Gordie Howe?
Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 06/11/09 at 01:18 PM ET
Or Stevie Y.?
Posted by stonehands-78 from the beginning ... a WingsFan, on 06/11/09 at 12:26 PM ET
Or Stevie Y.?
I was thinking someone who is retired from the game entirely, and the biggest connection with any team is as an ambassador to the fans - not someone working in the front office, or in ownership, or in coaching. That’s why I would disqualify Brett Hull or Mario Lemieux or Gretzky or Luc Robiataille, as well.
Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 06/11/09 at 12:32 PM ET
Or heck, give the Cup another groupie with a speaking part and have it in effect presented to the team directly from the Hall of Fame itself (via a representative). Skip the commissioner bit entirely.
Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 06/11/09 at 12:34 PM ET
I was thinking someone who is retired from the game entirely, and the biggest connection with any team is as an ambassador to the fans - not someone working in the front office, or in ownership, or in coaching. That’s why I would disqualify Brett Hull or Mario Lemieux or Gretzky or Luc Robiataille, as well.
Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 06/11/09 at 01:32 PM ET
Good call. I would agree.
Posted by stonehands-78 from the beginning ... a WingsFan, on 06/11/09 at 12:35 PM ET
Skip the commissioner bit entirely.
Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 06/11/09 at 01:34 PM ET
Better call!
Posted by stonehands-78 from the beginning ... a WingsFan, on 06/11/09 at 12:36 PM ET
What would everyone think of Jeff Bridges presenting the award in total ‘Dude Attire’?
...sorry, spill-over from A2Y today.
Posted by Animal Drew from A Nightmare on Helm Street on 06/11/09 at 12:43 PM ET
Better call!
Posted by stonehands-78_WingsFan since the beginning ... on 06/11/09 at 01:36 PM ET
Thanks!
I mean, why does he even have to be there? He can stay up in his box or seat or whatever, and a representative of the Hockey Hall of Fame can take the microphone while the Cup keeper bring out the trophy, and he can make a brief spiel about the Conn Smythe and announce the winner, then say a few words about the Cup and call over the captain of the winning team to take it over to his teammates.
On the ice initially would be only the team and the attendants for the Stanley Cup. (Unfortunately, the reporters have to be there ready to ask dumb questions, too.) No league brass, no front office suits, no one other than the men who just won the trophy and a few representatives of its history to pass it on to them.
If the commissioner wants a photo op with the Cup, he can wait his turn. He didn’t win it - the precedence should be given to the men who did.
Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 06/11/09 at 12:57 PM ET
how about making crosby present it to lidstrom?
Posted by some kid from brooklyn on 06/11/09 at 01:08 PM ET
I mean, why does he even have to be there? He can stay up in his box or seat or whatever, and a representative of the Hockey Hall of Fame can take the microphone while the Cup keeper bring out the trophy…
Why does he have to be there, B? Simple. He’s the head of the league. The only reason we’re all trying to figure out a way for someone else to present the Cup is because the current head of the league is universally reviled by the league’s fans.
The solution isn’t to find someone else to present the Stanley Cup. The solution is to find a new commissioner. Hire someone the the owners, the players and the fans can respect, and that person won’t be booed when he comes out with the Cup.
How and why this piece of garbage manages to keep his job is beyond me.
Posted by OlderThanChelios from Grand Rapids on 06/11/09 at 01:09 PM ET
anyone but bettman would work even the zamboini driver at JLA
Big Al Sobotka handing out the mug? I know you were being a tad snarky there, but I guarantee everyone in Detroit would cheer very loudly if he were to bring it out on the ice and hand it to Lidstrom (assuming they win). Maybe he could twirl it a few times!
Posted by BuzzFledderjohn on 06/11/09 at 01:24 PM ET
How about that guy from the Zetterberg-job-interview commercial thingy??
Posted by Garth on 06/11/09 at 01:25 PM ET
bring in the singer of Def Leppard instead
Posted by Death Metal Nightmare from MKE on 06/11/09 at 01:50 PM ET
Instead of trying to skirt the issue, maybe the solution is to not have a Commissioner who gets booed all the time, eh?
Posted by HockeyinHD on 06/11/09 at 01:59 PM ET
I can see problems with this. Could you imagine if Stevie Y would have had to hand the Cup over to Sakic? I think I would have puked and crapped all over myself. However if Sakic would have had to hand the Cup to The Captain then that would have been so very cool.
Posted by JR on 06/11/09 at 02:13 PM ET
Frankly I don’t want that repugnant little turd anywhere near the Cup. Having some former team legends present it is a great idea. Howe, Lindsay, Scotty, Stevie. Take your pick. But please, do not allow a man who appears to be the result of the unholy union between a weasel and a chicken touch the Stanley Cup longer.
The real solution, as everyone has pointed out, is to get a commissioner who isn’t reviled.
Posted by wingsfanindenver on 06/11/09 at 02:21 PM ET
How about the winning captain from the year before presents it? If it’s a repeat, he gives it to himself and it’s as if it never left. But this is something that’s done in every sport in every league so why would hockey be different.
Posted by philduba from New Jersey on 06/11/09 at 02:33 PM ET
I saw we get a dog, and he gets up on his hind legs and pushes a cart with the Cup on it.
Everyone’s happy then, right? Because even people who hate the Red Wings would like dogs, no? We could put little booties on his hind legs so the PETA people won’t complain that his paws are getting frostbitten.
Posted by Garth on 06/11/09 at 03:13 PM ET
I’m sure Crosby will get the refs to ask the fans to stop booing.
Posted by monkey from Waiting for the lambs to stop screaming on 06/11/09 at 04:32 PM ET
I’m on board with both the No Commissioner and Previous Captain ideas.
However, I can see difficulties with the Previous Captain idea, such as with this year. You’re either going to have Lidstrom giving it to himself, which doesn’t make any sense, or Lidstrom giving it to Crosby, which also doesn’t make any sense and has the additional handicap of being cruel. Actually it would almost always be cruel, except when the previous winning captain had retired, which doesn’t often happen.
So that leaves the No Commissioner idea. Have Pritchard bring out the cup and set it on the table, the captain comes over and poses for a few pictures, then skates with it. No speech, no booing, just good old fashioned fun.
Or the dog with booties on his hind legs. That could work too.
Posted by monkey from Waiting for the lambs to stop screaming on 06/11/09 at 04:40 PM ET
Bettman has been a good commissioner and booing him shows the fans lack any real understanding of the sport.
Posted by Tero from Tacoma on 06/11/09 at 10:09 PM ET
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Find me a suitable replacement and I’ll be more than happy.
Posted by Animal Drew from A Nightmare on Helm Street on 06/11/09 at 12:06 PM ET