I like how Gary Bettman made sure he thanked Mario Lemieux for saving the Pittsburgh Penguins from bankruptcy. It was very clever of him to drop that in there because it's relevant to something that's been simmering down in Phoenix for a month or so now.
If none of you guys have been paying attention, RIM CEO Jim Balsillie is trying to buy the Phoenix Coyotes, who've filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, and intends to move it to Hamilton, the city closest to me. The current Phoenix owner Jerry Moyes supports Jim Balsillie's bid since it satisfies the creditors' demands. Moyes also admits that it would be impossible to keep the team afloat in Phoenix regardless of who the owner is. THE MARKET IS SIMPLY NON-EXISTANT! WOULD YOU BELIEVE IT?
Now Bettman and his fucking piece of shit sidekicks, as well as the Buffalo Sabres and Toronto Maple Leafs (who possess way too much power) are doing everything they can to prevent another team from coming to Southern Ontario. Bettman wants to keep the team in the desert and claims there are other bids, albeit of lesser value, that intend to keep the team in Phoenix. It should be known that he has failed to name one of these bidders during the bankruptcy court proceedings. The last time Bettman prevented Jim Balsillie from moving a team to Southern Ontario was two years ago, where the Nashville Predators were for sale and Bettman snubbed Jim for "Boots" Del Biaggio, a man who was recently put in prison for some kind of money crime.
Hamilton has been fighting for a team for 30 years and its usually the Leafs who prevent a team from coming here because they claim that they have territorial rights over the fans in Southern Ontario, regardless of the product they put on the ice. The Leafs and Sabres demand that they receive compensation fees if a Hamilton team comes to fruition because they claim that they will face potential damages in terms of jersey sales, arena attendance, etc... Protective capitalism on the Leafs' part; maybe justified for the Sabres. I fail to see how a move to Hamilton wouldn't be beneficial to the Sabres, though. It's another rivalry, and it's four more games where Canadians will go down and pretty much take over the HSBC Arena, just like when the Sabres play the Leafs or Habs. That's more money in Buffalo's pocket and it's another opportunity for local businesses to make some money.
Hamilton is an industrial city similar to Buffalo or Detroit, only Hamilton depends on steel rather than automobiles or whatever the hell they make in Buffalo (there are a lot of tanneries there for some reason, why?). The steel companies have gone belly-up and tons of people are losing their jobs. The downtown core is shit, they have some of the highest poverty rates in all of Canada, and nobody has the balls to invest in downtown and help fix it up. However, the poverty and gloom that lingers in this shit-bin doesn't prevent anyone from watching hockey. Everyone here loves hockey. On the bus people only talk hockey. It's ridiculous how much people love hockey here: they fulfill the "hoser, eh?" personna.
A hockey team will do a lot to this city, no doubt. Balsillie can help re-invigorate Hamilton and spark interest and development in downtown businesses. I find it fucking disgusting that a team like the Toronto Maple Leafs, the richest franchise in the NHL by miles, and an organization like Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment that has its hands in everything from additional sports franchises (Toronto FC, Toronto Raptors) to housing development, has economic influence over the future of Hamilton. The shrewdness and greed of what was once my favourite hockey team finally surfaces...surprise! And all to protect a monopoly, eh?
Apologies for the Cronios-esque post. I've vented and feel a bit better.
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This is absolutely nuts. 
to the Pens.
