Gary Bettman is Right, For Once

During the frustratingly fruitless labor disputes, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman made a statement which caused some stir amongst the fans of the NHL. "We recovered last time because we have the worlds greatest fans," said the commissioner.

The reaction to this was pretty expected, given the way people view Bettman nowadays. At this point, the fans don't even think twice about going against what he says. And now that we're on the brink of yet another lockout, one that would be the third lockout in 19 years under Bettman, people hate him more than ever.

So when Bettman made that statement regarding the fans, people read it as "If you guys weren't such doormats, I might be worried" meaning that he knows we'll (meaning the fans) come back to the sport we love no matter what happens and there's nothing we can do about it.

Well I'm here to say that he's 100% right.

Sure, he didn't say it in the disrespectful way we took it as but let's think here for a second. If you're a die hard hockey fan who's glued to the television screen for every minute of televised hockey, what are the chances you're going to leave the NHL for, let's say, garbage online streams of KHL hockey or lower level of the AHL? I highly doubt that the real fans of the NHL won't be frustrated enough to make that horrible transition. If there is a lockout and a stoppage of play for any amount of time, it's almost expected that hockey fans will come right back to the NHL when it resumes almost as quickly as the real fans did after the 2005 lockout.

"Thank You Fans" after we all came back after the 2005 lockout

But let's be honest here. Fans are fed up.

But will it really accomplish anything if we start protesting the league? Will the NHL give a crap if we start unfollowing their Twitter page? Will they be concerned if several people start boycotting team sponsors? Will they begin to panic if we sign some online petition that's meant to somehow pressure Bettman and the owners? What about if we gather outside of the NHL store on September 15th in an @OccupyNHLStore movement?

None of these would accomplish anything.

I like the way Puck Daddy's analogy in his post about the matter. In this situation, we're the children in this relationship as our parents are fighting and going through a divorce. It's not our fault, we're not guilty, and, unfortunately, there's nothing we can do to stop it. If we run away from home (turn to a different hockey league) nothing's going to change.

What these attempts to get the league back shows is that we're desperate to get the league back. This proves Bettman's point that this league is too precious to us and we'll almost undoubtedly be back.

So all we can do now is just sit and wait and perhaps shake our heads until both stubborn sides agree on something. It's depressing but that's all we can do.

But I'm not going to lie. This video that protests the lockout is pure brilliance and is definitely worth a watch.

Let's get this league back soon