At the end of 2021, I went on a diatribe about Gary Bettman pulling out of the 2022 Olympics in Beijing. The best American hockey players in the world play in the NHL. The second tier of American hockey players play in the AHL. The third tier of American hockey players play in American Division I colleges. And the fourth tier of American hockey players play in the KHL.
Once the NHL abandoned the Olympics, USA Hockey filled out their roster with mostly college kids and KHL veterans. Yesterday, America was "shocked." when they were pushed from the Olympics by Slovakia.
S-L-O-V-A-K-I-A.
The defeat lays directly at the feet of Gary Bettman. I don't know how people were shocked, this defeat was as predictable as the nightfall.
"The Olympics is the # 1 tool to bring the casual fan to your sport. The best plan to grow the sport of hockey is to send the best players in the world to Beijing...(if you don't) Russia will win the Gold Medal again, while the Silver and Bronze will go to European countries." - BOS in DECEMBER
Here are the 4 countries left in the Men's Olympic Hockey Semifinals:
Russia
Sweden
Finland
Slovakia
You do know that America hasn't won a Gold Medal in Men's Hockey since the Miracle on Ice, right? As a matter of fact, the US Men's Olympic Hockey team has only won 2 medals since 1980.
That's because Gary Bettman hasn't set up a structure to support Olympic Hockey (for either the U.S. or for Canada) when the two countries are clearly 2 of the 3 best hockey nations on this planet.
I'm tired of bashing on Gary Bettman, I wish he'd just go away. But he's always there, agitating me with his poor vision for hockey.
Seriously, instead of Medal Madness, Bettman gave us the San Jose Sharks and the Vancouver Canucks fighting for the #8 seed in the Western Conference.
Today we're living in an ice shanty
Today we're scrounging for a meal
Today I'm stealing sticks for fires
Who knew I could steal?
I used to winter with the players
I spent my summers at the shore
I used to follow in the paper
We don't anymore.
We'd like to thank you Gary Bettman
For really showing us the way
We'd like to thank you Gary Bettman
You made us what we are today
Prosperity was 'round the corner
Possibly a medal or two
In this puck heaven
That you gave us
Yes!
We're turning blue!
They offered us Bill Daly and Bettman
We paid attention and we chose
Not only did we pay attention
We lost through the nose.
On ev'ry ice he said "a jersey"
But Gary Bettman he forgot
Not only don't we have the jersey
We ain't got no slot
Hey Gary
You left behind a grateful nation
So, Betts, our hats are off to you
We're up to here with admiration
Come down and have a little stew
Come down and share some Christmas dinner
Be sure to bring the missus too
We got no turkey for our stuffing
We'd like to thank you, Gary Bettman
For really showing us the way
You dirty rat, you Bureaucrat, you
Made us what we are today
Come and get it, Bets!