Hackel hammers it home

New York Times' Stu Hackel nails it, again.

Toronto Papers vs. Bettman, the Feud Continues
The Toronto print news media was all over Gary Bettman Wednesday morning for the commissioner’s continuing optimistic outlook on N.H.L. economics and franchise well being.

He explains with plenty of examples that the Toronto media are very anti- Gary Bettman. Judging by the examples, they are. In fact many fans are, some players are, bloggers are, etc.
I'm tired of all the hatred toward Bettman; really, really tired of it.
The NHL commissioner has done plenty to make me mad - the knee-jerk reaction in installing the safety nets, banning Al Sobotka from twirling octopuses, the new jerseys, the knee-jerk reaction in suspending Sean Avery, etc. But I've said my piece; it's out there. It's time for fans and media to move on, get over it.
The state of League probably isn't as good as Bettman says, but it's also probably not as bad as the media claim.
As Hackel points out though there are reasons for Bettman to be so positive.

But what seems to be lost in all this is that Bettman’s primary mission in these “all is well” proclamations is less to deny reality to reporters than to paint a picture of a successful business that will attract future investors — the men and women who might be interested in buying struggling teams like Phoenix, perhaps someone sitting right there in the Century Club. He’s thecommish, but he’s also part salesman, repping for his bosses, the 30 owners of the N.H.L. teams who in good times want their franchise values to increase, and in bad ones want to keep their investments from tanking. Salesmen don’t sell their product by dissing it.

Hockey media and fans are weird, or maybe it's just my warped, too-much-hockey perception. But I don't read about all the negativity toward commissioners in other leagues as I do in the NHL. I don't read from other sports fans as much negativity as I do from NHL fans. Others have noticed it too. Below is what Shawn Cane wrote to Ray Slover at The Sporting News.

I LOVED your article about keeping fighting in the NHL. Thank you VERY much for writing this much needed article. I am tired of people, especially the NHL media, forcritizing its own game. No other sports media condemns its own game as much as the NHL media does to hockey. It is VERY uplifting to write your argument. I praise you. Keep up the good work. I am off to email your article to friends and to spread the word to my pro-fight companions at www.hockey-fights.com
Thank you,
Shawn Cane

Here's some praise for a commissioner.
Celebrate a quarter-century of Stern? Not with so much work to do
We'll never know if God created anyone better for this job than (David) Stern, but for now we'll have to assume not. And I don't think it's a stretch to say that without Stern, the NBA would be on the same level with equestrian or water polo. Or worse ... the NHL.

What does Ken Burger the writer of the article above know? Who knows, but he's praising the NBA commissioner, and makes a dig at the NHL too. In my opinion he's able to ridicule the NHL because so many NHL fans and media do.

In my opinion it's a great time to be an NHL fan, and hockey is still the best game I can name.