# The Stanley Cup Playoffs Thread
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-stanley-cup-playoffs-thread/577925
**Category:** The Game Room
**Created:** [April 11, 2011, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-stanley-cup-playoffs-thread/577925 "2011-04-11T02:46:29Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 32
### Author:  [@Raygun99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raygun99)
#### Post date: [June 17, 2011, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-stanley-cup-playoffs-thread/577925/621 "2011-06-17T01:37:07Z")
> [@lukeinva](#):
>
> To be clear what I said is, _They were booing during the trophy presentation._
>
> However,
>
> \*\*
>
> I know, and it’s trite and pointless. Give it a break… Bettman is what he is and it is what it is. Only one team is happy at the end of the season.
He’s booed when he presents the Cup. He’s booed at the Draft. Dollars to doughnuts he’s booed in his own house. It’s what happens, and it’s basically NHL tradition at this point.
You can criticize the rioters all you want, but criticizing Vancouver for booing Bettman is a fundamental misunderstanding of the situation.
---
### Author:  [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)
#### Post date: [June 17, 2011, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-stanley-cup-playoffs-thread/577925/622 "2011-06-17T02:15:05Z")
> [@Raygun99](#):
>
> He’s booed when he presents the Cup. He’s booed at the Draft. Dollars to doughnuts he’s booed in his own house. It’s what happens, and it’s basically NHL tradition at this point.
>
> You can criticize the rioters all you want, but criticizing Vancouver for booing Bettman is a fundamental misunderstanding of the situation.
I completely understood that they were booing Bettman, but still thought it was crass, disrespectful, inappropriate, impolite, and all around fucking assholish.
Way to fuck up another team’s enjoyment: assholes.
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### Author:  [@kayT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayT)
#### Post date: [June 17, 2011, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-stanley-cup-playoffs-thread/577925/623 "2011-06-17T02:26:31Z")
So if Boston had won in Boston the fans would have booed Bettman? Really?
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### Author:  [@Raygun99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raygun99)
#### Post date: [June 17, 2011, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-stanley-cup-playoffs-thread/577925/624 "2011-06-17T02:31:05Z")
> [@Leaffan](#):
>
> I completely understood that they were booing Bettman, but still thought it was crass, disrespectful, inappropriate, impolite, and all around fucking assholish.
>
> Way to fuck up another team’s enjoyment: assholes.
I doubt it bothered them for even a second. For one, they just won the Stanley Cup. I don’t think anything bothers you in that moment. And I’d be willing to bet the players hate him even more than the fans - after all, he made their union crack and cost a lot of them a year of salary.
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### Author:  [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)
#### Post date: [June 17, 2011, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-stanley-cup-playoffs-thread/577925/625 "2011-06-17T02:34:09Z")
So why is Bettman booed everywhere? He always seemed like an ok commish to me.
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### Author:  [@Raygun99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raygun99)
#### Post date: [June 17, 2011, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-stanley-cup-playoffs-thread/577925/626 "2011-06-17T02:35:40Z")
> [@kayT](#):
>
> So if Boston had won in Boston the fans would have booed Bettman? Really?
It’s possible. The Stanley Cup hasn’t been won at home for a few years, and the last three times were in marginal, less savvy markets (Anaheim, Carolina and Tampa). There were scattered boos for him when New Jersey won it at home last time.
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### Author:  [@Raygun99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raygun99)
#### Post date: [June 17, 2011, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-stanley-cup-playoffs-thread/577925/627 "2011-06-17T02:38:58Z")
> [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](#):
>
> So why is Bettman booed everywhere? He always seemed like an ok commish to me.
At least in the more traditional markets, he’s seen as a conniving bureaucrat who doesn’t actually care about the sport as its played, and favours “growing” the sport to places like Florida, Phoenix and Atlanta where they don’t care about hockey versus places that are dying for teams.
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### Author:  [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)
#### Post date: [June 17, 2011, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-stanley-cup-playoffs-thread/577925/628 "2011-06-17T03:15:06Z")
> [@Raygun99](#):
>
> At least in the more traditional markets, he’s seen as a conniving bureaucrat who doesn’t actually care about the sport as its played, and favours “growing” the sport to places like Florida, Phoenix and Atlanta where they don’t care about hockey versus places that are dying for teams.
That’s a…diplomatic…way of putting it.
Bettman is pretty universally loathed in Canada. I’m willing to bet that he would have been booed even if Vancouver had won.
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### Author:  [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)
#### Post date: [June 17, 2011, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-stanley-cup-playoffs-thread/577925/629 "2011-06-17T03:59:26Z")
I still don’t understand why the loathing would be universal. Surely some fans understand the business side of the game. And players must appreciate that he’s trying to bring money into the game. And aren’t the places that are dying for teams the same places that once had teams that lost money and were forced to move? Perhaps this question warrants it’s own thread, but is the hatred of Bettman rational? Or is he just the whipping boy for any grievance that any fan has with the game?
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### Author:  [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)
#### Post date: [June 17, 2011, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-stanley-cup-playoffs-thread/577925/630 "2011-06-17T04:23:28Z")
Heck, Bettman was booed in the sports bar where I watched the game. It had maybe a 60-40 mix of Vancouver to Boston fans, but _everybody_ booed Bettman.
Then we all had a good laugh when the Boston fans got a replica Stanley Cup (not full size, though) and proceeded to take their “victory laps” around the bar, just as the real Boston players were doing on the ice.
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### Author:  [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)
#### Post date: [June 17, 2011, 11:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-stanley-cup-playoffs-thread/577925/631 "2011-06-17T11:15:32Z")
So I should enlarge my disdain to all NHL fans?
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### Author:  [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)
#### Post date: [June 17, 2011, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-stanley-cup-playoffs-thread/577925/632 "2011-06-17T14:36:20Z")
> [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](#):
>
> I still don’t understand why the loathing would be universal. Surely some fans understand the business side of the game. And players must appreciate that he’s trying to bring money into the game. And aren’t the places that are dying for teams the same places that once had teams that lost money and were forced to move? Perhaps this question warrants it’s own thread, but is the hatred of Bettman rational? Or is he just the whipping boy for any grievance that any fan has with the game?
I don’t understand the loathing either. Expansion into non-traditional markets hasn’t panned out too well for some cities, but others are flourishing.
The latest player lockout in 04-05 has resulted in a collective bargaining agreement that contains a very workable salary cap structure that now makes it once again possible for places like Winnipeg and Quebec City to host viable teams.
The Bettman booing is just a case of ignorance, group-think mentality and poor manners.
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### Author:  [@Raygun99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raygun99)
#### Post date: [June 17, 2011, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-stanley-cup-playoffs-thread/577925/633 "2011-06-17T17:54:55Z")
The lockout has nothing to do with why the NHL is back in Winnipeg. Just _two years_ after the lockout, the average NHL salary was already higher than before it. And the team salary that Winnipeg will have to pay out this upcoming season will be 2.5 to 3 times (in raw numbers) what it was the year they left.
The biggest reason that the NHL is more viable in smaller Canadian markets now:
1996: 1 USD = 1.37 CAD
2011: 1 USD = 0.98 CAD
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### Author:  [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)
#### Post date: [June 17, 2011, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-stanley-cup-playoffs-thread/577925/634 "2011-06-17T20:43:48Z")
> [@Raygun99](#):
>
> The lockout has nothing to do with why the NHL is back in Winnipeg. Just _two years_ after the lockout, the average NHL salary was already higher than before it. And the team salary that Winnipeg will have to pay out this upcoming season will be 2.5 to 3 times (in raw numbers) what it was the year they left.
>
> The biggest reason that the NHL is more viable in smaller Canadian markets now:
> 1996: 1 USD = 1.37 CAD
> 2011: 1 USD = 0.98 CAD
Well, that certainly has a lot to do with it too, but small market teams were not going to compete with the New Yorks, the Torontos, the Montreals, etc. under the old “spend as much as you can afford” system. And supporting a losing team year after year after year isn’t much fun. Believe me!
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### Author:  [@Raygun99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raygun99)
#### Post date: [June 17, 2011, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-stanley-cup-playoffs-thread/577925/635 "2011-06-17T21:21:49Z")
Surely, as judged by the unending streak of dominance by Toronto, the Rangers and Montreal in the decade leading up to the lockout. (Montreal’s a bad example, actually, as they were always middle of the pack spenders). Hell, the year before the lockout, the two teams that made the final were both in the lower third in the league in salaries.
The Jets and Nordiques didn’t leave because they lost fan support (well, Winnipeg’s dropped in their last season when it was clear they were a dead team walking. See: Expos, Montreal). They left because they played in the smallest buildings in the league, didn’t have luxury box revenue, and had to pay their salaries in US$ while earning in C$.
Saying it’s the salary cap that’s bringing back the Jets because now they can compete is crazy when, to compete now, they basically have to spend to the cap, which is several times higher than what they spent on salaries when they left town. It’s actually _harder_ for smaller market teams now, as they’re forced to exert themselves beyond their comfort zone. There are no Florida Marlins in the current NHL.
Hell, the salary _floor_ is over twice what the Jets spent in salaries in their final season.
Can spending more money on players help you compete? Sure, but it’s not even close to a guarantee (see: Flames, Calgary and Devils, New Jersey). Can unending suck make it difficult to support a team? Sure. But the Oilers are currently on a six year sellout streak, despite having one good year in that run. They were a team frequently rumoured to move, don’t forget.
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### Author:  [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)
#### Post date: [June 18, 2011, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-stanley-cup-playoffs-thread/577925/636 "2011-06-18T18:33:29Z")
My son and I just got back from the parade in downtown Boston - using the duck boats, as all of our teams do for their own victory parades ;). The kid is still pissed over missing the Celtics’ parade, since he had to work that day, but otherwise his streak is intact.
Only a few of the players were recognizable without their helmets and playoff beards, and most of them had sunglasses over their hangover eyes. But there were still a million of us (not exaggerating) in our black and gold stuff, all just happy to see the Cup and the team that brought it back and to know IT’S OURS, BABY! YEAH! :D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D
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### Author:  [@Quint](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quint)
#### Post date: [June 21, 2011, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-stanley-cup-playoffs-thread/577925/637 "2011-06-21T00:19:35Z")
The so called “riot” in Vancouver was just a coverup for what [really happened!!](http://i.imgur.com/DwlVx.jpg)
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### Author:  [@Xan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xan)
#### Post date: [June 21, 2011, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-stanley-cup-playoffs-thread/577925/638 "2011-06-21T00:22:45Z")
> [@Quint](#):
>
> The so called “riot” in Vancouver was just a coverup for what [really happened!!](http://i.imgur.com/DwlVx.jpg)
So by winning the cup Chara became Godzilla sized?
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### Author:  [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)
#### Post date: [June 21, 2011, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-stanley-cup-playoffs-thread/577925/639 "2011-06-21T02:10:50Z")
> [@Xan](#):
>
> So by winning the cup Chara became Godzilla sized?
“Became”?
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### Author:  [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)
#### Post date: [June 21, 2011, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-stanley-cup-playoffs-thread/577925/640 "2011-06-21T03:01:14Z")
> [@Xan](#):
>
> So by winning the cup Chara became Godzilla sized?
Godzilla dreams of being Chara sized someday.
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