Phoenix gone? (Judge rules Balsillie back in play)

[Eleven]

I find comical irony in how someone can ignore the clarity of the case against Bettman's racketeering, and at the same time accuse others of ignoring logic. Sorry, but once again you neglect to refute in any cogent way the NHL's collusion in this case, and until you can you will remain nothing more than a willful chump apologizing for Gary Bettman's every con.

 

Naivette is the true opium of the masses, and Bettman is banking on a world of blind fans like yourself so he can continue reducing the league to a two-bit crime syndicate of fraudulent racketeers.

 

All right, you're new here, so I'll tell you some things that some of us know. I'd normally be worried, but nfreeman doesn't know where I live or my true identity, so I'm safe.

 

See, nfreeman isn't naive, or blind. He's part and parcel of the whole conspiracy, man. Just look at his name. nfreeman, gbettman, notice a pattern? See, nfreeman used to be a normal fan, like me. But then he was recruited by Bettman (right around the same time that Bettman refused to let Balsille buy the Predators), and he was "turned." He's been working with Bettman, the Trilateral Commission, Snoop Dogg, and the Jesuits to keep hockey in Arizona at all costs. He's got Mbossy fooled, but not me.

 

That's why nfreeman is telling you that there's no crime here. It isn't that he knows something about what racketeering really is, or the difference between a civil suit and a criminal prosecution. It's because he's on the inside. He's trying to protect Bettman.

 

See, this isn't just a normal business trying to maintain control over where a franchise is located and who can own one. This isn't a normal profit-seeking enterprise at all. It's a cabal formed in the very depths of hell itself, and its plans are motivated by unspeakable evil. Today, it's hockey in Phoenix. Tomorrow, fluoridated water. There's no telling where it will end.

 

And you're threatening to blow the whole thing. Watch your ass, man, watch your ass. Because when Bettman is finished with his 25-year sentence that he's absolutely going to get, he's absolutely coming after you.

 

I'd write more, but I've gotta get back into the shelter.

 

PS: Ever notice that nfreeman and PASabre argue sometimes? It's because PASabre is onto him, too. Stick with PASabre. I can't stress that enough. He's got a safe house set up in the Bradford area in case things get too hot, you know?

[end the curse]

Here's what my fellow irrational Bettman hater, and notable tinfoil hat whack job, Jim Kelley had to say in that shameless tabloid rag called Sports Illustrated:

 

What's happening is that the NHL, backed by its owners and fronted by Bettman, is attempting to buy a team out from under owner-of-record Jerry Moyes, leave him (and presumably Gretzky) with as close to nothing as possible, and operate at losses that no single businessman could sustain, then fob the team off on a hand-picked buyer who, according to the league's filings in court, will be allowed "to relocate the franchise in another territory."

 

Let that sink in for a moment. Those are the exact words that spawned expressions of horror and cries of betrayal regarding the good people of Glendale from a league fond of saying that "it doesn't run out on its fans" and "doesn't run away from its problems, it fixes them."

 

This bankruptcy proceeding, if anything, has exposed a seamy underside of the NHL that prospective "partners" -- especially those who might be asked to fund a new arena somewhere -- are likely to want to keep at a considerable distance.

 

All of this sturm and drang for what? So that a perceived rogue like Balsillie can't take a bucket of red ink and turn it into a profit-maker? So that a territory (Toronto) that truly is both underserved and desperate for an alternative to one of the most hapless operations in the history of the game can be protected? So that a league can protect itself from those who have proved to be no more or less desirable than the business people they are?

 

It's reassuring to know that "logical thinkers" like yourself understand that there is nothing but sunshine and rainbows being farted from Bettman's underworld attempt to secure the Coyotes from the devil incarnate himself, Jim Balsillie...thank God you and your kind are here to fight for truth, justice and the Gary Bettman way!

 

Yes, and let's all just ignore that little man behind the curtain, right gentlemen?

[Mbossy]

Here's what my fellow irrational Bettman hater, and notable tinfoil hat whack job, Jim Kelley had to say in that shameless tabloid rag called Sports Illustrated:

 

 

 

It's reassuring to know that "logical thinkers" like yourself understand that there is nothing but sunshine and rainbows being farted from Bettman's underworld attempt to secure the Coyotes from the devil incarnate himself, Jim Balsillie...thank God you and your kind are here to fight for truth, justice and the Gary Bettman way!

 

Yes, and let's all just ignore that little man behind the curtain, right gentlemen?

Never said Sillyballs is the devil or that I enjoy Bettman any. You just sound like a few other new posters that come in all fireinthepantschangetheworld and leave in two weeks. It's hard to take you seriously.

[shrader]

Damn those jesuits. They're nothing but trouble.

[end the curse]

Never said Sillyballs is the devil or that I enjoy Bettman any. You just sound like a few other new posters that come in all fireinthepantschangetheworld and leave in two weeks. It's hard to take you seriously.

It's hard to take opinions you disagree with seriously, but that doesn't always mean they are without merit. Anyway, the longer I'm here the more you'll learn to love me, and I'm far too hung over to argue today...

[Stoner]

I find comical irony in how someone can ignore the clarity of the case against Bettman's racketeering, and at the same time accuse others of ignoring logic. Sorry, but once again you neglect to refute in any cogent way the NHL's collusion in this case, and until you can you will remain nothing more than a willful chump apologizing for Gary Bettman's every con.

 

Naivette is the true opium of the masses, and Bettman is banking on a world of blind fans like yourself so he can continue reducing the league to a two-bit crime syndicate of fraudulent racketeers.

 

This reminds me of the episode of M*A*S*H when Charles's snobbery finally met its match.

[end the curse]

This reminds me of the episode of M*A*S*H when Charles's snobbery finally met its match.

How droll... ;)

[cdexchange]

Eleven, that was genius.

[nfreeman]

All right, you're new here, so I'll tell you some things that some of us know. I'd normally be worried, but nfreeman doesn't know where I live or my true identity, so I'm safe.

 

See, nfreeman isn't naive, or blind. He's part and parcel of the whole conspiracy, man. Just look at his name. nfreeman, gbettman, notice a pattern? See, nfreeman used to be a normal fan, like me. But then he was recruited by Bettman (right around the same time that Bettman refused to let Balsille buy the Predators), and he was "turned." He's been working with Bettman, the Trilateral Commission, Snoop Dogg, and the Jesuits to keep hockey in Arizona at all costs. He's got Mbossy fooled, but not me.

 

That's why nfreeman is telling you that there's no crime here. It isn't that he knows something about what racketeering really is, or the difference between a civil suit and a criminal prosecution. It's because he's on the inside. He's trying to protect Bettman.

 

See, this isn't just a normal business trying to maintain control over where a franchise is located and who can own one. This isn't a normal profit-seeking enterprise at all. It's a cabal formed in the very depths of hell itself, and its plans are motivated by unspeakable evil. Today, it's hockey in Phoenix. Tomorrow, fluoridated water. There's no telling where it will end.

 

And you're threatening to blow the whole thing. Watch your ass, man, watch your ass. Because when Bettman is finished with his 25-year sentence that he's absolutely going to get, he's absolutely coming after you.

 

I'd write more, but I've gotta get back into the shelter.

 

PS: Ever notice that nfreeman and PASabre argue sometimes? It's because PASabre is onto him, too. Stick with PASabre. I can't stress that enough. He's got a safe house set up in the Bradford area in case things get too hot, you know?

 

you're #1 on the death list now, buddy.

[nfreeman]

I find comical irony in how someone can ignore the clarity of the case against Bettman's racketeering, and at the same time accuse others of ignoring logic. Sorry, but once again you neglect to refute in any cogent way the NHL's collusion in this case, and until you can you will remain nothing more than a willful chump apologizing for Gary Bettman's every con.

 

Naivette is the true opium of the masses, and Bettman is banking on a world of blind fans like yourself so he can continue reducing the league to a two-bit crime syndicate of fraudulent racketeers.

How many bad guys are on that grassy knoll, anyway? The NHL owners voted UNANIMOUSLY to reject Balsillie. Was that "collusion"? Was it "racketeering"? What about moyes' deal with Balsillie? Weren't they "colluding"?

 

The answer, of course, is that none of the above constituted anything remotely close to an illegal act. Even if you, Jim Kelley and 20MM other canadians think Bettman = Satan, and really, really want another NHL team, and freely use hysterical prose to make your case -- it still doesn't make it illegal to keep balsillie out. For that matter Kelley didn't try to make that argument either.

 

Bottom line is that Balsillie butchered the situation by getting the other owners PO'd at him. He didn't need Bettman's help to accomplish that. He should've bought the predators, played the game, cultivated the other owners for a few years, and he probably would've gotten what he wanted. Instead he thumbed his nose at them and tried to muscle his way in. I don't expect him to get a team for at least another 5 years, probably 10, after this little display of petulance.

[end the curse]

{{Yawn}}

 

Sorry, but your argument is growing increasingly baseless, repetitive and boring. Try again...I have higher standards than this nonsense you're shoveling. Either improve upon the rationale for your viewpoint of just blather away in peace moving forward. Force of will is not a worthy substitute for facts and reasoning my friend.

 

EDIT: In case you are not cognitive of what to avoid in future attempts to make your case, try to steer clear of repeating that the owners don't like Balsillie and that they voted against him. Instead, find ways to dissect the facts that show Bettman and the owners are attempting to secure a below market value price for the franchise, stick it to the previous owner in the process, and hand it over at a loss to an insider who will make a huge profit by extorting the city of Glendale tax payers before relocating the team to another buyer for a few hundred million in profit.

 

Just trying to help - I'm sensitive that way. I just can't stand seeing you flail about helplessly like this.

[nfreeman]

{{Yawn}}

 

Sorry, but your argument is growing increasingly baseless, repetitive and boring. Try again...I have higher standards than this nonsense you're shoveling. Either improve upon the rationale for your viewpoint of just blather away in peace moving forward. Force of will is not a worthy substitute for facts and reasoning my friend.

 

EDIT: In case you are not cognitive of what to avoid in future attempts to make your case, try to steer clear of repeating that the owners don't like Balsillie and that they voted against him. Instead, find ways to dissect the facts that show Bettman and the owners are attempting to secure a below market value price for the franchise, stick it to the previous owner in the process, and hand it over at a loss to an insider who will make a huge profit by extorting the city of Glendale tax payers before relocating the team to another buyer for a few hundred million in profit.

 

Just trying to help - I'm sensitive that way. I just can't stand seeing you flail about helplessly like this.

So, I guess you've given up on the illegal/criminal/prison theme? Kinda realized that dog won't hunt?

 

As for the real issue, which you've sort of stumbled into after a half-dozen incoherent rants -- can't the owners decide who they want to do business with? If you owned a TV store and someone walked in, yelled in a loud voice "screw you and your partners, I'm not waiting in line, I'm taking this TV, and here's the cash", and you felt like you didn't want him as a customer, would you think he had a right to the TV?

 

The NHL can do business with whomever it wants, and it can shun whomever it wants. It can also situate franchises in whatever markets it wants, and shun whatever markets it wants. There's no god-given, or legally granted, right to buy or have a hockey team. Moyes (and Balsillie for that matter) knew the rules going in, and they tried to use bankruptcy court to muscle their way into breaking the rules. As for Glendale, whatever deal they make, or don't make, is entirely within their control. If they want to give economic concessions, they can, and if they do they should be smart enough to bargain for protections against the team moving for some period of time.

 

If you think the whole thing is another conspiracy to enrich some "NHL insider" who is going to flip the team for "hundreds of millions" -- I suppose this is of a piece with expecting Bettman to get a lengthy prison term for his role in this evil plot.

 

Remember -- mixing the lithium with the vicodin can really set you back.

[end the curse]

Boring and juvenile.

 

Where does it say in the constitution that we have an inalienable right to form organized cartels whose laws supercede those in the US constitution? By this painfully dense argument, if Bettman decided he was going to make laws banning "Negroes" from the league, hey, no problem! It's their right as a private business to decide and nobody elses! Do whatever you wish!

 

Want to legalize rape in the locker room? Permit car jacking in the parking lot? Go for it! After all, it's a private business league and they can decide what they want to do no matter how many federal statutes it may conflict with. Free enterprise, baby!

 

Try again.

 

If a franchisee pays full market value for a franchise, goes bankrupt when it is found to be stuck in an inviable location with an artificially high lease, and the franchisor puts in motion a tampering plot to eliminate all competitive bids because they want to take it over at below market value cost, hand it over to a buddy who is well connected with the government who can funnel some extra tax dollars their way before relocating it to a better area, and completely stiff the prior owner and his creditors out of every possible penny in the process, sounds cool!

 

Oh, and if some pesky tycoon comes in and tries to make a legitimate bid for the franchise that's over 50% higher than yours, pays the prior owner, and would relocate the team to a better area with a better lease, than make sure your set in motion some half-baked scheme to ban him from the bidding process because he's a real jerk face trying to interfere in your inalienable right to screw!

[SwampD]

Boring and juvenile.

 

Where does it say in the constitution that we have an inalienable right to form organized cartels whose laws supercede those in the US constitution? By this painfully dense argument, if Bettman decided he was going to make laws banning "Negroes" from the league, hey, no problem! It's their right as a private business to decide and nobody elses! Do whatever you wish!

 

Want to legalize rape in the locker room? Permit car jacking in the parking lot? Go for it! After all, it's a private business league and they can decide what they want to do no matter how many federal statutes it may conflict with. Free enterprise, baby!

 

Try again.

 

If a franchisee pays full market value for a franchise, goes bankrupt when it is found to be stuck in an inviable location with an artificially high lease, and the franchisor puts in motion a tampering plot to eliminate all competitive bids because they want to take it over at below market value cost, hand it over to a buddy who is well connected with the government who can funnel some extra tax dollars their way before relocating it to a better area, and completely stiff the prior owner and his creditors out of every possible penny in the process, sounds cool!

 

Oh, and if some pesky tycoon comes in and tries to make a legitimate bid for the franchise that's over 50% higher than yours, pays the prior owner, and would relocate the team to a better area with a better lease, than make sure your set in motion some half-baked scheme to ban him from the bidding process because he's a real jerk face trying to interfere in your inalienable right to screw!

Constitution?

 

 

I actually think you both are right(or wrong?). What they are doing might be shady at best, but that's business. Show me a businessman that's not flirting with the rules and I'll show you the empty bottle of scotch he cried himself to sleep in 'cuz he's broke.

[Eleven]

Boring and juvenile.

 

Where does it say in the constitution that we have an inalienable right to form organized cartels whose laws supercede those in the US constitution? By this painfully dense argument, if Bettman decided he was going to make laws banning "Negroes" from the league, hey, no problem! It's their right as a private business to decide and nobody elses! Do whatever you wish!

 

Want to legalize rape in the locker room? Permit car jacking in the parking lot? Go for it! After all, it's a private business league and they can decide what they want to do no matter how many federal statutes it may conflict with. Free enterprise, baby!

 

Try again.

 

If a franchisee pays full market value for a franchise, goes bankrupt when it is found to be stuck in an inviable location with an artificially high lease, and the franchisor puts in motion a tampering plot to eliminate all competitive bids because they want to take it over at below market value cost, hand it over to a buddy who is well connected with the government who can funnel some extra tax dollars their way before relocating it to a better area, and completely stiff the prior owner and his creditors out of every possible penny in the process, sounds cool!

 

Oh, and if some pesky tycoon comes in and tries to make a legitimate bid for the franchise that's over 50% higher than yours, pays the prior owner, and would relocate the team to a better area with a better lease, than make sure your set in motion some half-baked scheme to ban him from the bidding process because he's a real jerk face trying to interfere in your inalienable right to screw!

 

And the target moves again. Of course, the Constitution is barely involved here, and race discrimination, rape, and car jacking have nothing to do with this.

 

The bid may or may not be legitimate. As at least a couple of people have pointed out, and as you have completely ignored, there is the strong possibility that Moyes and Balsille are attempting to improperly use the bankruptcy laws to get around the NHL's normal rules.

 

A franchisor has a right to determine who owns a franchise. If you think that translates into an "inalienable right to screw," fine. You may be correct. But a franchisor still have a right to determine who owns a franchise, and for that matter, where it is located.

 

I don't really care who ends up with the Coyotes, but you've come in here with personal attacks against several people for no reason at all. That they don't agree with your shifting positions (which are untenable, anyway) is no excuse for the way that you are addressing them. We've had several new posters in the last week while the sabres.com board is down, and none of the rest seem to have this chip on their shoulders.

 

It seems that it is important to you that you be regarded as an intellectual. If so, note that it's "cognizant of," not "cognitive of," "hearty welcome," not "hardy welcome," and that "naivette" and "supercede" are not words, at least not in English.

 

Finally, it's possible that you're just messing around here (those familiar with crayonz on TBD will know what I mean); if so, good joke, and move on.

[end the curse]

Project much? Arrogant and completely straw man from beginning to end...oh, and thanks for bending my words and twisting my position to fit the latest installment of your argument. Glad to see you've resorted to surfing through each of my posts for spelling, too. Really strengthens your position by nitpicking through the grammar of my posts as if this is a gaddamn term paper.

 

Look, if you want to dig in and stand by a minority position because you have personal problems, are lonely, your mother doesn't love you, you are suffering erectile dysfunction, blah-blah-blah, yada-yada-yada, I really don't care. I have not shifted positions, I have not backed down from the logic that trumps your little song and dance about Balsillie being a bad guy, or the league having the God-given right to racketeer. If you want to think this way, well, good luck with that, and sorry if my position - the majority position of most analysts by a large margin - so offends you.

 

Insisting that tampering to fix court-ordered auction bidding at below market value rates is the right of all good businessmen protecting their organization certainly must make you feel cheap and tawdry. Already Judge Baum himself has indicated Bill Daly may have been in violation of federal laws by colluding to suppress other possible bids in this process. If you can't connect these dots to RICO charges, well, you just aren't very good at playing that game.

 

Sorry you don't like me. I'm actually very fun and cool and charming and wonderful and beloved if I do say so myself...Now, make sure you remember to zip Gary up when you're done; it's only polite!

[nfreeman]

Project much? Arrogant and completely straw man from beginning to end...oh, and thanks for bending my words and twisting my position to fit the latest installment of your argument. Glad to see you've resorted to surfing through each of my posts for spelling, too. Really strengthens your position by nitpicking through the grammar of my posts as if this is a gaddamn term paper.

 

Look, if you want to dig in and stand by a minority position because you have personal problems, are lonely, your mother doesn't love you, you are suffering erectile dysfunction, blah-blah-blah, yada-yada-yada, I really don't care. I have not shifted positions, I have not backed down from the logic that trumps your little song and dance about Balsillie being a bad guy, or the league having the God-given right to racketeer. If you want to think this way, well, good luck with that, and sorry if my position - the majority position of most analysts by a large margin - so offends you.

 

Insisting that tampering to fix court-ordered auction bidding at below market value rates is the right of all good businessmen protecting their organization certainly must make you feel cheap and tawdry. Already Judge Baum himself has indicated Bill Daly may have been in violation of federal laws by colluding to suppress other possible bids in this process. If you can't connect these dots to RICO charges, well, you just aren't very good at playing that game.

 

Sorry you don't like me. I'm actually very fun and cool and charming and wonderful and beloved if I do say so myself...Now, make sure you remember to zip Gary up when you're done; it's only polite!

So, just to be clear: are you predicting any kind of criminal indictment in this matter?

[Eleven]

Project much? Arrogant and completely straw man from beginning to end...oh, and thanks for bending my words and twisting my position to fit the latest installment of your argument. Glad to see you've resorted to surfing through each of my posts for spelling, too. Really strengthens your position by nitpicking through the grammar of my posts as if this is a gaddamn term paper.

 

Look, if you want to dig in and stand by a minority position because you have personal problems, are lonely, your mother doesn't love you, you are suffering erectile dysfunction, blah-blah-blah, yada-yada-yada, I really don't care. I have not shifted positions, I have not backed down from the logic that trumps your little song and dance about Balsillie being a bad guy, or the league having the God-given right to racketeer. If you want to think this way, well, good luck with that, and sorry if my position - the majority position of most analysts by a large margin - so offends you.

 

Insisting that tampering to fix court-ordered auction bidding at below market value rates is the right of all good businessmen protecting their organization certainly must make you feel cheap and tawdry. Already Judge Baum himself has indicated Bill Daly may have been in violation of federal laws by colluding to suppress other possible bids in this process. If you can't connect these dots to RICO charges, well, you just aren't very good at playing that game.

 

Sorry you don't like me. I'm actually very fun and cool and charming and wonderful and beloved if I do say so myself...Now, make sure you remember to zip Gary up when you're done; it's only polite!

 

And again, personal attacks instead of addressing substance.

 

Look, whoever you are, we prefer Rene Robert to Rene Descartes around here anyway. Why not change the Rene in your avatar, start over, and see if you can fit into the culture of this board?

[end the curse]

It really depends on how Judge Baum rules. If he awards the bid to Team Balsillie they will certainly not seek RICO charges against the league and Gary Bettman. If he is shut out of the auction and the NHL is awarded the Coyotes I fully expect Bettman at the very least to face civil charges, with the possibility for more depending on how far and deep the mess runs.

 

In the end, I half expect Bettman to try to kiss and make up with Balsillie and settle this with him being given a franchise in Hamilton, because I just think the case for collusion against the NHL is too strong and Bettman knows it.

[end the curse]

And again, personal attacks instead of addressing substance.

 

Look, whoever you are, we prefer Rene Robert to Rene Descartes around here anyway. Why not change the Rene in your avatar, start over, and see if you can fit into the culture of this board?

If you attack me I will attack back. If the culture of the board is for you to freely rip people and distort their positions to fit your argument than sorry if I decline the offer to join. I actually am much lighter and more fun in my posts most of the time, but since the beginning I've been slammed by you and Freeman on every comment. I will be happy to reciprocate with a more civil discussion moving forward, so if that's what you are offering I certainly will accept.

[nfreeman]

It really depends on how Judge Baum rules. If he awards the bid to Team Balsillie they will certainly not seek RICO charges against the league and Gary Bettman. If he is shut out of the auction and the NHL is awarded the Coyotes I fully expect Bettman at the very least to face civil charges, with the possibility for more depending on how far and deep the mess runs.

 

In the end, I half expect Bettman to try to kiss and make up with Balsillie and settle this with him being given a franchise in Hamilton, because I just think the case for collusion against the NHL is too strong and Bettman knows it.

Right, but "facing civil charges" just means that Balsillie sues him. No one would be surprised if this happens. I was simply taking issue with the assertion that this was a criminal matter.

 

It sounds like you think something new and pretty substantial would need to be uncovered in order for criminal charges to be brought (assuming Balsillie doesn't win the auction and/or settle with the NHL). Is that right?

[shrader]

It really depends on how Judge Baum rules. If he awards the bid to Team Balsillie they will certainly not seek RICO charges against the league and Gary Bettman. If he is shut out of the auction and the NHL is awarded the Coyotes I fully expect Bettman at the very least to face civil charges, with the possibility for more depending on how far and deep the mess runs.

 

In the end, I half expect Bettman to try to kiss and make up with Balsillie and settle this with him being given a franchise in Hamilton, because I just think the case for collusion against the NHL is too strong and Bettman knows it.

 

I'm the furthest thing from a legal expert, but if Baum rules against Balsillie, how can he make a claim that something illegal happened since it was decided by the legal system? Civil charges, ok, but none of the "possibility of more" that you mention.

 

And really, the recent change by Balsillie to condition his offer on the team being moved immediately (forget the exact date, 9/15 or something in that range) almost seems to force the court's hand in ruling against him. Or maybe he just does that so if he wins, then can't move the team in time, he moves on and tries to move the next team that goes up for sale, backed by a previous court decision that supports him.

[end the curse]

Right, but "facing civil charges" just means that Balsillie sues him. No one would be surprised if this happens. I was simply taking issue with the assertion that this was a criminal matter.

 

It sounds like you think something new and pretty substantial would need to be uncovered in order for criminal charges to be brought (assuming Balsillie doesn't win the auction and/or settle with the NHL). Is that right?

I think it's a certainty that civil charges are filed, and a reasonable possibility that criminal charges could follow, too. I'm certainly not a DA so we'll have to wait and see what unfolds.

[end the curse]

I'm the furthest thing from a legal expert, but if Baum rules against Balsillie, how can he make a claim that something illegal happened since it was decided by the legal system? Civil charges, ok, but none of the "possibility of more" that you mention.

 

Judge Baum is only ruling on the bankruptcy matter, not determining if indictments for racketeering should be considered. Suffice to say, no matter how he rules this will be hitting appeal courts, civil courts, mediation hearings, and, if enough dirt is trailed along, criminal courts, too. This will not end for a long, long time to come.

 

Of course, all of this goes away if Team Bettman and Team Balsillie can find a way to resolve this mess out of court. I still kinda think it might, as hard as that may be to imagine right now.

[shrader]

Judge Baum is only ruling on the bankruptcy matter, not determining if indictments for racketeering should be considered. Suffice to say, no matter how he rules this will be hitting appeal courts, civil courts, mediation hearings, and, if enough dirt is trailed along, criminal courts, too. This will not end for a long, long time to come.

 

Of course, all of this goes away if Team Bettman and Team Balsillie can find a way to resolve this mess out of court. I still kinda think it might, as hard as that may be to imagine right now.

 

But since his offer is conditioned on the team being moved by mid-september, what would be the point of appeals court?