And you can tell everybody this is your song....

In case you haven't noticed, hockey is a very important factor of my life. There is nothing I rather do than sit down and watch a game, review highlights, or argue who the best whatever is on what team. People are amazed at how much random knowledge I have about hockey, how passionate I am, and how much it affects my mood. When the Ranger's perform unsatisfactory, you can guarantee I will be a bit cranky afterwards. The other night I was able to remember who wore number 16 in 2003 (Bobby Holik). Its just something that sticks with me.

The problem now is Mr. Gary Bettman. For you see, he hasn't screwed over just the New York Rangers, no he's screwed up the entire game of hockey. Since Bettman's introduction to the NHL, he has created mayhem and problems. Sure, if I look hard enough there are probably some good changes he has implemented, but all of my memories have been Bettman messing around with the good ol' fashioned game of ice hockey.

Bettman's most influential folly was the 2003-2004 Lock Out. Forget my need to watch hockey, Bettman broke tradition! 88 years, 88 Stanley Cups have been awarded. Wars, depressions, and natural disasters have not prevented the Stanley Cup from being awarded. Ten years with Bettman, and the Stanley Cup is not awarded. 310 days without hockey, a new set of rules, a salary cap, a new and confusing draft, and millions of pissed off fans is what Gary Bettman will be remembered for, there is not much else noteworthy.

It is my God given right to root for a team that is capable of buying any player, yet chooses to sign players who are way past their prime. That's what the Rangers do, go read my last hockey blog, and Gary Bettman prevents them for doing so with the salary cap.

These crazy rules were only set up to create a higher scoring game. That was his big plan, to attract more fans, not to ease the players burdens. He wants more money through revenues of ticket, food, and merchandise that teams cannot spend on future players. Go figure.

The new draft is set up as a snake formation. They draft goes through 1-30, and then 30-1 and continuing onward. The point of the draft is the teams with the worst record in the league get to pick first and the winners of the cup pick last. It is simple and easy, not complicated or anything of the sorts.

But my biggest problem is the 310 days without hockey. 310 days of complete boredom. Sure, there's football, but it is not the same. Baseball, forget it. Hockey is everything to me. During those 310 days, all I did was watch old tapes of games. Taped playoff games from 1994, highlight reels of Mark Messier, and golden moments that MSG played every once and a while at 4:00am.

Now, I need sleep. I need to stop worrying about Gary Bettman. He should step down, go back to law or the NBA, and stay far away from my hockey.