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A bad week for Boots

ALLAN MAKI

Globe and Mail Update

Latest comment posted at 9:59 AM EST 10/06/08

Predators minority owner faces four lawsuits, bankruptcy and a divorce as 27-per-cent stake in team left up in air ...Read the full article

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  1. Verona Raven from United States writes: My advice to you Boots (did he name himself that?):

    Start drinking heavily.
  2. Daniel Sturgis from Morocco writes: The preds fans are going to be very disappointed if they lose their franchise. All twelve of them!
  3. Flat Earth from Canada writes: What this shows is that it is time to move Bettman out. He's part of the problem not the solution. You have a guy with money (real stuff not Boots' monopoly kind) and you refuse to talk.

    Hey Gary, idiot, the markets tanked and the money is no longer out there. Balsillie can wait you out and pick up a team for about $140M in a few months if he wants. In fact, he can probably buy a whole division.
  4. Original Six Fan from Canada writes: Hang in Jim Balsillie - you can out wait them and out spend them. We want another team in Ontario and especially one secured with real money and run by a real fan.

    The hiccup in all of this is that loser Bettman who you and/or Rodier have managed to p--s off big time. Get someone involved to start giving you better advice and getting the other owners onboard.
  5. Celine Brown from Canada writes: Katy H. must not be happy with this news.
  6. wayne powers from saskatoon, writes: This is just the same old story Gary climbs into bed with another crooked character and again the NHL looks like a rehab centre for big business conmen. It goes back to Ottawa, Hamilton had an arena, city support, and cash. Ottawa had fast talking Bruce Firestone, and a pocket full of lies, Hamilton was left out because they wouldn't lie.
    Can you imagine what the Preds would be like with Balsillie as owner and Trots as coach and a few good players. Unfortunately we will never see it happen Gary Bettman only wants yes men in his NHL and all the con-artists are getting in line.
  7. Larfing Outloud from Virgin Islands (British) writes: This looks sooooo go on Bettman. Flat Earth, you're bang on. Balsillie will be picking up a team for a LOT less than his previous offer.
  8. Wes Stanton from Nashville, United States writes: Ive lived in Nashville since 2000, and to be honest with you I am suprised the Predators have been in town this long. I'm glad they are still here, but I am not naive in thinking that they will be here forever. If it doesnt work out here, fine.......it's out of my control. We'll see how this Boots thing plays out. If they move I'd rather the Predators go to Winnipeg or Hamilton than Kansas City or Las Vegas any day. It should be a nice summer.
  9. Gary Dare from Portland, Oregon, Canada, writes: By the way, the recent NHL rogues gallery also includes Greg Reyes, a former minority owner of the San Jose Sharks, and Henry Samueli, the owner of the Anaheim Ducks. Both on stock options timing charges.

    Actually, I would like the Predators to stop off in KC, first, just to put that market to bed after the team fails and has to leave again, or fold. Some people won't be convinced without empirical evidence.
  10. Michael Mule from United States writes: Never going to happen all you people who love hockey so much that the ratings for The Cup playoffs were the worst in years. As for KC, Boots was KC, he had the arena and the backing of AEG. the only reason he was in on the deal was in case the local ownership group couldn't convince Nashville Government that an arena with a tenant in it is better than an empty dinosaur in the middle of a down town that has been in a rejuination process the past twelve years. Remember, the arena was approved a full two years by Nashville. way before the thought of putting a hockey team there existed.
    Just another black eye for the NHL, just as there was with The Islanders, Kings, Oilers and recently The Sharks.
    Freeman will find another minority owner now that the lease agreement is in place pretty quickly.
    The story around already has Jimmy balls looking like an idiot for teying to talk a few more teams into selling and the NHL has already told him to stay away, yet again.
    PS, I'm pretty sure those empty seats were at the Joe for the first two rounds of the playoffs.
  11. Joe Dirt from Canada writes: Oh look, a Nashville person has returned. But it looks like they still haven't got a clue.

    Boots wasn't in on the deal just for KC, he was there because the locals didn't have enough money themselves and Bettman put him there to prop them up to stop you know who from destroying his failed southern empire. What makes you so sure that Freeman can find someone to pick up Boot's $60 million so easily, seeing as how he couldn't do it less than a year ago and conditions in the US have greatly deteriorated since then? And I bet the new guy won't get the same sweethart deal from Bettman that allows him to be protected from loses and wouldn't be keen on buying out the locals after they bail in a few years.

    Jim B looks like an idiot? How is that possible? 8 teams (and good ol' boots) have been knocking on his door, begging him to pick them to buy and release the owner from the financial sinkhole. I'd say Bettman looks like the idiot, trying to block the owner potential buyer from the market.
  12. Larry Hill from Canada writes: Well at least we all can agree that Bettman is an idiot.

    I wonder how he explains it at the board table that the money is mostly being made by the Canadian teams?
  13. Scot Loucks from Pickering, Canada writes: Not quite sure Bettman is that much of an idiot gentlemen.

    First off... the real reason we aren't going to have any more Canadian teams for the short term has nothing to do with Bettmans wet dream about the south... it has to do with his famous salary cap and CBA.

    The success of the Canadian teams have caused the salary cap to go up yet again.... what few realize is the it has also driven up the minimum cap... a big part of the CBA. Teams must meet the minimum cap in terms of salaries.... it's going to be 40m for the 2008/09 season.

    That is going to hurt in Tampa, Miami, Atlanta, Phoenix, Chicago, St. Louis, Nashville and the Islanders. (and Buffalo which is sad).

    Transfer even one of the above mentioned teams to Canada and the Cap goes up again.... as does the minimum.... Bettman won't leave all those teams hanging out to dry.

    The popularity of hockey has gone up in all those locales... take a look at how many California trained players are in the WHL... same goes for Dallas.... it just takes time.

    Continued.......
  14. Scot Loucks from Pickering, Canada writes: Continued....

    We will see more teams in Canada within the next 5 to 10 years. Southern Ontario, Winnipeg and maybe Quebec city.

    The American failures first have to go thru (in no particular order) Kansas city, Houston, Las Vegas, Seattle and Portland.

    I expect KC and Las Vegas to fail.... leaving 2 or 3 viable teams. Chicago and St. Louis and NYI should survive.

    Maybe Balsille will buy Buffalo? Their owners are nothing but cheap azzes who keep ticket prices artificially low in order to collect on the NHL welfare fund.

    Cheers
  15. Apu Nahasapeemapetilon from Vancouver, Canada writes: Have to love the company that Bettman keeps.
  16. Gary Dare from Portland, Oregon, Canada, writes: Scot Loucks writes, "The American failures first have to go thru (in no particular order) Kansas city, Houston, Las Vegas, Seattle and Portland." Actually, I think that Houston could work based on the market's size and a natural rivalry with Dallas. However, interest has dimmed a bit in DFW. There's no reason why Seattle and Portland, Oregon wouldn't work since they have a history in the PCHA (founded by the Patrick Bros.) and have hosted minor and junior league teams. Arenas are the issue, with Seattle's Key Arena purposefully built to be unsuitable for NHL (a new arena, someday, if ever, in Bellevue, WA) while the Rose Garden is back under Paul Allen's control so access has to overcome a) priority for Trailblazers tickets and dates and b) any lingering bitterness from Allen having been jilted twice (Penguins 1999, Coyotes 2000-01).

    "Chicago and St. Louis and NYI should survive." Rocky Wirtz has made a turnaround miracle since his father's passing a year ago but I do have long term concerns about the Blues (if a NBA team shows up, they could get tossed out) and the Islanders (long term arena issues). However, those two could end up relocating in a few years.
  17. Michael Mule from United States writes: Sorry Dirt or is that Deert. Boots' investment is only 27 mil not 60.He is a minority owner at best. The NHL had him involved in case the Nashville franchise would fold, thus giving them an open door to KC where the Arena was already waiting.
    The Preds new lease guarantees that they will be there for quite awhile and I'm not quite sure millionaires are quite affected by the current state of the US dollar, they usually never are. besides when you lose money here, it's called a tax write off.
  18. Chris Michaels from Oakville, Canada writes: Is it too soon to start printing Hamilton Steelhawk sweaters?? Must say, I'm getting pumped!!

    We're so close to being able to ignore the Peddie-led 3 ring circus that is MLSE!!

    C'mon Jimmy!! You're so close now!

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