Letter: Hockey’s mess is owners’ fault and Bettman’s

Thursday, Feb. 24, 2005 | 9:36 a.m.

Regarding Ron Kantowski's column Monday about hockey and the Daytona 500:

I'm a fan of NASCAR and hockey. Hockey used to take center stage until Gary Bettman took the hockey team from Connecticut, where I was a season-ticket holder for 18 years for the Hartford Whalers. On that last day, April 13, 1997, I watched the players skate around the ice following the game with tears falling from my eyes. It was like I lost the love of my life. I even drove several times 900 miles to Greensboro, N.C., and then to Raleigh to see the team. To this day I will not step foot in the door of the Hartford Civic Center and now with the labor dispute I'm totally finished with hockey as long as Gary Bettman is in charge.

I don't blame the players for the mess that they are in. The owners are at fault as they were willing to pay these players all the money, and raising the gate price to uncharted territory to where the normal blue-collar worker could no longer afford it. They were greedy and they were heading for a collision, where they are now. Now it's time to fire Gary Bettman.

TERRY BATTLE

Norwich, Conn.

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