More Evidence Gary Bettman Is A Crack Head

Remember that “deal” with NBC the NHL signed right after the lockout? You know, the one where no actual money changed hands because after being treated like a syphilitic whore by ESPN and its slightly less-evil Mini-Me-esque offspring ESPN2 the League had to beg pretty-pretty-please with chocolate and a cherry to get on a U.S. network? And then after signing the “deal” NBC went and dumped most of the games on its specialty cable channel Outdoor Life Network, that at the time had about 27 subscribers, most of whom had never seen anyone do anything with ice but put it in drinks, and who only signed up to see which hot chick would crack up first during Eco Challenge? And then OLN followed the advice of three marketing cockroaches it found in the staff lunchroom and changed its name to Versus thus losing 24 of those subscribers? And then Bettman looked upon all that he had wroth and declared it good? Remember that one? No? Me neither.

So this caught our eye today through Deadspin (I know. I said no more Deadspin, but what can I say…I’m a sucker for a witty face…and for the record, Lindsay Lohan played no part in this. Nope. None at all.)

We are very disappointed that Charter customers may lose VERSUS. We hope to resolve this carriage issue with Charter as soon as possible so that NHL fans don't miss any playoffs action, PBR fans don't miss any events in the coming weeks and so that field sports viewers don't miss out on the best field sports programming available. We hope for a quick resolution so that VERSUS viewers can continue to enjoy their favorite VERSUS programming. To contact Charter call: 888-438-2427.

Putting aside, for the moment, the fact that we have NO idea what the hell “so that field sports viewers don't miss out on the best field sports programming available” means (it’s a “rink” you idiots. “Arena” will even do in a pinch), we continue to be baffled by the League’s almost dogmatic and most certainly irrational belief that if only the great American unwashed would watch JUST ONE GAME regardless of the third-world quality of the production, they would be absolutely enthralled with the Greatest Game On Ice and immediately begin throwing money away on jerseys and foam fingers and those stupid PuckHead hats and calling their first born Sydney.

Um…not so much, it would seem. Gary Bettman: Driving satellite channels off the air since 1994.

Yeah, About That Versus Deal [Deadspin]