In this time of high political debate in our country, here is one thing I can fully stand behind from our neighbors — or neighbours? — to the north.
The mayor of Calgary, Naheed Nenshi, recently did what government leaders all over North America should be doing — telling professional sports leagues they’re not in charge, and they will not dictate decisions on major taxpayer expenditures.
As NHL commissioner Gary Bettman strolled into Calgary’s chamber of commerce meeting and told them to get moving on a new arena for the Flames, Nenshi struck back with terrifically sarcastic and pointed remarks.
“I know that Calgarians require very wealthy people from New York to come and tell us what we need to do in our community because they understand vibrancy better than we do,” Nenshi told reporters. “Perhaps in other cities that he has come to, the city councils have just written checks based on back-of-a-napkin proposals without any consultation to the public or without any analysis. That’s not how we operate here.”
A $890 million proposal is in place for a new 20,000-seat hockey arena, plus a 30,000-seat football stadium — the CFL, remember? — to be funded through “a $250 million ticket tax, a $240 million community revitalization levy, $200 million from Calgary Flames Sports and Entertainment and $200 million from city taxpayers for a fieldhouse component,” according to the Canadian Press. An analysis of the project, titled CalgaryNEXT, is supposed to come back in the spring. That’s what Nenshi is waiting for, after which he plans to have a big public debate on whether taxpayers want to do it.
Sounds totally reasonable.
Bettman was spinning lowbrow rhetoric, using peer pressure as a way to get attention and gain traction. Fellow Albertans over in Edmonton have a new arena being built for the Oilers, which they will move into next season. When Canada celebrates its 150-year anniversary in 2017 — the hockey season of 2017-18 — Bettman was feigning thoughtfulness in not wanting to see the Flames still in the Saddledome, built in 1983.
“When Canada celebrates the 150th anniversary of its confederation, the Battle of Alberta hockey will still be legendary, but the Battle of Alberta arenas won’t be close — and that’s no joke,” Bettman said, apparently not realizing how shrill that sounds.
There’s no question the Flames need a new arena, and as Nenshi pointed out, it’s Bettman’s job to push for new arenas around the league.
“I don’t know why anyone would think this is surprising or news,” Nenshi said, “this is the man’s job, this is what he does.”
Remember when Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria scammed the Miami taxpayers to pay for most of his $1 billion-plus faux-artistic monstrosity of a stadium, pretending to field All-Star players only to sell them off and pocket the profits?
That should stand as a testament to why Nenshi is right in carefully vetting this process. Good for him, and good for Calgary for electing him their mayor. Wish there were more politicians like him around.
Now you’re stern?
The Department of Player Safety had a good week, dropping a couple of multi-game suspensions on players with no previous history. First came the four-game ban for the Devils’ Bobby Farnham for his malicious retribution against the Blues.
Then the Capitals’ Marcus Johansson was suspended for two games with his bad hit to the head of the Isles’ Thomas Hickey, and the Oilers’ Matt Hendricks got three games for his awful boarding of the Panthers’ Aaron Ekblad.
These are the type of entry-level suspensions that should be levied. Then for a second offense, it should grow. Not that hard, is it?
The ‘Peg struggles, keeps sense of humor
Interesting situation going on in Winnipeg: They’ve made the playoffs once in the past four seasons since the move from Atlanta, and that was last season, when they got swept by the Ducks in the first round. Trying to build off that, they’re now last in the Central Division. So fans aren’t exactly packing MTS Center like they have been.
Then former Jets forward Evander Kane showed up for the first time as a member of the Sabres on Sunday, and the Manitoba Faithful wore tracksuits to commemorate the time when their own Dustin Byfuglien threw Kane’s tracksuit into the shower, as well replicating Kane’s infamous “money phone” photo. Good for them for keeping their sense of humor.
Stay tuned …
… to the Coyotes? No, for real. Anthony Duclair and his merry band of desert dwellers — because, really, from the New York perspective, it’s all about The Duke — are taking advantage of the awful Pacific Division. Going 6-1-3 in their previous 10, they’re now 22-16-5 and in second place in the division, three points clear of the third-place Sharks and five and six points clear, respectively, of the continuing-to-disappoint Canucks and Ducks.
The Duke has 12 goals and 24 points, and buddy Max Domi has 13 goals and 31 points. Worth watching.
Parting shot
Denis Potvin said whaaa? The former Islanders captain had a very bizarre moment doing his regular job calling Panthers games, just after Florida had its franchise-best 12-game winning streak ended by the Canucks on Monday. Vancouver won in overtime, and then a brawl started near the bench — exactly why is anyone’s guess. Potvin went on to call Daniel Sedin “a lowlife,” and as the Sedin twins were pointing at the Panthers bench, Potvin said the weirdest thing heard on television in some time.
“Normally they only use those fingers to lick the peanut butter off of their bread.”
Yeah, well, it could’ve been that he forgot he was on television and wanted to say something vulgar, only to stop and reroute. Or it’s just totally off the wall. Either way, he later apologized, for whatever that’s worth.