My Sportsman Choice: Bettman, Goodenow

By Ian Thomsen

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In thanks for the welcome moments of peace they have created, I split my vote for Sportsmen of the Year between NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and NHL players association chief Bob Goodenow, who by conspiring to lockout the 2004-05 season have made our lives a bit more comfortable.

Those who criticize the NHL owners and players for selfishly fighting over a pot of shrunken revenues are missing the larger point. By taking hockey off our screens and pages, Goodenow and Bettman are reacting to the obvious fact that we, the spectators, have had enough: That we are fed up, overwhelmed and strung out by the elephantine growth of sports.

The NHL is gone and do I miss it? Not an ounce. It is one less thing to worry about. It was the most interminable, least compelling league ever. Not having to watch highlights of a muffled brawl or another shorthanded goal or a slicked-back coach rolling his eyes from the bench is like turning back the clock on the last Saturday of daylight savings. It is a luxury that leaves more time for the better things.

The other leagues should learn from this. For the past two decades all of them have been obsessed with growth, but they've always measured that growth in a most limited way: Money. Were they ever going to get around to improving the quality of their product? The NBA game is inferior to the fluid style of the 1980s, when the league's salary cap was less than the $10.5 million golden handshake the Chicago Bulls recently gave to Eddie Robinson while firing him. The more money you award a baseball player, the less comfortable he becomes laying down a bunt or throwing to the cutoff man. A casual fan can never keep track of all the different auto racing circuits and cars and drivers.

There are too many games and too many players demanding too much money. There are far too many tennis and golf stars: How did Stewart Cink become worthy of commercials? The sports year is one extended daily blur of excess mixed in together. Too many microphones thrust around too many unmemorable faces. Too many sideline reporters. Too many pregame shows. Too many poignant essays with piano music tinkling in the background. Too many idiots at halftime ranting and raving. Too many ex-jocks telling us too much of nothing. Too many T-shirts fired into the crowd. Too many mascots. Too many timeouts.

Not enough soccer ... sorry, how did that get in there?

Our most popular league is the NFL, because it has maintained the shortest season with games limited to one per week.

We don't want to see hockey again until it realizes once and for all that less is more. Come back with half as many teams, better players and a shorter season. You want people to pay attention? Make every playoff series best two-of-three so that every game matters. Set a new standard of quality over quantity. Force the other leagues to follow your example and we'll all be better off.

And if you can't finish what you've started, then please, don't come back at all, in which case we will thank you for the fresh air of your absence. You were part of a larger problem and, aside from your most rabid fans, the truth is that we don't miss you at all.

Sports Illustrated will announce the 2004 Sportsman of the Year winner on FOX on November 28. Check back every weekday until then to read more Sportsman picks from SI writers.