Chelios vs Bettman

Chris Chelios' remarkable 1994 interview as Gary Bettman threatened to lock-out the players during the preseason.

[@ThisHandleFeatureIsStupid]

I love how Chelios just openly implies "we're pretty close to wastin' that fucker".

[@moappleseider1699]

lol 🤣🤣🤣

[@TheWitchOvAgnesi]

Today Chelios would have been fined a million dollars for saying that.

[@NYFanatic]

I'd say banned from the league if anyone would say something like Chelios had said in 1994.

[@pat564]

Probably why we haven't heard his name since he retired. Like him or hate him Bettman has turned NHL into an exciting product.

[@patbruno3049]

Nah that only happens in pussy sports like basketball.

[@dunkydog1676]

They'd charge him antisemitism

[@jeffdekimpe1746]

Patrick G - Exciting product? Not so much bud...

[@TheBearNYC01]

This is all so relevant even today, 22 years later.

[@dingdonglouie]

still is after 34 years. I'm a time traveler.

[@jenzim3639]

cuz the same bobble fuck heads in charge

[@wilnerolivier7971]

@@jenzim3639 Exactly!! His head shakes when he talks.

[@EarAche123]

This is at 99 likes and I am leaving it at that in honor of The Great One

[@qjones7298]

Chelios, what a Fuckin Savage

[@classicalcats6hydrocephalu363]

What Chelios spoke was what NORMAL people think. These days many people just pretend like everything to be a rainbows and unicorns. The reality is when you piss people off on purpose you better watch your back. I miss those Chelios days where working hard got respect and not bull shit.

[@darkhawk07]

This is my favorite Chelios moment along with his 2002 1st star of the game victory lap in Vancouver.

[@johnmcconnell8151]

I see the age of this comment... Did the sliding on his head after he scored in the alumni game moment make the cut?

[@vanitystr]

and here we are 23 years later and the guy is still in the same chair, refusing to go to the olympics and being disrespectful to the game of hockey, what a disgrace

[@lorndarken]

I've heard people complain because the season was put on hold for the olympics and would rather watch their team instead of the olympics .

[@townfool4682]

lorndarken thats fair, but forcing players to choose their career over their country shouldn’t be the commissioners call. Ultimately if the players want to play in the Olympics, especially when they only get a couple chances in their lives to do so, the league/the commissioner/the fans should respect that decision. We don’t have to be happy about it, but we should at least let the players choose.

[@geoff3103]

hey the players and fans put up with him. Its their fault.

[@10.11.9]

@@townfool4682 Once upon a time, only amateur hockey players were allowed to participate in the Winter Olympics.

[@johnsweet96]

When Bettman came in, Wayne Friggin Gretzky was making $2 million a season. Nowadays $2million is an insult to a 3rd liner. NHLPA membership has grown by nearly 200 players total per season. So players are better off financially now more than ever. Olympics? They've been to 5 Olympic tournaments vs 0 tournaments before his involvement. Are we going to argue that 5 isn't better than 0? I remember during the last work stoppage, Sidney Crosby claimed that Bettman thinks the players are stupid. Now maybe he spoke to player representatives at these meetings in a cold fashion, but...its a collective bargaining negotiation and half the players sent to the meeting haven't graduated from high school. Its the equivalent of, game 7 of the finals, Penguins down by 1 with 30 seconds on the clock, and Bettman comes down from the owners box to the Pittsburgh bench and erases the play they have drawn up, and tells them to run the play he has written up instead. It'd be moronic. Crosby is a genius on the ice, not so much so in a board meeting. He's the commissioner of the NHL, not some crooked wrestling promoter.

[@ApollyonSG]

ahhh man, I miss the days where you could make veiled threats on national television without the whole country freaking out. Could you imagine if a player said that today?! It would be a crap storm.

[@mjay6245]

That wasn't even veiled bahahah

[@chocolateface8664]

oh yeah imagine that now lol

[@quiricomazarin476]

You can if your in the n.b.a diff rules if you have yknow diff look.

[@Sithlord703]

Did you know Chris Chelios was around 30-32 when He said this, little did we know he had 16 more NHL Seasons.

[@MisterMister5893]

So at least he played into his 46 birthday or at most 48? I doubt that. Edit. I was wrong. Nolhshit, 48 ans pretty active.

[@greysonG10]

14 or 15, but yeah that's still crazy. Guy played forever.

[@quiricomazarin476]

Habs sure didn't.

[@jacobrushforth8834]

Watching this on the day that Bettman was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, and had his plaque presented to him by Gretzky... Bettman still has them all by the ball's.

[@dpayne6567]

No he doesn't Gretzky has just switched sides. It's all about money for him. Once he was a player and now he sells his name to products for money.

[@bobnorris6812]

I agree. You have to wonder what Wayne Gretzky was thinking when he agreed to present the Hockey Hall of Fame plaque to Bettman - one of the most strongly disliked people in Canada.

[@quiricomazarin476]

Exactly they should treat him like an excommunicated pariah heretic.

[@quiricomazarin476]

@@bobnorris6812 Wayne was always a say one thing & do another "player"...if you get my drift.

[@Duzz14]

I love how Cheli’s got the helmet on in the interview

[@ChrisMolyneaux93]

Bettman, come to your senses and GET HOCKEY OUT OF THE DESERT!!!

[@garybettman1521]

Muh expansion

[@jimritzheimer7465]

If Chelios said that today he would be given the electric chair

[@Sithlord703]

I love what Gretzky said!

[@Duzz14]

I was waiting for Wayne to be like “I went to the kings for you people!”

[@ActoneSUCKA]

I love what Wayne said. I also love what Chelios said, hahaha. Gary Bettman sucks.

[@supercooled]

Little man syndrome or whatever... haha Chelios.

[@sammyd93]

Literally my dad has little man syndrome

[@supercooled]

2bcSamuelPieritt Seems like I read your comment a lot longer than 5-6 months ago. Weird. Yeah some people are born short, some are born tall, short man syndrome isn't a really big problem unless you're trying to play for the L.A Lakers.

[@sneakyvee]

"Wow I can't believe what I just heard Chelios say.." "Unbelieveable!" hahahaaha

[@xAxiom720x]

the only time ive ever thought "wow, chelios kicks ass!" fuck bettman, even Gretzky was pissed!

[@ejectorseatreservation3869]

Haha this was 25 years ago. He's been running this game into the ground for a long time now.

[@ghostrider-be9ek]

yea the NHL is definitely losing market cap since the early 90s .....

[@masato3981]

@@ghostrider-be9ek No one doubts that the NHL makes more money, but the game of hockey has been bastardized in the process.

[@samuraijack18]

Wayne Gretzky for NHL Commissioner!!!

[@ARod016]

Almost 20 yrs later, and Bettman has learned NOTHING.

[@NiceBirdy1]

Chris Chelios tellin' it how it is

[@robertnorris9152]

Chris Chelios is right - Gary Bettman is a pain in the neck. Just look at the Arizona Coyotes mess. Despite repeated failures, the little man continues to be stubborn and fights tooth and nail to keep the team in Arizona. Meanwhile, the poor fans in Quebec City, who are dying to have the Nordiques back where they belong have no other choice but to shudder and watch the Coyotes struggle or as it is otherwise known, the disaster in the desert.

[@GodWeenSatan]

I agree with other people Gretzky would be a great commisioner

[@piazzametsfan3156]

He would not be any better lol

[@Tegan4114]

Why is Bettman wearing a jersey in his headshot?! Lmao

[@almosTalented]

The NHL is now more popular and fincancially bigger than ever. All due Bettmans work. .... but is it still as exciting? The ultimate competition, every Team can win every year? No real Dynasties? Checks getting rarer and rarer so is the fighting. The theatralic diving reminds me of a football game. It is coming closer to our european hockey. But i loved the NHL for being a bit different from our hockey.

[@dunkydog1676]

could been better under a hockey mind. we also stuck with 20 seasons of trap boring ass hockey too.

[@IrishHeroMan]

"Little man syndrome" lol. I love Cheli

[@quiricomazarin476]

Chris Chelios for president of the N.H.L.

[@gkoknok6076]

w/e the hockey went from 1980s off the map sport, to highly recognized sport.

[@MrTheMark21]

In Canada it was always highly recognized.

[@yehudafinkelstein7504]

Idiot, hockey got recognized because of Gretzky, who talks in this video, not because of some stupid money grubbing NY Jew Gary Bettman.

[@FLIPWORLDUPSIDEDOWN3]

I'll always remember this...interview session..

[@roflmewaffles]

I miss the pre-internet days where Chelly could say this and not get upt under a massive microscope and criticised for weeks and months by people who get a rush out of laying judgement.

[@enwhy7810]

Chelios translation: Whack em.

[@joeywelander1833]

Bettman is an evil vampire. "sunshine has always been our enemy" -Gary Bettman

[@quiricomazarin476]

Shy Lock

[@wadeulfthegreat]

Chelios nearly throws out a bounty haha

[@robertnorris9152]

Much of the same comment about Gary Bettman could be made in 2020. Despite years of complaints about the playoff format and the illogical NHL Draft Lottery, King Gary stubbornly refuses to make any changes. Unfortunately, arrogant Bettman has always been all about making money for the NHL and to heck with what the fans think.

[@victoralp3986]

Well he expand the league to what it is today instead of greedy players that don't care about the fans

[@BrandonHilikus]

damn, chelios goated with this interview. LIL MAN SYNDROME LOOOOOOL

[@dbc1987dbc]

Lmao "He took the job"

[@thepopeofmope]

It's crazy that this is nearly twenty years old and it may as well have been aired as news today.

[@deeshmond]

Seems like players had more freedom to speak their minds back then...

[@ejomamma6234]

Played against Chelli, and against Brett Hull, and Bobby Hull, was a good family friend... love it when people talk without a filter, so to speak. I've said many times, like A few Good Men, "They Can't Handle The Truth"!!! They may not always be right, and they know that, but they're not afraid to say it out loud, like a lot of the spineless wonders of the hater, jealous press, lol

[@stevenkunzer7289]

I was focused the other day during the West Finals G4 2023 everyone except Chelios on ESPN was congratulating Bettman for his Lifetime achievement award from the Business Journal I made sure to check his reaction and he had a stone face.

[@LaughterIsMyMedicine]

Man I love Cheli. As a Wing's fan I am definately sad to see him leave this team. And I wish him luck wherever he goes. He had an acceptional 10 years with this team and I still can't believe he is no longer a Red Wing! Anyway he speaks only the truth, Bettman knows nothing about hockey.

[@OrgasmicOprah]

I just gained some respect for Chelios.

[@mikegeiler2347]

Why the hell did they put Bettman in a flyers jersey for the picture at the start?

[@Rattles02]

Bettman = Tim McCracken This is an awesome clip! Cheli got a suspension for it too.

[@DjBall]

i love chelios for this interview. now only if he could come out of retirement and take a lifelong suspension out on Bettman.

[@mikehanzal9562]

Chelios is a national treasure.

[@peacenotwar500]

Here we are 18 years later...

[@Esoteric456]

We would all soon forget about hockey thanks to O.J....

[@mikeandrews9551]

Never knew Chris Moltisanti played NHL hockey.

[@CursedLemon]

"You threatened the commissioner's life on national television" "I DID-AAAHHHNNT"

[@greymilton]

Unreal... not much has changed.

[@dmcguriman]

I think the Great One said it best. He knows he helped the NHL, and he's saying don't let all my years of hard work ruin that. But with humility. There was simply no arrogance there. To this day I have so much respect for Chelios, he's a fucking man!

[@MrLawabider41]

Gary Bettman is a clown. Has no clue about hockey. 4 lockouts during his tenure, enough said.

[@jockejocke1]

4? It's 3, isn't it?

[@khav11]

almost 4 tbh

[@cgasucks]

@mpd4132 Totally agree...he set this game back by decades...

[@prun8893]

Oops. Accidental click. I thought it was Chelios vs Batman.

[@marcuschellios]

OI MY NAME IS CHELLIOS

[@scottcooneymusic6736]

I forgot Chely said that stuff lol So funny

[@nucklehead2]

When was this recorded? Sounds like it could have been last week?

[@eBenkyou]

I really dislike him as well. He ruined hockey for me as a pro sport. And I feel its rigged on so many levels and really stacked against a Canadian team to win. 1 cup in 23 years.....23 years ago....its BS. 7 Canadian teams out of 30 teams means a 23% chance of winning, but yet zero....And now no Olympics. Thanks for ruining hockey Bettman. I used to cheer for the Canucks, but then I started cheering for any Canadian team, even the Canadians. But I'm at the point where I don't care about the NHL anymore. Just one giant BS fake business. Oh and the cherry on top is him saying NO to Olympics...where US doesnt do shit for hockey...the only true last thing for Canadians to cheer for.....

[@vibes3360]

eBenkyou same

[@mjay6245]

7 out of 30 doesn't directly translate into 23% ...what if the 7 teams are all shit? Generally speaking with a pop of over 300 million vs 30, youre going to have access to better players.

[@jimritzheimer7465]

Flyers fan here and I haven't been able to watch a full hockey game in almost 8 years. The league sucks

[@16fraserthegreat]

@Samqc1982 all to true...are you happy about the move of the thrashers?

[@TheChronicFiend]

Gary "hockey in arizona" bettman🤣

[@jaipaul68]

hahahaahha oh mann im glad someone feels the same as me

[@michaelpaul2376]

Bettman needs to watch his fucking back. If I saw him walking down the street...

[@ffscantfindausername]

Cheli is awesome

[@Texan2525]

@CF173 most definitely i agree on calling those hits but not under the circumstance when you put yourself under that circumstance unless the guy going to check you is headhunting that I like seeing called and the game i think is not somewhat the same i think its lost the physicality and leaned towards skill wise

[@gregobobo]

no kiddin, will these guys ever learn that hockey is NOT football and the damage this does takes YEARS to fix

[@coolhwhip49]

No he didn't. He just commented on a video and you watched it.

[@eric71]

Dam thats OLD. How did you get ahold of that?

[@RedorDeadsniper40]

Different time, same story...

[@YouTubeDeletesComments]

What is his company/business?

[@Unclemoparman]

Who won Chrissy?

[@statene.8973]

I think the NHL is now past the point of no return. It used to be a great/exciting league, now it's so horribly corrupt to the point where the outcome of the playoffs is being interfered with... so sad.

[@Airplane299]

No you got it wrong. That's the NBA. Fuck the NBA playoffs. Used to be an amazing league. Now the playoffs is being designed beforehand to Officials likings.

[@statene.8973]

I'm pretty sure it's both... but is it to the officials likings? Or does it depend on the odds in vegas? Either way SOMETHING is influencing the play of the NBA, NHL, NFL...etc

[@Airplane299]

It's what brings in the most ratings, AKA, $$$. The NBA thought it would be perfect to hold a Brooklyn-Miami series because seeing the good ol' championship Celtics in a different city with a large ass market against Lebron, everyone's favorite player, is what everyone in the US will be watching. So they milked Game 7 so fucking hard that the Nets and the Refs clawed out a one point victory over the Raptors, the team that was clearly better. There have approximately over 2000 instances a side from that.

[@NYFanatic2004]

Airplane299 Yer damn right! I knew that game was getting fixed for Brooklyn. Without the refs they would've been blown out easily. Toronto was so much better than Brooklyn in every aspect of the game and this year they have the potential to face Golden State or Portland.And Carmelo Anthony should've went to Chicago instead of staying with a Shitty NY Knicks team that has no enthusiastic fan base.

[@Airplane299]

NYFanatic2004 Agreed

[@7DGB]

3 lockouts is ridiculous, as you can see i'm more of an soccer fan now so sad!

[@FlaHockeyPlayer]

amen!

[@CursedLemon]

This comment section: "We need to go back to the days where you could openly threaten someone's life in public" Or, counterpoint, maybe we don't lol

[@TL....]

it was a veiled threat but gretzky was right, bettman is a moron

[@daexaminer]

The NJ punishment was a joke. Bettman is just doing what ever he feels like. What power does the players association have right now. Bettman is just rewriting the law.

[@kozmeetorez]

dam cam that's how you feelin?

[@YouTubeDeletesComments]

Today you can't even talk about the atrocious reffing without receiving a fine.....what a joke!!!

[@cheesesteakphilly]

Gretzky for commissioner!

[@scaerverie]

Truth is Bettman is just a mouth piece for the owners. Hardliners such as Jeremy Jacobs & Ted Leonsis will simply replace Bettman 1.0 with Bettman 2.0.

[@BestWayKilla]

why does Bettman's picture in the beginning have a jersey on? That's bizarre. And all the players are spot on, especially Gretzky, saying how they did a lot to grow the game and create interest in it, and then Bettman, who'd never had anything at all to do with hockey, comes in and shuts them down. I'd be pissed off too.

[@Texan2525]

@CF173 ok you and me have some things we can agree on like the instigator rule but enforcers are their for a reason but concussions remember are always the hazards of hockey and other major contact sports but many people who are hurt in hockey break the golden rule everyone should know always keep your head up your putting yourself in a vulnerable position to be injured its your fault not the guy who clocked you

[@RedFlyingMongoose]

Love Chelios!

[@rapideye97]

*replaces Gary Bettman with my boss's name and player and fan with employee and customer....

[@mikemacmaster4260]

bettman is the reason why the nhl is booming salary cap will go up again this year

[@dpayne6567]

Yes because turds like you pay $250 for a jersey and $200 for a seat at the game. Sucker.

[@rageonthis2159]

#freejohnscott

[@stevisfilmz]

Bettman did COVID19

[@Recon_SSD]

The players were right. Bettman had a huge hand in ruining the game. No argument can be made to hide his role in that.

[@XxThEDarKSydExX]

JOHNNY!!!

[@Scoclamor]

@pirateblarny We need the NORDS and the JETS back, NOW!

[@crooilerfan]

NHL coverage on ESPN? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.....

[@tallmike6598]

Wayne sounded pretty much politically correct, as we would expect him to be, Chelly not so much...

[@erickouniakis5722]

Chelly 😂 This is Sparta !!!

[@joewain04]

KICK HIS ASS, SEA BASS!

[@MIXEDUPTHROWNTOGETHR]

@Dhemi4life Winnipeg has it going for 'em now. Its not as large as Atlanta, but there are more fans than there will ever be in Atlanta, the Canadian economy is better now than the last time they folded, and they sure as hell don't want to lose the team again. Its good to see Canada get some teams back, where hockey is better off

[@geoff3103]

Its the players own fault. You guys had the power had you held out; the owners would've dumped him after a two seasons of being on strike. Now look at Bettman. He's nothing more then an NBA stooge, making the NHL irrelevant but profitable. He hasn't grown chit. The population has gone up, thats it.

[@CF173]

@Texan2525 oh i agree with you on keeping your head up. blindside hits are a different story though its called blindside for a reason cause you cant see it! but hey i think the game is better now than it ever was! just my opinion?

[@texds]

you sent me here lol

[@MIXEDUPTHROWNTOGETHR]

@Samqc1982 how can he argue that hockey is better off in the south? i'm glad to see the Thrashers go back to Canada, a place where there are real hockey fans

[@bruinsfan3725]

Can someone call up Chelios, I think we need him to be the new head of the NHLPA