really get the opportunity

Gary Bettman was walking down a Toronto street recently when a fan approached him.Some guy walks up to me and says, I really dont like you, the NHL commissioner recalled. And I said, But you dont know me. And he says, Yeah but I dont like work stoppages, and I go, Well neither do I, so we have that in common.Bettman will forever take a popularity hit for three lockouts during his tenure, but he wont apologize for them. Ten years after the league ground to a halt and the 2004-05 season was cancelled, he maintains it was necessary for the health of the sport.Pointing to the 04 Stanley Cup final between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Calgary Flames in which the team to score the first goal won each game of the series and contrasting that with the 2013 playoffs and its unpredictability, Bettman believes the on-ice product is better than ever.To get to this point, though, Bettman said implementing the salary cap a€” which came out of the 2004-05 lockout a€” was essential.We had teams with 80-, 90 million-dollar payrolls and we had teams with 20-million-dollar payrolls, Bettman said at a recent Canadian Club luncheon. And I would talk to the managers and coaches of the 20-million-dollar teams and go, How are you doing this? And they would say to me, to a man, We clutch, we grab, we hook, we hold and we do everything possible to neutralize skill for 50 minutes and then we try to steal the game.That is why the game as it was being played in the late 90s and early 2000s wasnt nearly as good as it is today.In his 21-plus years as the first official commissioner of the NHL, Bettman has overseen expansion, change and booming business. In the process he has also become a popular target for fans because he has shown a willingness to sacrifice games to affect the kind of change he and the owners want.The game was unhealthy, the competitiveness wasnt there, Bettman said of the 2004-05 lockout. We did what we had to do to not have six, eight or 10 years of a mess. We go through these things not because we want to but because we have to get to a point where the game can be healthy.Now that its healthy, Bettman doesnt look like an executive on the way out. When Bud Selig steps down and Rob Manfred takes over Major League Baseball, Bettman will officially be the longest-tenured commissioner in North American professional sports a€” though he insists because Selig previously had an interim tag that he already is.I will be the oldest when he steps down, said Bettman, who says he hasnt considered any kind of a succession plan. Im still trying to figure out how I got to be 62 years old.Bettman said on multiple occasions during a public interview with George Stroumboulopoulos at the Canadian Club luncheon and in a sit-down with The Canadian Press that he loves his job and the people associated with it. After he hands out the Cup each June, the New Yorker wonders What do I do with myself at night with no games? and insists he hasnt thought about how long he wants to remain in his post.Its as long as Im happy and excited and energized as I am today, Bettman said. If I ever reach the point where Im not, then I need to let somebody else do it. But its a joint decision. Its the owners and its me. But I love what I do and I come to work excited and energized every day.NFL counterpart Roger Goodell is going through a crisis period amid criticism of how he has handled domestic violence and child abuse cases in his league. NBA counterpart Adam Silver recently forced Donald Sterling to sell the Los Angeles Clippers after racist audio recordings surfaced, and the Atlanta Hawks are going through a similar process.Selig, like Bettman remembered for games not played because of the 1994 strike that cancelled the World Series, has a legacy tied to an era of performance-enhancing drugs but also introduced revenue sharing.Pending concussion lawsuits, particularly in light of the deaths of Wade Belak, Derek Boogaard and Rick Rypien, look like the NHLs biggest concern. But Bettman has pointed to the league creating concussion study groups well before the NFL or any other sports league.On the ice, Bettman called last season the best in an almost 100-year history and expects this one to be even better. On a personal level, he doesnt know when, or if, he hit his stride in this job but is proud of where the league is.The game is growing and the game both from a business standpoint and more importantly on the ice has never been healthier, Bettman said. If thats a measure of my stride, then were moving at a pretty good pace. ...Its an honour for me to be associated with the game. Theres no place else Id rather be.---Follow @SWhyno on Twitter Air Max Pas Cher Chine . The first baseman hit a two-run homer in the top of the ninth inning to lead the Mets to a thrilling come-from-behind 3-2 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers. Vapormax Noir Pas Cher Soldes .com) - Rakeem Christmas scored 21 points, B. http://www.outletairmaxpascher.fr/fausse...-270-femme.html. The goals took Liverpools tally in the Premier League this season to 70, overtaking Manchester City as the top scorers, and left the fourth-place team just four points behind league leader Chelsea. Fausse Tn Pas Cher . The Red Wings hadnt played the night before. The Boston Bruins had. A month from now, or two months from now, it doesnt matter. But right now it does matter, when you start and you play back to back, its wear and tear on you for sure, Babcock said. Air Max 90 Femme Pas Cher . -- J.R. Sweezy was the one part of the Seattle Seahawks offensive line that had avoided injuries or having to change positions this season.When it comes to balancing training with media obligations, few mixed martial artists keep a schedule as hectic as Ronda Rousey. On top of pushing herself in the gym before each fight, the UFC womens bantamweight champion is never too far from the spotlight. In between bouts, Rousey has even taken to filling downtime with roles in films like The Expendables 3, Entourage and Fast & Furious 7. Going into her upcoming title defence against Canadian Alexis Davis in the co-main event of UFC 175 in Las Vegas Saturday, Rouseys once again running the press gauntlet. Though her packed timetable would be enough to make some fighters cringe, Rousey has a secret weapon working to her advantage. “I dont really do that well with downtime,” Rousey said during a recent media conference call. “So Im always in the gym regardless. A lot of fighters like to have their fight and then go chill out for a month or two. I get in trouble for sneaking back into the gym sometimes two days after a fight. Im just always in shape and always ready. I dont really like resting too much.” The cause of Rouseys desire to never stray too far from the gym is two-fold. Though there is nothing more satisfying than violently dispatching high-level challengers, this sensation is often fleeting for the California native. It doesnt take long before she once again gets the itch to compete. “The high after a win is what I enjoy the most, not sitting around and resting,” Rousey said. “I clearly only enjoy the rest while that high is still lingering. Its only so long that I can enjoy sitting on the couch and eating as much pie as I want before going to the gym and pressing repeat. I really need that big goal and obstacle to be excited about what Im doing.” On top of her competitive drive, Rousey simply knows that in order to stay on-point, she must fight frequently. She admitted to learning this the hard way, after a 10-month layoff prior to her December bout with Miesha Tate resulted in some unwanted ring rust. “We dont really have the luxury boxers have where, if the champion takes a long break off, they can have a tune-up fight to get ready for another big title fight,” Rousey said. “I just have title fights to keep from getting that ring rust.” Next on her hit list, Rousey aims to net her fourth consecutiive title defence by besting Davis.dddddddddddd Currently riding a five-fight win streak — three of which have come under the UFC banner — Davis has flown under the radar somewhat and could offer tough opposition wherever the fight may go. Rousey said she isnt taking the Port Colborne, Ont. native lightly. “Alexis is definitely the most well-rounded fighter Ive ever come up against,” Rousey said. “Shes one of the most experienced and her coaching (staff) is some of the best Ive ever come up against. “I think the greatest challenge is: whatever tools she does have, I know that shell use them in the most intelligent way possible. Being that she is well rounded, she has a lot of tools to pick from.” Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of the bout will play out once the action hits the mat, as Davis is arguably the most experienced ground fighter Rousey has ever been paired up against. As well as sporting a Muay Thai striking background, Davis holds black belts in both Brazilian jiu jitsu and Japanese Jujutsu. A 2008 Olympic judo bronze medalist, Rousey said she aims to represent her discipline and secure bragging rights by taking out Davis. “When I first started watching MMA that was one thing that pissed me off so much, everyone assumed that everything would beat judo,” Rousey began. “Everyone would be like, Any wrestler can beat a judo player. Any jiu jitsu player can beat a judo player. I was just really annoyed by the complete lack of respect that the sport got. I see that changing definitely. “You can definitely get away without having any ground game in judo, but if you are the type of person ... that can submit people in judo — I mean, youve only got a couple seconds to make that work. If youre the type of person that does actually make it work on the ground in judo, youre one of the best in the world. Im happy to really get the opportunity to showcase that.” Should she get the job done against Davis, Rousey said she plans on taking a much-needed break. However, it will remain to be seen whether she can enjoy her time away from the cage. “Id like to fight again on New Years and take a little break before then,” Rousey said, “but the UFC knows if theres an emergency or they need me, Ill step up on 24-hours notice.” ' ' '