Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Gretzky Paid Off?


1) Seems we have a Gretzky related post about every other week. We would NOT be making this post if we didn't have news to share. We do not like to 'pile on'. Yes, we freely have admitted that we're not Gretzky fans, but we do acknowledge his significant contributions as a player, etc. However when we see hypocrisy, etc we will call it when we see it. In the case of The Great One (TGO) we have been one of the few bloggers/writers who have been up front in calling him out. At first concerning his abandoning his team. First with our gretzky-holds-out post, and then after he resigned with our best-news-in-phoenix-so-far-this-year post.

2) Following that episode TGO's greed was clearly on display when he threatened to be a no show at the annual Hall Of Fame Awards Ceremony. This despite having several former team mates and assumed friends being enshrined. As it seems is the case, its all about him and his ego/wallet being massaged. tgo=greedy-one. Apparently, as described in that post, Wayne was furious over the NHL's handling of his portion of Coyotes after the NHL purchase of the Coyotes was made official. TGO did finally show up to the awards ceremony in Toronto last Monday. We were initially happy to read that apparently Wayne was willing to put his self interests behind the importance of his friends big days. However over the weekend we were given some amazing information that dashed this.

3) Our source didn't even want their gender revealed, let alone where they are from/what their position within the league, etc is. Suffice to say they are with in the circle of folks who would know. By the way we were the one's approached/called. We didn't initiate the contact. Yes, we have talked with/received information from this source before, but to be clear we didn't initiate the call. Anyway enough of the cloak and dagger. The source tells us that Wayne didn't show up last week out of the goodness of his heart or because he was willing to put aside his differences with the league. The source tells Fauxrumors that TGO was bought off! Yes, you read that right. The NHL paid off Gretzky for his continued 'good will' as the source put it. They didn't want the black eye of the games greatest player being estranged, etc.

4) Now the NHL didn't give Gretzky a big cheque, etc but instead chose a more surreptitious route. Apparently the NHL gave Wayne and his agent a huge bone when they agreed that the NHL Network will begin to simulcast a late-afternoon show out of Wayne Gretzky's Restaurant in Toronto. Not only will that generate a huge, free exposure(free advertisement) for his restaurant, but more importantly the league will pay for the privilege via rent in excess of $8 million!! Yes, they are going to pay through the nose to do a show they could have done for pennies in their own studio! As with the abandoning the Coyotes story, it seems no bloggers/reporters are willing to state the obvious. Most are probably either not comfortable attacking TGO, or are worried their access might be restricted by a league all too happy to be petty with regard to folks who write negative stories about them. As a blogger who receive NOTHING in ad revenue (nor will we!), nor has any official ties to the NHL or its member teams we are free to write the facts, and not worry about any consequences.
As always, keep it here for all the latest. Accurate and Unafraid!

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