Bob and Gary: Selected Letters

Handed a golden opportunity to end the NHL lockout, the league commissioner is doing his best to alienate the players.

Gary Bettman wrote NHL Players' Association president Bob Goodenow Tuesday, telling him the league's final offer is a take-it-or-leave-it proposition, and adopting a high-and-mighty tone right off the top.

"Dear Bob: We attempted to reach out to you with yesterday's offer..." There is no acknowledgment that the NHLPA reached just as far, in accepting a salary cap.

Bettman goes on to say the league will settle for a salary cap of $42.2 million (benefits included).

"This offer is not an invitation to begin negotiations - it's too late for that," the letter explains. "This is our last effort to make a deal that's fair to the players and one that the Clubs (hopefully) can afford. We have no more flexibility and there is no time for further negotiation."

You've finally got the makings of an agreement, and you twist it into a public ultimatum? Does that sound like a guy who wants to make a deal? Or more like a guy who craves the satisfaction of bringing the Players' Association to heel?

A Flurry of Late-Night Love Notes - Bettman's "final offer" sparked a flurry of correspondence on Tuesday evening, ending in what appears to be another stalemate.