Daily sports highlights

[Evil Chris]

I miss NHL hockey.

Normally, we'd be balls deep into the playoffs by now. One of my favourite times of the year. Hard hitting, extremely competitive games every night of the week.

I watch TSN sports center every morning and the only highlights are from basketball and baseball. I get tired of seeing "ally oops" and diving catches from outfielders every morning.

[pornrex]

Originally Posted by Evil Chris

I miss NHL hockey.

Normally, we'd be balls deep into the playoffs by now. One of my favourite times of the year. Hard hitting, extremely competitive games every night of the week.

I watch TSN sports center every morning and the only highlights are from basketball and baseball. I get tired of seeing "ally oops" and diving catches from outfielders every morning.

Hate to break it to ya EC but NHL Hockey is dead. The players are just too damn greedy for North America, but they'll play for a fraction overseas.

The NHLPA and its unionized members can fuck themselves HARD. For years, we the fans paid their way, and this is the thanks we get in return?

I really do hope they resolve nothing. Its fun watching them play for peanuts. Welcome to the real world assholes!

[Evil Chris]

While I agree with your thinking for the most part, I don't think the NHL is dead at all.

It's hard for hockey fans to be going through all this, but in the end I believe it will be better for the game. Waiting is tough, though. Sports writers think that replacement players won't be accepted by the fans, but I disagree. I myself would just like to see the official teams of the NHL hit the ice. Replacement players or not. It's not like they're going to give ice time to guys who can't skate. They'll hold their own, improve, and the teams will also improve.

What I would really like to see is a predominently Canadian NHL, with a handful only of American teams. Teams that can be supported by fans. Minnesota is a good example.

It might happen.

[pornrex]

Originally Posted by Evil Chris

What I would really like to see is a predominently Canadian NHL, with a handful only of American teams. Teams that can be supported by fans. Minnesota is a good example.

It might happen.

You seem like a nice guy Chris. But really, for now, why not try stepping outside the box? Watch some b-ball, its the playoffs man. Or how about some baseball or even Nascar? Get over the fact that there's no NHL. No Hockey League. The game was on the decline anyway. Scoring is down, Trap is up. Clutch and grab is the name of the game. Hell, go to your local strip joint if you REALLY gotta see some clutching and grabbing.

[Rocco]

I enjoy it that the NHL is away

a lot of good players are coming here for almost no money and abusing their bones LOL

[ronaldo]

The NHL lockout was a great thing to happen in my opinion.

First it changed my opinion on basketball and its players forever. They are as good or better athletes than hockey players and the games are at least as exciting.

I was never a fan of a sport who's prerequisite to success appeared to be being tall and black (see-Manute Bol). However, after watching for most of the season AND March Madness, it was more entertaining than NHL hockey has been in YEARS.

If you want to see entertaining hockey, you had to look at international hockey. This is another good thing about the lockout. The NHL has to look to win fans back, and ADMITTEDLY provide a more entertaining product. Why did that take so long?

The NHL talent pool has been reduced greatly with a 30 team league to the point that you now have 2nd and 3rd line players on the teams scoring lines. Sorry Chris, Darcy Tucker is at BEST a 3rd line mucker and should NEVER see time on the 1st and 2nd lines of ANY NHL team.

So the players nowadays have to compensate for their lack of skill by showing the truly Canadian aspect that we've come to be so proud of-grinding. It used to be that the 3rd and 4th lines were your grinders. Now some teams don't have ONE scoring line. They're ALL grinders. Not by design, simply through lack of talent. That's why the game is no longer entertaining.

Sure we all get caught up in the NHL playoffs, but those of us with any hockey sense, know we're watching an inferior product.

The NHL only needs to make ONE change to make the game more entertaining. It's something it CAN'T do however. Change the ice surfaces to international size with international rules. Now, I know they can't do this because of the lost revenue and construction costs. I can appreciate that. But also how would it look, when Peter Forsberg gets 8 breakaways a game when he literally walks around Ken Klee on defense. It's gonna make the players look like minor leaguers (*cough* pylons *cough*).

Neither the NHL NOR the NHLPA can afford to show the lack of skill of it's players or members. The NHL markets it's league as having the best players in the world, and the NHLPA argues on behalf of it's players with the NHL in the same vain. It'd be kind of hard for a Maple Leafs defenseman to stand up in front of the arbitration committee and demand more money, when the team would simply have to show the player falling on his ass 4 times a game as a SKILLED player made a move at the line.

Now, because I can see you're waiting anxiously for my input on how this lockout will end, here it is.

The NHLPA will win. Here's why.

When the NHL starts out with replacement players in October, the fans will flock to the arenas, because the ARE truly on the owners side in this fiasco.

After the honeymoon period of two to three weeks, the fans will soon realize, that they're paying to watch NHL wannabes who couldn't crack a regular lineup. Then the attendance and enthusiasm will die.

The owners will capitulate, and the NHLPA will proudly stand up and proclaim (albeit falsely) that the FANS were on THEIR side. They want to see the greatest hockey players in the world. (That part is true).

The only way this situation won't happen is if there's a player revolt and some of the TOP players cross that line to play when the league resumes, OR they come to a resolution prior to training camp.

P.S. Don't EVEN get me started on these guys taking away the jobs from overseas players who are playing to put food on their tables. When Don Cherry speaks out against the players, you KNOW something's wrong.

P.P.S. Picking on assorted Maple Leafs above WAS by design. They suck. I love Tie though.

[RawAlex]

Ron, nice story but quite doubtful. There are literally thousands of players out there that are able to play good hockey, and they will show up and they will put on a good show. The NHLPA knows that, and they are starting to get very nervous. In fact, one comment I heeard was that salary cap offers from the teams was DROPPING on each meeting now, down frrom the mid 40 mils down to mid 30 mils. The players themselves in their meetings were talking about how much money they have lost, many of these guys have expensive lifestyles to maintain and are not making the money, literally losing their prime earning years.

NHLPA head will get tossed within a month, new head will come in and negotiate deal within days and it will be over...

Alex

[cockNballs]

Red Sox are on and the Football draft is this weekend

whats the NHL again? Whats that quote about a tree falling over? :-)

[ronaldo]

Originally Posted by RawAlex

Ron, nice story but quite doubtful. There are literally thousands of players out there that are able to play good hockey, and they will show up and they will put on a good show. The NHLPA knows that, and they are starting to get very nervous. In fact, one comment I heeard was that salary cap offers from the teams was DROPPING on each meeting now, down frrom the mid 40 mils down to mid 30 mils. The players themselves in their meetings were talking about how much money they have lost, many of these guys have expensive lifestyles to maintain and are not making the money, literally losing their prime earning years.

NHLPA head will get tossed within a month, new head will come in and negotiate deal within days and it will be over...

Alex

I hope YOU'RE right, and I'm wrong.

But, only the DieHards like Chris would pay a higher price than WHL or AHL tickets, when THAT'S ultimately who they're watching. The owners will surely drop their prices somewhat to compensate, but tickets will still be considerably more than both of those leagues, with the same talent. Fans will only support that for so long.

It would be nice to find a happy medium between Alan Eagleson and Bob Goodenow for the NHLPA.

But, the union knows the scenario I presented above and I guarantee that's what they're presenting to their players.

What should be making the union nervous is that the potential rule changes WILL make the game more exciting and fans MAY pay for that in the interim. Even with less skilled players, the product will LOOK better. That's the only hope the owners have as I see it.

That, or a good majority of the players crossing the line.

[Torn Rose]

Originally Posted by AdultLegal-Jim

Red Sox are on and the Football draft is this weekend

whats the NHL again? Whats that quote about a tree falling over? :-)

I still like your avatar

[cockNballs]

just cuz I play doesn't mean I'll watch


well at least for awhile :-)

[tjchuck]

Time to fucking bash those fucking scabby fucks.

I can't even think how greedy these fucks are. And the diehards need to shake there head.

I really think it is outrageous that a bunch of fucking grade 10 education babies feel they are worth more money than they are being paid. What else are they good for? Go find a job in the real world.

A quote stated earlier was that the NHLPA is starting to come down with the salary cap, well they had a chance to sign when the owners came down to a few mere miliions of dollars of what they wanted when the year was called. Why didn't they sign then? What was really funny is that the offer of the mid 40 million cap is way above what most of the teams in the NHL actuall payroll is. What a fucking joke.

And now come World Cup time, when all the stars are supposed to show up, a bunch have declined because they are sitting on there ass watching soaps. They know right now that these, so called replacements that have played all year in the minors, would make them look like shit cause they have been...well sitiing on there ass.
Not the same sport but, when did Jerry Rice ever take any time off ever, no offseason for this guy. But then comparing real men like professional football players to pro hockey players is like, well there is no comparison.

Fucking scabby fucks, taking jobs away from guys that need that cheque for there mortgage, it just makes me sick.

And do the players actually think that they have done the right thing? Look at any poll and you will see that 95% of the population thinks the players are at fault. I don't know...maybe they are not intelligent enough to actually realize this...it really wouldn't surprise me. I guess in grade 10 they don't teach polls yet.

And oh yeah...and really...the canadian teams can't afford the guys in the first place so I don't think it would be much of a league.

Having my home team make the Stanley cup last year and partying on the red mile about this time last year, to this...fuck em all!

[pornrex]

I've got no problem with replacement players as long as the ticket prices are substantially lower. I'm not gonna go see replacements and still pay the high ticket prices - that's ludicrous.

As a matter of fact, its time to bring in replacements. Fresh meat as they say would make for a very exciting league where just about everyone would be making roughly the same salary, give or take.

It would take a few years to get the level of play to somewhere where it was, but really, who wants to watch traps, clutching and grabbing, diving and all that other bullshit that game has become today? I for one won't.

Take the egos out of the game, call a penalty a penalty, no more trap, touch up icing (it prevents injury) no more clutch and grab (scrap hockey) keep the fucking goalie in his crease, no player in the goal crease and suddenly, you'll have a SPORT worth watching again.

[Wenchy]

I'm with Rex - replacement players and cheaper tickets works for me. I just want to see hockey again! I didn't realize how much I really missed it until the calendar said it should be playoff time... now I've got a serious puck jones goin' on |shocking|

That having been said, I was just another disgruntled hockey fan who *thought* I was going to have to settle for watching college games... little did I know what a great season it was going to be! DU won the title again and that suits me just fine. It's nice to watch those kids play with enthusiasm and simply for love of the game (as opposed to playing for a paycheck)... brings a nice element to the game and makes for decent entertainment.

Baseball is a great sport in and of itself, but it's never going to be a substitute for hockey |cool|

[ronaldo]

Originally Posted by Wenchy

It's nice to watch those kids play with enthusiasm and simply for love of the game (as opposed to playing for a paycheck)... brings a nice element to the game and makes for decent entertainment.

Exactly.

I'm going to game 7 between the Brandon Wheat Kings and Calgary Hitmen tonight and I'm sure I'll be MORE than entertained.

It took me 7 years of living here before I went to a WHL game, because I was spoiled by the NHL. These kids are decent players, the ticket prices are cheap as hell ($60 for a family of four, 8 rows up on the blue line), and the games are fun to watch.

I'd have a hard time paying to watch the NHL the way it currently is.

[pornrex]

I admit, I've watched a few OHL & WHL games myself this year and I for one can't WAIT for the Memorial Cup...you know, a real SPORTS Trophy given to the TEAM that rises to the top.

What a concept.

[RawAlex]

At the end of the day greedy men egged on by greedy men destroy almost every good thing (please see adult online buisness). NHL and NHLPA have played off each other and have finally pushed the whole damn thing way too far for it's own good.

Owners need to come back with a proposal that limits salaries based on a lower ticket price for the games. Make every game at every arena a sellout. Don't leave any team behind - equality has kept the NFL the most interesting sport around for years. The NHL and it's players have a chance to move away from the slop trough, gets their snouts out of the fan's pockets and go back to playing an entertaining game for a price humans can afford to pay to see.

Alex

[tjchuck]

Originally Posted by RawAlex

At the end of the day greedy men egged on by greedy men destroy almost every good thing (please see adult online buisness). NHL and NHLPA have played off each other and have finally pushed the whole damn thing way too far for it's own good.

Owners need to come back with a proposal that limits salaries based on a lower ticket price for the games. Make every game at every arena a sellout. Don't leave any team behind - equality has kept the NFL the most interesting sport around for years. The NHL and it's players have a chance to move away from the slop trough, gets their snouts out of the fan's pockets and go back to playing an entertaining game for a price humans can afford to pay to see.

Alex

Very well said