Hey Deano...Hockey question.

[DerriD]

Dean,

I know that you are without a doubt, the biggest hockey fan around. While I would never argue about the excitement of the live game, what exactly do you make of the god awful TV ratings. Let's face it, TV ratings drive the bus...and this years NHL All-Star game was on the Freakin' VS Network. WTF???

My son roots for the Hurricanes and we are fortunate enough here in Charlotte to get most of the games televised on local cable. What is the reason that unlike the NFL, the NHL simply doesn't strike a chord with the masses?

Deano? Anyone?

[treetopovskaya]

the nhl needs to get back on espn. also they need to show more teams... not the same teams every week. the red wings/avalanche rivalry is over! }:C)

bring back cool shots!!

oilers... check!

canucks... check!

GO DUCKS!!

[Rockindeano]

You are BOTH wrong.

The All Star Game was NOT on Versus....
It was on Network TV, BUT

Look, after a lockout, an ex NBA guy (Buttman) who knows doesn't know blue line from clothesline....

The sport is good....BUT, the management is appalling.

I challenge anyone, to go to NBA game, then go to an NHL game and you will see the difference. If you have any passion at all, you will see the difference. I don't have to sell the game to you, nor do I have o teach the game to you.

NHL hockey is so much better than the NBA. It's not comparable.

There are some great stories in hockey this year. The sick scene from last night aside, hw about Biffalo? Vancouver? Nashville? The Ducks? The Flyers? Yes, the Philadelphia Flyers, who have money and also the worst record in the league.

[treetopovskaya]

the all star game was on vs.

http://www.versus.com/nw/article/view/2 ... rapper.tpl

[Rockindeano]

Sorry, I was totally wrong...My bad...The All Star stuff was all over the Net..

Tree, you shold be happy...the Ducks are loaded

[DerriD]

I'm not arguing NHL vs NBA. We have the NBA...AGAIN! And nobody here cares. IN PERSON, hockey kicks basketballs ass. The question is, how can the NHL (which was once, i.e. in the age of Gretzky) the third most popular league, get back to a MAJOR TV league sport? I would rather go to a Checkers game (Charlotte's minor league team) live in person, than watch a Detroit -vs- fill in the blank game on TV any day.

Can Hockey be saved?

For one, I think the over expansion to warm weather cities, hurt the NHL more than it helped. Not to mention that at one time, 16 teams made the playoffs in a 21 team league ala 1988.

Tampa freakin' Bay won the Stanley Cup (a sacred trophey if I should be so bold) and no one in Florida gave a shit!

Is Gary Bettman to fault?

[Rockindeano]

I'm not arguing NHL vs NBA. We have the NBA...AGAIN! And nobody here cares. IN PERSON, hockey kicks basketballs ass. The question is, how can the NHL (which was once, i.e. in the age of Gretzky) the third most popular league, get back to a MAJOR TV league sport? I would rather go to a Checkers game (Charlotte's minor league team) live in person, than watch a Detroit -vs- fill in the blank game on TV any day.

Can Hockey be saved?

For one, I think the over expansion to warm weather cities, hurt the NHL more than it helped. Not to mention that at one time, 16 teams made the playoffs in a 21 team league ala 1988.

Tampa freakin' Bay won the Stanley Cup (a sacred trophey if I should be so bold) and no one in Florida gave a shit!

Is Gary Bettman to fault?

You are in the South?

Don't you have your number 8 sticker?

[DerriD]

You are in the South?

Don't you have your number 8 sticker?

This from a guy with a #48 sticker on his window?

Now, I will culp to being able to hop in my car and within 30 minutes I can kneel before the #3 statue in Kannapolis. Not to mention that 75% of Nascar teams are headquarted within an hours drive and ground has been broken on the Nascar Hall of Fame within eyesight of my daily commute. Additionally, when I was in grade school here, we learned to count something like this:

one, Wallace, Earnhardt, Martin, five...

That being said, I am NOT Cletus the slack jawed yokel, nor is my wife uppity enough to not wear boots on a job interview, afraid that she might scuff the runway at the local men's establishment.

I would like to take this opportunity, however, to edjumacate ya on the local sports landscape 'round these parts. The pecking order is something like this:

1. College Basketball
2. NFL
3. Nascar
4. College Football
5. Atlanta Braves Baseball
6. Wrestlin'
7. College Baseball
...
99. NBA
100. NHL

I was still postulatin' on why Hockey has such a hard time finding a mainstream audience when (in person) it's very exciting.

[Enigma869]

As someone who grew up in one of the original six cities to have an NHL team, I think that alone has a lot to do with the appeal, or lack thereof of hockey. Hockey has always been a regional sport. Inevitably, leagues always try to grow themselves, and many times, they attempt to grow in a manner that just isn't realistic. When you grow up in a colder climate, playing "pond hockey" over the course of the winter months is really just a way of life. It really becomes part of your culture. Given that, if you have a moderately successful hockey team, the game is going to be healthy in your city.

I can tell you as a lifelong Bruins fan...The Bruins have sucked longer than I can remember, and somehow, they still manage to pack in the fans night after night. They certainly don't sell games out like they used to. That said, for as bad as they've been, as long as they've been bad, the arena should probably be pretty close to empty each night, but it isn't. I think it's really as simple as people from hockey towns love the game, and probably more importantly, understand the game. Some of the shit Fox did putting a "tail" on the puck was beyond ridiculous! I understand their intent was "to make the game easier to follow". I've never had a problem following a black puck on a white sheet of ice. For anyone who does have that problem...They're probably not smart enough to be watching hockey, in the first place!


John from Boston

[Rockindeano]

This from a guy with a #48 sticker on his window?

Nothin' like being the fan of a chamion eh?

I would like to take this opportunity, however, to edjumacate ya on the local sports landscape 'round these parts. The pecking order is something like this:

1. College Basketball
2. NFL
3. Nascar
4. College Football
5. Atlanta Braves Baseball
6. Wrestlin'
7. College Baseball
...
99. NBA
100. NHL

College basketball is more popular than college football in the South? By the way, what state are you in? And the Atlanta Braves? Fuck they make me sick. That Goddamned Turner Station Network and that voice of the Braves....puke..

[Behshad]

a bit OT here, but has anyone tried the XBOX 360 version of NHL 07 !??? Its the best Videogame hockey since the good ole NHL 94

[Soto All The Way]

This from a guy with a #48 sticker on his window?

Nothin' like being the fan of a chamion eh?

I would like to take this opportunity, however, to edjumacate ya on the local sports landscape 'round these parts. The pecking order is something like this:

1. College Basketball
2. NFL
3. Nascar
4. College Football
5. Atlanta Braves Baseball
6. Wrestlin'
7. College Baseball
...
99. NBA
100. NHL

College basketball is more popular than college football in the South? By the way, what state are you in? And the Atlanta Braves? Fuck they make me sick. That Goddamned Turner Station Network and that voice of the Braves....puke..

Dean,

Mario and that fat ass Governer Rendell said they had a good meeting yesterday....will resume Wednesday.....The city "Yinzers" here in the Burgh asre planning a "RIOT" if the talks break down again.....If I can find the information, I'll post it....It's a howl!!! Nothing like a premditated RIOT!!!!


e-

[Deb]

the nhl needs to get back on espn. also they need to show more teams... not the same teams every week. the red wings/avalanche rivalry is over! }:C)

bring back cool shots!!

oilers... check!

canucks... check!

GO DUCKS!!

GO FLAMES!!!!

[Deb]

I was still postulatin' on why Hockey has such a hard time finding a mainstream audience when (in person) it's very exciting.

It's never had a hard time here in Canada. I have to agree, it is exciting in person. Hockey is pretty much the only sport I DO watch.

[Rockindeano]

a bit OT here, but has anyone tried the XBOX 360 version of NHL 07 !??? Its the best Videogame hockey since the good ole NHL 94

I RULE at this game.

I am always Vancouver and I am always Markus Naslund. I took Dion Phanuef to school the other day....he left his jock at the blue line and I went top shelf against Kipper...of course the Canucks defeated the Flamers...again.

[Rockindeano]

the nhl needs to get back on espn. also they need to show more teams... not the same teams every week. the red wings/avalanche rivalry is over! }:C)

bring back cool shots!!

oilers... check!

canucks... check!

GO DUCKS!!

Excuse me?

The Oilers have quit, the Flames might not even make the playoffs, but Vancouver is a better team than Anaheim. Beat em 2 weeks ago in Honda Center, and I would bet you my left nut they beat em again tomorrow night too.

[Deb]

I RULE at this game.

I am always Vancouver and I am always Markus Naslund. I took Dion Phanuef to school the other day....he left his jock at the blue line and I went top shelf against Kipper...of course the Canucks defeated the Flamers...again.

[Behshad]

a bit OT here, but has anyone tried the XBOX 360 version of NHL 07 !??? Its the best Videogame hockey since the good ole NHL 94

I RULE at this game.

I am always Vancouver and I am always Markus Naslund. I took Dion Phanuef to school the other day....he left his jock at the blue line and I went top shelf against Kipper...of course the Canucks defeated the Flamers...again.

I RULE at this game too! If you play it online hit me up for a game

[Rockindeano]

a bit OT here, but has anyone tried the XBOX 360 version of NHL 07 !??? Its the best Videogame hockey since the good ole NHL 94

I RULE at this game.

I am always Vancouver and I am always Markus Naslund. I took Dion Phanuef to school the other day....he left his jock at the blue line and I went top shelf against Kipper...of course the Canucks defeated the Flamers...again.

I RULE at this game too! If you play it online hit me up for a game

I went 78-4 last season I played.

What team are you?

[DerriD]

College basketball is more popular than college football in the South? By the way, what state are you in? And the Atlanta Braves? Fuck they make me sick. That Goddamned Turner Station Network and that voice of the Braves....puke..

I'm in North Carolina. I would say that in NC, college hoops is more popular than football. Keep in mind we have the UNC Tarheels, NCSU Wolfpack, Wake Forest Demon Deacons and Duke Blue Devils all within 30 miles of each other. Also Davidson, Appalachian State, UNC Charlotte and Winthrop usually field competitive teams albeit in a lower tier. With the exception of Appalachian State (2006 and 2007 I-AA National Champs), those football programs suck.

Now outside of NC, College Football is religion in the South, especially in SEC towns. Atlanta has Georgia Tech, but UGA up in Athens is king. Most sports talk radio in the south has college football on it year round. Places like Alabama get 20,000 people to show up for spring practices!

I'm not sure if you've ever had a chance to catch a football game down this way, but the co-eds are spectacular.

Oh, and about the Atlanta Braves. They are about 4 hours from here and are the closest team to us. When Turner first started his cable empire, TBS was one of the first channels available on cable here. So for 25 years, we've had access to virtually every single Braves game played. I think WGN in Chicago followed suit shortly thereafter and put the Cubs on the whole season. So it's not bad enough to make Chicagoans long suffering fans, they had to go export the misery countrywide.

[Rockindeano]

Dude, I know too well about the South.

I have been to Alabama and LSU football games, and went to Auburn last year.

Crazy wild. Booze, women you name it. Incredible. I need to go to Darlington and Taledega in my lifetime.\

Having said all that, I would never live there. It would be a step back in time 30 yrs. The West coast is so much more progressive. I was in Florida in February, and could not believe that you can still see Stars and Bars flags. You kidding me? Do they NOT teach school back there? Slavery is over. Jesus...

As to hockey, yes, they did over-expand, IMO. Wayne Gretzky is responsible for Anaheim, Phoenix, Dallas, Nashville, Florida, Tampa Bay and Carolina, IMO. Hockey should not be in the southern tier states. However, a winner always breeds fans. The Ducks were drawing 8500 a game last year, until they played out of their collective minds, then the fans came in droves. Same with Carolina when they won the Cup. You look at all six Canadian cities and the most of the Original Six clubs (Boston and Chicago are exempt), and they all sell out. BOS and CHI are pathetic clubs with pathetic owners and pathetic Management.

[Behshad]

a bit OT here, but has anyone tried the XBOX 360 version of NHL 07 !??? Its the best Videogame hockey since the good ole NHL 94

I RULE at this game.

I am always Vancouver and I am always Markus Naslund. I took Dion Phanuef to school the other day....he left his jock at the blue line and I went top shelf against Kipper...of course the Canucks defeated the Flamers...again.

I RULE at this game too! If you play it online hit me up for a game

I went 78-4 last season I played.

What team are you?

78-4 is great,, I usualy win at least 60 games a season against the cpu. Its much harder when you play vs other skilled players though.
I usualy play the Av's, but I also like Nashville now, cause Forsberg plays there. Been a Forsberg fan since his 94 Olympic goal against Canada in the final game.

[Rockindeano]

Been a Forsberg fan since his 94 Olympic goal against Canada in the final game.

Well Fuck You then!

I just throttled the Queens 10-0. They are as pathetic on XBOX as they are in the NHL.

[Soto All The Way]

Been a Forsberg fan since his 94 Olympic goal against Canada in the final game.

Well Fuck You then!

I just throttled the Queens 10-0. They are as pathetic on XBOX as they are in the NHL.

Dean,

U like Sony Playstation 2's hockey game NHL 2007???

e-

[Rockindeano]

Been a Forsberg fan since his 94 Olympic goal against Canada in the final game.

Well Fuck You then!

I just throttled the Queens 10-0. They are as pathetic on XBOX as they are in the NHL.

Dean,

U like Sony Playstation 2's hockey game NHL 2007???

e-

I'm even better on that one...lol Dude, I bring my XBOX to work, and fuck around on it for 5 hours a day..I scored 9 goals against Philadelphia yesterday


I like XBOX better....you?

[Soto All The Way]

Been a Forsberg fan since his 94 Olympic goal against Canada in the final game.

Well Fuck You then!

I just throttled the Queens 10-0. They are as pathetic on XBOX as they are in the NHL.

Dean,

U like Sony Playstation 2's hockey game NHL 2007???

e-

I'm even better on that one...lol Dude, I bring my XBOX to work, and fuck around on it for 5 hours a day..I scored 9 goals against Philadelphia yesterday


I like XBOX better....you?

Honestly, the only time I play it is when I can sneek away from the wife at Michael's Flower Store and get into Best Buy next door....I don't have it. We just got Bseball K7 an dit's pretty cool...A little hard.

What do you do and where do you work that you get that much time...I'm a fucking line man and the other thing I get done each day is picking chuncks of telephone pole out of my hands and arms!!!!! Sucks to be ME!!!!


e-

[Rockindeano]

When my wrinkly old shit in his pants boss goes out, I relax and play XBOX....

Dude, I like your avatar, BUT...please don't tell me you aren't kicking a FG or PAT OFF A TEE?

[Soto All The Way]

When my wrinkly old shit in his pants boss goes out, I relax and play XBOX....

Dude, I like your avatar, BUT...please don't tell me you are king a FG or PAT OFF A TEE?

It's a big party we go to each years at Heinze Field for the NFL Draft....I always get the distance, but shank it left.....
Actually, Tyler (8YO) almost made straight down the middle....The little fucker!!!
e-

[****]

- for Deanos benefit

[Rockindeano]

For Kim's benefit.

Eastern Conference

1 BUFFALO*
2 NEW JERSEY*
3 ATLANTA*
4 OTTAWA
5 PITTSBURGH
6 TAMPA BAY
7 NY ISLANDERS
8 CAROLINA
9 NY RANGERS
10 TORONTO
11 MONTREAL
12 BOSTON
13 FLORIDA
14 WASHINGTON
15 PHILADELPHIA