Why is Hockey still a professional sport? Is it really though?
Are we really sure owners of these franchises aren't "paying" players with "funny money" or Monopoly money? Where do these hosers make money anyway? When I'm catching Sportscenter and that guy with the mullet comes on I put it on mute and walk away. Does anyone else do this? Or do you do the, "I'll change the channel and come back exactly as the segment is ending" maneuver? Very tricky and it works about once per week, but when you do it, you know you feel good about yourself. You can admit it. Especially Ernesto with his eleventeen remotes.
See, there's this thing called Hockey that I know nothing about and it seems no one else does for that matter. I think it was last week that the Stanley Cup Finals were on TV and it was the lowest rated broadcast of ANYTHING, ever. Yes. Ever. "The Ropers" was a ratings bonanza compared to the STANLEY CUP FINALS!! "Homeboys in Outer Space" had better ratings. Hey, I would catch an episode now and then just to see if they had a hot alien female wearing something provocative too, but, the show sucked. Sorry, let's push forward.
I would love to hear someone really argue for their love of Hockey. I'm sure its hard right now what with the season over (Is it?). However, if you ask me why I love the NBA in September, I'll still have answers at the ready. It doesn't even represent itself well on
Aside from all that, can you imagine if the NBA would have fights the way they are celebrated in Hockey? They'd re-institute slavery with the quick-fast. Meanwhile, these guys assault each other with weapons! And it’s a professional sport!?! If a player just leaves the bench without throwing a punch in the NBA, he's thrown out of the next game. Meanwhile, the NHL has guys earning paychecks whose only role on the team is to get into fights. The country went into an uproar when Don Cheaney sent a guy into a basketball game to foul someone hard, real hard. Meanwhile, the NHL has guys who go into games to start fist fights.
Can anyone in the world please, please, please tell me why this is a professional sport? They're not even in real cities.
13 comments:
Yo Lou....my sentiments exactly. If Hockey isn't one of the most barbaric sports in history where they condone violence, I don't know what is. They can totally do the sequel to Gladiator by just playing a Rangers vs Islanders game. These dudes knock each other around, then get mad when they get hit by an opponent that rubbed them the wrong way..... then they tango on ice while bust each others face in..... what kills me is the zebra shirts that just circle around them ,probably to avoid any blood splatter, until one submits or plainly just gets knocked the fuck out....
Great sport! Skills needed....Strong Jaw and a good left hook.
Hockey what is this hockey you speak of. Is that that thing they do in Canada? No wait that curling. Mike Meyers is the only thing I'll watch from Canada.
How come the nhl beats the nba in attendance in Philly, Minnesota, Denver, Toronto, and even Atlanta. And in New York at least the rangers sell out each game unlike the knicks. And buddy its not like Detroit, Buffalo, or Tampa Bay arn't selling out each game. You can even check ut out heres the links from espn.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/attendance?year=2007
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/attendance
And after looking at those links you can see other cities where the NHL is doing fine. Also check out how fast the Buffalo Pitt outdoor game sold out.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=3026339 And the revenues from nhl are around 2.25 billion. And 26 out of the 32 teams made a profit last year.
http://blog.washingtonpost.com/capitalsinsider/2007/05/sports_business_journal_nhl_re.html
And the average salary is probably around 1.5 million. You can look that up yourself.
I'm sure the NBA salary is way more and the revenues are way more, no question about it the NBA makes more money. But the NHL is not in as bad shape as your lead to believe.
I'm not saying the nhl is better than the nba I like them both a lot. I just think you shouldn't be like an espn sheep and believe everything they say. You have to understand business. Espn is a business and they don't carry the NHL so why would they have an interest in promomting it. Like you said in your article you don't know much about Hockey, why don't you see a game live and have an opinion of your own.
Anonymous,
I don't want to shatter your dream that the NHL is doing, "just fine", but, the way to measure the overall appeal by a sport is through television ratings. The real money maker. I started off the piece by speaking to that fact. It was on Prime Time during the week and noone watched. I'm not making that fact up. It was an embarrassment to the league as a while.
I also wrote in the beginning of the piece that, I personally, walk away from the TV everytime that guy with the mullet starts talking. So, you see, ESPN are the ones trying to promote it. I am not, as you contend, being a good sheep and eating what they feed me. Theyre also trying to force feed me NASCAR which is less of a sport than hockey.
Which brings me to why Hockey shouldnt be taken seriously as a sport. Its not because I believe that they aren't popular enough or make enough money. If that were the case, I would tell you how great a sport poker is. Its because of the violence. Im all for players checking each other hard. Just as its exciting in football when a linebacker stuffs a RB at the line of scrimmage with a hard hit for no gain. Its the fighting and sticking, etc. If that were to happen in the NBA or in MLB, the guy would be suspended for half a season. If it happened in the street, the guy would be arrested. The NHL employs goons who can skate. While I applaud them for their eye-foot dexterity, it takes away from the sport as a whole. And its not like I was riveted enough in the 1-1 TIE to sit through more of that crap.
I have been to NHL games. They were boring. First off, TIES. There are waaay too many of them. And theyre low scoring ties on top of that. Then theres the whole wait 20 minutes thing between the 3 periods. Its too much for my little attention span to handle.
P.S. - Is this Chuck?
First I would like to thank yor for the response. And I apologize for calling you an espn sheep. But with all do respect I dissagree with you on this one. I don't think the NHL needs TV ratings. If the NHL could set the record for the lowest rated show in primetime(this past Stanley Cup Final), and still have 26 out of the 32 teams make a profit and the league itself making around 2.25 billion in revenues. And with the salary cap again going up.(Increase of about 6 million this year)
http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/story/2007/06/29/nhl-cap-increase.html
How can say they need TV ratings if there making money(and its real money)and NHL franchise values are going up. Making money is good for business. I do agree with you they need the tv ratings to grow, but not to survive. Listen I'm not saying the NHL is on the same level as the NBA, NFL, and MLB in terms of money and US popularity. I'm saying there are still a lot of loyal fans out there as you can see in the attendance numbers which are very comparable to the NBA.(which I posted in my previous post) And what about the Buffalo Pitt. outdoor game selling out in 30 minutes. Your telling me no one there cares about the nhl. I live in Tampa, Florida, where the lightning have sold out the fourm the past 2 seasons, and you don't think anybody there cares about hockey.
"Ties. There are waay to many of them." There hasn't been a tie in the NHL for the past 2 seasons. They git rid of the tie 2 years ago they now go into a shoot out.
"Which brings me to why Hockey shouldnt be taken seriously as a sport. Its not because I believe that they aren't popular enough or make enough money. If that were the case, I would tell you how great a sport poker is." I see what you were tryng to say here, the problem is poker isn't actually a sport. Just because its on espn (along with hot dog eating and scrabble) doesn't mean there sports. Sports involes athletic ability, etc. So you really cant't tell me how great a sport poker is because it isn't actually a sport. But I don't want to get into arguing that.
In terms of espn promoting hockey come on man. If they wanted to they could force feed it to us like nascar. Since they don't carry it the only time you hear about hockey is how low the TV ratings are or some violent cheap shot. They don't tell you that nascar is dropping in the ratings because they have a legitmit business purpose not to.
http://www.denverpost.com/kreck/ci_4743412
In terms of the violence in the NHL you make a good point that it can take away from the sport in some peoples opinion. However there arn't nearly as many fights and stick violence as there use to be. You just hear about it more on espn.
I think you should give hockey a second chance. I think you should attend a game this season(you obvisouly haven't been in more than 3 years since you keep talking about ties). Scoring is also up too. Waiting 20 minutes between periods, I have never heard anyone make this a reason not to like hockey before. Get a beer in between periods I geuss. In fact hockey games go by quicker than any of the other sports. I think you will find the game fast, intense, physical, and very passionate.
P.S. No I'm not a Chuck
if you dont know what the nhl is about then shut the hell up
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Hockey is the most bad ass fast paced sport there is. no question
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