Many have said that Gretzky's trade to southern California brought hockey to the Sun Belt. Scott Burnside and Wes Goldstein, two hockey journalists, recently reiterated that point. It's something I've always thought was wrong, and nothing they wrote changed my mind.
Burnside: What about franchises that sprouted in unlikely locales like Anaheim, Phoenix, Nashville, Tampa and Atlanta?
No one knows, of course, but the safe answer would be -- not bloody likely
Atlanta had a team years before Gretzky was even a professional hockey player. Atlanta embraced the Flames, and later the IHL Knights, which won a championship there. The Flames failed because the owner failed. It had nothing to do at all with the box office draw. The Knights left because Ted Turner was going to bring an NHL team, later named the Thrashers, to Atlanta.
Goldstein's article is better in my opinion, but it's still littered with illogical conclusions.
"For sure, him coming here was the best thing that could happen to hockey," said former teammate and current Kings executive Luc Robitaille. "When you do well in Los Angeles, everybody knows and starts watching."
Yet I'm supposed to believe other large markets like New York, Chicago and Philadelphia don't mean anything? It may have been the best thing for southern California hockey, but not the rest of the United States.
In the meantime, seeing the Kings succeed in a non-traditional market encouraged the NHL to try for the same results in places like San Jose, Anaheim, Tampa Bay and Miami. That early 1990s expansion set the stage for handing out even more franchises through the remainder of the decade, a period when the NHL began dotting the South and Southwest. The NHL ended up growing to 30 teams during that rush, 24 in the U.S., a strategy that was intended to get the league a much-coveted national network television contract.
There were only two places to expand to at that time - south and west - and both are non-traditional. That Gretzky landed in Los Angeles, a Sun Belt market, is a coincidence.
As another fan said, hockey was a fad in Los Angeles. The NHL would've expanded regardless of Gretzky's brief influence in the southern California market.
Showing posts with label nhl. Show all posts
Showing posts with label nhl. Show all posts
Monday, August 11, 2008
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Philly sports coverage
In the Philadelphia area, Comcast Sports Net is rockin'!
I watched the highlight show, SportsRise, there this morning.
Anyway the show covers the local teams really well. They spent about six minutes reviewing and showing highlights of the Sixers - Celtics game from the night before.
They then showed Phillies highlights of spring training games.
After that, they spent about three minutes previewing tonight's Flyers - Rangers game. That's previewing, not reviewing, and that was amazing to me.
In those three minutes they showed highlights of previous Flyers games and interviews with two players about the upcoming game. The show's camera person interviewed the players at the train station yesterday before they boarded a train to New York. That was cool, and something different than the average locker room interview.
More hockey coverage included out of town game highlights from New York and Montreal. Highlights, not just the scores.
The show started with a Flyers player bump too.
Overall it was impressive hockey coverage. It's nice to see what a network invested in the NHL can do.
I watched the highlight show, SportsRise, there this morning.
Anyway the show covers the local teams really well. They spent about six minutes reviewing and showing highlights of the Sixers - Celtics game from the night before.
They then showed Phillies highlights of spring training games.
After that, they spent about three minutes previewing tonight's Flyers - Rangers game. That's previewing, not reviewing, and that was amazing to me.
In those three minutes they showed highlights of previous Flyers games and interviews with two players about the upcoming game. The show's camera person interviewed the players at the train station yesterday before they boarded a train to New York. That was cool, and something different than the average locker room interview.
More hockey coverage included out of town game highlights from New York and Montreal. Highlights, not just the scores.
The show started with a Flyers player bump too.
Overall it was impressive hockey coverage. It's nice to see what a network invested in the NHL can do.
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Discipline Czar term limits
Adam Proteau of The Hockey News writes term limits of the job Colin Campbell holds should be limited to three years. Most interestingly to me is this:
"To me, suspensions should be automatic for certain reprehensible acts, regardless of (a) a player’s intent, (b) his history of crossing the line, and (c) any regret he may have for his actions.
If the rules are the rules, there should be absolutely no wiggle room for interpretation."
I completely agree.
Not having such rules in place is part of what led to the Chris Pronger - Chris Simon furor.
Another choice quote.
"The uproar after Pronger’s latest, too-lenient suspension proved beyond all doubt fans and media are truly at the end of their rope when it comes to cutting the league slack over rule enforcement, and are demanding a better setup as soon as possible. "
Proteau is right, it's time for Campbell to go.
However Proteau is wrong when he writes Campbell is bias free. I disagree with Proteau on this point. Pronger's suspension vis-à-vis Simon's is a classic example that Campbell isn't.
"To me, suspensions should be automatic for certain reprehensible acts, regardless of (a) a player’s intent, (b) his history of crossing the line, and (c) any regret he may have for his actions.
If the rules are the rules, there should be absolutely no wiggle room for interpretation."
I completely agree.
Not having such rules in place is part of what led to the Chris Pronger - Chris Simon furor.
Another choice quote.
"The uproar after Pronger’s latest, too-lenient suspension proved beyond all doubt fans and media are truly at the end of their rope when it comes to cutting the league slack over rule enforcement, and are demanding a better setup as soon as possible. "
Proteau is right, it's time for Campbell to go.
However Proteau is wrong when he writes Campbell is bias free. I disagree with Proteau on this point. Pronger's suspension vis-à-vis Simon's is a classic example that Campbell isn't.
Friday, March 21, 2008
ESPN Badness, FSN Goodness
Bad as in not good, not bad as in good.
So I've been pretty quiet about the boycott. All is going well on that front, as I'm now into my second week.
There is one other thing, or should I say person, who I miss. That's Coach Knight. I'd love to hear his analysis on there. I've read he does a great job. Still, it's not enough to change my resolve.
Anyway the other night I was listening to a Red Wings game online as I watched the Pacers game on FSN Indiana. That was a good night. The Wings won after trailing, Henrik Zetterberg scored three unanswered goals and the Pacers won. A rare feat for them these days.
Watching FSN that night reminded me, FSN Final Score is much better than SportsCenter. With FSN's highlight show, the talking heads aren't the story. Also the show makes it a point to show all highlights, not just the ones hockey-haters choose.
More badness from ESPN, and it pains me to write that it's about its website, the one thing I like about ESPN.
Check out this link.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/recap?gameId=280315017
Observant people, and I must thank a LetsGoWings.com member for bringing it to my attention, will notice the photo caption is wrong.
It reads, "New Jersey Devils defenseman Sheldon Brookbank, left, congratulates Colorado Avalanche goalie Martin Brodeur ..."
Wow! When did Brodeur start playing for the Avs? I missed that trade.
Could be an honest mistake. Everybody makes them. I do. You do. Nobody is perfect. Most publications have a mistake in them somewhere, especially ones that deal with news and ones on deadlines.
Then again, as I posted on the Lets Go Wings, it's probably the photographer's error. Still I would think somebody at the "world-wide leader" would catch it. The page was posted nearly a week ago, and it's still that way.
On the other hand maybe it's not the photographer's mistake. The photographer who took it an AP photographer, and the AP is very reputable.
I could live with it being ESPN's mistake, I like that. It's easy to understand too since it's ESPN and hockey.
This isn't the first ESPN, hockey mistake that was brought to my attention or that I've noticed on my own. It is ESPN after all, and most people who work there don't seem to give a hoot and holler about hockey. It's been proven again.
So I've been pretty quiet about the boycott. All is going well on that front, as I'm now into my second week.
There is one other thing, or should I say person, who I miss. That's Coach Knight. I'd love to hear his analysis on there. I've read he does a great job. Still, it's not enough to change my resolve.
Anyway the other night I was listening to a Red Wings game online as I watched the Pacers game on FSN Indiana. That was a good night. The Wings won after trailing, Henrik Zetterberg scored three unanswered goals and the Pacers won. A rare feat for them these days.
Watching FSN that night reminded me, FSN Final Score is much better than SportsCenter. With FSN's highlight show, the talking heads aren't the story. Also the show makes it a point to show all highlights, not just the ones hockey-haters choose.
More badness from ESPN, and it pains me to write that it's about its website, the one thing I like about ESPN.
Check out this link.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/recap?gameId=280315017
Observant people, and I must thank a LetsGoWings.com member for bringing it to my attention, will notice the photo caption is wrong.
It reads, "New Jersey Devils defenseman Sheldon Brookbank, left, congratulates Colorado Avalanche goalie Martin Brodeur ..."
Wow! When did Brodeur start playing for the Avs? I missed that trade.
Could be an honest mistake. Everybody makes them. I do. You do. Nobody is perfect. Most publications have a mistake in them somewhere, especially ones that deal with news and ones on deadlines.
Then again, as I posted on the Lets Go Wings, it's probably the photographer's error. Still I would think somebody at the "world-wide leader" would catch it. The page was posted nearly a week ago, and it's still that way.
On the other hand maybe it's not the photographer's mistake. The photographer who took it an AP photographer, and the AP is very reputable.
I could live with it being ESPN's mistake, I like that. It's easy to understand too since it's ESPN and hockey.
This isn't the first ESPN, hockey mistake that was brought to my attention or that I've noticed on my own. It is ESPN after all, and most people who work there don't seem to give a hoot and holler about hockey. It's been proven again.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Shame on Bettman, Campbell
An open letter I plan to e-mail into the Gary Bettman call-in show tomorrow.
Dear Gary Bettman and Colin Campbell,
Shame on you both. I hold you both responsible as the Commissioner and Czar of Discipline respectively.
First the NHL had to be pressured to review Chris Pronger's stomp on Ryan Kesler. Then when it did, Mr. Campbell only gave Pronger a slap on the wrist in an eight-game suspension. Yet Chris Simon, who did the exact same thing, received a 30-game suspension.
Mr. Campbell I read your retort to Simon. The reactions by both players were in the same context. Both players were hacked off and both retaliated in the same way. At the time of their most recent unsportsmanlike conduct, both had seven previous suspensions against them. Both had recent previous suspensions too.
It galls me to no end the hypocrisy and the double standard between the two suspensions. Mr Bettman, I read your reply to a player who didn't like the new sweaters earlier this year, and you said it was just one player who didn't like them. Well Mr. Bettman, I am not just one die-hard NHL fan who feels Pronger's most recent suspension was too light.
A majority of fans feel the same way I do. I can find the polls that prove it too.
It's not just fans who feel this way either, many NHL journalists do too. Scott Morrison with CBC and Wes Goldstein with CBS to name just two off the top of my head. Again, I can find more.
Why is there this double standard? Is it because Pronger is a high-profile player and Simon is a fourth-line player? Is it because Brian Burke formerly worked at NHL offices? Is it because the NHL is supporting Sunbelt teams and newer teams more than traditional teams?
These inconstancies, double standards, and improprieties shine a negative light on the NHL. They take away from a wonderful sport. I hope in the future they are eliminated.
Thank you for your time.
Dear Gary Bettman and Colin Campbell,
Shame on you both. I hold you both responsible as the Commissioner and Czar of Discipline respectively.
First the NHL had to be pressured to review Chris Pronger's stomp on Ryan Kesler. Then when it did, Mr. Campbell only gave Pronger a slap on the wrist in an eight-game suspension. Yet Chris Simon, who did the exact same thing, received a 30-game suspension.
Mr. Campbell I read your retort to Simon. The reactions by both players were in the same context. Both players were hacked off and both retaliated in the same way. At the time of their most recent unsportsmanlike conduct, both had seven previous suspensions against them. Both had recent previous suspensions too.
It galls me to no end the hypocrisy and the double standard between the two suspensions. Mr Bettman, I read your reply to a player who didn't like the new sweaters earlier this year, and you said it was just one player who didn't like them. Well Mr. Bettman, I am not just one die-hard NHL fan who feels Pronger's most recent suspension was too light.
A majority of fans feel the same way I do. I can find the polls that prove it too.
It's not just fans who feel this way either, many NHL journalists do too. Scott Morrison with CBC and Wes Goldstein with CBS to name just two off the top of my head. Again, I can find more.
Why is there this double standard? Is it because Pronger is a high-profile player and Simon is a fourth-line player? Is it because Brian Burke formerly worked at NHL offices? Is it because the NHL is supporting Sunbelt teams and newer teams more than traditional teams?
These inconstancies, double standards, and improprieties shine a negative light on the NHL. They take away from a wonderful sport. I hope in the future they are eliminated.
Thank you for your time.
Monday, March 17, 2008
Losing, Boycott and Selection Sunday
The Wings look like they're on another streak. This time a losing one. The Wings are having a hard time with Central Division teams this year. I don't know what's wrong with them. Sure they're still having injury problems, but so are the Avalanche, and they're doing very well.
Listening or watching hockey keeps me away from ESPN. So continuing the boycott was pretty easy. I also watched some college basketball on CBS. Speaking of which, the Hoosiers are on a losing streak too. It was a tough weekend. The Hoosiers also have a tough draw in the tournament, but I can understand it, given the losing streak and inconsistent play since Kelvin Sampson left.
Hopefully both my teams will turn around their recent fortunes.
Listening or watching hockey keeps me away from ESPN. So continuing the boycott was pretty easy. I also watched some college basketball on CBS. Speaking of which, the Hoosiers are on a losing streak too. It was a tough weekend. The Hoosiers also have a tough draw in the tournament, but I can understand it, given the losing streak and inconsistent play since Kelvin Sampson left.
Hopefully both my teams will turn around their recent fortunes.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
ESPN Boycott Day 1
Note: As a result of traveling and slow, intermittent Internet access this is a day late.
On the drive into work I kept the radio off, I missed the Bob Picozzi college basketball scores, but that's about it. I realized if I had had the radio on and listening to 1000 from Chicago, an ESPN affiliate, I probably would have been mad not hearing the hockey scores. Even though locally I might have heard that the Blackhawks lost to the Red Wings the night before.
Anyway I turned on the radio at about Columbus, Indiana and picked up CKLW from Windsor, Ontario. Now it's not a sports specific radio station, but about every 20 minutes they give sports updates. I heard all the hockey scores - including NHL and OHL scores, heard the Pistons and Raptors scores, and also the Tigers split-squad scores.
As I got closer to Indy I turned the station to 1260 WNDE, a Fox Sports affiliate. To be honest it's not really good at providing the NHL scores. At least Fox, as an organization, doesn't seem as anti-hockey from the top down as ESPN is. Most if not all the regional Fox Sports networks showcase NHL teams too.
Oddly enough almost right after I posted my blog entry yesterday, I found an ESPN related topic on a Red Wings message board. A poster there posted that Tim Comlishaw mentioned the NHL on Around the Horn yesterday.
This was my response:
I don't care what ESPN says anymore. I'm officially boycotting everything ESPN except the website. ESPN is obviously run by hockey haters, from the top down. This mindset is ingrained in all of its employees. It's obvious to me that Comlishaw is just throwing hockey fans a bone, but in my opinion it's not enough. I hope the NHL never goes back to ESPN. I've decided I'd rather hunt to try to find it on the web, NBC, Versus, Fox Sports regional networks or any other network besides the world-wide entertainment leader.
I should edit that to read "ingrained in most of its employees" instead of all. I doubt John Buccigross or Barry Melrose hate hockey, but that's probably just two out of thousands.
On the drive into work I kept the radio off, I missed the Bob Picozzi college basketball scores, but that's about it. I realized if I had had the radio on and listening to 1000 from Chicago, an ESPN affiliate, I probably would have been mad not hearing the hockey scores. Even though locally I might have heard that the Blackhawks lost to the Red Wings the night before.
Anyway I turned on the radio at about Columbus, Indiana and picked up CKLW from Windsor, Ontario. Now it's not a sports specific radio station, but about every 20 minutes they give sports updates. I heard all the hockey scores - including NHL and OHL scores, heard the Pistons and Raptors scores, and also the Tigers split-squad scores.
As I got closer to Indy I turned the station to 1260 WNDE, a Fox Sports affiliate. To be honest it's not really good at providing the NHL scores. At least Fox, as an organization, doesn't seem as anti-hockey from the top down as ESPN is. Most if not all the regional Fox Sports networks showcase NHL teams too.
Oddly enough almost right after I posted my blog entry yesterday, I found an ESPN related topic on a Red Wings message board. A poster there posted that Tim Comlishaw mentioned the NHL on Around the Horn yesterday.
This was my response:
I don't care what ESPN says anymore. I'm officially boycotting everything ESPN except the website. ESPN is obviously run by hockey haters, from the top down. This mindset is ingrained in all of its employees. It's obvious to me that Comlishaw is just throwing hockey fans a bone, but in my opinion it's not enough. I hope the NHL never goes back to ESPN. I've decided I'd rather hunt to try to find it on the web, NBC, Versus, Fox Sports regional networks or any other network besides the world-wide entertainment leader.
I should edit that to read "ingrained in most of its employees" instead of all. I doubt John Buccigross or Barry Melrose hate hockey, but that's probably just two out of thousands.
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Open letter to Mike and Mike
Hello,
Due to the show's lack of hockey chat and updates I will no longer listen to Mike and Mike.
I really like you two and admire your work. It's funny and informative.
Alas I'm a hockey fan for better or worse, and while I'm in the minority, it's my passion. It by far exceeds my interest in any other sport.
Frankly I need to more coverage of hockey in the morning. It's sorely lacking throughout the states.
As the self-proclaimed "world-wide leader" in sports I would think ESPN would be leading the charge, yet sadly this is not the case. I would love to hear interviews with hockey players and hockey analysts.
Also the lack of the previous night's scores is extremely galling. I remember one day in particular this past week there were three or four NHL games the previous night, yet only one game's final score was mentioned the following morning.
I'm tired of baseball's steroid scandal. In my opinion Mike and Mike's coverage of it this past week was akin to Entertainment Tonight's coverage of Britney Spears or Paris Hilton. I care more about what happens on the ice, court or field.
That's where the focus should be. It shouldn't be on a courtroom, on the combine, nor on a soap opera.
Thank you for your time.
Due to the show's lack of hockey chat and updates I will no longer listen to Mike and Mike.
I really like you two and admire your work. It's funny and informative.
Alas I'm a hockey fan for better or worse, and while I'm in the minority, it's my passion. It by far exceeds my interest in any other sport.
Frankly I need to more coverage of hockey in the morning. It's sorely lacking throughout the states.
As the self-proclaimed "world-wide leader" in sports I would think ESPN would be leading the charge, yet sadly this is not the case. I would love to hear interviews with hockey players and hockey analysts.
Also the lack of the previous night's scores is extremely galling. I remember one day in particular this past week there were three or four NHL games the previous night, yet only one game's final score was mentioned the following morning.
I'm tired of baseball's steroid scandal. In my opinion Mike and Mike's coverage of it this past week was akin to Entertainment Tonight's coverage of Britney Spears or Paris Hilton. I care more about what happens on the ice, court or field.
That's where the focus should be. It shouldn't be on a courtroom, on the combine, nor on a soap opera.
Thank you for your time.
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Ads on Uniforms
The Toronto Star is reporting advertisements on NHL uniforms might be just around the corner. To add insult to injury it's an idea that's supported by several players including Martin Brodeur and Dominik Hasek.
It's an awful idea in my opinon, and I couldn't disagree more with Dwayne Roloson.
"They have (uniform ads) in Europe and it doesn't take away from the true jersey look," he said.
The Star also reports a few teams are in financial trouble despite the new collective bargaining agreement, and adding ads would help the troubled teams.
"Clubs like the Phoenix Coyotes, Nashville Predators and Atlanta Thrashers are hemorrhaging money – one investment banker who specializes in pro sports says the Coyotes have lost as much as $30 million (U.S.) a year in recent seasons."
Sorry to say, but I'd rather see them move or fold before I and other die-hard fans have to endure the monstrosities like the uniforms in Europe.
Anyway the ads to take away from the uniforms contrary to what Roloson said.
It's also a slippery slope. Soon after the goalies don NASCAR-like unforms, all hockey players will be wearing them.
I guess the NHL didn't get my memo that I won't buy jerseys anymore after the RBK Edge disaster. This proposed move will set my resolve in stone.
Below, Brodeur sports a proposed new ad-ladened sweater.
It's an awful idea in my opinon, and I couldn't disagree more with Dwayne Roloson.
"They have (uniform ads) in Europe and it doesn't take away from the true jersey look," he said.
The Star also reports a few teams are in financial trouble despite the new collective bargaining agreement, and adding ads would help the troubled teams.
"Clubs like the Phoenix Coyotes, Nashville Predators and Atlanta Thrashers are hemorrhaging money – one investment banker who specializes in pro sports says the Coyotes have lost as much as $30 million (U.S.) a year in recent seasons."
Sorry to say, but I'd rather see them move or fold before I and other die-hard fans have to endure the monstrosities like the uniforms in Europe.
Anyway the ads to take away from the uniforms contrary to what Roloson said.
It's also a slippery slope. Soon after the goalies don NASCAR-like unforms, all hockey players will be wearing them.
I guess the NHL didn't get my memo that I won't buy jerseys anymore after the RBK Edge disaster. This proposed move will set my resolve in stone.
Below, Brodeur sports a proposed new ad-ladened sweater.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Still seething
It's been a few days now, and just now I'm starting to calm down. Sunday the Anaheim Ducks visited the Detroit Red Wings for NBC's game of the week. If you didn't watch it, you've probably seen, heard or read about the low lights of the game Particularly Niklas Lidstrom's goal with about 40 seconds to go in the game that was waived off by one of the referees.
The game started OK for the Wings, but they played tentatively until the first goal. After that they played OK, but a couple of miscues led to two more goals for Ducks. The second goal was classic Chris Osgood ineffectiveness, giving up a goal from a shot near the blue line. The third Ducks goal was a total defensive breakdown. The Wings defensemen simply watched Kent Huskins skate by them and score the goal. No checking at all.
So the Wings should have made better plays at those times
Still it's hard to deny just how horrible referee Dan O'Halloran's call, waiving off Lidstrom's goal, was. It's inexcusable!
This season, Red Wings fans are familiar with seeing goals waived off because Tomas Holmstrom is doing his job around the crease, causing havoc for the opposing goalie. The one Sunday was probably about the seventh one I've seen this year. Some were called correctly, some weren't. Clearly, Sunday's waive off was wrong. It's not just Wings fans who upset about this. Prominent national hockey writers Michael Farber and Damian Cox feel the same.
In his article Monday Farber said Sundays refs weren't ready for prime time.
Cox said O'Halloran was dead wrong.
If you don't believe them, see for yourself.
Not in the crease.
Not in the crease.
Not in the crease.
In the crease, but before the shot.
Not in the crease.
Not in the crease, puck in the net.
Not in the crease, puck in the net.
Definitely a horrible call. Worst I've seen in years.
Two more points J.S. Giguere ran into Holmstrom, and because he did he was out of position to make the save.
The game started OK for the Wings, but they played tentatively until the first goal. After that they played OK, but a couple of miscues led to two more goals for Ducks. The second goal was classic Chris Osgood ineffectiveness, giving up a goal from a shot near the blue line. The third Ducks goal was a total defensive breakdown. The Wings defensemen simply watched Kent Huskins skate by them and score the goal. No checking at all.
So the Wings should have made better plays at those times
Still it's hard to deny just how horrible referee Dan O'Halloran's call, waiving off Lidstrom's goal, was. It's inexcusable!
This season, Red Wings fans are familiar with seeing goals waived off because Tomas Holmstrom is doing his job around the crease, causing havoc for the opposing goalie. The one Sunday was probably about the seventh one I've seen this year. Some were called correctly, some weren't. Clearly, Sunday's waive off was wrong. It's not just Wings fans who upset about this. Prominent national hockey writers Michael Farber and Damian Cox feel the same.
In his article Monday Farber said Sundays refs weren't ready for prime time.
The question, forgetting any motives for NBC's munificence, is: if the network can have the best game, can the NHL have "flex" referees.
Chris Rooney and Dan O'Halloran were entrusted with the Ducks - Red Wings game in Detroit on Sunday, a match that the network homed in on after immediately bailing on Penguins - Flyers as soon as Sidney Crosby sprained his ankle. Good call.
NBC got everything it wanted: a stirring 3-2 Ducks win in a game redolent of the playoffs in front of a full house, finally, at Joe Louis Arena.
Unfortunately, Rooney and O'Halloran didn't seem up to the challenge. O'Halloran waved off Nick Lidstrom's apparent tying goal with 41 seconds left because teammate Tomas Holmstrom supposedly interfered with Ducks goalie J-S Giguère. Now, Holmstrom was born with a GPS in his cerebellum. He almost never puts his skates in the blue paint of the crease. Nor did he do it this time. According to replays, he didn't jostle the goalie, either.
O'Halloran blew the whistle and made one of those "incidental contact" decisions, the single most vexing option in the rulebook. (Note to NHL: If there is truly goalie interference, call the two-minute minor and disallow the goal. If it isn't, then let them play. The "incidental contact" rule is absurd.)
In a league that is contemplating all kinds of out-of-the-box changes to increase goal scoring, a ref took away what appeared to be a perfectly legitimate goal -- two, in fact, counting the one that would have been scored in overtime or awarded for the penalty shootout.
There were less egregious examples of misjudgment -- Anaheim's Chris Kunitz escaped punishment for punching Mikael Samuelsson -- but NBC analysts Ed Olczyk and Pierre McGuire, neither of whom are known as ref bashers, were tough on the striped shirts. In a post-game email to On the Fly, Stephen Walkom, director of officiating, wrote that both O'Halloran and Rooney "have worked well" this season and that the call on Lidstrom's disallowed goal "made in real time demonstrated real focus and was truly an exceptional call."
Everyone should have a boss as loyal as Walkom.
Anyway, while Rooney and O'Halloran might be top tier officials this season, the NHL should settle for nothing less than its top two referees for the game of the week. That, of course, doesn't preclude an officiating misstep -- or "an exceptional call" if you believe the NHL gospel -- but it gives NBC and the league their best chance of the refs not becoming part of the national story.
Cox said O'Halloran was dead wrong.
The NHL is very good at disciplining and suspending its players.
Someday, it would be nice to see them apply some performance standards to their on-ice officials outside of firing the ones they don't like at the end of the season.
Yesterday afternoon, the Red Wings and Ducks went at it in an humdinger of a hockey game, won 3-2 by Anaheim. The crime, however, was that the Wings clearly scored in the final minute of play on a Nicklas Lidstrom shot from the point that beat J.S. Giguere but had it incorrectly waved off by veteran official Dan O'Halloran.
O'Halloran thought he saw Tomas Holmstrom interfering with Giguere, and whistled incidental contact, with no penalty. Holmstrom, however, was clearly outside the blue paint with his back to the Anaheim goalie, setting up a perfect screen, and Giguere moved out and bumped the Detroit player as the puck went by him.
It was particularly strange given that Anaheim, not Detroit, is one of the most notorious crease-crashing teams in the NHL, and that there was an extraordinary amount of obvious interference by defencemen on forecheckers let go in the game, the same kind of interfererence that the league is permitting to increase in virtually every game these days.
If O'Halloran had wanted to call interference, he had a dozen incidents during the contest for which he could have raised his arm rather than on a play on which interference actually didn't occur.
Detroit made a great play to set up the game-tying shot, and Holmstrom did a great job NOT to interfere with Giguere.
But O'Halloran took it away. Totally blew the call.
The NBA has allowed several games to be replayed, including one this year.
Wouldn't you love to see the NHL, in this case, rule the goal should have stood and force the two teams to finish the game at a later date? Or to suspend O'Halloran for making such a grievous error?
Don't bet on either scenario unfolding, and no one's going to lose sleep because the mighty Red Wings didn't get a point yesterday.
But make no mistake about it - they got screwed.
If you don't believe them, see for yourself.
Not in the crease.
Not in the crease.
Not in the crease.
In the crease, but before the shot.
Not in the crease.
Not in the crease, puck in the net.
Not in the crease, puck in the net.
Definitely a horrible call. Worst I've seen in years.
Two more points J.S. Giguere ran into Holmstrom, and because he did he was out of position to make the save.
Friday, February 08, 2008
Hockey in SoIn
Last night, I wanted to watch the Red Wings - Kings game. Since it wasn't on Versus, I called around to sports bars, and none of them had Center Ice. From the sound of things I doubt the people knew. They just guesstimated to get off the phone.
Then I have my sister call around, and since I wasn't getting anywhere with Center Ice, I tell her to ask if they have the Fox Sports regional networks.
One was willing to order Fox Sports Detroit for us. Success! Or at least I think.
Drove there and I explain to the waitress my situation that the manager ordered the game, etc.
"So if you could have one of the TV turned to the game I'd appreciate it."
Waitress comes back and says it's already on one TV in back. Cool.
So we move and there's Larry Murphy with some pre-game chatter. Couldn't hear it though, but that's OK. I'm at a bar and ready to watch the game. Order Guinness and food, 7:30 rolls around, and bam! The picture is gone! Black screen with some instructions on how to order the station.
Needless to say I'm disappointed, but the assistant manager looks for it on other stations and ... nothing.
We finish our beer and food and leave.
All I got to say is it's tough being an NHL fan in Indiana. I'm working on moving farther north.
A few months ago I was out and about and looking for the Red Wings - Blues game on Versus. This is what happened.
Visited a local sports bar tonight and I asked, "Do you have Versus?"
The bartender was like "What!?"
"You know Versus, formerly known as OLN - Outdoor Life Network. I want to watch the hockey game tonight."
"I don't know. I'll ask the manager."
At this point I was flabbergasted. Granted I'm in southern Indiana, but I still expected a sports bar to know about Versus. I ordered a Guinness, surprised the bar had that.
After about five minutes two bartenders and a manager still couldn't find it. The DirectTV menu they had said Versus was on 608. They turned it to 608 and nothing! That was a major disappointment on my part. So even with my Guinness just three quarters finished I settle up and leave.
I drive to another recommended sports bar. It was so shady looking, I just kept on driving. While driving though I was able to find the St. Louis broadcast on KMOX; that was a plus.
So I head to a pizza place. At the bar everybody's watching a basketball game, like at the first bar.
Anyway I ask if the bartender could turn one of the TVs to Versus.
"What's Versus?!"
I was slack jawed!
Again I explain what Versus is, it's former name, and probable number, 608.
The bartender plugs in 608 again, and again, nothing! She searches and finds Versus on 603! Must've been a typo.
So while I loathe ESPN, and its coverage and treatment of the NHL, I'm ready to concede, at least some NHL games should be on the four-letter network. It would be far easier for die-hard fans and casual fans to find it. Still I want games on Versus too, since it only shows games two nights per week.
Then I have my sister call around, and since I wasn't getting anywhere with Center Ice, I tell her to ask if they have the Fox Sports regional networks.
One was willing to order Fox Sports Detroit for us. Success! Or at least I think.
Drove there and I explain to the waitress my situation that the manager ordered the game, etc.
"So if you could have one of the TV turned to the game I'd appreciate it."
Waitress comes back and says it's already on one TV in back. Cool.
So we move and there's Larry Murphy with some pre-game chatter. Couldn't hear it though, but that's OK. I'm at a bar and ready to watch the game. Order Guinness and food, 7:30 rolls around, and bam! The picture is gone! Black screen with some instructions on how to order the station.
Needless to say I'm disappointed, but the assistant manager looks for it on other stations and ... nothing.
We finish our beer and food and leave.
All I got to say is it's tough being an NHL fan in Indiana. I'm working on moving farther north.
A few months ago I was out and about and looking for the Red Wings - Blues game on Versus. This is what happened.
Visited a local sports bar tonight and I asked, "Do you have Versus?"
The bartender was like "What!?"
"You know Versus, formerly known as OLN - Outdoor Life Network. I want to watch the hockey game tonight."
"I don't know. I'll ask the manager."
At this point I was flabbergasted. Granted I'm in southern Indiana, but I still expected a sports bar to know about Versus. I ordered a Guinness, surprised the bar had that.
After about five minutes two bartenders and a manager still couldn't find it. The DirectTV menu they had said Versus was on 608. They turned it to 608 and nothing! That was a major disappointment on my part. So even with my Guinness just three quarters finished I settle up and leave.
I drive to another recommended sports bar. It was so shady looking, I just kept on driving. While driving though I was able to find the St. Louis broadcast on KMOX; that was a plus.
So I head to a pizza place. At the bar everybody's watching a basketball game, like at the first bar.
Anyway I ask if the bartender could turn one of the TVs to Versus.
"What's Versus?!"
I was slack jawed!
Again I explain what Versus is, it's former name, and probable number, 608.
The bartender plugs in 608 again, and again, nothing! She searches and finds Versus on 603! Must've been a typo.
So while I loathe ESPN, and its coverage and treatment of the NHL, I'm ready to concede, at least some NHL games should be on the four-letter network. It would be far easier for die-hard fans and casual fans to find it. Still I want games on Versus too, since it only shows games two nights per week.
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
Ice Girls
Several NHL clubs have Ice Girls, women who during timeouts clean the ice around the nets and boards among other things. Teams I know have them are listed below. There might be more teams that have them, but those are the ones I know for sure. I did a quick check but didn't find any for the other teams. Anyway, since they represent hockey teams, in my opinion, they should be required to wear hockey skates instead of figure skates. Seems like most wear figure skates from what I can tell. So that's my opinion of them. What's yours?
Anaheim Ducks Power Players
Atlanta Thrashers Blue Crew
Boston Bruins Ice Girls
Calgary Flames Ice Crew
Carolina Hurricanes Storm Squad
Chicago Blackhawks Ice Crew
Columbus Blue Jackets Power Patrol and Ice Crew
Dallas Stars Ice Girls and their MySpace page
Florida Panthers Ice Dancers
Nashville Predators Goal Girls and Dancers
New York Islanders Ice Girls
Ottawa Senators Power Patrol
Philadelphia Flyers Ice Team
Phoenix Coyotes The Pack
Pitsburgh Penguins Pens Patrol
Tampa Bay Lightning Girls
Vancouver Canucks Ice Team
It should be noted not all listed above are strictly Ice Girls, some of these crews, squads, etc. have male participants too.
Anaheim Ducks Power Players
Atlanta Thrashers Blue Crew
Boston Bruins Ice Girls
Calgary Flames Ice Crew
Carolina Hurricanes Storm Squad
Chicago Blackhawks Ice Crew
Columbus Blue Jackets Power Patrol and Ice Crew
Dallas Stars Ice Girls and their MySpace page
Florida Panthers Ice Dancers
Nashville Predators Goal Girls and Dancers
New York Islanders Ice Girls
Ottawa Senators Power Patrol
Philadelphia Flyers Ice Team
Phoenix Coyotes The Pack
Pitsburgh Penguins Pens Patrol
Tampa Bay Lightning Girls
Vancouver Canucks Ice Team
It should be noted not all listed above are strictly Ice Girls, some of these crews, squads, etc. have male participants too.
Monday, February 04, 2008
Brodeur speaks out
This is about a month old now, but now Martin Brodeur is saying the goalie pads should be reduced in this Sports Illustrated article.
I read somewhere that it's not the pad size, but the pad thickness that matters most. That's a great point. Pads should cover a goalie's body, but what's more important is thickness. Another point is the chest protectors, they're massively huge now. Something is definitely wrong when goalies who are 5'11" and 150 pounds look like hulks. Undercover police officers who wear bullet proof vests don't look like that. They don't look like big. Again the technology is there to make the gear smaller. So instead of making goals bigger, make goalie gear smaller. Sometimes less is more.
When players of Brodeur's, Patrick Roy's, and Phil Esposito's stature complain about goalie gear, that it should be reduced in size, the League has an obligation to listen to them. It better too, because if not the NHL says bigger nets are on the way.
I read somewhere that it's not the pad size, but the pad thickness that matters most. That's a great point. Pads should cover a goalie's body, but what's more important is thickness. Another point is the chest protectors, they're massively huge now. Something is definitely wrong when goalies who are 5'11" and 150 pounds look like hulks. Undercover police officers who wear bullet proof vests don't look like that. They don't look like big. Again the technology is there to make the gear smaller. So instead of making goals bigger, make goalie gear smaller. Sometimes less is more.
When players of Brodeur's, Patrick Roy's, and Phil Esposito's stature complain about goalie gear, that it should be reduced in size, the League has an obligation to listen to them. It better too, because if not the NHL says bigger nets are on the way.
Monday, December 24, 2007
Listen to Sid the Kid
Brian Costello, of The Hockey News, reports that Sidney Crosby said that the size of goalie equipment needs to be reduced
"Like E.F. Hutton, when Sidney Crosby speaks, people listen. Crosby is the NHL’s best marketing tool: the league wants him playing in every NHL city every season and is doing what it can to balance the schedule.
So when Crosby told The Hockey News recently he thinks the NHL should take further steps to reduce the size of goalie equipment, you know the league heard the echoes over and over again."
Last week it was reported that Dallas Stars goalies made fun of Roberto Luongo because he wears an extra flap, for protection, on his pads. James Mirtle mentioned it in his blog too.
"So it was surprising to hear the news Vancouver’s Roberto Luongo is playing with two small extra knee flaps, which extend outside the allowable 11-inch width of each pad near the knee.
The fact Luongo’s getting away with this is astonishing. Even Dallas goalies Marty Turco and Mike Smith made light of the extra flaps by donning exaggerated cardboards flaps of their own in mock jest, of course."
It doesn't make sense to me why the NHL allows Luongo to exceed the stated rules. It also doesn't make sense to me why the NHL is considering making the nets bigger when it could reduce the size of goalie equipment. The technology is there to do so.
Phil Esposito also thinks the size of goalie equipment should be reduced, and specifically said the gloves of today are enormous compared to when he played.
"Like E.F. Hutton, when Sidney Crosby speaks, people listen. Crosby is the NHL’s best marketing tool: the league wants him playing in every NHL city every season and is doing what it can to balance the schedule.
So when Crosby told The Hockey News recently he thinks the NHL should take further steps to reduce the size of goalie equipment, you know the league heard the echoes over and over again."
Last week it was reported that Dallas Stars goalies made fun of Roberto Luongo because he wears an extra flap, for protection, on his pads. James Mirtle mentioned it in his blog too.
"So it was surprising to hear the news Vancouver’s Roberto Luongo is playing with two small extra knee flaps, which extend outside the allowable 11-inch width of each pad near the knee.
The fact Luongo’s getting away with this is astonishing. Even Dallas goalies Marty Turco and Mike Smith made light of the extra flaps by donning exaggerated cardboards flaps of their own in mock jest, of course."
It doesn't make sense to me why the NHL allows Luongo to exceed the stated rules. It also doesn't make sense to me why the NHL is considering making the nets bigger when it could reduce the size of goalie equipment. The technology is there to do so.
Phil Esposito also thinks the size of goalie equipment should be reduced, and specifically said the gloves of today are enormous compared to when he played.
Saturday, December 22, 2007
To grow the game or not to grow the game
Terry Frei wrote a great article I think every hockey fan should read. He made some really good points, and I agree with him.
The pursuit of fans: How far is far enough for the NHL?
"Should the league make the attempt to convert the uninitiated a top priority, especially in territories with neither hockey tradition nor public rinks? Or should it abandon that as a counterproductive quest for the Impossible Dream?"
Later he concludes.
"I usually settle on a happy medium, which seems to be the league's unofficial position. Especially while dealing with in-arena and local broadcasting issues, the trick is to avoid turning off the hard core with pursuit of the "new" fans. I'm passionately against some of the bush-league stunts that plague us -- screaming hucksters on microphones in the stands during stoppages, childish implorations on scoreboard screens and generic U.S. game-night experiences that seem to have been dreamed up by geeks with sports marketing degrees who rose to the top of dual basketball-hockey ownership organizations."
While surfing during the Red Wings game last night I found that article. Then I went to another site and found this article written by Larry Dobrow. I'm thinking he has a lot of reasons why attendance might be down in some hockey markets. Then I get toward the end and he contradicts himself where hockey is concerned.
"Hockey, maybe? My most recent NHL experience, on Tuesday night, was loud and expensive, but no other sport benefits as much from in-person consumption as does hockey. Them's guys done skated fast!"
The pursuit of fans: How far is far enough for the NHL?
"Should the league make the attempt to convert the uninitiated a top priority, especially in territories with neither hockey tradition nor public rinks? Or should it abandon that as a counterproductive quest for the Impossible Dream?"
Later he concludes.
"I usually settle on a happy medium, which seems to be the league's unofficial position. Especially while dealing with in-arena and local broadcasting issues, the trick is to avoid turning off the hard core with pursuit of the "new" fans. I'm passionately against some of the bush-league stunts that plague us -- screaming hucksters on microphones in the stands during stoppages, childish implorations on scoreboard screens and generic U.S. game-night experiences that seem to have been dreamed up by geeks with sports marketing degrees who rose to the top of dual basketball-hockey ownership organizations."
While surfing during the Red Wings game last night I found that article. Then I went to another site and found this article written by Larry Dobrow. I'm thinking he has a lot of reasons why attendance might be down in some hockey markets. Then I get toward the end and he contradicts himself where hockey is concerned.
"Hockey, maybe? My most recent NHL experience, on Tuesday night, was loud and expensive, but no other sport benefits as much from in-person consumption as does hockey. Them's guys done skated fast!"
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