What a horrible series, just terrible. And not just because of the outcome. The truth is that even had the Canucks prevailed last night, I still would feel very bad about this series.
There is something wrong with the NHL and that fact, which I now cannot deny, is killing me because hockey was my last sports refuge, the place I found a man's game played by men according to a code I recognize and respect, with skill, grit and determination.
People tell me that this has been going on for a long time and that I am only now seeing it because it is just so blatant. This may be so.
In any case, at this point I think any leader of the Canucks has to go in figuring that the other side will have a green light. They need an enforcer, big time. Someone who can fight a Chara/Lurch and win.
I'm not going to think about hockey for awhile. This one is going to hurt.
I really enjoyed watching the Canucks and Bruins play. I don't know much about hockey, but I could become a serious fan. Are hockey players as spoiled rotten as other pro athletes? It looks to me like they earn their money in a way that makes the NFL players look like marshmallows.
I stopped watching MLB and the NBA years ago; the rich, whining crybabies were too much for me. Now, with all the hair-pulling and eye-gouging and ridiculousness of the current player/owner "negotiations", I'm contemplating turning off the NFL too, and enjoying more college games.
Lacrosse is my main sport I love. I have met several NHL players, nice down to earth people. I don't know about other teams in the NHL, but the Avs practices were open to the public and free. After practice sessions the players would stick around to talk to fans and to sign autographs for the kids. What is different about hockey is that is it more international. Where as the NFL is not so much. When the NBA players started moaning and crying about having to wear suits to the locker room before a game I thought spoiled brats, the NHL has been doing that for a long time.
There are gentlemen and there are goons. People go into hockey because the grew up playing it and they love the sport. Sure people grew up playing other sports, but it was more because it was a meal ticket rather than for love of the game.
Baseball now is probably done more for the love now than it used to, as well. The thing with hockey and baseball is that they have "dues paying" leagues. With basketball and football someone straight out of school (high school for basketball, college for football) is immediately thrust into tons of money. Baseball does have the disadvantage that juicers -- if not caught -- are worshiped for their home run production. I don't think hockey would give any real advantage to a juicer. That is not to say that hockey players are cleaner, it's just that the payoff is not as great.
Finish your check? When the puck is twenty feet away? That got Rome a four game suspension.
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry guys. What a terrible thing, I hope he will be all right.
ReplyDeleteI don't understand much about hockey but I was sure rooting for them.
WTF? Why wasn't the guy penalized???
Yeah - I'm not getting the lack of penalty either, especially after the 4-game suspension handed out for a head injury...
ReplyDeleteThe officiating sucked. Big time.
ReplyDeleteThre was one game (5 or 6) where there was a penaly called on every play...(well, it seemed that way)
And then tonight, there were only 3 penalties. So, no consistency on what or where or when a call is made.
The reason Boychuck was not penalized was because he wore the uniform of a Boston Bruin.
ReplyDeleteDon't tell me you were expecting sportsmanship from the NHL.
Thanks, Matt. I know next to nothing about hockey but was sure rooting for the Canucks.
ReplyDeleteThat is just a disgrace that he was not penalized. I wish something could be done about that.
Jourdan writes:
ReplyDeleteWhat a horrible series, just terrible. And not just because of the outcome. The truth is that even had the Canucks prevailed last night, I still would feel very bad about this series.
There is something wrong with the NHL and that fact, which I now cannot deny, is killing me because hockey was my last sports refuge, the place I found a man's game played by men according to a code I recognize and respect, with skill, grit and determination.
People tell me that this has been going on for a long time and that I am only now seeing it because it is just so blatant. This may be so.
In any case, at this point I think any leader of the Canucks has to go in figuring that the other side will have a green light. They need an enforcer, big time. Someone who can fight a Chara/Lurch and win.
I'm not going to think about hockey for awhile. This one is going to hurt.
Yes Boychuck should have been suspended indefinitely just like Todd Bertuzzi was when he made the hit on Avalanche Steve Moore in 2004.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed watching the Canucks and Bruins play. I don't know much about hockey, but I could become a serious fan. Are hockey players as spoiled rotten as other pro athletes? It looks to me like they earn their money in a way that makes the NFL players look like marshmallows.
ReplyDeleteI stopped watching MLB and the NBA years ago; the rich, whining crybabies were too much for me. Now, with all the hair-pulling and eye-gouging and ridiculousness of the current player/owner "negotiations", I'm contemplating turning off the NFL too, and enjoying more college games.
Lacrosse is my main sport I love. I have met several NHL players, nice down to earth people. I don't know about other teams in the NHL, but the Avs practices were open to the public and free. After practice sessions the players would stick around to talk to fans and to sign autographs for the kids. What is different about hockey is that is it more international. Where as the NFL is not so much. When the NBA players started moaning and crying about having to wear suits to the locker room before a game I thought spoiled brats, the NHL has been doing that for a long time.
ReplyDeleteThere are gentlemen and there are goons. People go into hockey because the grew up playing it and they love the sport. Sure people grew up playing other sports, but it was more because it was a meal ticket rather than for love of the game.
ReplyDeleteBaseball now is probably done more for the love now than it used to, as well. The thing with hockey and baseball is that they have "dues paying" leagues. With basketball and football someone straight out of school (high school for basketball, college for football) is immediately thrust into tons of money. Baseball does have the disadvantage that juicers -- if not caught -- are worshiped for their home run production. I don't think hockey would give any real advantage to a juicer. That is not to say that hockey players are cleaner, it's just that the payoff is not as great.
@RadioMattM:
ReplyDeleteI concur. I can not count the number of hours spent in my youth playing "street hockey" in the summers, and on the ice in the winters.