....it's not Russia anymore...it's the U.S.A....

[joewillie99]

...who we like to beat the most in hockey...Go Canada...

[sting6996]

10 years from now you wont have any Pro teams left.They will all move to the GREAT USAUSAUSA!!!!!!!!!!!!!:p:D

[Mats_44]

Can't wait, I'm going to the game tonight!!!! :D

[edge32]

what's hockey?

[joewillie99]

10 years from now you wont have any Pro teams left.They will all move to the GREAT USAUSAUSA!!!!!!!!!!!!!:p:D

....Des Moines,Iowa Vs Boise,Idaho for the Stanley Cup...I can't wait....

[sting6996]

....Des Moines,Iowa Vs Boise,Idaho for the Stanley Cup...I can't wait....

It could happen....:D

[TRDouble]

Oooo! Smack talk!

U-S-A! U-S-A!

[joewillie99]

It could happen....:D

...honestly?...those cities would draw more people than 6-8 teams now in the USA......

[joewillie99]

Oooo! Smack talk!

U-S-A! U-S-A!

...and if the U.S. could win every ten years or so,it might even turn in to a rivalry...;)...

[raltherr]

Why would you care about beating a country that doesn't even know they have a team? Wouldn't beating someone who cares be more satisfying?

[joewillie99]

Why would you care about beating a country that doesn't even know they have a team? Wouldn't beating someone who cares be more satisfying?

...like Kazakhstan?...we beat them...we move on....

[Rexy]

JVR WILL DESTROY!!!

Is the game televised here? My poor girlfriend is coming down to visit, and tomorrow she has to watch PSU/USC and possibly this, the Flyers Friday, and playoff football allllllllllll weekend! :D

[joewillie99]

JVR WILL DESTROY!!!

Is the game televised here? My poor girlfriend is coming down to visit, and tomorrow she has to watch PSU/USC and possibly this, the Flyers Friday, and playoff football allllllllllll weekend! :D

....I believe it's on the NHL Network...

[Poochiesdead]

It's on NHL Network which I don't get. :cool:

Go USA!

[joewillie99]

Can't wait, I'm going to the game tonight!!!! :D

...where are your seats?...

[Karnage]

I love beating the U.S, but come Olympic time, Russia will have an insane team if Ovie and Malkin can co-exist on the same team.

[Eddie20]

Des Moines??? Not a chance in hell. We can't hardly support the AHL.

[Wardo30]

USA USA USA USA!!!!!!!!

[Eazy-D66]

Why would you care about beating a country that doesn't even know they have a team? Wouldn't beating someone who cares be more satisfying?

I'd imagine there is a decent percentage who know they have a hockey team in spite of the fact that the large portion of Americans hate the sport (for whatever reason is beyond me considering the most popular sports down there. lol:rolleyes:).

That being said, the rivalry is there because USA Hockey has an excellent program and ices a competitive team. Given the fact that our countries are next to each other and our players play with and against each other in the CHL and NCAA the rivalry is natural. Russia is not what it was...hasn't been since the fall of the soviet union really (with the exception of some good years in the mix of course.

I just don't understand why more people in the US don't like hockey considering it exciting, high impact, fast action.....far more than basketball, baseball and football for that matter. And it's not to diss those sports (except basketball which blows) because I love both baseball and football (I HATE basketball....), it jut confuses me how more people can't like hockey.

[madcracker]

For my money, I'd still sooner beat up on the Russians in the gold medal game. To me that's the way it was meant to be.

I enjoy all of our boys' wins, but they're just a little sweeter against the Russians. Americans are a close second though.

[Eazy-D66]

I don't really care about Russia at all anymore....with the rare exception they're a bunch of no names....especially in goal. They haven't produced anyone good in forever......

[Karnage]

I don't really care about Russia at all anymore....with the rare exception they're a bunch of no names....especially in goal. They haven't produced anyone good in forever......

Nabokov and Khabbie are all I can think of right now. I wouldn't call them a bunch of no namers though.

[madcracker]

At the junior level, you're right. But although there are what, less than 30 Russian-born players on current NHL rosters, they can still put together an elite team at the professional level. Russian hockey has been in shambles for a long time, but I don't think that will last forever. They did still win the World Championships last year.

[Paul755]

I just don't understand why more people in the US don't like hockey considering it exciting, high impact, fast action.....far more than basketball, baseball and football for that matter. And it's not to diss those sports (except basketball which blows) because I love both baseball and football (I HATE basketball....), it jut confuses me how more people can't like hockey.
What's even more hilarious is that the greatest moment in American Sports History is The Miracle on Ice. Not the Greatest Game Ever Played, Not a World Series Game and Not a NBA Finals Game. It's a friggen Hockey Game against the Commies.

[Wardo30]

What's even more hilarious is that the greatest moment in American Sports History is The Miracle on Ice. Not the Greatest Game Ever Played, Not a World Series Game and Not a NBA Finals Game. It's a friggen Hockey Game against the Commies.

everyone likes beating the commies

[Mats_44]

...where are your seats?...

Behind the net, 4th row of the upper bowl. Nothing special but still decent seats. I have tickets for the entire medal round as well. :D

My buddy has 4th row seats behind the glass at dead centre ice right between the two team benches! :eek:

[Mats_44]

Nabokov and Khabbie are all I can think of right now. I wouldn't call them a bunch of no namers though.

Even then, Nabokov actually hails from Kazakhstan I believe........

[Mats_44]

What's even more hilarious is that the greatest moment in American Sports History is The Miracle on Ice. Not the Greatest Game Ever Played, Not a World Series Game and Not a NBA Finals Game. It's a friggen Hockey Game against the Commies.

You have to understand the political implications at the time that happened. It was the Olympics and it was during the height of the Cold War. It represented much more than a hockey game.

[madcracker]

Even then, Nabokov actually hails from Kazakhstan I believe........

Here's an interesting paragraph about his situation from Wikipedia:

While he is a Russian citizen, he was previously denied permission by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) to play for Russia, because he had played for Kazakhstan as a 19-year-old in the 1994 World Championships. In 2005, Nabokov was granted permission to play for Russia in the IIHF World Championships, but declined. Nabokov had tried to gain the IIHF's permission to play for Russia at the 2002 Winter Olympics, but failed as there were regulations in place forbidding players from representing two different countries.[9] He was finally allowed to play for Russia in the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy, after being given an exemption by the IIHF,[10] and was named to the Russian team for the 2008 World Championships [11]. During the 2008 World Championships he posted back-to-back shut-outs before defeating Canada 5-4 in the Gold Medal game. Team Russia won the 2008 IIHF World Championships, earning Nabokov his first gold medal.

[Sinden]

I will be at the game tonight, just sitting in my hotel room now. I am just inside the blueline about 15 rows up. Get to see the Canadians shooting on the U.S twice. Woohoo!!! And my girlfriend gets a nice few days away with me, its very romantic haha.

[Mats_44]

I will be at the game tonight, just sitting in my hotel room now. I am just inside the blueline about 15 rows up. Get to see the Canadians shooting on the U.S twice. Woohoo!!! And my girlfriend gets a nice few days away with me, its very romantic haha.

Nice. How much did those tickets run you?

[Sinden]

^

They were actually a gift from my parents, but seeing as we have some family friends in the hockey business and working with Team Canada I wouldn't say too much.

[HoosierDaddy]

I'd imagine there is a decent percentage who know they have a hockey team in spite of the fact that the large portion of Americans hate the sport (for whatever reason is beyond me considering the most popular sports down there. lol:rolleyes:).

That being said, the rivalry is there because USA Hockey has an excellent program and ices a competitive team. Given the fact that our countries are next to each other and our players play with and against each other in the CHL and NCAA the rivalry is natural. Russia is not what it was...hasn't been since the fall of the soviet union really (with the exception of some good years in the mix of course.

I just don't understand why more people in the US don't like hockey considering it exciting, high impact, fast action.....far more than basketball, baseball and football for that matter. And it's not to diss those sports (except basketball which blows) because I love both baseball and football (I HATE basketball....), it jut confuses me how more people can't like hockey.There in lies the problem. Americans can't understand why hockey fans claim it is fast paced. Why is is fast paced because they skate back and forth so fast? That doesn't make it fast paced. In hockey they rarely score. The only thing we see is a bunch of guys skating around with sticks hitting a little black thing that never goes anywhere except across the floor and around the wall as the guys all then chase after it. Since the scoring is so few and far between Americans become impatient with it. It is basically soccer on ice.

Americans just aren't into that sort of thing. They like Basketball because they score a lot. Everytime your team scores you get to cheer. You see a pattern? Americans love to see their team score as much as possible. It's why the Colts beating the Pats 38 - 34 is considered a great game while the Steelers beating the Ravens 10 - 3 is considered boring.

I'm not a big baseball fan and I won't argue on behalf of baseball because quite frankly, it bores me to death.

Football is loved because they see their teams score a lot but the reason football is the MOST popular sport because it uses stratagy and toughness. Not only do your guys need to be tough enough to be able to outplay the other team, your team needs to outsmart the opposing team. It's so exciting to see if you teams defense has the opponents offense figured out and can stuff them. It's exiting to watch the offense make the big play for the big score.

Again, that important word, SCORE comes into play. They score points in Football and basketball. In hockey, they aimlessly skate around for hours and hardly ever score. Then they will be skating and what looks like minding their own business and some wierd penalty will get called and we're like "what the hell was that".

Bottom line, hockey is NOT faced paced. It's just guys aimlessly skating fast. And they hardly score. You can't watch a group of guys stuff the other team right at the line to prevent a score. You can't watch the offense push a great defense and score on them.

You wanted to know why Americans aren't overwelmingly nuts about hockey, there you go. I enjoy an occasional hockey game but it isn't even comparable to a game of my favorite college basketball team, or ANY NFL game.

I cannot answer why Americans love baseball other then it is rooted in our past.

What's even more hilarious is that the greatest moment in American Sports History is The Miracle on Ice. Not the Greatest Game Ever Played, Not a World Series Game and Not a NBA Finals Game. It's a friggen Hockey Game against the Commies.
1. that isn't the greatest sports moment in USA history.
2. It was an olympic game and it was one the Russians were unbeatable at.
3. Beating the commies at their own game is what made it so great. It was NOT because it was a hockey game. It was completely because of competition against a rival enemy nation and we beat them.

[MapleLeafs20]

Even then, Nabokov actually hails from Kazakhstan I believe........

Nik Antropov too no?

[spurs_funatic]

This thread might actually mean something if more than 5% of Americans actually cared about hockey. :p :D

[mikedanger]

canadians picking on us in hockey, mexicans picking on us in soccer...what's next?

[petenfld]

Why would you care about beating a country that doesn't even know they have a team? Wouldn't beating someone who cares be more satisfying?

Good Point
There should be more Canadian teams in the tournament
West, Ontario, Quebec/East
or maybe one from every province and it would still be better
than half the teams in this tournament

[DJBurnside]

There in lies the problem. Americans can't understand why hockey fans claim it is fast paced. Why is is fast paced because they skate back and forth so fast? That doesn't make it fast paced. In hockey they rarely score. The only thing we see is a bunch of guys skating around with sticks hitting a little black thing that never goes anywhere except across the floor and around the wall as the guys all then chase after it. Since the scoring is so few and far between Americans become impatient with it. It is basically soccer on ice.

Americans just aren't into that sort of thing. They like Basketball because they score a lot. Everytime your team scores you get to cheer. You see a pattern? Americans love to see their team score as much as possible. It's why the Colts beating the Pats 38 - 34 is considered a great game while the Steelers beating the Ravens 10 - 3 is considered boring.

I'm not a big baseball fan and I won't argue on behalf of baseball because quite frankly, it bores me to death.

Football is loved because they see their teams score a lot but the reason football is the MOST popular sport because it uses stratagy and toughness. Not only do your guys need to be tough enough to be able to outplay the other team, your team needs to outsmart the opposing team. It's so exciting to see if you teams defense has the opponents offense figured out and can stuff them. It's exiting to watch the offense make the big play for the big score.

Again, that important word, SCORE comes into play. They score points in Football and basketball. In hockey, they aimlessly skate around for hours and hardly ever score. Then they will be skating and what looks like minding their own business and some wierd penalty will get called and we're like "what the hell was that".

Bottom line, hockey is NOT faced paced. It's just guys aimlessly skating fast. And they hardly score. You can't watch a group of guys stuff the other team right at the line to prevent a score. You can't watch the offense push a great defense and score on them.

You wanted to know why Americans aren't overwelmingly nuts about hockey, there you go. I enjoy an occasional hockey game but it isn't even comparable to a game of my favorite college basketball team, or ANY NFL game.

I cannot answer why Americans love baseball other then it is rooted in our past.


1. that isn't the greatest sports moment in USA history.
2. It was an olympic game and it was one the Russians were unbeatable at.
3. Beating the commies at their own game is what made it so great. It was NOT because it was a hockey game. It was completely because of competition against a rival enemy nation and we beat them.

I would say hands down the Miracle on Ice is the greatest sports moment in USA history

[petenfld]

canadians picking on us in hockey, mexicans picking on us in soccer...what's next?

Pakistan picking on US in cricket
New Zealand picking on US on rugby
Iraq picking on US in stoning
Israel picking on US in bullying
Germany picking on US in sausage fests
:p

[Bartlett]

I think HoosierDaddy needs to go suck down another Coor's light, and take his ADD meds. Sorry, your reasons given are pathetic, although typical.

[madcracker]

HD, if you can look at a hockey game and only see players skating around aimlessly, or not seeing defenses trying to outplay offenses, then you clearly don't understand the game. You don't need a lot of scoring for a game to be fast-paced. You make Americans sound unintelligent with your argument. Because hockey is not so simple as an offense pushing against a defense, and vice versa, Americans don't like it. I don't think Americans are that simple, but I don't know many of them. You'd be a better judge than me on that.

I think most Americans dislike hockey because they don't understand it. They can't follow the play and that makes it boring to them.

There are some really great knowledgeable American hockey fans on this board. I think you're trying to oversimplify the game.

[glove-save]

The biggest reason that many Americans don't follow hockey is that a vast majority don't play it growing up. Us Canadians grow up with the sport, we learn to skate at an early age, we have the climate for it. Where as with basketball, is not expensive to play, and is in every High School in the USA.
HD what you must realize that naturally every person can run and jump (refer to basketball), but it is a real skill to skate. There have been alot of guys with great hockey skills that never made it to the NHL because they aren't great skaters, and much like basketball, there are probably alot of guys who never made the NBA, not because of skill but because of size.

[glove-save]

GO CANADA GO !!!!!!!!

[Wardo30]

I heard you Canadians are born with ice skates on...I feel bad for your women :D

[22BOSSY]

Good night for hockey. Juniors follow by the battle of Alberta.
Then my own version of the outdoor classic tomorrow as it is finally warm enough to shovel off the pond just down the hill...lace them up.

[Eazy-D66]

There in lies the problem. Americans can't understand why hockey fans claim it is fast paced. Why is is fast paced because they skate back and forth so fast? That doesn't make it fast paced. In hockey they rarely score. The only thing we see is a bunch of guys skating around with sticks hitting a little black thing that never goes anywhere except across the floor and around the wall as the guys all then chase after it. Since the scoring is so few and far between Americans become impatient with it. It is basically soccer on ice.

It's fast paced because it is fast paced. Period. That's why there are no 300 pound linemen playing it, and there is not 10 seconds of gameplay with 35 seconds in between. And your scoring argument is ridiculous. In hockey, 1 goal is one goal....in football, one "touchdown" is 6 points? You make yourself sound foolish with this remark because you think a 38-34 game is high scoring when it is the same thing as a 5-4 game almost. (Obviously there are no field goals in hockey but you SHOULD get what I'm saying). So your scoring argument is hilarious, and most importantly WRONG. And I really don't think Americans are impatient with hockey, because everyone that I know who has been to a game loves it and there are plenty of American hockey freaks on here who love it. If any real american sports fan gave hockey a chance I'm pretty sure they would love it too, but most instead follow their own sport of choice blindly and don't care to expand their horizons. While I, for example, love hockey first and foremost but also play and watch football, baseball, soccer and rugby with a passion.


Americans just aren't into that sort of thing. They like Basketball because they score a lot. Everytime your team scores you get to cheer. You see a pattern? Americans love to see their team score as much as possible. It's why the Colts beating the Pats 38 - 34 is considered a great game while the Steelers beating the Ravens 10 - 3 is considered boring.

You say that a Ravens-Steelers game is boring but then go on to talk about how strategy and defense in football is exciting thereby making your own point moot. any kind of football is great in my opinion, so any real fan of the sport would not find that boring if they are truly engaged with the strategy, toughness, and defensive side of the game.

I'm not a big baseball fan and I won't argue on behalf of baseball because quite frankly, it bores me to death.

Baseball is awesome.


Football is loved because they see their teams score a lot but the reason football is the MOST popular sport because it uses stratagy and toughness. Not only do your guys need to be tough enough to be able to outplay the other team, your team needs to outsmart the opposing team. It's so exciting to see if you teams defense has the opponents offense figured out and can stuff them. It's exiting to watch the offense make the big play for the big score.

So no other sport involves strategy or toughness? lol First, as someone else pointed out this makes no sense. You're blindly supporting football as "be all and end all" of sports - which is not the case. Every sport has strategy, some as deep or even deeper than football. You can't tell the coaching and scouting staffs or teams who relentlessly study video of opposing teams in baseball, hockey and soccer that there is no strategy involved. You can't tell Rick Dipietro there is no strategy involved in knowing how each player on the Rangers shoots, you can't tell a manager there no strategy involved in bringing in a lefty reliever, and you can't tell me that there is no strategy in John Terry's masterful control of the backline at Stamford Bridge. The Left Wing Lock, The Neutral Zone Trap, and countless other strategies.....man...seriously what a horrible comment on your part. lol I'm just ranting now but come on. And your toughness remark is completely laughable....especially in regards to hockey AND I don't just mean in terms of fighting. If you try to tell me that 16 games of football is harder on the body than 82 games of hockey then you have never played the game before. And for every "amazing" block or tackle in football there are several equal to the task on a nightly basis in hockey.

Again, that important word, SCORE comes into play. They score points in Football and basketball. In hockey, they aimlessly skate around for hours and hardly ever score. Then they will be skating and what looks like minding their own business and some wierd penalty will get called and we're like "what the hell was that".

Now I just think you've never even tried to watch a hockey game before because there is anything BUT aimless skating going on. You do know there is a level above timbits hockey right? Geez. Yet again laughable. And Penalties - please. same **** different day....football has just as many blown calls as any other sport.

Bottom line, hockey is NOT faced paced. It's just guys aimlessly skating fast. And they hardly score. You can't watch a group of guys stuff the other team right at the line to prevent a score. You can't watch the offense push a great defense and score on them.

You don't know what you're talking about at all. Perhaps we have to make goals worth 6 points and give teams a shootout opportunity after every goal for the full 7 to make it worth it for you, but I once again must say your argument about scoring is entirely laughable. I don't even get what you're talking about with the good offense/defense garbage....

You wanted to know why Americans aren't overwelmingly nuts about hockey, there you go. I enjoy an occasional hockey game but it isn't even comparable to a game of my favorite college basketball team, or ANY NFL game.

You're opinion, but you didn't offer any sustainable reasoning. You should have just come out and said "I like football. Hockey is not football. I like football".

I cannot answer why Americans love baseball other then it is rooted in our past.

Baseball is awesome.

[/quote]

[ORian3182]

Thats why we have Broduer!! USA USA USA!!

[Ghost of AA62]

I never understood why Canadians get so amped for the WJHCs - an annual tournament of pre-college hockey players who will end up leading US NHL teams to the Stanley Cup; an annual tournament that reiterates the fact that Canadian grassroots hockey is still light-years ahead of every other country (except Russia) - its much worse than the US women's soccer team, except Brazil women's does offer a challenge and women's soccer is advancing tremendously on the world stage. I can understand getting excited for the Olympics and even the World Hockey Championships. If Canadian amateur sport really wants to impress, how about our junior soccer team winning a game when we are the host country for the world cup.

That's why there are no 300 pound linemen playing it

I guarantee you a lot of those 300 pound linemen in the modern NFL are more athletic than a lot of the NHL players I see today. Hockey does not possess the best athletes in North American sport, partly because overwhelming costs for registration, travel, equipment etc, keep hockey a sport almost exclusive to middle-upper class kids and teens.

[Ghost of AA62]

Israel picking on US in bullying

zing. :p

The biggest reason that many Americans don't follow hockey is that a vast majority don't play it growing up. Us Canadians grow up with the sport, we learn to skate at an early age, we have the climate for it. Where as with basketball, is not expensive to play, and is in every High School in the USA.
HD what you must realize that naturally every person can run and jump (refer to basketball), but it is a real skill to skate.

this post is dead on - climate coupled with heritage are what make hockey Canada's past-time, while the popularity of hockey in the US is confined to the northeastern states. But the argument about skating - give any physically normal child enough time to skate and they will skate, just with running and jumping. To say skating involves more skill than running or jumping, or that hockey entails more skill than a sport such as basketball or soccer, is not proper.

[glove-save]

zing. :p



. But the argument about skating - give any physically normal child enough time to skate and they will skate, just with running and jumping. To say skating involves more skill than running or jumping.

It takes balance to skate, running and jumping are normal for us primates

[Ghost of AA62]

so people who skate are evolutionarily more advanced...

didn't they make movie about a chimp on a hockey team.

[glove-save]

so people who skate are evolutionarily more advanced...

didn't they make movie about a chimp on a hockey team.

All I am saying is that skating is a skill that is learned, running and jumping comes naturally

[avsfan21]

Thats why we have Broduer!! USA USA USA!!

The USA doesnt have Broduer, he would play for Team Canada if he could. Anyway GO Sweden.

[HoosierDaddy]

I would say hands down the Miracle on Ice is the greatest sports moment in USA historyI disagree but it doesn't matter. It wasn't about hockey. It was about the USA beating Russia in a game where Russia (our mortal enemies at the time) was supposed to be unstoppable. It's politics. Period.

HD, if you can look at a hockey game and only see players skating around aimlessly, or not seeing defenses trying to outplay offenses, then you clearly don't understand the game. You don't need a lot of scoring for a game to be fast-paced. You make Americans sound unintelligent with your argument. Because hockey is not so simple as an offense pushing against a defense, and vice versa, Americans don't like it. I don't think Americans are that simple, but I don't know many of them. You'd be a better judge than me on that.

I think most Americans dislike hockey because they don't understand it. They can't follow the play and that makes it boring to them.

There are some really great knowledgeable American hockey fans on this board. I think you're trying to oversimplify the game.I agree, they don't understand it. Most of them don't have the climate to grow up playing it and many don't have the money to buy all the equipment it takes to be part of it. Don't get me started on the intelligence of the average American public. Especially in the big cities and urban area's Average Americans as so stupid it's embarrassing.

The biggest reason that many Americans don't follow hockey is that a vast majority don't play it growing up. Us Canadians grow up with the sport, we learn to skate at an early age, we have the climate for it. Where as with basketball, is not expensive to play, and is in every High School in the USA.
HD what you must realize that naturally every person can run and jump (refer to basketball), but it is a real skill to skate. There have been alot of guys with great hockey skills that never made it to the NHL because they aren't great skaters, and much like basketball, there are probably alot of guys who never made the NBA, not because of skill but because of size.I kinda answered this above and agree. I disagree with th skating part though. Many Americans ice skate in the winter. Anybody who is interested can learn how to do it. Maybe it's true not everybody can skate good enough to make it into the NHL but ice skating isn't like it's impossible. Anybody who wants to can learn how to ride a dirt bike can too. Doesn't mean they are capable of winning freestyle X Games.

All I did in my post was give valid reasons why the GENERAL American public doesn't get into hockey. Here in NE Indiana everybody is nuts about hockey and love the Ft Wayne Komets. So, I'm exposed to it.

Many of you underestimate how important it is for fans to see teams scoring. Soccer suffers the same as hockey in the US. There just isn't much scoring in most games. Americans are impatient and the game doesn't have enough scoreing, strategy (that general people can understand) and without that understanding, it does look like a bunch of giuys aimlissley skating back and forth chasing a puck. Impatient people won't stay long enough to understand the game witout the elements that will keep them there.


Easy-D66, I'm not even going to respond to your rant. You rant is about opinions. All your doing is screaming that my opinion is wrong and your wright. In the battle of opinions, there is never a winner. I explained the GENERAL American public and why it is most likely they don't get into hockey. Deny it or accept it, Americans mostly don't care about hockey. I gave valid reasons why from complains I've heard.

[chasefinder]

enjoy bro
I wish i was there
love the WJC
GO CANADA GO

Can't wait, I'm going to the game tonight!!!! :D

[HoosierDaddy]

canadians picking on us in hockey, mexicans picking on us in soccer...what's next?China putting together a football team and trying to challenge the NFL? Any country putting together a football team to challenge our NFL?;)

[Eazy-D66]

mine was anything but a rant on opinions! LOL what I did was
Answer your opinons my friend, yet you continue to talk about
This scoring issue LOL. Hilarious.

[Poochiesdead]

To stay on topic, the US just watched a 3-0 lead disappear...awesome...:cool:

[tragically fish]

that was a wild first period.

[Attack2000]

4-4? ... right now the germans, slovaks, and Kazikstan(sp?) are saying "see! not even they can stop each other!)

[johnious]

i think a lot more americans are more upset when they watch a game, look away for 5 seconds and miss a goal. i actually see a lot of not-yet-hockey-fans get upset about that, thank god for replay.


what it really gets down to is americans don't grow up with hockey. we can't just go out and play hockey on the streets like a lot of sports. basketball, there are hoops all over the place, and you just need a single ball. football, you grab a ball and find a field. hockey...you need a net, sticks, a ball/puck...god forbid you need someone to be a goalie. why is soccer so popular worldwide? all you need is that ball.

the nhl needs to really focus on expanding street hockey for kids, turn more dilapidated basketball and tennis courts into hockey courts, etc.

if you play actual ice hockey, it's EXPENSIVE. even if you buy pads, pants, helmets, skates, etc (again, god forbid you're a goalie), you have to pay for ICE TIME, which adds up over a growing career. It's tough, and those things definitely hurt people from getting into the sport, or more importantly, getting their kids into the sport.

then from a watching perspective, football gets a huge boost with americans because it's so easy to follow a player throughout a career. there is one set sequence: high school, college, NFL. in hockey, the minor leagues complicate things horribly.


I'm a huge hockey fan, but i didn't grow up in a hockey-friendly area or high school, so i see why it happens, and the nhl and hockey fans everywhere need to work on solving those problems in order to expand their fanbse...not through the stupid stuff they do now

[Poochiesdead]

This game is crazy.

[Attack2000]

Go Canada Go! That game belongs in the dvd library, what a classic!

[Mats_44]

Ya what a great game last night. Wasn't too happy with the refs though but that seems to be the norm for this tournament. Way too many power plays on silly calls that didn't even have anything to do with legitimate scoring chances. The refs need to let these teams play and fight it out a bit on their own. Nobody wants to see endless power plays decide the game.

The atmosphere was electric in the building tonight, if that is how it is for a round robin game I can hardly wait for the Semi Finals and the Gold Medal game!!

[maxxlouie]

To say skating involves more skill than running or jumping, or that hockey entails more skill than a sport such as basketball or soccer, is not proper.

May not be proper but it is correct. Biomechanically, the sport if hockey is the most difficult to do properly. You are in a constant state of falling forward, you have to keep your balance, handle an object with a stick, and be able to put it past a person who is blocking a 6' by 4' goal. And if there is any doubt about any of these facts, TLC did a show on the science of different sports, and hockey(or "ice" hockey in the States) came out as the most difficult to accomplish.

[heavymetalmachine]

I guarantee you a lot of those 300 pound linemen in the modern NFL are more athletic than a lot of the NHL players I see today. Hockey does not possess the best athletes in North American sport, partly because overwhelming costs for registration, travel, equipment etc, keep hockey a sport almost exclusive to middle-upper class kids and teens.

I would love to see some of these "athletic" 300 pound linemen put on some skates and try to play in goal. I guarentee any NHL goaltender would stop more pucks even though most of these linemen would be literally twice their size.

There is nothing athletic about being upwards of 6'4" and weighing 300 pounds.

[johnious]

Hockey does not possess the best athletes in North American sport, partly because overwhelming costs for registration, travel, equipment etc, keep hockey a sport almost exclusive to middle-upper class kids and teens.

he DOES have a point there, unfortunately, and i think that's a major hindrance to the sport's growth in the states

[cflames89]

he DOES have a point there, unfortunately, and i think that's a major hindrance to the sport's growth in the states

No doubt. The sheer cost of playing hockey is it's biggest setback.

In our city, we have a youth football league that supplies the equipment to kids. For hockey, it's all out of pocket.

[heavymetalmachine]

he DOES have a point there, unfortunately, and i think that's a major hindrance to the sport's growth in the states

This is true, it's the reason I never got to play when I was a kid, but it's not nearly as bad as it used to be. I bought a brand new set of goalie equipment three seasons ago and it cost about half as much as it would have for comparable equipment ten years ago. It was the same with my players equipment that I bought about six or seven years ago.

[joewillie99]

canadians picking on us in hockey, mexicans picking on us in soccer...what's next?

...the World Baseball Classic...we're looking for two in a row over the U.S....;)...