NHL Hockey thread

[Barrister]

It's not the Canadiens or the Leafs, it's not a team with a long tradition.  The original Jets started around '79, I think? Same time as the Nordiques when the AHL folded into the NHL?

Jets (and Nords) go back to 1972! The WHA counts!

[Neil]

That is the main problem.  People are way too quick to drink the cool aid and buy into the narrative that this is what we do.  Fact is more kids here play soccer and basketball then they play hockey.  And it is a very large margin when we look at soccer.

If you guys keep approaching the sport as if it were some kind of cult it is never going to clean up its act.  And until that day comes it is always going to be a sport only for the fanatics.

Yeah, kids play soccer and basketball when they're kids, but nobody watches much soccer or basketball on the TV.  This isn't new.  It was the same way when I was a boy.

[crazy canuck]

Yeah, kids play soccer and basketball when they're kids, but nobody watches much soccer or basketball on the TV.  This isn't new.  It was the same way when I was a boy.

And if the CBC covered soccer and basketball the way they cover hockey we would watch that too.  Probably in bigger numbers.  The main problem with watching sports other than hockey in this country is it is hard to get the games.  I have to subscribe to a specialty channel to watch what I want.

[Neil]

Yeah, kids play soccer and basketball when they're kids, but nobody watches much soccer or basketball on the TV.  This isn't new.  It was the same way when I was a boy.

And if the CBC covered soccer and basketball the way they cover hockey we would watch that too.  Probably in bigger numbers.  The main problem with watching sports other than hockey in this country is it is hard to get the games.  I have to subscribe to a specialty channel to watch what I want.

Not really.  Lots of people have basic cable.  And soccer and basketball would still be pretty boring.  TSN and Sportsnet cover hockey because hockey is what people want to see.

[Barrister]

Yeah, kids play soccer and basketball when they're kids, but nobody watches much soccer or basketball on the TV.  This isn't new.  It was the same way when I was a boy.

And if the CBC covered soccer and basketball the way they cover hockey we would watch that too.  Probably in bigger numbers.  The main problem with watching sports other than hockey in this country is it is hard to get the games.  I have to subscribe to a specialty channel to watch what I want.

Basketball (and soccer) can certainly be found on the tv dial.  They just get terrible ratings (though top European soccer games are growing in their ratings).

[crazy canuck]

My semi annual foray into this thread is now over.

[Josephus]

Yeah, kids play soccer and basketball when they're kids, but nobody watches much soccer or basketball on the TV.  This isn't new.  It was the same way when I was a boy.

And if the CBC covered soccer and basketball the way they cover hockey we would watch that too.  Probably in bigger numbers.  The main problem with watching sports other than hockey in this country is it is hard to get the games.  I have to subscribe to a specialty channel to watch what I want.

Nonsense. Soccer is widely available on TSN and Sportsnet. They draw lower numbers than curling.

[Grey Fox]

My semi annual foray into this thread is now over.

Maybe this fall, you should try to convince us to like Basketball by promoting it instead of simply saying you are superior because you like & understand basketball.

Psss, no transition game = boring.

[crazy canuck]

Yeah, kids play soccer and basketball when they're kids, but nobody watches much soccer or basketball on the TV.  This isn't new.  It was the same way when I was a boy.

And if the CBC covered soccer and basketball the way they cover hockey we would watch that too.  Probably in bigger numbers.  The main problem with watching sports other than hockey in this country is it is hard to get the games.  I have to subscribe to a specialty channel to watch what I want.

Nonsense. Soccer is widely available on TSN and Sportsnet. They draw lower numbers than curling.

Both are specialty channels that need to be purchased in addition to basic cable.

[crazy canuck]

Yeah, kids play soccer and basketball when they're kids, but nobody watches much soccer or basketball on the TV.  This isn't new.  It was the same way when I was a boy.

And if the CBC covered soccer and basketball the way they cover hockey we would watch that too.  Probably in bigger numbers.  The main problem with watching sports other than hockey in this country is it is hard to get the games.  I have to subscribe to a specialty channel to watch what I want.

Basketball (and soccer) can certainly be found on the tv dial.  They just get terrible ratings (though top European soccer games are growing in their ratings).

You know not of what you speak.  In order to watch NBA games I have to by the NBA specialty channel.  Also even with a basketball specialty channel I still cant watch all the games and I cant watch any college games during the week.  I am restricted to watching whatever the US networks put up during the weekend.

[HVC]

i can't watch college or minor hockey games either, so that's not the best example. and i get a bunch of nba games, i just have no will to watch them. Baseball is at least fun to watch live. i can't imagine basketball would even achieve that, but i haven't tried so maybe i'm wrong there.

[crazy canuck]

My semi annual foray into this thread is now over.

Maybe this fall, you should try to convince us to like Basketball by promoting it instead of simply saying you are superior because you like & understand basketball.

Psss, no transition game = boring.

pfft, you guys are hopeless when it comes to appreciating true sport

[Neil]

TSN is basic cable.

[crazy canuck]

i can't watch college or minor hockey games either, so that's not the best example. and i get a bunch of nba games, i just have no will to watch them. Baseball is at least fun to watch live. i can't imagine basketball would even achieve that, but i haven't tried so maybe i'm wrong there.

No, you dont get the point.  US college basketball is generally considered the best kind of basketball to watch on TV.  That is not the case for hockey. 

[crazy canuck]

TSN is basic cable.

Not the sportsnet channel that shows most of the soccer games...