Cheerleaders in Hockey? Dear God, NO!!!

[billl]

I've stopped paying attention to hockey, maybe since the strike, partially for unrelated reasons, but also because of there being too many teams, and teams changing places. (And also because the Capitals got swept in the finals, and immediately returned to irrelevancy. I know, I know, they are good again...) Bettman had something that showed a little growth and potential when the number of cable TV channels in the U.S. was exploding, and so he made some deals. Turned out to be a bust, and then the strike happened. Maybe economic woes will help make things better somehow.

[JuniperWoolf]

Bettman is an infuriating commissioner of the NHL. All of the teams the NHL set up in the Southern USA during the mid 90s have failed, all of them are money pits. I don't understand how he managed to trick the government in Phoenix into wasting even more money on bailing out the Coyotes.

I know, it's pretty amazing. The funny thing is, there was barely a ripple of dissent in Phoenix when they said that they were going to re-locate the team, the locals just straight-up didn't care. I have no idea how they pulled that one off, it would have been better for everyone (especially Phoenix) if the team had re-located. The only article of clothing that I own which I categorize as a "protest shirt" is a ratty Winnipeg Jets t-shirt that my dad used to own.

The only Southern USA team that I really like is San Jose, the California line is legit (and the San Jose arena actually fills up). The rest are doomed.

I've stopped paying attention to hockey, maybe since the strike, partially for unrelated reasons, but also because of there being too many teams, and teams changing places.

The trading screws me up. I don't know what I'll do when Crosby gets traded. Will I follow him, or will I stick with the Penguins? That's one of the biggest dilemmas faced by anyone who gets really attached to a player. My mom is such a Ryan Smyth fan that when he got traded to NY from Edmonton, she was an Islanders fan for a little while. Gross.

I'm so confused as to where the trouble is now. In Canada you sell out, in Arizona it is a different case. So what is the issue?

I'm just... going to ignore you now.

[keilj]

No, Pip said that the American media was hyping up how violent and brutal hockey fights were when no one has ever really made big a deal about it before (like, for the last hundred years or so).

Have a martyr complex much??

If you think that people who crusade against "bad influences" and "things that will hurt our children" is a uniquely American thing, then you're kidding yourself

You could even try watching a hockey game

We have. It's more boring than watching flies f**k

It's 3 hours of skating - with a few goals thrown in. So it's essentially skating. Why do you think people (including Americas) love it when a fight breaks out

[OrphanPip]

We have. It's more boring than watching flies f**k

It's 3 hours of skating - with a few goals thrown in. So it's essentially skating. Why do you think people (including Americas) love it when a fight breaks out

Oh geez, football is just running and pushing people, with a bit of throwing and kicking balls too, yay!

People who denigrate any sport usually do so because they don't understand it.

[keilj]

Oh geez, football is just running and pushing people, with a bit of throwing and kicking balls too, yay!

People who denigrate any sport usually do so because they don't understand it.

no.... I like golf and baseball, but I also understand that both are pretty boring to watch - particularity golf

hockey and soccer are the "uh, uh, uh... almost" sports. There is a lot of build-up in those sports up 'til someone makes a shot on goal. Then there is either dejection or incredible elation. I call them the "blue ball" sports - a lot of getting ready to do nothing

and, like golf - they are probably much more fun to play than to watch - but you won't hear me making huge orations about how poetic and interesting golf is to watch

[OrphanPip]

I think the sport becomes much more interesting when you understand the dynamics of the line matchups and how important the role of defense is. You have to be invested in the role of puck control and defense, and enjoy the beauty of a successfully pulled off play.

Anyway, I found a weird stat from looking at the wiki on NHL, apparently the fan base for hockey in the USA is the most affluent and highest educated of the big four leagues. Mostly because it is almost entirely made up of middle aged and middle class white men.

Edit: Anyway, back on topic. The problem isn't American influence in hockey, Americans have been involved in the sport from the early days. New York, Boston, Phillie and Pittsburgh have lots of good fans. The problem is Bettman and the team owners' attempts to mimic the popularity of well entrenched American sports, like baseball and football. They tried to grow the league too fast and at the expense of compromising elements of the sport to attract new viewers. The teams in the North East and the Great Lakes area are well entrenched and have solid fans.

Cheerleaders are a silly American thing, but I don't really care one way or the other about them, since they don't really effect the sport. Meh, the CFL has pretty much incorporated American style cheerleaders since the 90s. They were bound to spread to the other sports eventually. They've had them down in the US forever, and it came as a bit of a surprise to me when I went to a game down in the US.

It's just a different model of sportsmanship. I'm used to the novice hockey played by kids in between periods, and the kids getting to ride on the Zambonis, it would be odd to instead have cheerleaders entertain the crowds. The Canadiens even still do half and half raffles in between periods, a tradition that is followed at every single hockey arena in the province. I just like our traditions of children's games and gambling instead of scantily clad women bouncing around.

[JuniperWoolf]

If you think that people who crusade against "bad influences" and "things that will hurt our children" is a uniquely American thing, then you're kidding yourself

Haha, but haughty Christian American housewives really did corner the market. In fact, it's sort of a running joke.



It's a bit funny that you find hockey (the fastest-moving sport in the world, some of those guys skate 50 km/hour) more boring than football.

Football = "He catches the ball.." (five seconds pass) "and he's taken down! Let's line up again. He catches the ball..." (five seconds pass) "And he's taken down!" Repeat twenty times. "He catches the ball... and he's taken down in the endzone! Touchdown!"

Football Fans: "Thank God we had all of these beautiful chicks jumping around to pass the time."

Mostly because it is almost entirely made up of middle aged and middle class white men.

They said on coaches corner recently that coaches have noticed a trend where hockey was gaining in popularity among black kids. I wonder if there's any truth to that.

The problem isn't American influence in hockey, Americans have been involved in the sport from the early days.

I know, I'm just bitter.

[OrphanPip]

They said on coaches corner recently that coaches have noticed a trend where hockey was gaining in popularity among black kids. I wonder if there's any truth to that.

Well there have been two black players for the Canadiens in recent years, Georges Laraque and P.K. Suban. I'm not sure how popular it's really becoming though, there was one black kid on my hockey team when I was a child. I think a major barrier is economical, since hockey is a very expensive sport to play relative to basketball or soccer. Even with its massive popularity in Canada, it's still largely a middle class sport. It's also the generational quality, if I hadn't come from a hockey family I doubt I would have been dumped on skates at three years old and begun training camp by four. There's just more of a cultural emphasis on basketball, football, and soccer amongst black people.

[Ecurb]

I'm from the U.S., and I like hockey. I played college hockey -- and it's more fun to watch sports you have played.

I agree that cheerleaders are ridiculous, but you have to watch something once you start inserting TV timeouts, bench timeouts (which didn't exist when I played) and other delaying, made-for-TV tactics. Most American sports are practically unwatchable these days because of all the dead time. Football games should take 2.5 hours, maximum. Baseball and basketball are almost as bad (although, at least, they don't have the ridiculous instant replay review of plays yet, which takes forever).

International rules make for a better game. The olympics had great hockey , and the hoop is far, far better than the NBA, because there are fewer timeouts. Soccer is probably the best TV sport, because you have 45 minute halve with no commercial breaks. Also, the ball is bigger than the hockey puck, which, especially for novice fans, can be hard to see.

[keilj]

Also, the ball is bigger than the hockey puck, which, especially for novice fans, can be hard to see.

remember when Fox had the glowing puck?? Now that was rubbish. Do they still do that??

[Ecurb]

remember when Fox had the glowing puck?? Now that was rubbish. Do they still do that??

No, not that I know of.

[OrphanPip]

I think NBC has the NHL broadcasting rights in the USA now.

[papayahed]

In Northwest Louisiana we have a local minor league hockey team that is doing really well. I'm pretty sure it does way better then the minor league baseball team. (We don't have enough of a base to support any major league team)

[altheskeptic]

Here in Bama it is American football.

I'll tell you what...you guys in Canada play hockey any way you want to.

It is your country.

PS. The Auburn Tigers are number 1 YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!

[OrphanPip]

This story managed to make national news tonight, as much as I enjoy hockey, I have to wonder at the amount of attention it gets in this country.