I don't want to be the first one to say it, and honestly, I am pretty sure I am not. But, I am very concerned about "Gary Bettman's New For You 2005 NHL". Now, granted, I have only seen about 4 games so far, and they have all been played with between 50-70% minor league hockey players, but this sport that I love appears to have undergone a substantial facelift in certain areas, and although it is met with general disdain to knee jerk this early in the proceedings, I must tell you that I am concerned.
Of course, it is quickly admitted here that anyone reading or writing on this website is not the target audience of "Gary Bettman's New NHL". We are the few and the proud (they tell us) who loved this sport for what it was. Sure, some alterations make plenty of sense in any sport, but the game itself was exciting and frankly, one of my favorite things to do. But alas, they wanted their "relaunch" in an effort to turn this sport into basketball on ice, and guys like me sit and wonder what we are looking at right now.
I have been asked to make predictions this week, and I feel more qualified to try to explain nuclear fusion than guess what might happen in the Pacific Division. This sport has been tampered with, and everything you know is wrong. Colorado, St Louis, and Dallas have been strong western forces for years, and now I read that learned publications don't think they will even make the playoffs.
New rules are everywhere. Some make sense (new icing rule, tag-up offsides, no red line) and some make no sense (goalie area) but combined they will really make the NHL season impossible to figure out for a good long while.
Now let me voice my concern. I admit that clutching and grabbing in the neutral zone has been a problem in this sport. Sure, I want to see my skaters in full flight through the zone as much as the next guy. But, if battles in the corners and in the crease are a thing of the past, and this former contact sport is now one that resembles soccer, then let's get Cammi Granato a sweater and play co-ed hockey. The announcers (who must sell this sport to continue to get paid) assure me that they love the product, but so far, so bland to me. The contact is almost nonexistent. The venom is, too. I realize it is September and previous September games had no emotion either in other years, but now I am paying a lot more attention.
I hope I am wrong. I hope next Wednesday the venom and violence of hockey returns. I want intimidation to be the same portion of the sport it has always been. I don't want to watch hockey robots play technically perfect hockey and skate back to their benches without a nasty word for anyone. Let's hope that in an effort to fix a game that might not be broken on the ice, they didn't screw it up. Stay Tuned.
Love,
Knee-Jerk Sturm
Note: I was happy to see the first “post-whistle” scrum of the preseason last night in the Stars game vs. St Louis. Players actually talking to eachother and a small amount of shoving. Nice…
Rogers certain that this is it …
"I'm pretty certain this is my last start here," Rogers said. "Actually, I'm extremely certain. I think everybody has made their positions known.
"In a way, I'm kind of relieved. I know I won't have to bend over backwards to make it happen. I think sometimes in the past, my desire to be here has been the overriding factor for me, and at least I know where I stand."
Blackistone on the NHL Ad that has everyone all fired up …I really don’t have the energy to debate this silly story, but all I had to do is see the headline of the column to know who wrote it. Very predictable, Kevin…
Speaking of hockey, Sean Avery has decided to be “spare who talks a lot” …
Los Angeles Kings forward Sean Avery - never one to shy away from opinion - had plenty of strong words regarding Phoenix Coyotes defenceman Denis Gauthier and French Canadian hockey players.
When asked about the blueliner's hit on Kings teammate Jeremy Roenick in a preseason game Sunday night, Avery did not hold back digging into Gauthier and Quebec-born NHLers.
"I think it was a clean hit," he explained on Tuesday. "I think it was typical of most French guys in our league with a visor on, running around and playing tough and not back anything up."
"I'd think if a guy like Brett Hull was coming up the middle, somebody probably wouldn't have stepped up and hit him, but like I said, a typical move from a guy wearing a visor that certainly doesn't like to get scratched at all."
Rangers Win, Brewers lose …Both teams locked at 79-79 in the Doug Melvin Challenge…
Galloway on Hicks and Hart …
Mac Engle with a good Hick feature that focuses on the hockey side …
Today, Newberg Report.com had this nugget…
Tim Kurkjian reported on ESPN Radio yesterday that Rafael Palmeiro actually snuck into the Baltimore clubhouse Tuesday morning, before any of his teammates had arrived at the ballpark, to clean out his locker. So incredibly sad.
Tech to actually play a team of similar talent on Saturday …Stop the presses…
Liverpool 0, Chelsea 0 …And the refs save the Blues from PKs…
And finally, this email, from someone who then cancelled the email address:
Name: John Up Yours
Email: BaD_Losers@yahoo.com
Want To Be On Maillist: N
Comments: All you guys have done is talk about what a sorry game the A$M/BU game will be this weekend with A$M having to play poor little BU. Well let me tell you this - take the points and BU you slobs. I shouldn't even help you losers that much but I feel sorry for you. A$M may win but it will be by the skin of their teeth.
Okey Dokey, Baylor fan.
For the incredible kick to Gribble and Dan Campbell's crotch, (plus it would keep my Aggie friends quiet for one more week) I would be tickled to see Baylor win or even keep it close vs A&M, but Bob's e-mailer is f-ing crazy.
ReplyDeleteI guess for his next trick he's going to tell me that UNT is going to keep it close vs LSU? Syracuse beating Florida State..oh, wait a minute, how about South Florida whipping Miami in Miami? I know anything can happen in the NFL, but this is college.
I guess if I'm wrong then I can be the "loser" this week.
By the way, Big Mac is going to get that Frat President killed with his "why are you bagging on the Corp" schtick.
I have NEVER heard anyone completely distance like I did when Big Mac accused the Zimmer kid of bad mouthing the Corp...total fear in that kids voice. Maybe it's Big Mac that has a problem with the CT's.
I was up in Milwaukee last weekend, and on the front page of the sports section they actually have a big graphic with the magic number of wins they need to get to .500 and avoid their 14th straight losing season. Talk about low expectations. How beaten down is that?
ReplyDeleteCorps is for fags. If you are forced to go to BCS I would much rather hang with some frat dudes than the corps.
ReplyDeleteMike
Agreed, Corps is GAY! They are wanna-be soldiers. Quit playing dress up GI Joe. If you want to be in the military, go to West Point or actually join the f-ing military. My friends who wanted the military life chose West Point, not ATM.
ReplyDeleteSCOREBOARD
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry, but what major changes have taken place at tamu since last year? Same overrated coach - check. Same overrated baton twirlers - check.
Check last year's results jar-boys -- baylor's headed to 4-0!
Blackistone is nothing but a tired cliche as everything he writes has the same old theme, so I stopped reading him long ago too.
ReplyDeleteAs for Aggie Fan, try actually beating Baylor first before you run smack about them. Then you can run it all you want. Also try mixing in a win in a meaningful game against ANYBODY, something you haven't done since Coach Fran The Fraud came to town...
listen, A&M is a terrible place to have to go to period. first of all, the girls are ugly compared to any other texas school. next, the core is really gay with their $2000 senior boots and their appetite for stabbing poor unassuming girls with their sabres, to their Giant egos protecting kyle field from some dude who accidently steps on the hallowed grounds of kyle field, dont they lose their just as well as they lose anywhere? A&M used to be good for one thing, giant burritos, but everywhere has those now.
ReplyDeleteI wish "John Up Yours" would put his money where his mouth is and give me us is prediction and/or line according to his football analyst "skills".
ReplyDeleteI'm down a little for the year and need to get back to break even, the kids need new shoes and the spouse needs a boob job, so come on with it John.
On a different note, I wonder how many CTs will visit the Frat house this Friday in response to Big Mac's rank accusation that the Zimmer kid was bagging on the Corp?. You think the Corps might march on the Beta Theta house like they marched on Waco back in the early 1900s?
THAT would make for a good show!!
AttnyDan: Someone needs to tell Bob and Dan about the corp marching on Waco.
ReplyDeleteI think the story is something like, an Aggie student was hit with a folding chair during a basketball game and killed.
The Corp, WITH their artillery and weapons began marching to Waco and the Texas Rangers had to be called out to stop them.
Kinda makes the whole sword thing almost comical in comparison.
I hate the P1, I hate A&M and I hate my family
Chelski stink.
ReplyDeleteWhy does Kevin Blackistone have to work here in Dallas? And how does he keep his job? because he just gets us all fired up and talking about his articles?
ReplyDeletePlease DMN, get rid of Kevin, his bit is getting VERY old. And PLEASE GET RID OF THE POP-IN-WINDOW ADS!!!!
Norm could tell you why.
ReplyDeleteBecause he hates brownie and whitey.
ReplyDeleteAnd if anyone finds a link to a story that describes the aforementioned Aggie march on Waco please post it here. It sounds like a fascinating story. A quick Google search didn't pull up anything for me.
What's funny is Blackistone decries the sexism of the NHL ad. Then he holds up the NBA and NFL as marketing examples for the NHL to follow.
ReplyDeleteLast I checked, those sports feature groups of scantily-clad women posing as cheerleaders and dancers to market their sport.
Of course, those sports are also dominated by blacks, so Blackistone doesn't have a problem with their sexism.
I don't think Kevin's gay.
ReplyDeleteBut this is gay.
Name me the last time he wrote any column that didn't have a racial component to it. He's a one trick pony, yet we keep wasting time talking about him, so that's why the DMN keeps him around. The faster we start ignoring him, the faster he'll go away.
ReplyDeleteBlackistone makes me miss Skip Bayless and Grampa Urine.
ReplyDeleteAh, yes! All hockey.
ReplyDeleteWhat a powerdown.
Mr. T
http://www.baylorfans.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-567
ReplyDeleteThanks for the link. That is some great reading! I never knew of the hatred between the Bears and the Aggies. The "Aggie Sticks" tradition of guarding the Baylor campus was pretty cool, too bad they don't do that anymore.
ReplyDelete