Many hockey pundits and journalists have been talking about how to change the game to promote more scoring. The opponents to this idea are often labeled as a "dinosaur" or a "stalwart" that don't want the game changed.It's today that I found out that most of the "dinosaurs" are currently involved in USA Hockey. According to these stories, the governing body of competitive play in America have chosen not to make any rule changes. While the NHL is flirting with changing to the "no touch up" icing. USA Hockey has decided that it's not such a good idea.
I am somewhere on the fence on this issue, which is rare, because I always get persuaded to an opinion pretty quickly and stick to it. I do accept the idea that the game can afford changes, but to me, I think the game that I'm used to watching (and I watch A LOT of hockey) is the greatest game on earth already. Why change something that I already believe in.
Proponents of changes like the no-touch icing, goalie pads reduction, and red line removal make a pretty good argument for opening up the ice for faster play. However, the last time the game was changed, it cost the Buffalo Sabres a Stanley Cup. Remember the NHL decided that the goalie area was forbidden to players? Once the game winning goal by Dallas' Brett Hull was scored with controversy, the goalie crease rule was quickly forgotten about the next season. Should any of these new rule changes affect an outcome of a championship game or otherwise, be sure to see it get crossed out the next year.
Proponents of changes also look for assurance that the referees call the clutching and grabbing. I for one thought this is hockey! Hockey is a contact sport. If a defensive player is holding on to you - score anyway! Obstruction should be considered a mild nuisance and not whined about to the press or league offices. So what they had a hold of your jersey! Just pull 'em along for the ride! It's like the "in the grasp rule in NFL football", do we want to put dresses on hockey's star players and prevent any harm to them! Heck no!
My theory is that evolution of the goaltender has caused the goals per game statistic to go down. The real solution here is to not legislate against certain behaviors or punish achievement, but allow for time that the real competitors to evolve.
[From: TSN.com & Yahoo! Sports]
6 comments:
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This is the worst article ever. If they are pulling your jersey then just pull them along? Are you drunk? This one is even better, if they're holding you, then just score a goal? These comments are so simplistic and ignorant, what kinda crack is in your pipe? Yes, hockey is a contact sport. No, a contact sport does not mean you play the sport like a rugby match. Think about it, see the difference here? Do you always decide to go sniff a lite of gasoline and then write stupid articles like this one? Am I mistaken, or would every single other true hockey fan (that isn't trippin like the author of the article) want see hockey where skill, creativeness and speed will decide games... not slow, unskilled, dumb plummers grabbing, sticking and dragging down their opponents at every moment of the game?
I agree with coasta, the comments made above are ridiculous. Hockey has digressed to a point where big bozos can make millions by clutching and grabbing the games stars. I don't want to watch it. I definately wouldn't pay money to see it either. The rules need some tweeking so that coaches and GMs don't default to defensive styles of hockey and so that the games best players can play without some beefy lug hanging on their shoulder.
coasta and doggy-dog have no idea what they are talking about. rough sports are needed in this day and age- football isn't what it used to be, lacking the hits it used to have- hockey needs to keep that alive. the games would be dragged out so much if every little penalty was actually called and not as much fun to watch. what would hockey be without the occasional fight between teams?
also- is there going to be hockey this winter? i get the penguins newsletter and they're selling season tickets, but pretty cheap so i'm not sure.
Clutching and grabbing is not rough. It is what pussys that can't skate do when they know that the other team is faster. Big hits and fighting are two of the best aspects of hockey. The slow defensive style of clutch and grab slows the game taking out scoring chances, fast rushes, and big hits. Neither coasta or I mentioned calling more penalties. That is not the way to go about it. It goes back to the original article of making some changes to the game. Some changes are needed so that boring teams (teams full of plumbers who grab and drag down their opponents because they are simply too wimpy to do anything else) don't get an advantage by playing boring hockey. Furthermore, if you think hockey is exciting now anonymous, go watch some hockey from the 80's and early 90's when teams won by scoring. You might realise why your comments and the comments in the original article are so ridiculous.
Hockey is too good a sport to be a substitute for undeveloped neanderthals like "anonymous" that watch sports like football because their wives won't let them watch professional wrestling. Hockey is a skill sport that consists of speed, finesse, creativity, accuracy and experience. I enjoy sports that are physical and the occasionally dust-up every-so-often, but this is not the centerpiece of hockey, nor should it be a consistent piece either.
For the true hockey fan, there is always going to be hockey to watch, and for “anonymous”, well I think they're showing XFL re-runs or wrestling every night on cable… shhh, don’t tell the wife.
For the true hockey fan, there is always going to be hockey to watch, and for you... well I think they're showing wrestling every night on cable.
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