Help me enjoy hockey.

Discussion in 'Other Sports' started by numbereleven, Feb 28, 2008.

  1. numbereleven

    numbereleven 250+ Posts

    The hilarious hockey video on Esther's got me thinking: I can hardly watch hockey on TV, seems slow despite being a supposedly fast game. I try and watch playoff games every year, but it isn't a passion or anything. I also went with some co-workers to a few Ice Bats games (the local minor league team), and it was kind of meh. It was still pretty slow and plodding, and the atmosphere stunk.

    But something tells me ice hockey is cool, despite my less-than-great experiences. Should I try and attend some NHL games? Am I missing something?
     
  2. anotherwebexpert

    anotherwebexpert 100+ Posts

    So what is your definition of a fast sport?
     
  3. numbereleven

    numbereleven 250+ Posts

    Well, everyone I ask about hockey says, "oh, it's so fast." "It's a fast sport." "It's exciting and fast."

    On TV, it doesn't look all that fast, but maybe that's just TV. I mean, pitches and steals on televised baseball look slower than in person. VY looked pretty fast on TV, but looked otherworldly in person.

    And maybe it's just the minors, but there were very few breakaways at the games I have attended and I guess "fast" isn't the word I would use to describe the games. Does that make sense?
     
  4. anotherwebexpert

    anotherwebexpert 100+ Posts

    NHL is definitely a fast game, but I think the thing to remember about hockey is that you don't follow the puck as much as watch the ice. That might sound stupid, but compared to football, basketball, and baseball in a good hockey game there is a great deal of movement back and forth. It is in that movement, the co-ordination of the players, and free flow of play that produces a great game to watch if you don't try to follow just the puck.
     
  5. Longhorn Al

    Longhorn Al 500+ Posts

    I've enjoyed watching the Stars on tv over the years. I finally made it to a game this year. It bored me to tears almost. Granted, they lost 3-0, but the game never had a flow. They'd skate around for 3 minutes, then break so some girls in tights could skate around and sweep the ice.

    I do like watching their playoff games though. Not too much more anxiety-filled than watching NHL playoff overtime.
     
  6. Lulu

    Lulu 25+ Posts

    mike modano plays for the stars...how can that not be enjoyable!!!! [​IMG]
     
  7. Horn69

    Horn69 2,500+ Posts

    they're on skates and they can skate backwards and hit someone all at the same time.

    Hook'em!!! [​IMG]
     
  8. Longhorn_Fan68

    Longhorn_Fan68 1,000+ Posts

    Anyone else watch the Stars game tonigt? Looks like Brad Richards is going to work in Big D.
     
  9. mishatx

    mishatx 1,000+ Posts

    Go back to 1998 and get on board when hockey was big.

    I really started to like it more when I caught a couple of Ice Bats games. A lot more when I was lucky enough to get great seats to Stars games.
     
  10. numbereleven

    numbereleven 250+ Posts


     
  11. anotherwebexpert

    anotherwebexpert 100+ Posts

    numbereleven,

    There are indeed multiple similarities between hockey soccer.

    For example there are some set plays (soccer -corners and in/direct kicks hocky -power plays) but play is predominantly free flowing, often times the most important player is away from the ball or puck but ends up being the one that scores, variations in playing surface size does exist and definitely impacts play, both have offside rules, and unfortunately coaching tactics slow down the free flow of play.

    Obviously the smaller surface and faster speed of the players results in changing the direction of play more frequent, changing of lines can impact play for hockey teams that lack depth, and hockey s more physical.
     
  12. DRAG69

    DRAG69 1,000+ Posts

    Learn the blue line rule.
    It is the most important in learning how the game is played.

    There is more action in 5 minutes of an NHL playoff game than the entire NBA season and playoffs combined.
     
  13. numbereleven

    numbereleven 250+ Posts


     
  14. l00p

    l00p 10,000+ Posts

    11, go to a lower level game for fun. Hit up Chaparral Ice Rink for an adult league game sometime. It is a beer league so don't expect much. It is very slow and they make a lot of mistakes but they have fun. I suggest this because then you can get an idea of strategy, set up and an appreciation of how fast the NHL really is.

    If you can, stick around for a youth leage game and/or a HS game (yes, local HS's here have teams). These kids are freaking awesome!!! So fun to watch.

    Then when you watch the NHL on tv you can appreciate it more and maybe understand more. And watching away from the puck often is a good idea. There is so much that goes on.
     
  15. sblazer

    sblazer 500+ Posts

    i absolutely love NHL hockey. growing up in dallas i obviously have been attached to the stars. been watching them for over a decade now. NHL playoffs if one of my fav. times of the year. so intense. they actually show quite a bit of stars game here in austin so i can survive throughout the season.
     
  16. Eating Club

    Eating Club 250+ Posts


     
  17. Hayden_Horn

    Hayden_Horn 1,000+ Posts

    big stars fan before the strike. after the strike, i've lost track of hockey. dumbasses.

    and i was a big fan.
     
  18. Bookman

    Bookman 1,000+ Posts

    My advice to you is to drink heavily.
     
  19. texascuffs22

    texascuffs22 < 25 Posts

    Get an HDTV
     
  20. Laphroaig10

    Laphroaig10 1,000+ Posts

    Do like I did last night and be a guest in the corporate suite of a liquor distributor. [​IMG] [​IMG]
     

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