NHL 13-14 Open Discussion

[Arq]

I'm with you re. acronyms - I think the H in NHL is for Hockey (ice).

I don't know much about ice hockey. It would be fair to say I haven't got a pucking clue....sorry...

Who would posters recommend we follow in the NHL?

I would say follow the Boston Bruins but I'm a fan. Who else would I say? 

 

[Arq]

Leafs on a roll...W4 ..1st in the Atlantic Div...where's the parade route 

Leafs have a good start. You know it's a long season though, so don't ready that parade route just yet.

Bruins just got beat by the Avs who also have been on a tear to start the season.

 

[Arq]

Since the discussion has already branched out (well, sort of) to other American sports I'm going to take a bit of a liberty and go off on a tangent.

First of all, Basketball: I don't get it, never have gotten it and never will get it. It is hard to imagine a sport that fails to pique my interest in the same manner that basketball does. I couldn't bring to mind a single player beyond the small cadre whose names are inescapable as their profiles transcend the bounds of the sport (Michael Jordan, Dwight Howard, Kobe Bryant et al).

American motor racing doesn't sit well with me at all, NASCAR, for example, should be banned. Sure, I respect some of the drivers and recognise their talent but come on, stock cars bore me to tears. Real racing is about actual racing tracks with technically challenging corners, Formula 1, DTM, V8 Supercars, not a succession of circles with little differentiating them beyond slight variations in gradient. Don't even get me started on drag racing, tedious, tedious, tedious.

I've had a casual interest in the NFL for a decade plus, following the Colts and enjoying seeing Peyton Manning tearing up the league every year before falling short in the playoffs more often than not. Nowadays I await Andrew Luck's transformation into Manning 2.0 (wishful thinking, perhaps, but he surely has a Super Bowl in him).

Baseball doesn't appeal to me, although I am fascinated by the history of the sport and the wider social context of grassroots play outwith the major league (thank you Ken Burns). I usually catch a game or two of the World Series every year.

As for Hockey, which of course isn't an 'American' sport as such (unless one is using the word in the continental sense, i.e. North America), I'm rather enamoured with it. The speed, the skill, the hits, the physicality, the technique, the culture, the passion, it is ever so similar to football in many ways. The Montreal Canadiens are my favourite team.

Apologies for my rambling.

The NBA is awful at best. If you want to watch basketball at it's roots, watch college basketball. You'll find more fundamentals in one college basketball game than 100 NBA games. The NBA is about individuals, college basketball is more team oriented.

NASCAR in my eyes is ridiculous. I wouldn't mind seeing NASCAR disappear. It has a large following in the U.S. so unfortunately it will not go anywhere.

The NFL is big in the U.S. I've been an Atlanta Falcons fan since the mid-80s. At least you didn't say you were a Ravens fan or follower.

My problem with Baseball is the extremely long season. October baseball though (the playoffs) is a joy to watch especially with others while enjoying frosty cold beverages (beer). I did that during my time living in Boston so naturally I follow the Red Sox.

The NHL is fantastic to watch in my opinion. If you want to see it get even better, watch during the playoffs in the Spring. Simply amazing.

 

[Charles Ryder]

Curse the abominable feuille d'érable sur la glace and the big bad Bruins, the Canadiens are the only team worth watching!

At least you didn't say you were a Ravens fan or follower.

Well, I do follow a team 'from' Baltimore, strictly speaking...

 

[Teritus]

First of all, Basketball: I don't get it, never have gotten it and never will get it. It is hard to imagine a sport that fails to pique my interest in the same manner that basketball does. I couldn't bring to mind a single player beyond the small cadre whose names are inescapable as their profiles transcend the bounds of the sport (Michael Jordan, Dwight Howard, Kobe Bryant et al).

For those of us who do avidly follow the sport, Lofty, at least do the common courtesy of naming half-decent players. Howard... oh dear, a more one-dimensional, overrated and incredibly over-hyped sportsman you're not likely to ever come across. What makes it all the more ironic is that the Lakers have a rich history of producing the best centres in the history of the league (Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Shaq) so I can hardly imagine how exasperated their fans must have been when Dwight Howard had the honour of carrying their torch, though he's left for Houston now.

Anyhow... safe to say basketball is the only American sport that I truly follow, and certainly my second favourite after football. I'm a Spurs fan myself and as such Tim Duncan is my favourite ever NBA player. He epitomises the very best and most fundamental qualities of the sport in my eyes - humility in bounds, charisma and a true team-player, not to mention being perhaps the greatest PF in basketball's history. You can guarantee that none of his rivals will ever have a malign word to say about Duncan. Never really took to any other sports of theirs though. I'll watch the odd hockey or baseball game but that's about it, and I could never for the life of me wrap my head around NFL.

 

[Teritus]

The NBA is awful at best. If you want to watch basketball at it's roots, watch college basketball. You'll find more fundamentals in one college basketball game than 100 NBA games. The NBA is about individuals, college basketball is more team oriented.

NASCAR in my eyes is ridiculous. I wouldn't mind seeing NASCAR disappear. It has a large following in the U.S. so unfortunately it will not go anywhere.

The NFL is big in the U.S. I've been an Atlanta Falcons fan since the mid-80s. At least you didn't say you were a Ravens fan or follower.

My problem with Baseball is the extremely long season. October baseball though (the playoffs) is a joy to watch especially with others while enjoying frosty cold beverages (beer). I did that during my time living in Boston so naturally I follow the Red Sox.

The NHL is fantastic to watch in my opinion. If you want to see it get even better, watch during the playoffs in the Spring. Simply amazing.

It's also great if you enjoy watching players miss open shot after open shot. True that the NBA is more star-oriented, but it's nonetheless a team sport at heart and those teams are often the more successful ones. European basketball is great if you want to see more teamplay though.

 

[Arq]

Curse the abominable feuille d'érable sur la glace and the big bad Bruins, the Canadiens are the only team worth watching!

Well, I do follow a team 'from' Baltimore, strictly speaking...

That's why I said Ravens instead of Baltimore. The Colts were smart to get out of town imho. 

 

[Arq]

It's also great if you enjoy watching players miss open shot after open shot. True that the NBA is more star-oriented, but it's nonetheless a team sport at heart and those teams are often the more successful ones. European basketball is great if you want to see more teamplay though.

Of course it's a team sport at heart. No matter how good the one is, said person cannot do it on their own.

I don't agree with your statement that those teams are often the more successful ones. The Heat are one of the better teams in the NBA today and they are just a collection of individuals. Extremely talented individuals absolutely, but still just a collection of individuals. There are very little team dynamics when it comes to the Heat and it's style of play. Who did they beat this season? The Spurs, who are probably one of the most team oriented franchises in the NBA as far as their mentality and their play.

I believe that player individuality is greater than team dynamics in the NBA and I believe it's been like that for quite some time.

I'm sure you're right about European basketball. Unfortunately in the US we don't get European basketball games often (if at all, I just don't know about all of the television providers), that is why I referenced college basketball.

 

[CFCCAN]

Leafs W5 L1 .....people in Leaf land really jumping on the band wagon now....won't belong now before they will be jumping off again.    Raptors W3 L1 in pre season so far, they start the season off against the Celtics on Oct 30th, should be scary enough for Halloween. Cannot see the Raptors making the play offs again..

 

[CFCCAN]

Oh dear Leafs W6 L1....this is getting serious, still only another 75 to go..

 

[YoungBlue94]

Just follow the Toronto Maple Leafs, you'll be bald in no time, so far we are W3 L1 and they are getting the parade route ready for the Stanley Cup. Richest team in the NHL, you'll be lucky to get a sniff at a ticket unless the company you work for has a couple in the CEO's desk draw. The Leafs play in blue so that's another reason to watch. You can catch most of the NHL games on First Row Sports.

Yeah, gotta love those ridiculously priced tickets. Usually try to go every season, went a couple years back, couldn't find tickets outside the stadium until half way through the first period. Ended up buying a pair of someone, 100 each at the very top where it's standing only. Worst part is I wasn't even close to the bar. Other than that we won 4-0 so I was somewhat happy!