So Canada...
- Thread starter SUP3RNOVA
- Start date
I guess you guys don't realize that out of all the major sporting leagues in North America only the NBL sees greater numbers in attendance than the NHL with the NBA almost exactly on par?
Both the NHL and NBA exceed the NFL's attendance by several million and also that of all European football leagues.
So don't sit there trying to say that no one cares about hockey. It might not be popular in your little corner of the world but the fact remains that it is a hugely popular sport with many followers.
Meh, i always preferred Winter over Summer.... Come on - Snowboard cross and Ski cross, and short track....it's like roller derby on snow/ice.
By NBL do you mean baseball? If so, it's MLB.
I don't see your point though, NHL has 5 times as many games and barely beats the NFL in total attendance. Lets not even get into TV ratings.
From Wikipedia:
"The NHL is considered one of the four major professional sports leagues in North America, along with Major League Baseball, the National Football League, and the National Basketball Association. Hockey has the smallest total fan base of the four leagues, the smallest revenue from television, and the least sponsorship.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Hockey_League#cite_note-affluent-103 However the league is very prominent in Canada, where hockey is the most popular of these four major sports."
Yes, MLB... I know better.
My point? 21 and a half million people attend live games every year and many more watch on television and guys like you dismiss it as being insignificant. 4 million (or 20% more) isn't "barely" anything. Yeah the NHL has 5 times as many games, but NFL stadiums are also 3 to 5 times bigger.
The point is, just because you don't like it, doesn't mean it's not popular.
We outplayed you guys, just look at the time on attack and the shots on goal. The US just capitalized on all of their chances and we ran into a hot goalie while our goalie had an off night, it happens. As long as Neidermayer, Pronger, and Brodeur keep the bench warm and Babcock puts Iginla on the 1st line with Crosby and Nash, we'll be fine.
Olympic hockey is such a different animal than NHL hockey.
The emphasis on sportsmanship and no fighting really takes the edge off of the defense and turns the game into a much more fast paced offensive style.
This actually gives the US a slight advantage - most of the guys on the US team are young and just coming out of college where fighting is not allowed either - the same emphasis goes there.
If you look at team Canada - especially Thorton, Marleau, Heatley, and Boyle - you see players who are long-term in the NHL and are used to playing with aggressive defense men who can slow the puck down in the offensive zone.
That style of hockey doesn't happen as much in the Olympics, even during power plays.
All that said - Canada has been very gracious hosts to the US players and their families. I got the inside scoop on that
The emphasis on sportsmanship and no fighting really takes the edge off of the defense and turns the game into a much more fast paced offensive style.
This actually gives the US a slight advantage - most of the guys on the US team are young and just coming out of college where fighting is not allowed either - the same emphasis goes there.
If you look at team Canada - especially Thorton, Marleau, Heatley, and Boyle - you see players who are long-term in the NHL and are used to playing with aggressive defense men who can slow the puck down in the offensive zone.
That style of hockey doesn't happen as much in the Olympics, even during power plays.
All that said - Canada has been very gracious hosts to the US players and their families. I got the inside scoop on that
Yeah, they had to add a ridiculous laser beam special effect to the puck so the Americans could follow the action on TV because it was too fast for them to comprehend what was going on.