|
admin
Forum Admin
Canada
2338 Posts |
 Posted - 12/21/2003 : 12:42:46
|
Contributed by: Raphael Borenstein
I can understand how Marty McSorley felt when he snapped and two-handed Donald Brashear in the side of the head. I get that feeling in the pit of my stomach and feel my hands ball into tight fists every time I hear some hockey writer or analyst complain and bitch about how bad a state the game of hockey is in these days.
Let me start off by saying that I have seen the league evolve over the years; I have seen all 8 games of the ’72 Summit Series, I have been to live games in almost a dozen NHL rinks, and I have lived through three and a half dynasties; Montreal in the 70’s, the Islanders and Oilers in the 80’s, and Detroit in the 90’s.(which I don’t really consider a Dynasty, but I will include since I can’t be bothered to respond to all the people that would call them so.)
There are some proposed rule alterations that I would like to see come to fruition, and some that I could do without. I can give pro and con arguments on just about everything that is on the table these days, and I have a preference on them all. Off-sides, automatic-icing, size and placement of the nets, two-line pass, rink size, etc….Does this mean that I think the way the game is played is not good? No….quite contrary, I don’t think it has ever been better.
There are exciting 1-0 games, and there are exciting 7-5 games. There are also some games with the same scores that would make you want to sit in a corner and chew on a ball of tin foil just to find out where your fillings are. Scoring does not make a game good. The point is, you don’t know what you are going to get each night; a tight defensive battle where one mistake will be the difference, or a wide open scoring fest where the last goal wins.
I watch at least 7-10 games a week, every week and I keep coming back for more. As a fan of the sport, no matter what the score, almost every game is great to watch. Every team in the league has something worth seeing-even the Rangers! There is just as much skill and excitement in the game today as there was fifteen years ago…. perhaps more. The game has just evolved and grown, and will continue to do so in a cyclical fashion.
The bottom line is this; I watch kids like Ilya Kovalchuk, Marcus Naslund and Rick Nash skate around the ice, stickhandle, and score goals. Then I hear guys like Brett Hull, Mike Modano, and Joe Thornton bitch about the game and I think to myself that you don’t need to overhaul the whole game, you just need to replace a few bad parts.
****************************
****************************
Have an opinion on Raphael's article? Let us know. Just hit reply below and post your thoughts.
****************************
****************************
Pickuphockey.com is your online hockey community. We're always looking for sharp volunteer writers. If you feel that you'd like to contribute articles on a regular basis drop us an email. admin@pickuphockey.com
|
|
CHANGES? WE DON’T NEED NO STINKING CHANGES!
Forum Locked
