[Lovin Jiri Fischer]

http://community.foxsports.com/blogs/bob26..._Like_it_or_Not

[theman19]

"NHL- Currently the NHL has fallen almost completely off the sports map in most cities. The NHL has its team though."

love that part,...i swear sometimes it's almost like the sports media not Canadian has this pipe dream of killing the nhl entirly.

[betterREDthandead]

"NHL- Currently the NHL has fallen almost completely off the sports map in most cities. The NHL has its team though."

love that part,...i swear sometimes it's almost like the sports media not Canadian has this pipe dream of killing the nhl entirly.

I like how you take a flip comment by a blogger (NOT a journalist) and turn it into how the American media wants to destroy the NHL.

Anyway, back to the original point of the thread: I say, SWEET. Anyone notice that the Wings topped the Yankees, Cowboys, and Lakers in approval rating? Also, the Pistons and Michigan football also garnered a mention in their respective sports.

Fact is, the Red Wings are not just America's hockey team, but the world's. Apologies to Peter Forsberg and Jaromir Jagr, but we have the world's pre-eminent Swedish player and the world's pre-eminent Czech player suiting up for our team. And once upon a time, the world's pre-eminent Russian player, too. On this site alone we've got fans from Sweden, England, Scotland, Finland, the Netherlands, Hungary, Italy, Russia, and Australia and that's just what I can think of off the top of my head. Maybe Poland? Switzerland?

Now, it's worth noting that this blogger is based out of Flint. So maybe, some bias. But still. I'd call it just another nugget of proof that Detroit is the epicenter of the sports world in America. Best sports fans, best sports town, period. Not Boston, not Dallas, not New York, not Los Angeles, not Chicago. Detroit.

[BlakChamber]

"NHL- Currently the NHL has fallen almost completely off the sports map in most cities. The NHL has its team though."

love that part,...i swear sometimes it's almost like the sports media not Canadian has this pipe dream of killing the nhl entirly.

Are they wrong though?

[HockeyCrazy3033]

WOOT WOOT!

[DetroitIan]

Thats great to see. I remember seeing a national poll Sports Illistrated did a few years back and the Red Wings were America's team then as well. And for good reason. Everyone loves a great traditional-winning club. The Red Wings are a kind of team that everyone around the country can love, and do. I remember during the '98 playoffs, the Red Wings would be on the road, yet there was an overwhelming amount of fans and support at every road game. LETS-GO-RED-WINGS! Could be heard clear as day. I remember them showing the NHL teams with the best winning % over the past 15 years. And it wasnt even close. We were at like a .680%. The closest team to that I believe was the Devils at a .460 or so. All hail the Red Wings baby!

[HockeyCrazy3033]

Thats great to see. I remember seeing a national poll Sports Illistrated did a few years back and the Red Wings were America's team then as well. And for good reason. Everyone loves a great traditional-winning club. The Red Wings are a kind of team that everyone around the country can love, and do. I remember during the '98 playoffs, the Red Wings would be on the road, yet there was an overwhelming amount of fans and support at every road game. LETS-GO-RED-WINGS! Could be heard clear as day. I remember them showing the NHL teams with the best winning % over the past 15 years. And it wasnt even close. We were at like a .680%. The closest team to that I believe was the Devils at a .460 or so. All hail the Red Wings baby!

Hell Yes!

[GoWings1905]

Two of my teams on that list. Nice! The Red Wings and that college football team in South Bend.

Anyways, I thought to myself what exactly all of these teams have in common. To me, they are all the most loved and also the most hated teams in their respective sport. No hockey team in America fills opposing arenas like the Red Wings do. People either live and die with the Red Wings, or hate them with a passion. The same is true with all of the other teams as well.

[zata40]

sweet!! GO WINGS!!!!

[betterREDthandead]

Thats great to see. I remember seeing a national poll Sports Illistrated did a few years back and the Red Wings were America's team then as well. And for good reason. Everyone loves a great traditional-winning club. The Red Wings are a kind of team that everyone around the country can love, and do. I remember during the '98 playoffs, the Red Wings would be on the road, yet there was an overwhelming amount of fans and support at every road game. LETS-GO-RED-WINGS! Could be heard clear as day. I remember them showing the NHL teams with the best winning % over the past 15 years. And it wasnt even close. We were at like a .680%. The closest team to that I believe was the Devils at a .460 or so. All hail the Red Wings baby!

Nitpick: I don't doubt that the Wings probably have the best winning percentage over any span starting around the early '90s continuing until today, but it's a statistical impossibility for one team to be above .500 and 29 teams to be below. By definition, roughly half the teams should be above and half below.

[GoWings1905]

Nitpick: I don't doubt that the Wings probably have the best winning percentage over any span starting around the early '90s continuing until today, but it's a statistical impossibility for one team to be above .500 and 29 teams to be below. By definition, roughly half the teams should be above and half below.

You just beat me to it... I was reading this again, and then I caught the .460 winning percentage of the Devils, and knew there was no way. The Devils have to be close to .600 more likely.

This post has been edited by GoWings1905: 16 July 2007 - 09:22 PM

[LeagueIntegrity]

When people say the Wings are classy, they mean it. I stumbled upon this site on my way to TSN.

http://www.sportingnews.com/nhl/

[DetroitIan]

You just beat me to it... I was reading this again, and then I caught the .460 winning percentage of the Devils, and knew there was no way. The Devils have to be close to .600 more likely.

Nope. They were definitely not in the .600s. The Red Wings were the ONLY team in the .600 and above. Do research if ya need to. But I know for a fact we were the only one that high. That I know. I couldnt remember exactly where the devils were. But they werent near ours. Check up on it. Prove me wrong.

[jaytan]

I agree with this result, though sometimes I kind of wish the Wings weren't so popular with people who don't have ties to the Detroit area. It's a bit weird knowing that so many people are fans of the Wings just because they have been so dominant in recent years, when they didn't have to suffer through the less-successful 80's or the choking of the early 90's. If I were a bit older, I'd probably be more irked, but luckily I didn't have to live through the Dead Things era.

Also, as someone who has traveled around the continent extensively, and lived in just about every region, I have definitely seen evidence of Detroit unique and universal popularity. I've found loads of Wings fans (many of whom aren't Detroit fans across the board) all over the place, and been to plenty of road games that almost felt like they could be home games.

[Kp-Wings]

It's simple: The Red Wings are just plain awesome.

[theman19]

[quote name='betterREDthandead' date='July 16, 2007 - 09:31PM' post='1126314']
I like how you take a flip comment by a blogger (NOT a journalist) and turn it into how the American media wants to destroy the NHL.

I like how you missed the point entirly. It's not like i'm biasing my entire opinion on what this blogger says. It's all the backhanded comments like these popping up everywhere. It's still an article on foxsports. Was in necessary to say that? Did he point out all the trouble the nba is having with their ratings? Nope sure didn't. He took time to write a comment that had nothing on earth to do with what he was talking about and cut down the league for no apparent reason. The reason it upsets me is because he's not alone, almost every source i read talking about sports accross the board has something liek this to say about the nhl. Heck i even read in a video magazine recently something to the effect of "the NHL might be in the toliet but their games are not!" that's just a backhanded slap! why would you do that?

to the article itself we all knew that anyway

This post has been edited by theman19: 16 July 2007 - 11:03 PM

[North Guy]

But if the New York Rangers become a force (from signing those dudes) then they will become America's team in the NHL.

This post has been edited by North Guy: 16 July 2007 - 11:30 PM

[Cicada]

it always amazes me how a quite fair column always seems to want to have a dig at the NHL because it's "popular"...

i wish they'd just shut the fuck up

[Kp-Wings]

But if the New York Rangers become a force (from signing those dudes) then they will become America's team in the NHL.

They won't though. Gomez sucks, and they have no defense.

[Flip-check]

It'd take years of consistency to pull that off.

The Rags have to build their team back into shape before they gain a fearsome rep. And I hope they do.