chiefness

....wow. That was the worst comparison i have ever seen.

The problem with ratings is Gary Bettman..not the size of goalie pads. The only thing that needs fixed in the NHL is Bettman.

There was alot of things in your post I could argue but I wanted to just take this to make a very important point. As you say...the climax of the game is when a goal occurs. That is so true. But its only the climax cause you can see how hard the players are working for a goal. Goals in the NHL wouldnt be as thrilling if players didnt have to work for thier goals and could just cross the blue line and wrist it by the goalie with ease (Like they did in old time hockey). Its more exciting to see the players doing everything they can to score and then getting the goal. NHL does not need more scoring. Ovechkin has got 52 goals and many other players are going to break 50. Scoring is fine, goalies are fine, the game is fine. Dont fix what isnt broken.

Try again, I posted my point on that many pages ago. But for people who are to lazy to look back and just jump in on an argument ill guess ill have to post some of it again. What kind of games do you want...When Ovechkin scored his 50th goal that game was 10-2. Is this the kind of scoring you want? Thats not hockey. Now that game was just complete ownage but making the pads smaller more and more games would be like this. Stop trying to make the sport something its not. You want to watch a game with points go be *** and watch basketball. And Ive said it tons of times but no one is debating it. If Giggy had all black pads...there would be nobody crying about "thinking" his pads look big. He is trying to make himself look big and is doing a good job at it because you people want to completely change the game of the goalie because he is so good at making himself look big. His white pads, his stance, his angles all make him look bigger than what he is. Im debating with people who have no idea about the topic of the goaltender. So its like arguing with a child almost. Do your research...Go out and play goalie...then youll get it. Pad size is about personal style of play so no point to bring up the Broduer has smaller pads thing. I play goalie and I could legally beable to use way bigger pads if I wanted....but that would just make me worse, cause Im used to my size of pads...same with Giggy and same with Broduer....its not to get the biggest pads possible so you can stop all the pucks because really...that wouldnt work in the nhl. You have to be skilled and play your style of game. Its nothing about bigger pads making the saves for him. Some of you are so clueless.

Pad size is mostly about style of play...not trying to get the extra advantage. I could wear WAY bigger pads right now if I wanted too. But It would prolly make me play worse. My style of play is what Im used to....and Im used to about size 32+2 leg pads. Any bigger or smaller and I would have to change how I move, set up, and get into position. As seen in the picture above Giggys pads arnt huge....they are normal. Like I said before its his compact stance that makes him look big...and his white pads have something to do with it to, same with legace. They are trying to make themselfs look big to the shooter...which is good...and apparently they do it so good you guys have to freak out about pad size. You people who say his pads are SO big are just clueless and no nothing about the goalie position.

ahhh o well...agree to disagree. Whatever the outcome of this if any I hope the sport of hockey doesnt change much from what it is now. Wether more goals would attract more people or not one thing is for sure is thats not the only reason hockey isnt as popular. Bettman has no idea what he was doing. I bet if games still played on ESPN people would watch and that would make people care, cause all of what Americans see when it comes to sports news is from ESPN. Sportscenter only plays about 3 min of hockey highlights a show and thats a problem. I think the answer is to stop changing the game and start getting some good advertisment and get on some big name channels. Thats just what I think tho. And for the idea of making the rink wider to increase scoring. In my opinoin it would open up more room in the neutral zone and limit the effectiveness of the trap. But It would work both ways in giving the Defence more time i suppose.

I was just saying that cause someone was saying how hockey should be like it was in the 60's and 70's. But trust me...its like Bettman has brainwashed people to thinking that more goals will attract more fans. And maybe it will but changing the way a goalie plays isnt going to do it good. Theres plunty of other options. Making the rinks wider is just one off the top of my head. It makes me sick to think that the NHL has to make the game more like basketball and football to get more fans...and its not the case. The NHL is already passing up the NBA in attendance...so its not going to falter soon. The answer to getting more fans insnt more goals by changing the position of the goalie. Maybe we can get Bettman out of there and get someone who is half smart to find ways to get fans.

Haha..i like this way of debating...much more civilized. You made good points...but I guess were just 2 diff fans. A. If non fans need to see scoring to like the sport than we shouldnt just change how the sport is played for them. Its like Bettman is trying to change the game into basketball on ice. Might as well make the net bigger and take the goalie out of the net. More scoring might attract other fans but changing the game like that will also lose fans. Its a fact hockey fans are some of the most loyal fans. I dont want people watching the game just because they score alot. Theres no much more to the game. B. Luongo I know hes talking about making the nets bigger here but in an article i tried couldnt find he was talking about just people trying to mess the goalie position period that would make him leave. 2nd Paragraph A.Yes...it is his stance and positioning that makes him look big. I can play goalie and stand like him. And another example. White pads look bigger than black pads. Im sure Giggy got white pads to make himself look big. Its all just people looking at him and asuming he has huge pads when he doesnt. 3rd Paragraph A. Hmm...the ole Broduer arguement. Well ill say this. Broduer looks goofy as hell in his pads lol. But really...Broduer has a totally diffrent style of play...and his style is with small pads...and he has masterd that style. Gggys style is coming out and having amazing angles. Just makes him look big...which is the point. He is trying to make himself look big and he has fooled all of you. He pads are fine...but how he plays makes him look big...so people say its his pads. And your going off a post a made ahwile ago...read my more recent post...i answer and prove alot of points in that one.

I agree about small pads being safe but its not what im trying to get by to you. Right now...there is nothing wrong with how the game is played. But people just think "oh you stopped that shot cause you have big pads" No. Its bogus. I dont want to see some of the best goalie talent leave the NHL because they try to mess with the pads and I dont want to see this game changed into goals getting scored every 5 min. Thats not exciting. A close game is way more exciting than a game thats like 10-2. A player working hard to score is more entertaining to watch then just getting to the blue line and wristing it by the goalie with ease like they did back in the day. Harder to score, harder the players have to work, harder the goalies have to work= more intense game. Why do you want to change the games...you talk about Giggy and Legace. Its not like they are getting shutouts. Dont Fix what isnt broken. Changing that pads will make it one step closer to ruining the game nuff said. The way to American auidence isnt more goals. But bettman is an idiot. First thing people should be worrying about if they want to fix the game is getting Bettman out of the NHL.

Ok...NHL does not need more scoring and anyone who says they do is dead wrong. What kind of NHL scores do you want 10-15 goals a night? A 1-0 game is much more exciting. And you mess with the way a goalie plays they will leave. Luongo already said if they make the nets bigger he will play somewhere else. And Giguere the only goalie you guys are talking about. Really you have no idea if his pads are large. You just assume. The NHL checks goalie pads so they are regulation size. But everyones arguement is that you are assume from how he looks that he is using larger pads than normal. Maybe its his stance. He gets low and puts his chest on the top of his pads making him look big and compact. Broduer could have a stance like Giggy does and make his pads look bigger. Or maybe its because he has a tight jersey. But ill let you guys keep on assuming if it makes u feel better. Really...you want to ruin a part of this great game than change the size of goalie pads thats cool. Thats why I say you might as well make the players use a stick with no flex or curve...even the playing field allitle bit. One of you go out and play goalie then maybe ill take your post allitle serious. But all of you are just assuming how it is with biased posts.

The NHL doesnt need more scoring thats why. So theres no point to even mess with the goalies way of playing. You wanna mess with how a goalie plays then lets take away all the flex and curve on sticks that players get. Yea that would be dumb too...just like messing with the goalie pads.

Ok...really. What is the reason for changing the size of goalie pads? It cant be to increase scoring. It cant be because some goalies are getting an unfair advantage either. You keep on bringing up Giggy. What unfair advantage does he have? Hes def not getting shutouts every night. Hes just like any other starting goalie so whats the problem. Its not like the wings or any other team have a hard time scoring on him. Really...there is no reason to change the pads. It would just be another useless rule change. And knowing how dumb Bettman is he will prolly think its a great idea.

[sarcasm] Well all im saying is we might as well not let players use carbon fiber sticks or skates that are light as a feather. The NHL should take away helmets too....yea that will get more people watching. And hey If were going to shrink goalie pads down to what they were then we might as well just change everyones equipment. Yea that wont change the game at all...it will make it more exciting! WHOOHOO. Cause changing the game is going to get more people in USA to watch hockey. Yea bad hockey ratings isnt because the person who is running the NHL has half a brain, no. Its because the goalie equipment. Of course it all makes sense now. [/sarcasm]

Just like if you played with a 1980 hockey stick it would be a huge diffrence from today light carbon fiber sticks. The game has advanced as equipment technology goes. Whats wrong with that?