ManLuv4Clears

Wow, just wow. This is some of the most insightful blogging I've read in a while.

No No. The only way this would happen is if Elisha Cuthbert discountinued blogging on NHL.com.

Yes, and those dozen or so 12-Year-Olds will sorely be missed as fans if Elisha is some how not associated with the NHL in the future. /sarcasm

Esteef is referring to comments he made in a post game press conference when there were live cameras on him. Good example in my mind, almost hypocritical in a sense because he was able to shout obscenities towards someone and now he comes back and acts like Sean has committed a sin.

I can't believe I'm coming on here and reading that Elisha Cuthbert is some how an intregal piece to the NHL's marketing agenda. I had never heard of her before "Old School" and frankly haven't heard about her or paid attention to her sense. You can throw any avid NHL fan I know into that pool as well. If any of you are fans of her's, that's great and it's your progative. However if the NHL has to utilize her for survival of the sport, it's in more trouble than we all could have imagined..... where has this thread gone?????

Totally true statement, I think a lot of people have a hard time coming to terms with this.

Unfortunately, not most, but a lot of people do. Every sport needs it's villain, and some people love the villain. I wanted to rip the TV out of the wall when watching Chad Johnson do his non-sense after touchdowns in years past, and I couldn't wait for someone to open him up going across the middle, but some people loved his antics. Either way, it made both parties pay attention with anticipation of what may happen next. The beautiful thing about the NHL is what you said, the majority of players are good guys, humble, and stay out of the negative lime light. However like the NFL it's not necessarily a bad thing for the NHL to have a villain. Though it may bring some negative publicity to start a lot of the things that make the sport great can also be brought to the fore front with more attention.

I've got to agree with this. Is what Avery said stupid? Yes. Do I hate him like the rest of you? Yes. But this pales in comparison to other negative things in the NHL and professional sports in general. This was a golden opportunity to bring some excitement to an otherwise boring regular season game. If Avery played and all hell broke loose in the game, you bet your ass it would be a #1 or #2 story on Sportscenter. Publicity in this form is better than none at all. Believe it or not Americans love drama, violence, and characters like Avery. The NHL will continue to be a third tier sport in America if it's marketed the way Bettman wants. If people are content with that, it's totally fine and their opinion, but don't turn around and ***** when the league gets treated like one on ESPN.

I think that was also one of those phantom "keep the game close" calls.

Dear God, I hate the "New" NHL.

They were saying Carlisle doesn't like to play the same goalie two nights in a row, however he was concerned starting JSG as he's been off for so long.

Yes, you won't see Pavs throwing down with Roberts anytime soon either. On topic, well done by Stamkos!

nm

No worries friend, happens to the best of us. Now next time I want a post that I whole heartedly agree with

Would never happen bud, as for Hossa though there is a good youtube video of him smacking around Tverdovsky:

Wow. I don't hate you and I'm sure you're a good person but this in my mind is probably the most dissapointing post I've read on these boards. The Wings wouldn't be were they are today if it weren't for the rivalry with Colorado, including their first Stanley Cup. The players themselves state the first brawl brought them together and helped solidify the cup run. I've just lost a little faith in humanity.

True True. And in the end Bettman will be gone and hopefully the NHL can bring in a commissioner that has some knowledge of the game itself. One who can attract and keep a fan base, not forget the sport's roots, and use his position for the better of the game. Then maybe we'll have a mix of 1980 and 2008 hockey, and we can all be happy. Until then the Wings will do an excellent job playing by the rules and standards given to them and probably like you said continue to be a succesful franchise.

Not that I disagree with some of the Hudler logic and I'm still on the fence, but pre-season stats in all sports should be thrown out the window for a number of reasons. For example, the Lions were 4-0.

If they have new TV contract with the NHL this will stop. It would be stupid of them to degrade a sport they have a contractual agreement with, but until this happens they have no reason to do any type of promotion of the NHL if the demand is not there.

Supply and demand sir. People have to get their NHL homer glasses off and realize the sport IS NOT a premier sport in America. I love the game like everyone else on these boards but we are in the minority. The NFL, NBA, MLBA, NCAA Basketball and Football, and NASCAR all have more of a demand than the NHL, hence you can't blame ESPN for showing highlights and headlines of what the public wants..... still the point I'm making is: less coverage on ESPN than other sports > than anything Versus can offer.

Please explain why ESPN should be obligated to show NHL highlights. They only showcase sports they have a vested interest in. Until they cover the NHL there's no reason for them in a buisness model sense to do so.

That's more of an arguement for ESPN than anything, ESPN LOVES to promote the sports it has contracts with, and for good reason. If anyone noticed when they picked up NASCAR all of a sudden there was more time talked about it during Sportscenter, it had it's own dedicated daily TV show, and there's always additional advertising on the front page of espn.com (which alone is priceless with the amount of internet traffic that site gets daily). The same can be said for the way they decided to pick up poker. No one knew about Texas Hold 'em until ESPN started braodcasting it non-stop, now everyone and their brother has the occasional game they attend.

I have to agree with this.

Well he's +3 tonight anyway so now he's back in the green. I can give the little guy credit.

How can you blame ESPN? Unfortunately, the NHL is not a tier one sport in America like you make it out to be. It doesn't have a tremendous amount of bargaining power. The NHL needs ESPN more than ESPN needs the NHL. It would be in the NHL's best interest if it is truly confident in it's sport to take any deal with ESPN. ESPN giving a share of the profits is still better than anything Versus can offer.