auxlepli

I sure hope he doesn't leave the Wings.

Has the U.S. NHL network started yet?

That's what I read too.

I'm torn. I use to want the Wings to move East. Now that I'm back home in Indiana. I'm in the heart of the Central Division! For selfish reasons I want them to stay, but it'd be OK if they moved.

Congrats to the Motor City! It's interesting to me in 2003 Anaheim was grouped with Los Angeles, but now it's not. Also Dallas and Fort Worth, 32 miles apart, is one "town", but Anaheim and LA, 34 miles apart, aren't. Seems pretty arbitrary to me.

Vladdy, no doubt.

ESPN's coverage has been bad the last two years, when it didn't carry NHL games, true. ESPN's coverage was bad previous to the lockout, when it carried NHL games, true. ESPN's coverage will improve when it gets the NHL back. The first two statements don't logically conclude that the third statement will be true. It probably will at first. On a long-term, consistent basis? I highly doubt it. From "Is ESPN Killing the National Hockey League by Influencing Public Attitudes?"

I don't remember cutting off game five happening where I live. In any case that's ONE game. On ESPN 2 it did, and I predict it will, happen more often than just once. ESPN's track record for how it treats the NHL is substandard IMO. I don't see "the sports cheerleader" as the NHL's salvation. I just don't.

Ever dance with the devil? So the NHL is going there so it can be regulated to the back burner, and treated like a red-headed step-child. Hmmm yeah makes sense to me.

How do you mean? I enjoyed watching the Russian 5 play. Good times.

They're OK. I don't care much for the piping on the front. The elbow stripes are different. I can take or leave 'em. At least they don't have the numbers on the front, and they haven't moved the logo over to one side.

Yeah I agree 100 percent. There are some goalies who sill play who oversized pad too IMO. Yep. I agree with this statement too. Calgary totally got hosed in '04. Interesting that the last three Cup winners have been "sun-belt" teams.

I think the difference is noticeable too. Very much so. In fact it annoys me too. Its annoyance is on par with the numbers on the Isles and Sabres jerseys. The rounded hemline is goofy too. The smaller logo thing is interesting too. Oh well, I guess I'll just by hoodies or jersey t's from now on

Ghetto has street cred today. Athletes don't play sports to get out, they play sports to make money. It's all aboot mo' money and mo ho's.

Yeah, it doesn't look right to me.

I e-mailed Wetzel with the link to that Staal story. Easy enough article to write given all the bad press sports is garnering these days. Oh and to prove I can't let a horse die in peace ... that Wetzel NHL comment belongs on ESPN. It's more of the same for the lowly NHL. Even when it's doing something right it's doing something wrong.

No way I say, but this article supports my opinion that ESPN doesn't need to carry NHL games because the network treats the League as a "punch-line." http://thesituationist.wordpress.com/2007/...s/#comment-4231 ESPN's anti-hockey stance was evident pre-lockout, and it's still around IMO. That's why I'm very happy it's off that network, and would reject any overture made to bring it back to the so-called "Sports Leader." That name, BTW, is a joke when it refuses to remain objective about the NHL, or dismisses the League in its highlight show. The NHL is better off on Versus IMO. There is lots of potential for growth. There is zero growth for it on ESPN. Versus is happy to have the NHL, while ESPN ridicules it.

I like them. I think this is the best design they've had - at least of what I can remember.

I received the latest Newsweek yesterday. There's an article aboot ESPN written by Devin Gordon. The sub headline says it all. "After a key anchor leaves, ESPN inches closer to becoming the worldwide cheerleader in sports." My emphasis. The article says aboot Dan Patrick. "As an anchor, Patrick struck the perfect balance between wit and gravitas; he had the funniest one-liners and he asked the toughest questions. But in recent years, networkwide, that balance has begun to tip unmistakenly toward the kind of athletic-centric idol worship that seems more like the province of Us Weekly than ESPN." I wholeheartedly agree with the second statement. The one aboot Patrick is a little over the top but he was bearable as an anchor IMO, when many others are just downright horrible. Later the article says. "Many influential sports bloggers, such as The Big Lean and Deadspin, have accused the network of ignornig sports, especially pro hockey, that ESPN doesn't have deals with. Then again, ESPN has ramped up its coverage of ultimate fighting even though the network has no financial stake in it - and it does in its rival, boxing. And while it's true that ESPN's hockey coverage has declined lately, hockey has also declined lately. Is that ESPN's fault, or the NHL's?" Interesting this appears aboot the same time the other article I posted did. Internet mime I guess. in any case it could be argued that hockey hasn't declined lately. League-wide attendance figures are up. The salary cap has increased. Clearly ESPN hockey coverage has declined. It was declining even when the NHL was on ESPN.

I've been wanting to buy that book too. Don't know aboot Amazon, but it is available on bn.com http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearc...93194&itm=1

This is ridiculous! Bettman is a known embellisher if not an outright liar. I don't know how anybody can believe Bettman.

It wouldn't surprise me at all. For better or ill, I trust Balsillie more than I trust Bettman.

Hmmmm, defintiely top 10. Probably six or seven. Howe Gretzky Orr Lemieux Dryden Richard Yzerman

I couldn't care less. The only thingI wonder is if Bettman wants to continue to model the NHL after his buddy's league, the NBA.

Pardon me all over the place. Just in my mind when I think of America's team I think of first the 1980 Olympic hockey team and then any other Olympic team representing the United States. I also think it's a misnomer to call any team representing a city or state, America's team. Sorry if I've offended anybody, try not to get your panties in a wad, that's just my opinion. On another note, that blog also mentioned Notre Dame, which is not a pro team, but on second thought I guess people could argue it is.