I forgot when the NHL became the NBA

[NeverForgetMac25 483]

So I'm rewatching Game 6 of the finals, and I can harldy hold back my dinner hearing some of the comments the sportscasters are making. Don't get me wrong...I understand the direction the league is going in, but do we really need to hear "impartial" media making comments such as "that should've been an interference penalty" simply becuase a player may have touched a member of the opposition? I fear for the NHL if this continues, because the last thing I want is for this sport to turn as soft as the NBA is, or have to endure the diving we see in Soccer.

Correct me if I'm wrong, or post your feelings if you think I'm right. Either way, let me know if you're concerned or not with what I greatly worry about.

Edit: (Kelsey) Grammar

Edited June 7, 2008 by Never Forget Mac #25

[omnipotent_hudler 0]

there is no such thing as impartial media hope this helps

[NeverForgetMac25 483]

there is no such thing as impartial media hope this helps

Not really, as the media is just the first avenue into my fears. We never heard the media making comments like they are currently 5 years ago, and I worry what were going to hear from not only them, but the *officials* 5 years from now.

[Lidstromrules16 7]

I am just sick of the same old media guys in general. The guys on ESPN were sooo much better. Clement, cant beat him. He even makes baseball almost enjoying to listen to.

Announcers/analysts are just paid people with opinions. Most of what they debate is subjective anyway, and its sad because a fairweather or "new" fan to the game may take their comments for truth when anyone who has been around the game since before the lockout knows how hockey should be played.

I am still pissed at the call on Dats waaaay back last year against the Ducks. s*** call, shoulda never been made, yet some of these analysts will say its the right call.

go figure

It was fun to watch Milbury and McGuire almost fight eachother between intermissions in game 3.

Edited June 7, 2008 by Lidstromrules16

[Hitchhiker 9]

Clement and Thorne were all gaga about Colorado back when the rivalry was strong. Plenty of times I heard them calling for interference on Holmstrom.

[MississippiWing 14]

I'm sitting back hoping that the positive ratings for the finals will translate into more and more games going on ESPN or at least something available to more than Versus.

[David 2]

Penalties aside, I'm tired of hearing about how the game needs more scoring. More goals doesn't translate to more excitement, just increased celebration of goals. In games where a ton of goals are scored, celebration mellows with each goal (unless the game is close). 1-0 games are some of the most exciting games around, to me anyway.

[omnipotent_hudler 0]

Penalties aside, I'm tired of hearing about how the game needs more scoring. More goals doesn't translate to more excitement, just increased celebration of goals. In games where a ton of goals are scored, celebration mellows with each goal (unless the game is close). 1-0 games are some of the most exciting games around, to me anyway.

yep

[Chase 0]

Clement and Thorne were all gaga about Colorado back when the rivalry was strong. Plenty of times I heard them calling for interference on Holmstrom.

Yeah and I hated Thorne for that reason too... (his man love for the Avalance/Roy/Forsberg)

[Lidstromrules16 7]

Yeah and I hated Thorne for that reason too... (his man love for the Avalance/Roy/Forsberg)

As true as that may be, its not like the Avs are a considerable threat to the Wings. Although, they are certainly getting stronger no doubt.

[10 Minute Misconduct 104]

Fire Betman?

Seriously tho, i think im going to watch the 3rd period for the third night in a row

[Chase 0]

As true as that may be, its not like the Avs are a considerable threat to the Wings. Although, they are certainly getting stronger no doubt.

No they aren't thats for sure, but still... It was such a heated rivalry back in the days (if you know what I mean) and whenever we were on ESPN and Thorne was doing the game I couldn't stand it.

Anyway, not on topic, just had to vent a little. Time for a Coors Light I suppose...

[octopusonice 0]

I have a feeling it will become like the NFL. It's becoming more about marketing and money in the NHL.

Peyton Manning makes more in one season than Joe Namath made his entire life. Since more money is at stake, the NFL has become overly protective of QBs and other offensive players.

After watching the SCF, it's obvious that the NHL wants to showcase Crosby and you can expect more diving and ticky-tack calls. Just looking at an opposing player cross-eyed will result in a double-minor.

[Electrophile 3,554]

I LOVED Gary Thorne and Bill Clement calling games on ESPN. I miss that most about the current era of the NHL. Just my $0.02 on that.

As for whether the NHL is getting softer, I agree that a lot of the physicality is being whittled out of the game.....I don't like that. I'm not saying players should be able to whack at each other like they've got golf clubs in their hands, but not everything is interference/obstruction. It makes the game so much slower, at least to me, when you have a whistle blowing every 10 seconds. We saw that enough in the SCF this year with the Wings getting popped for EVERYTHING the refs could think of. I know I wasn't the only person wondering if the refs were watching the same game the rest of us were.

[Shaman 713]

Its NBC.... what do you expect? They don't want people who can make intelligent comments about a game, they want them to make a game more 'exciting' so that joe blow channel changer to watch.

[SouthernWingsFan 854]

So I'm rewatching Game 6 of the finals, and I can harldy hold back my dinner hearing some of the comments the sportscasters are making. Don't get me wrong...I understand the direction the league is going in, but do we really need to hear "impartial" media making comments such as "that should've been an interference penalty" simply becuase a player may have touched a member of the opposition? I fear for the NHL if this continues, because the last thing I want is for this sport to turn as soft as the NBA is, or have to endure the diving we see in Soccer.

Correct me if I'm wrong, or post your feelings if you think I'm right. Either way, let me know if you're concerned or not with what I greatly worry about.

Edit: (Kelsey) Grammar

When broadcasting a game for 3 hours, it is virtually impossible for a broadcaster to do his/her job as normally as possible without a fan of some team, it doesn't matter which the team is, claiming bias against the favorite team and all of a sudden, "THAT DAMN ANNOUCER HATES MY TEAM OR IS BIASED!" And the fan of another team could easily make the same claim from that same annoucer at a different point of the game where he or she gives the other team/player credit from the favorite team of the first fan.

In this specific scenario, you can imply it in a way that we don't want analysts to have any opinion at all. Well, that isn't going to happen anytime soon. Perhaps maybe it is just as simple as they are insinuating the same things that many people in here have been commenting about in recent memory, frustrating with the inconsistency of how all officials call the game.

Let annoucers be biased towards a team or player, let them comment on if a call was bad or what not, doesn't bug me one bit. I watch live games on TV for the action on the ice or playing surface, not what broadcasters have to say. I already know there are going to be forms of bias to some degree by all annoucers and if it is a local broadcast, there will probably be some homerism to a certain degree, so I take a lot of these opinions with a grain of salt, nothing to get too excited over.

[cupcrazy 13]

I LOVED Gary Thorne and Bill Clement calling games on ESPN. I miss that most about the current era of the NHL. Just my $0.02 on that.

As for whether the NHL is getting softer, I agree that a lot of the physicality is being whittled out of the game.....I don't like that. I'm not saying players should be able to whack at each other like they've got golf clubs in their hands, but not everything is interference/obstruction. It makes the game so much slower, at least to me, when you have a whistle blowing every 10 seconds. We saw that enough in the SCF this year with the Wings getting popped for EVERYTHING the refs could think of. I know I wasn't the only person wondering if the refs were watching the same game the rest of us were.

Is it just me,or did the officiating not really get out of control until Therrien post game comments after game two? It's like he was crying to the league for help,and his request was answered.We dominated games one and two of the SCF,but after Therriens cry for help after game two,we could no longer play our game.Babs adjusted after game three,and we went on to win the Stanley Cup.

Edited June 7, 2008 by cupcrazy

[dallas27 7]

Nobody has to worry about the NHL turning into the NBA or NFL. It won't ever be popular enough to.

I could care less about the media. All I care about (and so should you) is the product that Mr. I puts on the ice (and in his pizza joints).

[servo 15]

I am just sick of the same old media guys in general. The guys on ESPN were sooo much better. Clement, cant beat him. He even makes baseball almost enjoying to listen to.

Announcers/analysts are just paid people with opinions. Most of what they debate is subjective anyway, and its sad because a fairweather or "new" fan to the game may take their comments for truth when anyone who has been around the game since before the lockout knows how hockey should be played.

I am still pissed at the call on Dats waaaay back last year against the Ducks. s*** call, shoulda never been made, yet some of these analysts will say its the right call.

go figure

It was fun to watch Milbury and McGuire almost fight eachother between intermissions in game 3.

I couldn't agree with you more on every single line of your post! I doo miss Clement, while Thorne could have gone either way for me. I thought just having Milbury between the benches commenting a total of 90 seconds during the game was awesome. Once they put him on the main stage my strong distaste grew exponentially. I was surprised, because I thought I would like him. The first broadcast with Milbury and McGuire was REALLY funny. I thought that they were going to tear each others heads off.

[Copenhagen848 58]

I couldn't stand Gary Thorne when he was doing a Wings/Avs game.

However, the clowns at NBC and Versus have sincerely taken some of the enjoyment out of watching hockey for me. I cannot stand any of their announcers, and I've never heard some much bias toward the team playing the Wings.....ever!

Between Emrick's saying "DRIIIVE!" every 3 seconds, Pee-air's disdain for the Wings in the early rounds (he got better in the finals), and the king and queen asshat combo of Milbury and "Edzo", I actually got pissed off knowing I had no other option but to listen to those idiots.

This is the only Cup Championship for the Wings (so far) in which I will specifically remember what a horrible job the announcers did calling the playoffs when someone mentions the 2008 Cup win.

[GMRwings1983 8,804]

The instigator penalty and the lack of enforcers has made the NHL into a softer league than what it once was.

I don't mind them calling inteference penalties, but I wish they'd call less goalie interference penalties, and call more diving by itself, instead of calling a penalty, and then penalizing the other player for diving. This way, diving is not deterred by the league at all.

Also, say what you want, but there's a lot more Europeans now than there's ever been, thus there's going to be less hitting and fighting in the game, because that's not the style of hockey they play overseas.

However, first thing is first. Get rid of the instigator penalty, and lets see some more enforcers back in the league doing their thing. It's good for physicality and for the entertaiment value.

[LIDDYGIBBY5 1]

Penalties aside, I'm tired of hearing about how the game needs more scoring. More goals doesn't translate to more excitement, just increased celebration of goals. In games where a ton of goals are scored, celebration mellows with each goal (unless the game is close). 1-0 games are some of the most exciting games around, to me anyway.

1-0 games are great unless it is played between two neutral zone trap teams. The trap is why so many people think that more scoring is the answer.

[David 2]

1-0 games are great unless it is played between two neutral zone trap teams. The trap is why so many people think that more scoring is the answer.

Yea I agree with that. 1-0 games are exciting when each team is getting plenty of chances and nothing seems to go in.

I was pretty young when I was watching most games on ESPN with Gary Thorne, so I don't remember any bias he had toward the Avalanche. All I remember is he made the game exciting with his calls and he didn't seem like a complete buffoon. I can still remember his call when Yzerman made that top-shelf 2nd OT winner from the blue line against the Blues in game 7.